Related Articles

Matching keywords : Banana, Diversity, Farmer preferences, Conservation, Sri Lanka.

Real is radical: Drop subsidies, offer basic minimum income to farmers

You could run a sensible subsidy and price support system at a fraction of today's cost, and still have enough money left over to offer a more generous income support to all farmers.

by T.N. Ninan | On 02 Jun 2020

Covid-19 Crisis, Pandemic Resilience and Linkages to Land: An Exposition

For a COVID-19 like pandemic, the Achilles heel is an unsuspecting villain – rapid and global land use changes. The way governments, businesses and communities see, relate to and use land, not only in...

by | On 12 May 2020

Is There a Demand for Reverse Mortgages in China? Evidence from Two Online Surveys

Reverse mortgages provide an alternative source of retirement funding by allowing older homeowners to borrow against their home. However, a recent pilot program of reserve mortgage products in several...

by Katja Hanewald | On 03 Feb 2019

Transformation of Indian Agriculture? Growth, Inclusiveness and Sustainability

This paper provides 10 conclusions on the policies needed to achieve three goals of agricultural development in India. These are : (1) There is a need for change in the narrative in the new context; (...

by S. Mahendra Dev | On 26 Dec 2018

Infrastructure Financing in South Asia

This paper discusses public and private sector financing of infrastructure, and examines the factors driving infrastructure investment in this subregion. Using a panel of three large South Asian count...

by Shikha Jha | On 26 Sep 2018

Short-term Migration in Rural India: The Impact of Nature and Extent of Participation in Agriculture

The paper analyses a nationally representative data set from India for the year 2013 in order to provide evidence on how short term migration is affected by household's ownership of land, and particip...

by S. Chandrasekhar | On 25 Jul 2018

Review of High-Value Agriculture in the Philippines with Comprehensive Subsectoral Focus: Livestock Industries

The main objective of this paper is to review the status and performance of the Philippine livestock sector. This review provides discourse on the livestock subsector’s performance over the years, and...

by Sonny N. Domingo | On 05 Jul 2018

Need for Bridging a Gap Between Agriculture and Manufacturing Sector

Jayshree Sengupta is a Senior Fellow (Associate) working with Observer Research Foundation’s Economy and Development Programme. Her work focuses on the Indian economy and development, regional coope...

by Jayshree Sengupta | On 25 May 2018

The Role of Plant-Breeding R&D in Tractor Adoption among Smallholders in Asia: Insights from Nepal Terai

Combining agricultural census data from Nepal from 2001 and 2011 with various spatial agroclimatic data, we show that increase in yield potentials due to the introduction of high-yield technologies ...

by Hiroyuki Takeshima | On 27 Apr 2018

A Techie-Turned-Organic Farmer

Venkat Iyer was living a fast-paced life in the IT world in Mumbai when he decided to stop and take a long, hard look at where he was headed. Disheartened by his stressful existence in the city, h...

by | On 25 Apr 2018

Dietary Diversity and Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture in India

Nithya D J is a Nutritionist at MSSRF with a doctorate degree in Food Science and Nutrition from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. She has worked as Research Associate at the Indian Institute of Cro...

by Nithya D J | On 24 Apr 2018

Inventory and Impact Assessment of Invasive Alien Plant Species in Kailash Sacred Landscape

The paper says that the mountains may appear to be one of the few geographic areas less affected by biological invasion.

by Bharat Shrestha | On 03 Apr 2018

Social Rewards and the Design of Voluntary Incentive Mechanism for Biodiversity Protection on Farmland

The paper examines how endogenous social preferences could affect economic incentive design to encourage biodiversity protection on private land. A 'green' farmer may enjoy esteem from leading by exam...

by Rupayan Pal | On 22 Feb 2018

National Unity Government in Sri Lanka: An Assessment

At the close of two years, the National Unity Government (NUG) of Sri Lanka has failed to maintain the confidence and trust of the people it enjoyed during the first three months of its tenure. Having...

by | On 16 Feb 2018

Does Gender Diversity Improve Firm Performance?: Evidence from India

This report explores how fostering gender diversity at the firm level can be good for business.

by Ruchika Joshi | On 08 Feb 2018

Green Paper on Farmers, Farming and Rural Economy: 4 Years… 4 Budgets: What has this Central Government Delivered?

most of the major policy measures promised by this government to the Indian farmers have not seen the light of the day. No social security measures have been taken for farmers above the age of 60 or...

by ASHA Kisan Swaraj Alliance | On 31 Jan 2018

Exploring Components and Elements of Sui Generis Systems for Plant Variety Protection and Traditional Knowledge in Asia

The main objective of this paper is to outline components and elements of sui generis Plant Variety Protection (PVP) systems and measures to protect traditional knowledge (TK) based on recent experien...

by Daniel Robinson | On 27 Dec 2017

The Potential for Carbon Dioxide Equivalent Sequestration in Agro-Manitoba

The report says that Manitoba is a province rich in agricultural lands, where the agriculture sector is a cornerstone for the economy.

by International Centre and Sustainable Development | On 18 Dec 2017

Effective Public Investments to Improve Food Security

This paper focuses on public investments to improve food security can be placed into five broad categories.

by Livia Bizikova | On 18 Dec 2017

Analyzing Adoption of soil Conservation Measures by Farmers in Darjeeling District, India

The study attempts to assess the key determinants of the decision to adopt soil conservation. The study area is Teesta River Watershed, in Darjeeling District in the Eastern Himalayas. In the watershe...

by Chandan Singha | On 07 Nov 2017

From reference levels to results reporting: REDD+ under the UNFCCC

This report will also summarize experiences with the technical assessment process as of early 2017 and offer an overview of initial REDD+ results reporting and technical analyses of those reports.

