policymakers in India swear by the insecticide ddt to contain sand fly, the kala-azar vector. There are alternatives to using chemicals, a group of researchers has found by studying 50 villages in five kala-azar endemic districts in Bihar. The disease is most prevalent in the state. Critics say the study is not foolproof. Various theories exist on sand fly

The Chennai Corporation has bought six catamarans to be used to clear weeds and garbage floating on the city's waterways. The new equipment would be used to remove the floating masses and spray larvicide to control mosquito breeding, Mayor M. Subramanian said on Friday. The catamarans were deployed on a stretch of the Adyar river along the Madras Boat Club.

VICTORIAN farmers must embrace new technology, including genetically modified crops, to battle the effects of climate change and increased global competition, Premier John Brumby has warned. Speaking at the launch of the Government's $205 million plan to secure the future of farming in the state, Mr Brumby said Victoria's farmers faced increasing competition from countries such as Brazil, Russia and China.

A species of cattail grass, Typha australis, is taking over river banks and farmlands in the wetlands of Nigeria's Jigawa state, disrupting farming and fishing activities, said the state

it is believed when invasive species are introduced in an area they inhibit the growth of local plants by producing chemicals. There is another recent theory that suggests that invasives work by