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An analysis by Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)creators reveals that there are more ‘MPI poor’ people in eight Indian states (421 million in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal) than in the 26 poorest African countries combined (410 million). PTI 120710
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| The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) estimates that 22% of India's population is undernourished. Child malnutrition is especially high, as National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3 ) data reveal that 48% of children under-five years suffered from low height-for-age (stunting ) and 42.5% from low weight-forage (underweight). |
IFPRI Study shows that there is a strong inverse relationship (coefficient correlation equals -0 .75) between the level of land productivity (or agri-performance) and malnutrition across the States.
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Kerala and Punjab, which have almost the highest value of agri-output per hectare also have low levels of malnutrition, while a state like Madhya Pradesh is at the bottom of value of output, and no wonder it is also lowest in nutritional status (See graph above).
IFPRI research on 63 countries (during 1970-96 ) estimates that women's education accounted for 43% of the child malnutrition reduction during the period.
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NOTE: This position is widely known and well publicised. But practicable measures to remedy the situation are what we are looking for and not for a new indicator.
At this juncture it is relevant to rember what M.G said about upliftment of the poor.
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“… Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man or woman whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will he or she gain anything by it? Will it restore him or her to a control over his or her own life and destiny?” M.G.Gandhi
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Food inflation higher @12.80%
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Annual food inflation inched up to 12.81 per cent for the week ended July 3, while fuel inflation shot up to 14.27 per cent, reflecting the hike in oil prices. In the previous week food inflation was at 12.63 per cent. Cereals turned dearer by 6.04 per cent and rice by 6.10 per cent. Prices of pulses shot up 28.98 per cent and that of milk by 15.91 per cent. Year-on-year fruit prices went up by 15.91 per cent.
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| The impact of the hike in fuel prices hike by the government on June 25 was seen in the prices of petroleum products, which rose 14.27 per cent annually. The increase spurred the overall inflation to 10.55 per cent in June. BL 150710 |
India looks to hybrids to raise paddy productivity |
The agriculture ministry proposed a task force on promotion of hybrid rice and will push for private sector participation in the development of the hybrid variety. In India, rice productivity is 3.3 tonne per hectare. China’s productivity is almost double and is at 6.6 tonne per hectare. China has been able to produce 200 million tonne rice annually from 30 million hectare (ha) while India produces 150 million tonn rice from 45 million hectare. Almost 63% of Chinese land under rice cultivation produces hybrid variety, compared with only 3% in India. FE 110710
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Keep industry off cultivable land: Pawar
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As much as 82 percent of the farmers own less than an acre and 60 percent of such lands have no assured water supply. "Therefore, the land which gives a good crop and the land which has good water supply will have to be preserved. Therefore, we are not encouraging acquisition of such land. FE 100710
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| Agri Min staff 30.000, burden without benefit: Agriculture is a state subject. There is a huge Ministry of Agriculture at the Centre employing around 30,000 people. This army of employees makes little contribution to the production side of agriculture. Its functions are limited to coordinating the work of research and promoting a balance between the consumers' and the farmers' interests.. Sharad Joshi/BL/160710 |
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| Scope and limitations of Organic Farming |
| From just 42,000 hectares under certified organic farming in 2003-04, farmland under this nature-friendly form of cultivation has expanded to about 750,000 hectares in 2009-10.Despite impressive growth, organic produce forms less than 1 per cent of the total farm output, at home and abroad. |
Nobel laureate and the Father of Green Revolution Norman Borlaug said: “Even if you could use all the organic material that you have — the animal manure, the human waste, plant residues — and get them back in the soil, you couldn’t feed more than 4 billion people. In addition, if all agriculture were organic, you would have to increase cropland area dramatically, spreading out into marginal areas and cutting down millions of acres of forests.” |
