Ducks wade through paddy fields to bump up profits
At the crack of dawn, Lipi Basak and her sisters Smriti and Mamti are already out of their home, with a group of quacking ducks ahead of them. It is…
As govt decision on GM foods yet on back burner, illegal GMOs enter market
In February 2010, India imposed a moratorium on commercial cultivation of the genetically modified (GM) Brinjal crop till a consensus on the safety of transgenic crops was achieved. More than…
Mango database for plant breeders at the click of a button
Amid concerns over a dip in mango production this year due to climate change and pest woes, a mango database developed by Indian scientists aims to help plant breeders select…
Dumpster diving red foxes and fast food eating macaques
Spiti Valley, located in the remote Trans-Himalayas is one of the least populated places in India and home to several rare and endangered wild animals. Here, to see wild herbivores…
One grain at a time: Assam’s rice seed library for climate resilience
In the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in Assam, Mahan Chandra Borah, is racing against time to stock up nearly-extinct and rare indigenous rice varieties, one grain at a time,…
Agroforestry increases crop bounties, invites biodiversity
For the tough, weather-beaten farmers in the rural heartland of West Bengal, agroforestry is an age-old tradition that even finds mention in their folklore. In the remote village of Bhattadighi,…