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 31 Oct 2017

Deepening Economic Cooperation between India and Sri Lanka

This study analyzes the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) over the past decade. It is noted that bilateral trade between the countries has increased steadily and India became the most favored...

by Kavita Iyengar | On 13 Oct 2017

Education for People and Planet: Creating Sustainable Futures for All

The planet Earth is in a dire state. Natural resources have been overexploited. A significant loss of biodiversity is occurring while a massive rise of carbon levels is leading to climate change an...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 25 Sep 2017

Drivers of Farmers' Income: The Role of Farm Size and Diversification

The study finds that a U-shaped relationship exists between farm size and farm / farmer's income. The results also show that both on-farm and off-farm diversification have an inverted U-shape relatio...

by Varun Kumar Das | On 18 Sep 2017

Augmenting Small Farmers Income Through Rural Non-Farm Sector: Role of Information and Institutions

The paper discusses the nature and extent of non-farm activities in India using India Human Development Survey unit record data. An exercise carried out to understand the determinants of income from n...

by Meenakshi Rajeev | On 11 Sep 2017

Livelihoods, Conservation and Forest Rights Act in a National Park: An Oxymoron?

The paper suggests certain measures to reduce the conflicts across conservation, livelihoods and forest rights. National Parks in India are highly vulnerable due to excessive pressure on their ecosyst...

by Subhashree Banerjee | On 07 Sep 2017

Indian Labour Market and Position of Women: Gender Pay Gap in the Indian Formal Sector.

This paper quantifies the magnitude of gender-based disparities that women face in the organized sector of the Indian Labour Market.

by Biju Varkkey | On 21 Aug 2017

An Approach to Forest and Conservation Policy in Southeast Asia

Forest and conservation policy in Southeast Asia is now at yet another crossroads. Despite decades of efforts, the challenges ahead remain formidable. These challenges include: (i) continued deforesta...

by Gary Bull | On 08 Aug 2017

Promoting Organic Food Products and Exports - Status, Issues and Way Forward

This paper, based on a primary survey of companies engaged in organic food business in India and the United Kingdom (UK), examines how organic food can attract more investment (domestic and foreign) a...

by Arpita Mukherjee | On 08 Aug 2017

Accelerating Gender Parity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Over the last decade, gender gaps in the workforce, particularly those in leadership positions, have remained largely unchanged and progress has stalled, despite growth in the numbers of women acquiri...

by World Economic Forum [WEF] | On 01 Aug 2017

Conservation of Genetic Resources of Crops: Farmer Preferences for Banana Diversity in Sri Lanka

This study investigates farmer preferences for banana diversity in Sri Lanka. First, it investigate farmers' attitudes towards banana cultivation in the country. Secondly, it also estimate diversity s...

by Wasantha Athukorala | On 28 Jul 2017

Are All Shifting Cultivators Poor? Evidence from Sri Lanka’s Dry Zones

Shifting cultivation is one of the main causes of deforestation and forest degradation in Sri Lanka. This study uses household data and satellite images to investigate the determinants of shifting cul...

by Prabath Nishantha Edirisinghe | On 28 Jul 2017

Causal Impact of the Adoption of Soil Conservation Measures on Farm Profit, Revenue and Variable Cost in Darjeeling District, India

This study attempts to evaluate the effects of on-farm soil conservation practices on farm profit and its components, revenue, and variable cost. Since farmers self-select themselves as adopters of a...

by Chandan Singha | On 27 Jul 2017

Early Childhood Development and Violence Free Safe Environment for Women and Children in Selected Slums of Dhaka City

Bangladesh has experienced massive urbanisation in the last few decades with a staggering growth of seven millions slum dwellers. About two million people live in the slums of Dhaka city. Most of the...

by Polin Kumar Saha | On 26 Jul 2017

Overview of the Evolution of Agricultural Mechanization in Nepal: A Focus on Tractors and Combine Harvesters

This study was conducted to understand the evolution of agricultural mechanization in Nepal, specifically its determinants on both the demand and supply sides, as well as impacts on agricultural prod...

by Hiroyuki Takeshima | On 26 Jul 2017

Climate Change: Perceptions, Reality and Agricultural Practice: Evidence from Nepal

The study investigates whether the farmers’ perception of changes in climate have led to any changes in their farming practices over the last three decades. The study surveyed 496 farmers living near...

by Nanda Kaji Budhathoki | On 25 Jul 2017

Rethinking the Development of Post-War Sri Lanka Based on the Singapore Model

This study explores three major points, namely, Singapore's development process,Singapore's model of economic development, and the economic challenges of post-war Sri Lanka. This study explores pages...

by Sanika Sulochani Ramanayake | On 25 Jul 2017

Climate Change, Food Security, and Socioeconomic Livelihood in Pacific Islands

The results of the study indicate that climate change will likely have significant negative impacts on agricultural output in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands.

by M.W. Rosegrant | On 05 Jul 2017

The “Missing Women” of the Agricultural Sector

While women constitute up to 37 per cent of the agricultural workforce, their status is not recognised. Statistics do not collect suicides of women farmers as land is seldom registered in their names....

by | On 16 Jun 2017

Reviving Lakes and Wetlands in the People's Republic of China, Volume 3: Best Practices and Prospects for the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands

The report narrates that the Sanjiang Plain wetlands are among the most important wetlands in the People’s Republic of China with unique habitats, species, and ecology. There is a considerable body of...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 08 Jun 2017

Sanitation and Sustainable Development in Japan

The paper outlines that the sanitation has long been “beneath the radar” on the development agendas of governments worldwide. Aside from the massive investment requirements for putting in place sanita...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 12 May 2017

The Long Road Ahead: Status Report on the Implementation of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Professional Services

In the report there has been progress primarily in two areas: (1) the creation of implementing offices and bodies at the regional and national levels as outlined in the MRAs; and (2) the incorporation...

by Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza | On 05 May 2017

The Long Road to Transformation of Agricultural Markets in India: Lessons from Karnataka

