By Kalyan Ray, DH News Service, New Delhi:

Farmers in and around Bangalore are relying substantially on untreated urban waste water for their produce, which not only increase the consumers health risks but also convert farmers into destitutes.

This is the finding of a survey that analysed the quality and usage of waste water for 53 cities in developing countries. Carried out by International Water Management Institute (IWMI), it was released in Stockholm on Monday.

The recently concluded world food summit observed that urban populations are likely to be more exposed to rising food prices than their rural counterparts: they are more likely to consume staple foods derived from tradable commodities and are less likely to produce a significant share of their own food or produce for sale. Anticipating this, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has been advocating urban and peri-urban agriculture