There is a gradual increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs)like CH4 and N2O in ambient air due to intensive agriculture, rapid industrialization and the expanding transport sector. About 80% of N2O is produced biologically and the major sources are agricultural fields, wetlands, sediments, animal
wastes and landfills. Emission of N2O from the soil is due to nitrification and e-nitrification processes.

BHUBANESWAR: A plan outlay of Rs 75.46 crore for increased productivity of rice in 15 districts and pulses in 10 districts under the National Food Security Mission has been prepared by the State Government.

The State-level advisory committee of the mission headed by Agriculture Minister S.N. Naik recently discussed the measures taken by the Agriculture Department to implement the Central scheme which was launched last year.

In Malawi, the fifth poorest country in the world, the government introduced a voucher programme for small scale farmers, providing them access to subsidised fertilizer
and seed. The country suddenly saw bumper harvests in both 2006 and 2007. Are fertilizer subsidies the way out of poverty for small scale farmers in Africa?

Importance of food management and maintaining food security the world over has been abundantly recognized since long. India plays a very important role by its contribution in world's food production, accounts for more than 10 percent of total world's foodgrain production.

Investigation on bioaccumulation of heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury by pigeonpea an important pulse crop of India, were undertaken. The experiments were performed to evaluate the extend of accumulation of these metals in the aerial parts of the plant.

on may 28, the Maharashtra government issued an order revoking a 47-year-old ban on the sale of Lathyrus sativus, a pulse variety grown widely in the state

Nutritionist Shantilal Kothari, whose efforts were instrumental in revocation of the ban on lathyrus speaks to Aparna Pallavi

How did you get interested in lathyrus?

In September 2003, the Sanjay Deotale Committee conducted extensive research in rural hospitals in the high lathyrus consumption districts of Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, and found that they had not received any lathyrus patient in the last five years. Doctors from National Institute of Nutrition who were part of the committee did not join the research team.

This paper discusses the various factors that have been identified as responsible for the current global crisis in the availability of food and for the rise in prices of cereals. It argues that the crisis is different from the ones in the 1960s and 1970s in that there is now likely to be a permanent upward shift in real prices. It is important that developing countries place renewed emphasis on selfsufficiency to ensure food security, since they are unlikely to be able to afford expensive food imports.

Cutting across political and cultural boundaries, the latest round of fuel price hike has shaken and stirred the average Indian middle class family. The new rates are likely to take a heavy toll on all household budgets, but the middle class would be the worst affected.

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