Economy

Economic and social survey of Asia and the Pacific 2013

The 2013 edition of the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific argues that macroeconomic policies can play a key role not only in supporting the economies of the region in the short term, but also in reorienting the region towards a more inclusive and sustainable pattern of development.

Publication Date: 
01/04/2013
UNESCAP
Tags:
Economic Development, Sustainable Development, Asia, India, Environment, Food Prices, Fuel Pricing, Trade
Food Policy

The political economy of food price policy: the case study of India

India did not experience any food price spikes during 2007–08 when global food prices erupted. It was partly due to India’s ban on exports of wheat and common rice India resorted to.

Publication Date: 
01/04/2013
Kavery Ganguly, Ashok Gulati
UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
Tags:
Food Prices, Food Policy, India, Economic Development, Agriculture, Food Crops, Consumption Patterns, Public Distribution System (PDS)
Agriculture

Taming food inflation in India

This paper by CACP shows that direct transfer of food and fertilizer subsidies in cash to targeted beneficiaries has the potential to save almost Rs 60,000 crores, without any major adverse impact on the beneficiaries.

Publication Date: 
01/04/2013
Ashok Gulati, Shweta Saini
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices
Tags:
Food Prices, Food Security, Agriculture, India, Subsidies, Economy
Natural Disasters

Canada 'only nation to leave UN drought agreement'

Drought is becoming a recurring problem in some parts of the world

Canada is leaving a drought treaty, becoming the only UN member to do so, Canadian media report.

Publication Date: 
29/03/2013
BBC (UK)
Tags:
Canada, Natural Disasters, Drought, Desert Spread, Kyoto Protocol, Green House Gases, Japan, Russia, New Zealand, Poverty, Land, Food Prices
Water Resources

Water as vital to national security as defense, U.N. says

Stresses on water supplies aggravated by climate change are likely to cause more conflicts and water should be considered as vital to national security as defense, the United Nations report said on

Publication Date: 
25/03/2013
Alister Doyle
Planet Ark (Australia)
Tags:
Water Resources, Water Supply, World Meteorological Orgnisation ('WMO), Conflicts, Rivers, Floods, Somalia, Drought, Sudan, Population, Climate Change, Pakistan, South Asia, United States Of America (US), Russia, Food Prices, Waterborne diseases, Malaria, Diarrhoea, Developing Countries, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, WHO
Food Policy

The National Food Security Bill, 2013

This revised version of National Food Security Bill 2013 tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2013 gives legal entitlement to 67 per cent population for subsidised grains under the Targeted Public Distribution System.

Publication Date: 
22/03/2013
Parliament of India
Tags:
Food Security, India, Food Prices, Nutrition, Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Subsidies
Food Policy

Right to food and foodgrain policy

Identification of the poor and the scale of operation are the most critical challenges of the proposed legislation on the right to food. This article suggests universal entitlement that excludes clearly identifi able rich. Food coupons could eliminate the need for the operations of public distribution system and eliminate diversion. Also cash transfers to the women of the household through Aadhaar cards could substantially reduce diversions and avoid the problem of distribution of food coupons.

Publication Date: 
16/03/2013
Kirit S Parikh
Economic and Political Weekly
48
11
23-27
Tags:
Food Policy, Poverty, Legislation, Direct Cash Transfer, Food Security, Malnutrition, Subsidies, Food Prices, India
Agriculture

New crop arrivals see wheat prices fall in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government had announced a bonus of Rs 150 over and above the MSP

Owing to arrival of the new wheat crop in western states, prices of the commodity have started falling. In Madhya Pradesh, set to be the largest wheat producer in a year, prices have fallen to below the minimum support price (MSP). Farmers in the state are selling wheat at Rs 1,350 a quintal, against the MSP of Rs 1,500 a quintal.

Publication Date: 
08/03/2013
Komal Amit Gera
Business Standard (New Delhi)
Tags:
Madhya Pradesh, Wheat, Farmers, Crops, Alwar (D), Food Prices, Drought, Budget, Agriculture
Energy

Biofuels: MPs agree subsidies for power stations

The felling of natural forest for palm oil plantations has enraged campaigners looking to protect orangutans

Publication Date: 
07/03/2013
BBC (UK)
Tags:
United Kingdom (UK), Europe, Palm Oil, Renewable Energy, Biofuel, Subsidies, Green House Gases, Food Prices, Germany, Netherlands
Agriculture

Policy shift needed to tap Africa's farm potential - World Bank

Africa's agricultural sector could become a $1 trillion (664 billion pounds) industry by 2030 if governments and the private sector radically rethink policies and support for farmers, a World Bank

Publication Date: 
05/03/2013
Reuters
Tags:
Africa, Agriculture, World Bank, Farmers, Horticulture, Edible Oils, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, Malawi, Zambia, Food Security, Food Prices

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