This paper examines Karnataka's pioneering agricultural output marketing reforms with the twin goals of assessing the state and challenges of implementation and to glean lessons from Karnataka's expe...

by Nidhi Aggarwal | On 02 May 2017

Groundwater Depletion, Adaptation and Migration: Evidence from Gujarat, India

Increasing water scarcity is expected to impact food production and the livelihoods of millions of farmers in semi arid developing countries over the next decades. Multiple studies project that this a...

by | On 22 Mar 2017

Budget Speech Maharashtra: 2017-18 Part I

Maharashtra Budget speech by the Honorable Finance Minister.

by Sudhir Mungamtiwar | On 20 Mar 2017

Budget 2017-18: Business as Usual

Budget 2017-18 was presented at the time when the global situation is inhospitable, marked with protectionism and domestic environment is constrained by the twin balance sheet crisis. The investment ...

by M Govinda Rao | On 10 Mar 2017

Odisha Agriculture Budget : 2017-18

The first part is the Agriculture Budget, which not only covers the outlay and programmes relating to Agriculture and allied activities, but also presents the macro-economic outlook as well as the...

by Pradip Kumar Amat | On 01 Mar 2017

Non-Communicable Diseases and Risk Factors in Migrants from South Asian Countries

The following document contains a review for a research project on migration and chronic or non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It begins with an overview of the geographical scope; the review focuses s...

by | On 11 Jan 2017

The Costs of Climate Change Impacts for India: A Preliminary Analysis

Climate change mitigation is a global challenge, however its impact will be varied across regions and temperature zones. Small island states will be hit the hardest with sea level rise. In bigger coun...

by | On 28 Dec 2016

Impact of Climate Change on Rainfed Agriculture in India: A Case Study of Dharwad

The impact of climate change is studied in many aspects in different locations in the country and it is concluded that there is high impact on agriculture compared to any other sector in the country....

by | On 28 Dec 2016

Cost of Controlling Water Pollution and its Impact on Industrial Efficiency

This paper estimates the cost of effluent discharge regulations for firms located in the lower Kelani River catchment in Sri Lanka. The river provides water for many economic purposes including drin...

by Asha Gunawardena | On 23 Dec 2016

Living Planet Report 2016: Risk and Resilience in a New Era

This WWF Living Planet Report comes at a critical juncture following the remarkable successes in 2015 of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the agreement on the Sustainable Development Goals fo...

by World Wide Fund | On 23 Dec 2016

Impacts of the Training and Visit Extension System on Farmers' knowledge and Adoption of Technology: Evidence from Pakistan

This paper provides quantitative evidence on the impact of the Training and Visit (T & V) extension system in the irrigated Punjab of Pakistan. Three models are analyzed using limited dependent variab...

by Paul Heisey | On 08 Dec 2016

A Stagnant Agriculture in Kerala: The Role of the State

The paper shows that disincentives generated by the successive governments in Kerala through imposing artificial barriers on the freedom of farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs resulted in the coll...

by Lekshmi R Nair | On 08 Nov 2016

Harvesting Solar Power in India!

This is particularly so when the current solar power capacity in the country has just touched 8000 MW by July end, 2016, and no country in the world has such an ambitious target as India has set out...

by Ashok Gulati | On 16 Sep 2016

Child and Maternal Health and Nutrition in South Asia - Lessons for India

South Asia has been characterized by its minimal progress in the areas of child and maternal health and nutrition in comparison to other regions in the world. The case of India is especially enigmatic...

by | On 09 Sep 2016

Health Spending, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Space in Countries of the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region

The paper examines the issues around mobilization of resources for the 11 countries of the South-East Asia Region of the World Health Organization (WHO), by analysing their macroeconomic situation, he...

by | On 07 Sep 2016

Smallholder Agriculture’s Contribution to Better Nutrition

Food insecurity and under-nutrition remain pressing problems in the developing world. Despite their direct contribution to food production, small-scale farmers and their households are disproportionat...

by Steve Wiggins | On 06 Sep 2016

Gender Dimensions on Farmers’ Preferences for Direct-Seeded Rice with Drum Seeder in India

This study measures the willingness of male and female farmers to pay for climate-smart technology in rice. Rice is the most important crop in India in terms of area, production, and consumption. It...

by Md. Tajuddin Khan | On 31 Aug 2016

Microcredit Program Participation and Household Food Security in Rural Bangladesh

We use a relatively new and unique panel dataset collected from rural households in Bangladesh to examine the effect of microcredit program participation on household food security. The main distingui...

by | On 25 Aug 2016

Seed Wars and Farmers’ Rights: Comparative Perspectives from Brazil and India

Drawing on interviews with Indian and Brazilian farmers’ rights activists, lawyers, agronomists and plant breeders, this article aims at better understanding how farmers’ rights are protected on paper...

by | On 25 Aug 2016

Diversity in Donorship: The Changing Landscape of Official Humanitarian Aid

The lead agency in India’s assistance strategy is the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The MEA is directly responsible for assistance to Bhutan, Nepal and Afghanistan, and advises the Department of...

by | On 19 Aug 2016

Seeds of Adaptation: Climate Change, Crop Diversification, and the Role of Women Farmers

Women farmers around the world are taking the lead in putting crop and varietal conservation and diversification strategies into practice as a way to strengthen local climate change adaptation capacit...

by | On 17 Aug 2016

An Introduction to the Basic Concepts of Food Security

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healt...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 16 Aug 2016

Feeding Climate Change: What the Paris Agreement Means for Food and Beverage Companies

This paper presents new data commissioned from the research consultancy CE Delft on the greenhouse gas emissions footprints and water scarcity footprints of major food commodities. The data demonstrat...

by Oxfam International | On 16 Aug 2016

Operational Guidelines: Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) aims at supporting sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of providing financial support to farmers suffering crop loss/damage arising out of unf...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 28 Jul 2016

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: India’s New Safety Net for Farmers

