Contemporary debates on Indian agriculture need to shift from the traditional focus on physical productivity targets towards smart policies, strengthened and relevant institutions, and an enabling environment, all of which are needed to foster a more profitable, sustainable and resilient agricultural sector capable of ending poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

Indian agriculture is once again in a slowdown. After the spurt of 2004–05—2011–12 when growth accelerated and the variability of production declined, in recent years growth has slowed and volatility has risen. Given weak world economic prospects and looming climate change, the main objectives of agricultural policy should now be to (i) enhance effi ciency of production and natural resource use, and (ii) devise appropriate safety nets to cope with risks whether from markets or climate.

Agriculture cannot be revived without a different approach to water, soil, crops and research. (Editorial)

The negative effect of increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) pollution on grassland biodiversity is now incontrovertible. However, the recent introduction of cleaner technologies in the UK has led to reductions in the emissions of nitrogen oxides, with concomitant decreases in N deposition. The degree to which grassland biodiversity can be expected to ‘bounce back’ in response to these improvements in air quality is uncertain, with a suggestion that long-term chronic N addition may lead to an alternative low biodiversity state.

The negative effect of increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) pollution on grassland biodiversity is now incontrovertible. However, the recent introduction of cleaner technologies in the UK has led to reductions in the emissions of nitrogen oxides, with concomitant decreases in N deposition. The degree to which grassland biodiversity can be expected to ‘bounce back’ in response to these improvements in air quality is uncertain, with a suggestion that long-term chronic N addition may lead to an alternative low biodiversity state.

Further progress in understanding and mitigating N2O emissions from soil lies within transdisciplinary research that reaches across spatial scales and takes an ambitious look into the future.

Original Source

Malnutrition is a challenge to the health and productivity of populations and is viewed as one of the five largest adverse health impacts of climate change. Nonetheless, systematic evidence quantifying these impacts is currently limited. Our aim was to assess the scientific evidence base for the impact of climate change on childhood undernutrition (particularly stunting) in subsistence farmers in low- and middle-income countries.

Original Source

This review updates the effect of lifestyle on plasma triacylglycerols (TAG) in the postprandial state, commonly reported as postprandial lipemia (PPL), an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Numerous studies have shown that Mediterranean diet may reduce PPL. However, most of these studies were focused on the type of fat (i.e., monounsaturated fat from olive oil) and the other components of the Mediterranean lifestyle were neglected. Physical activity, an integral part of this lifestyle, is widely investigated on its own and shown to reduce PPL.

India is the still by and large vegetarian in dietary habit and heavily depends upon vegetative source to meet out its daily protein requirement. India is bound to be global leader in terms of production and consumer of pulses. Since, India is leading importer of pulses, production of pulse/ legume crops has been stagnant over the years. Consequent upon this there is widening gap between demand and supply. About 20 % of the total pulses demands are met by imports only. Apart from legumes fix atmospheric ‘N’ in readily available form to the upcoming succeeding crop.

The local village communities in Zaheerabad have been able to reclaim their fallowed lands and cultivate a myriad varieties of traditional landraces of food grains. They have not only been able to control their food systems that are ecosystemically evolved over thousands of years but also have adequate nutritious food for their consumption.

Original Source