Scientific fraud by Indian Government on Gene-Edited Rice, Exposed
On May 4, 2025, India's Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced ICAR has developed two genome-edited rice varieties — Pusa DST-1 and DRR Dhan 100 ‘Kamala’. Pusa DST-1 was claimed to outperform its non-GM parent in saline and alkaline soils, while Kamala, derived from non-GM parent Samba Mahsuri, was declared to yield 17% higher, mature 20 days earlier, and use nitrogen more efficiently. The announcement was followed by widespread media coverage, interviews
Selva Karthik
India's Water Crisis: 10,790 liters of Water required to Produce 1 Liter of Ethanol - E20 Petrol
India is facing its worst water crisis, with 600 million people already experiencing high-to-extreme water stress. E20 fuel (a mix of 20% ethanol, 80% petrol) is being promoted as a cleaner-burning, more sustainable alternative to pure petrol, offering lower carbon emissions in vehicles, better octane ratings, and reduced oil imports thereby supporting national development. NITI Aayog has warned by 2030, 21 major cities—including Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai—are at risk of r
Selva Karthik
AI in Agriculture: Farming by Algorithm
Big Tech firms including Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Alibaba are joining forces with agribusiness giants to reshape agriculture through AI, precision farming, and digital platforms. But far from empowering farmers or tackling climate change, this rapid digital expansion risks increasing farmer debt and accelerating farm loss, deepening ecological harm, and concentrating corporate control over food production. IPES-Food is a global think tank that guides actions for sustain
Selva Karthik
Seed Treaty: Biopiracy of India's Indigenous seeds by United Nations(UN)
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), commonly known as the Plant Treaty or the Seed Treaty, is an international, legally binding instrument with 154 States as member countries (referred to as Contracting Parties). It was adopted under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2001 and entered into force in 2004. The primary goals of the Seed Treaty (Treaty), are said to be in harmony w
Selva Karthik
Women Farmers- Unspoken part of India's Food system
When we picture a farmer in India, the image is almost always of a man standing tall in a field, sickle in hand, tilling the soil. But the reality shows a different picture. According to the National Sample Survey data , 80% of economically active women in India are employed in agriculture sector. Yet their role in agriculture largely remains invisible and policies rarely take them into account. These women work on their family land, as daily wage labourers, and in looking a
Selva Karthik
Is Our Food Making Us Sick? New Study Links Pesticides to Cancer
Food is meant to nourish our bodies, but for many, it has become a source of concern. A recent study revealed that over 50% of food...
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Bayer's take over of Indian Government's Agricultural Institutions
ICAR is an autonomous body public body under Ministry of Agriculture. It is the largest network of agriculture research and educational institutions in the world. The Council is the apex body for coordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. With 113 ICAR institutes and 74 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural
Selva Karthik
Is Indian Government's Subsidy helping Indian farmers?
Cows are integral part of Indian culture since a very long time. Cattle has been worshiped, celebrated owing to its importance in farming and food production across India for many centuries. Indigenous farming techniques that were prevalent in India before 1950s relied completely on cow. Cow dung acted as natural fertilizer. Farmers relied on cows rather than chemical fertilizers. Even today, many sustainable organic farming requires cattle primarily for cow dung due to its r
Selva Karthik