India’s latest crop insurance scheme, announced by the Narendra Modi Government earlier this year, is designed to overcome the many problems encountered in the implementation of previous programmes. T...

by Vinod Rai | On 21 Jul 2016

The Financial Literacy of Indians

While a lot of experimentation has been done in the realm of financial literacy, it is difficult to point to one standardised method or approach that works best in all scenarios with all kinds of targ...

by | On 20 Jul 2016

Odisha State Agriculture Policy 2013

A wholesome policy framework for the benefit of the farmers of the State is in place since 2008 with a focus more on the economic well-being of the farmers, rather than just on production and growth....

by Government of Odisha | On 11 Jul 2016

Projecting Progress: The SDGs in Asia-Pacific

This paper presents Asia-Pacific’s likely progress across the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, if trends continue on their current trajectories. Some Asian countries have been the world’s top per...

by | On 07 Jul 2016

Guidelines For Improving Water Use Efficiency in Irrigation, Domestic & Industrial Sectors

There is a need for a paradigm shift in approach from development to efficient management by making concerted efforts to achieve higher standards of efficiency in water use in all the three sectors....

by Ministry of Water Resources GOI | On 04 Jul 2016

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity India Initiative

India’s National Environment Policy stresses that the most secure basis for protection of nature is to ensure that people dependent on natural resources obtain better livelihoods through conservation...

by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Chang GOI | On 01 Jul 2016

Feasibility of Incentive Based Environmental Instruments in State and Central Taxation Regimes

Taxation policies in India have historically not been environmentally oriented. A tax system is needed whic is environmentally more rational. It is argued in this study that India is currently going...

by D K Srivastava | On 01 Jul 2016

Farm Women Friendly Hand Book

This Handbook contains special provisions and package of assistance which women farmers can claim under various on-going Missions/ Submissions/ Schemes of DAC & FW, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 29 Jun 2016

Can War Foster Cooperation?

In the past decade, nearly 20 studies have found a strong, persistent pattern in surveys and behavioral experiments from over 40 countries: individual exposure to war violence tends to increase social...

by Michal Bauer | On 24 Jun 2016

Choosing a Partner for Social Exchange: Charitable Giving as a Signal of Trustworthiness

People benefit from being perceived as trustworthy. Examples include sellers trying to attract buyers, or candidates in elections trying to attract voters. In a laboratory experiment using exchange ga...

by Sebastian Fehrler | On 24 Jun 2016

Food Security Challenges in Asia

The problems of food security and agriculture should be viewed within the context of the broader structural transformation as Asia becomes increasingly urban and nonagricultural. This paper aims to re...

by Asian Bank | On 23 Jun 2016

Towards Increasing Off-Farm Income Opportunities for Farmers

Small land holders dominate Indian agriculture, and need off-farm income for survival. Analysis shows that for sufficient off-farm income opportunities, growth in agriculture, manufacturing, or touri...

by Brajesh Jha | On 22 Jun 2016

Nutrition and Agriculture

Agriculture and nutrition are linked in many ways. People have long recognized the most obvious connection—food security is one of the three pillars of good nutrition, along with good care and good he...

by Lawrence Haddad | On 17 Jun 2016

A Joined-Up Approach to Delivering the Global Goals for Sustainable Development

The sustainable management and restoration of our landscapes – achieving land degradation neutrality - will deliver many co-benefits. From biodiversity conservation and combating climate change to ens...

by | On 17 Jun 2016

Farms, Families, and Markets: New Evidence on the Completeness of Markets in Agricultural Settings

The farm household model has played a central role in improving the understanding of small-scale agricultural households and non-farm enterprises. Under the assumptions that all current and future mar...

by Daniel LaFave | On 17 Jun 2016

How to Encourage Farmers to Adapt to Climate Change?

This study is an attempt to use group information collected from different farmers (e.g.marginal, small, and medium farmers and tenants) in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India to address a question relevan...

by Amarnath Tripathi | On 16 Jun 2016

Ministry of Finance and Planning Annual Report 2010

This paper contains the annual report 2010 of Ministry of Finance and Planning, Government of Sri Lanka.

by Ministry of Finance and Planning, Govt of Sri Lanka | On 15 Jun 2016

From Uniformity to Diversity: A Paradigm Shift from Industrial Agriculture to Diversified Agroecological Systems

Today’s food and farming systems have succeeded in supplying large volumes of foods to global markets, but are generating negative outcomes on multiple fronts: widespread degradation of land, water an...

by | On 10 Jun 2016

Building the Foundations for Sustainable Nutrient Management

The report details how rising CO2 emissions are altering the chemical balance of our oceans and outlines the wide-ranging consequences of this emerging issue on marine food chains and ecosystems as we...

by United Nations Environment Programme UNEP | On 07 Jun 2016

Contracting by Small Farmers in Commodities with Export Potential: Assessing Farm Profits of Lentil Growers in Nepal

This study is undertaken to quantify the benefits of contract farming (CF) on farmers’ income in a case where new market opportunities are emerging for smallholder farmers in Nepal. CF is...

by Anjani Kumar | On 07 Jun 2016

Global Action on Climate Change in Agriculture: Linkages to Food Security, Markets and Trade Policies in Developing Countries

The objective of this report is to catalyse thinking about the ways in which agriculture – which has a vital role in global food security, development and natural resources use – can and must be fully...

by Aziz Elbehri | On 06 Jun 2016

UNEP Year Book: Emerging Issues in Our Global Environment

The UNEP Year Book 2012 examines emerging environmental issues and policy-relevant developments, while providing an overview of the latest trends based on key environmental indicators. It spotlights...

by United Nations Environment Programme UNEP | On 02 Jun 2016

Environmental Roles of Agriculture in India

The environmental impacts generated by agricultural activity could be global or regional or national or local. However, they are site-specific and tend to vary with farming systems, technologies used...

by | On 01 Jun 2016

Identifying Stakeholders in the Land Use Management Process and Related Critical Factors in ASEAN