| Borlaug even discounted the plea that organic farming produced more nutritive products. “As far as the plants are concerned, they can’t tell whether nitrate ion comes from artificial chemicals or from decomposed organic matter,” he often argued. |
| Indeed, some of Borlaug’s views, especially those concerning the quality of organic products, have since been corroborated by the outcome of scientific investigations published recently in reputed international journals. These studies have found no substantive nutritive superiority of the organically grown products over others. |
| Borlaug’s logic regarding the source of plant nutrients for the crops, too, is not wholly unfounded. For, farmyard manures usually contain very little, less than 1 per cent, nitrogen (N) against that of 46 per cent in urea. Manures also have a low content of phosphorous (P) and potash (K). These are, therefore, required to be added in huge quantities to meet the needs of plants, especially those of high-yielding varieties. That much quantity of manure may be difficult to arrange for. But the utility of manure in replenishing soils’ micro-nutrients and maintaining their biological and physical health is indisputable. Surinder Sud: B S 130710 |
| ‘Free power policy maladaptive in nature’, Study |
For the past two decades, there has been a declining trend in
investments in the agricultural sector as compared to the
promotion of subsidies. These subsidies in the agricultural sector
account for about 2% of the nation’s GDP, thus limiting the
Government expenditure and investment for other areas of
importance such as public health, education, rural development,
research etc (Fan, S. et al, 2007). Hence, instead of supporting
blanket subsidies in the agricultural sector, investments into
infrastructure development and research and development for
efficient irrigation technologies and improved crop varieties
should be promoted. |
The free power policy is maladaptive in nature because though it is enabling the communities to cope in the short-term, it is not helpful to farmers in adopting sustainable and adaptive agricultural practices; thereby exacerbating their vulnerabilities to risks in the long-term. These risks are associated with decline in surface water, low groundwater recharge and potential declines in agricultural yields and farm-based incomes. Changes in climatic patterns and the uncertainties involved in estimating the magnitude of these changes adds to the risks to the agriculture sector. This discussion hence highlights the need for policies to have adaptive mechanisms in order to best adjust to possible social, economic and environmental uncertainties.
“Understanding Adaptive Policy Mechanisms through Power Subsidies for Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh, India,2008” by Sreeja Nair, Prepared for ”The Adaptive Policies Project” |
SNIPPETS:
Gold reserves holders |
Total official sector gold holdings stood at 30,462 tonnes, the World Gold Council said in a report dated June 2010.
The United States remained the biggest holder of gold, with 26.7 percent of total official sector gold holdings, followed by Germany and the IMF.
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| AI spent Rs 41 cr on offices at places having no flights |
| Cash-strapped Air India had spent nearly Rs 41 crore in a year in maintaining its offices in 11 cities across globe even though it does not have any operations from these locations. The Air India in an RTI reply has accepted it has offices in Los Angles, Amsterdam, Milan, Vienna, Zurich, Moscow, Cairo, Tehran, Nairobi, Sydney and Chittagong but does not have flight operations at these locations. The airline says it maintains offices in these places for the purpose of code sharing. BL 140710 |
| CAG finds Rs 369 crore hole in AP govt revenue |
| The Andhra Pradesh government has incurred a loss in revenue of over Rs 369 crore in 2008-09 due to non-observation of rules and provisions of the Acts by various departments resulting in non-levy or short levy of tax or penalty, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). The CAG report for the year stated that scrutiny of records of revenue, transport, roads and buildings, industries and commerce, energy, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs departments revealed underassessment and loss of revenue in 188 cases. |
| “These cases are illustrative and are based on a test check carried out in audit,” CAG said indicating that there could be several other such cases. BS 160710 |
| Goldman will pay $550 million to settle SEC charges |
Goldman Sachs Group Inc agreed to pay $550 million to regulators to settle civil fraud charges over how it marketed a subprime mortgage product. But many investors viewed the $550 million as just a slap on the wrist for a bank that earned more than $13 billion last year.
The SEC accused Goldman of creating and marketing a debt product linked to subprime mortgages without telling investors that a prominent hedge fund helped choose the underlying securities and was betting against them. ET 160710 |
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| Krsr/and 132/1607 |