With growing populations and demand for food, farmers in ASEAN member states (except Singapore) are required to produce more and more food from land that continues to decline due to population growth,...

by | On 31 May 2016

Unified Package Insurance Scheme

The Unified Package Insurance Scheme will be implemented in 45 selected districts on Pilot basis from Kharif 2016 season. A farmer (both Loanee and Non- Loanee) can access to Banks whereas nonloanee f...

by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation GOI | On 30 May 2016

Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme

Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (WBCIS) aims to mitigate the hardship of the insured farmers against the likelihood of financial loss on account of anticipated crop loss resulting from adverse wea...

by Department of Agriculture & Cooperation GOI | On 30 May 2016

Climate Change in Madhya Pradesh: Indicators, Impacts and Adaptation

Climate variability and climate change pose an enormous pressure on population, infrastructure, livelihood, and socio-economic conditions. Evidences of climate change are already visible on many secto...

by Vimal Mishra | On 30 May 2016

Golden Wheat Becomes More Golden Extending SRI to Wheat

People’s Science Institute carried out the first trials of the System of Wheat Intensification (SWI) during rabi 2006- 07. Starting with systematic research trials on farmers’ fields, SWI practice...

by Ravi Chopra | On 27 May 2016

Conservation of Biodiversity: Opportunities and Challenges

This essay includes a review of major strategies for preservation of earth’s biodiversity including the biodiversity “hotspots,” “Wildlands Project,” and the “consensus” strategy. The essay includes a...

by | On 25 May 2016

Food vs Forests in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Challenge for the SDGs

Domestic food supply in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will need to triple in the next 35 years. But SSA countries have also committed to reducing or halting deforestation. The tripling of food supply canno...

by Xiaoting Jones | On 25 May 2016

Towards Sustainable Chocolate: Greening the Cocoa Supply Chain

This research report outlines the journey of the cocoa bean on its way to becoming chocolate, showing how sustainability requires all actors to play their role in greening of the whole supply chain –...

by | On 25 May 2016

Women, Land and Law in Vietnam

The study collected information about farmers’ ability to access land, and their attitudes and knowledge of land law, particularly women’s land rights and farmers’ ability to solve land-related confli...

by Gina Alvarado | On 24 May 2016

Coastal Road and Mumbai's Development Plan (2014–2034)

Coastal Road and Mumbai's Development Plan (2014–2034), video interview with Shweta Wagh, urban conservationist. Filmed for Hamara Shehar Vikas Niyojan, Mumbai

by | On 20 May 2016

Message by Ban Ki Moon on International Biological Diversity Day

This document is a message by the Secretary General of United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, on the International Day on Biological Diversity.

by Ban Moon | On 18 May 2016

Message by the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity

The Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity gives a brief message on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2016.

by | On 18 May 2016

National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP)

The NBAP draws from the principle that National Enviroment Policy (NEP) that human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development and they are entitled to a healthy and productive li...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 18 May 2016

Biodiversity for Sustainable Development: Delivering Results for Asia and the Pacific

The aim is to develop capacity at the individual, institutional and systemic levels to identify and implement new options for effective democratic governance for biodiversity and ecosystem management...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 18 May 2016

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002

An Act to provide for conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources, knowledge a...

by Ministry of Law and Justice GOI | On 18 May 2016

Biodiversity and Sustainable Development

The present publication reinforces the importance of biodiversity, particularly in the context of sustainable development. It attempts to give an overview of the issue, by analysing the main thematic...

by | On 18 May 2016

Biodiversity and Sustainable Development: A Critical Analysis

Solving the problem of environmental threats and a dwindling biodiversity has been on the international agenda for some decades now. The formulation of environmental questions, however, is changing sl...

by | On 18 May 2016

Biodiversity: Importance and Climate Change Impacts

Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms, including genetic and structural difference between individual and within and between individual and within and between species. Biodiversity pl...

by | On 18 May 2016

Assessing the Challenges of Climate Change to Biodiversity in Food and Agriculture Production in the Pacific

Ten countries from the Pacific have gathered in Nadi, Fiji, for a regional consultation on the region’s biodiversity for food and agriculture. The consultation, on the State of Biodiversity for Food a...

by Nadi Fiji | On 17 May 2016

Economics and Biodiversity

The challenges faced by biodiversity and the relation between biodiversity and economics are shown.

by Prakash Nelliyat | On 17 May 2016

Know the Biological Diversity Act (2002) and the Rules (2004) Better!

The Act covers conservation, use of biological resources and associated knowledge occurring in India for commercial or research purposes or for the purposes of bio-survey and bio-utilisation. It prov...

by National Biodiversity Authority NBA | On 17 May 2016

Well-being, Happiness, and Public Policy

As a background paper to the International Expert Working Group on a New Development Paradigm, this document seeks to synthesise for busy readers how the IEWG might explain and defend well-being and h...

by | On 11 May 2016

Economic Incentives for the Conservation of Bharathapuzha River: Focus on Sand Mining

Rivers in Kerala are assailed by pollution, sedimentation, sand mining, and constriction of flows. The indiscriminate and unscientific sand mining, even in the midst of many regulatory and protective...

by Lakshmi Sreedhar | On 04 May 2016

Measures, Spatial Profile and Determinants of Dietary Diversity: Evidence from India

Food security policies in developing countries generally focus on calorie intake, which is not sufficient to tackle the triple burden of malnutrition: undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and...

by Mousumi Das | On 02 May 2016

Women on Board and Performance of Family Firms: Evidence from India

This paper provides evidence on the effect of women directors on the performance of family firms with a case study of India.

by | On 02 May 2016

Report of the Commission on Farmers’ Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh

Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh is in an advanced stage of crisis. While this is a generalised rural crisis, the burden has fallen disproportionately on small and marginal farmers, tenant farmers and ru...

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 12 Apr 2016

Global Report on Urban health: Equitable, Healthier Cities for Sustainable Development

The Global report on urban health: equitable, healthier cities for sustainable development, 2016 presents new data on the health of urban residents from nearly 100 countries, updating the first joint...

by World Health Organisation (WHO) | On 04 Apr 2016

Psychosocial Well-being in Vidarbha A Study of Communities in Distress

This study was undertaken under the aegis of the Sukhi Baliraja Initiative (SBI), funded by Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT) and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) in six high distress districts, which has holi...

by Surinder Jaswal | On 21 Mar 2016

Water Reallocation and Grabbing Processes, Mechanisms and Contributory Factors

The paper attempts to develop a project life-cycle approach to gain insights into the complexities of water reallocation. The paper is able to show that water reallocation and the resultant phenomeno...

by Subodh Wagle | On 21 Mar 2016

Diffusion of Bt Cotton in India: Impact of Seed Prices and Technological Development

Recent studies have analyzed the adoption of Bt cotton in the light of government seed price interventions. According to one view, reduction in seed prices enabled the farmers to buy seeds at lower pr...

by | On 15 Mar 2016

Politics of ‘Good Governance’ in Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary Polls

Sri Lanka’s latest parliamentary election, slated for 17 August 2015, is important not only for the political-comeback bid by former President Mahinda Rajapakse but also for the focus on issues of ‘go...

by Ayesha Wijayalath | On 14 Mar 2016

Srilanka Building on Success

Sri Lanka has emerged in recent years as one of the most dynamic countries in South Asia. With a rich cultural heritage, an increasingly sophisticated work force, and a strategic location that links A...

by Asian Bank | On 14 Mar 2016

Investigating Household Preferences for Restoring Pallikaranai Marsh

The study examines households’ willingness to pay for the conservation of Pallinkaranai marsh located in the south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. A stated preference method, namely, Contingent Valuation m...

by Suganya Balakumar | On 10 Mar 2016

Female Headed Households And Poverty: Analysis Using Household Level Data

The relationship between gender and poverty is a complex and debatable topic more than ever and thus a potential area for policy makers to focus. The aim of this paper is to review existing literature...

by Sukanya Das | On 10 Mar 2016

E Pluribus Unum? Varieties and Commonalities of Capitalism

The paper reviews the origins of the comparative study of capitalism and of the diverse approaches applied to it in contemporary political economy. It distinguishes four models accounting for differen...

by Wolfgang Streeck | On 09 Mar 2016

India's Policy on Genetically Modified Crops

Agricultural biotechnology is highly contested site in India, encompassing debates on impact of technology on society, economic development, and India’s future agricultural Strategy. Proponents of b...

by Anitha Ramanna | On 09 Mar 2016

Where and How Are Roads Endangering Mammals in Southeast Asia’s Forests?

Habitat destruction and overhunting are two major drivers of mammal population declines and extinctions in tropical forests. The construction of roads can be a catalyst for these two threats. In South...

by Gopalasamy Reuben Clements | On 03 Mar 2016

Infectious Diseases and Their Outbreaks in Asia-Pacific: Biodiversity and Its Regulation Loss Matter

Despite increasing control measures, numerous parasitic and infectious diseases are emerging, re-emerging or causing recurrent outbreaks particularly in Asia and the Pacific region, a hot spot of both...

by Serge Morand | On 03 Mar 2016

The Role of DNA Barcodes in Understanding and Conservation of Mammal Diversity in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is recognized as a region of very high biodiversity, much of which is currently at risk due to habitat loss and other threats. However, many aspects of this diversity, even for relativ...

by | On 03 Mar 2016

Farmers’ Suicides in India, 1995-2012: Measurement and interpretation

Farmers’ suicides have become an important socio-economic concern in India that has profound implication on the quality of life of farmers and their families. There are not many epidemiological studie...

by Srijit Mishra | On 26 Feb 2016

Land Reform and Changes in Land Ownership Concentration: Evidence from Rice-Growing Villages

This paper examines the effect of land reform and land transfer actions of farmer beneficiaries on land ownership concentration. A case study of two rice-growing villages was used to track down owners...

by Marife M. Ballesteros | On 25 Feb 2016

Options for Supporting Rice Farmers under a Post-QR Regime: Review and Assessment

Under the World Trade Organization, the Philippines has maintained special treatment for rice, which expires on July 2017. Tariffication will involve greater competition from imports and the decline o...

by Roehlano M. Briones | On 25 Feb 2016

Lifting the Lid Off Xinjiang’s Insecurities

The recent riots and attacks in China’s western province of Xinjiang have brought to the forefront the long simmering tensions between the Han Chinese and Uyghur communities. What have often been capt...

by | On 24 Feb 2016

Improving the Business Climate in NTT: The Case of Agriculture Trade in West Timor

Efforts to improve the business climate in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province are still facing significant obstacles. Moreover, a healthy business climate is needed to create conditions conducive to ha...

by Widjajanti Suharyo | On 24 Feb 2016

Asean-China Trade Relations :15 Years of Development and Prospects",The Gioi Publishers,2008 Recent Development of China-ASEAN Trade and Economic Relations: From Regional Perspective

Abstract: The development of China-ASEAN trade and economic relations within the recent 15 years has of great significance not only for both sides but also for the whole East-Asia region. This paper i...

by Zhao Jianglin | On 24 Feb 2016

Impact of Management Practices on Employee Effectiveness in South Asia

South Asian organizations in countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are trying to professionalize management practices in recent years. Inspite of such efforts, employees indiscipli...

by Zafar Qureshi | On 24 Feb 2016

Inadequate N Application of Rice Farmers in the Philippines Problems, Causes, Solutions

Inadequate application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has been identified by the Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP) as a major constraint in achieving rice self-sufficiency. The available literature...

by Roehlano M. Briones | On 24 Feb 2016

Gajah Securing the Future for the Elephants in India

Despite best efforts of the government, the society and the people at large, elephant conservation still remains an uphill task. This report makes a number of useful recommendations for institutionali...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests | On 24 Feb 2016

Critically Endangered Animal Species of India

India has a staggering variety of flora and fauna, including some of the rarest species in existence on the planet. There is so far a paucity of information for the general public on the status, biolo...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests | On 24 Feb 2016

Sustainable Sand mining Management Guideline

Removing sediment from the active channel bed in river sand mining interrupt the continuity of sediment transport through the river system, disrupting the sediment mass balance in the river downstream...

by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Chang GOI | On 24 Feb 2016

Towards Transparency and Good Governance

Transparency has been put in processes, changed many rules for protection of environment and we have started taking decisions that are based on policies. The cases that fall within the policy framewor...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests | On 24 Feb 2016

India’s Fifth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity 2014

The country's biodiversity faces a variety of threats, ranging from land use changes in natural habitats to overexploitation of natural resources, proliferation of invasive species and climate change....

by Ministry of Environment and Forest | On 24 Feb 2016

Compensating the Loss of Ecosystem Services Due to Pollution in Noyyal River Basin, Tamil Nadu

The loss of ecosystem services due to industrial pollution in the Noyyal River Basin was estimated through physical research studies of water and soil quality and bio-mapping followed by economic valu...

by Paul Appasamy | On 23 Feb 2016

Agricultural Contracts in Mindanao: the Case of Banana and Pineapple

Contract growing has been defined as an agreement between farmers and processing and/or marketing firms under forward agreements, usually at predetermined prices for the production and supply of agric...

by Larry Digal | On 23 Feb 2016

Preferential Trading In South Asia

This paper examines the economic case for the South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) Agreement signed on January 6 th, 2004 by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. It s...

by Tercan Baysan | On 21 Feb 2016

Financial Safety Nets in Asia: Genesis, Evolution, Adequacy, and Way Forward

Financial safety nets in Asia have come a long way since the Asian Financial Crisis (AFC) of 1997–98. Not wanting to rely solely on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) again, the Chiang Mai Initiati...

by Hal Hill | On 21 Feb 2016

Does Conservation Agriculture Deliver Climate Change Mitigation Through Soil Carbon Sequestration in Tropical Agro-Ecosystems?

Conservation agriculture (CA), comprising minimum soil disturbance, retention of crop residues and crop diversification, is widely promoted for reducing soil degradation and improving agricultural sus...

by David Powlson | On 19 Feb 2016

Handmade Architecture As A Catalyst For Development

In this lecture, Anna Heringer presents a series of projects where the choice of building materials and techniques has had a major influence on distribution of resources, participation and equality. E...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Principles of Planned Urbanization

In this opening session for the second season of the Global Urban Lecture Series, Dr. Joan Clos introduces three fundamental principles behind planned urbanization: Rules and Regulations, Urban Design...

by | On 19 Feb 2016

Integrated Farming Systems And Resilient Agricultural Landscapes

Asia’s rapid change across socio-economic and political spheres, amid population growth and rising demand for food, feed and energy supplies, is unprecedented. To strike a balance between economic gro...

by Research Consultative Group on International Agricultural | On 18 Feb 2016

Enhancing Forage Integration And Access For Smallholder Livestock Production

In the upland areas of Southeast Asia, most smallholder farmers keep animals. Buffalo provide a traditional source of draught power for land preparation or transport, and animal manure is often used t...

by Research Consultative Group on International Agricultural | On 18 Feb 2016

Bumpy Road Ahead for Agriculture Sector

Agriculture is important sector for Indian economy. The agricultural growth output and rural income has to increase, only then can we think of an all-inclusive development of the economy. The problems...

by Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute | On 17 Feb 2016

Gender Differences in Climate Change Perception and Adaptation Strategies: The Case of Three Provinces in Vietnam’s Mekong River Delta

This report, which forms part of the PIRCCA project outputs, focuses on the results of the survey conducted in the first half of 2015 on climate change perception and adaptation strategies of male and...

by Michael Sheinkman | On 16 Feb 2016

Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation into Ecosystem Management of Coastal and Marine Areas in South Asia

The Toolkit o#ers a step-by-step guide for integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation into the coastal and marine ecosystem management that will be quite useful for the "eld pra...

by Sriyanie Miththapala | On 14 Feb 2016

Women’s Empowerment at the Frontline of Adaptation: Emerging Issues, Adaptive Practices, and Priorities in Nepal

The findings of the study reveal that, across Nepal, there has been an increase in rural women’s workload rendering multiple effects on women’s health, income, safety, nutrition, violence against wome...

by Dibya Devi Gurung | On 13 Feb 2016

Rice Seed Production and Use in Bangladesh and India Need for Bilateral Cooperation

Rice seed production, marketing, distribution situation in Bangladesh and India is not considered to be efficient. This has led to low availability and accessibility of modern varieties (MV) rice seed...

by Mahfuz Kabir | On 11 Feb 2016

Protecting Shared Traditional Knowledge: Issues, Challenges and Options

Shared and widely distributed traditional knowledge, among communities and across national borders is often the norm rather than the exception. However, it remains an area for which policy and legal s...

by | On 10 Feb 2016

The State of the World's Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

The Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture provides a comprehensive overview on the status and trends of conservation and use of plant genetic resources at...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 08 Feb 2016

The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources

Forests and trees enhance and protect landscapes, ecosystems and production systems. They provide goods and services which are essential to the survival and well-being of all humanity. Forest genetic...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 08 Feb 2016

The Second Report on the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

This report updates the global assessment provided in the first report on The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, published in 2007. It focuses particularly on chan...

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 08 Feb 2016

Understanding the Transboundary Karakoram-Pamir Landscape

The Karakoram-Pamir Landscape lies at the junction between the black Karakoram mountains, which mostly lie within Pakistan, and the grey Pamir mountains, which mostly lie within China. It is known for...

by Eklabya Sharma | On 02 Feb 2016

Making it Safer to Cross Waterways in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has about 120,000 engineered rural waterway crossings (such as bridges) and another 250,000 non-engineered crossings built and maintained by communities. Because of a lack of financial and h...

by Granie Jayalath | On 01 Feb 2016

Swings and Roundabouts: A narrative on Water Policy Development in Sri Lanka

This paper deals with the ‘swings and roundabouts’ encountered in water policy development in Sri Lanka. In recent decades, policy reforms for water resource management nationally-demanded but designe...

by Rajindra Ariyabandu | On 01 Feb 2016

Pensions at a Glance Asia/Pacific 2011

National pension provision in Asia/Pacific is very diverse. Nine economies have public schemes that pay earnings-related pensions. They are called “defined-benefit” (DB) schemes because the value of t...

by OECD Development Centre | On 01 Feb 2016

Sri Lanka’s North : The Denial of Minority Rights

Deepening militarisation and the lack of accountable governance in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province are preventing a return to normal life and threaten future violence. Scene of the most bitter fighting...

by International Crisis Group | On 01 Feb 2016

Youth and Development: Towards a More Inclusive Future

The report examines the pivotal role of Sri Lankan youth. You and Development: Towards a More inclusive Future considers the opportunities and challenges youth face as the nation progresses through th...

by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | On 01 Feb 2016

Sri Lanka’s North : The Denial Of Minority Rights

Deepening militarisation and the lack of accountable governance in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province are preventing a return to normal life and threaten future violence. Scene of the most bitter fighting...

by International Crisis Group | On 31 Jan 2016

Forests: the Green and REDD of Climate Change

Forests are crucial for rural development, access to water, agricultural productivity, energy, soil conservation, and flood control. Forests are also home to at least 80 per cent of terrestrial biodiv...

by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs | On 31 Jan 2016

Towards an ICT Enabled Farming Community

This paper presents a proposed use of virtual community for farmers in Sri Lanka by reviewing Information and communication technology perspective with reference to past and present political strategi...

by Devaka Punchihewa | On 31 Jan 2016

The Limited Promise of Agricultural Trade Liberalization

It has become an article of faith in international trade negotiations that farmers in developing countries have much to gain from agricultural trade liberalization. This paper assesses the evidence fo...

by Timothy A. Wise | On 31 Jan 2016

Sri Lanka Demographic Transition Facing the Challenges of an Aging Population with Few Resources

This report discusses some of the economic implications of demographic transition in Sri Lanka, focusing n employment and productivity related issues on one side; and performance of cash transfer prog...

by World Bank [WB] | On 31 Jan 2016

China and its Peripheries: Beijing and India-Sri Lanka Relations

China has emerged as one of the important factors in India-Sri Lanka relations. It is important to contextualise this intervening variable, before going into various aspects of China’s footprints in S...

by N Manoharan | On 31 Jan 2016

Founding of IWMI In Sri Lanka

The parliamentary general elections in 1977 was a watershed in the political landscape of Sri Lanka. The government that came into power mid-year sought a more liberalized and open economy, and hence...

by Nanda Abeywickrama | On 30 Jan 2016

Women's Leadership and Corporate Performanace

Is leadership diversified in Asian corporate boardrooms? How is gender diversity in corporate leadership associated with financial performance? What is the magnitude of potential gain by allocating hu...

by Meijun Qian | On 30 Jan 2016

Healing Wounds: How the International Centers of the CGIAR Help Rebuild Agriculture in Countries Affected by Conflicts and Natural Disasters

This study first reviews current thinking on the underlying causes of conflicts and disasters, identifying poverty as a major driver of both. Poverty breeds frustration, compelling the poor to turn to...

by Surendra Varma | On 29 Jan 2016

Elite Politics and Dissent in Sri Lanka

The year 2015 has been dramatic for politics in Sri Lanka. A Presidential, as well as a General, Election within the first eight months of the year saw the country having a new President and a new gov...

by | On 29 Jan 2016

Recognition of Forest Rights and Livelihoods of Tribal Communities: A Study of Western Ghats Region, Kerala State

The study tries to examine the implementation process of the Forest Rights Act 2006 in Kerala, in terms of providing individual holding land rights and community rights over forest products. The stu...

by Jyothis Sathyapalan | On 29 Jan 2016

Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia, Extended Summary

The Survey on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Education in India and South Asia was commissioned by infoDev to be undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers, India. The Survey is a third...

by The Survey on Information and Communication Techno ICT | On 28 Jan 2016

Mainstreaming Community-Based Conservation in a Transboundary Mountain Landscape Lessons from Kangchenjunga

This paper draws recommendations for transboundary and participatory biodiversity conservation from ICIMOD’s pioneering Kangchenjunga Conservation Landscape Initiative. The Kangchenjunga landscape, sh...

by Karma Phuntsho | On 28 Jan 2016

An Integrated Assessment of the Effects of Natural and Human Disturbances on a Wetland Ecosystem: A Retrospective from Phobjikha Conservation Area, Bhutan

Phobjikha Valley, a wetland situated on the western slopes of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park, is an important wintering habitat for the vulnerable Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis). One of t...

by International Centre for Integrated Mountain Devel ICIMOD | On 28 Jan 2016

Air Pollution Reduction and Control in South Asia

In order to understand the importance of reducing air pollution and its likely trans-boundary effects, it is important to first review the socioeconomic situation of the South Asian member states. Sou...

by Mahmood Khwaja | On 28 Jan 2016

The Costs of Adaptation in Punakha, Bhutan: Loss And Damage Associated With Changing Monsoon Patterns

People in the Himalayan region are confronted with changes due to global warming. Glaciers are melting, leading to changing river flows and an increased risk of floods (Richardson and Reynolds, 2000;...

by Norbu Wangdi | On 28 Jan 2016

Promoting Land Development in India and China: Imperatives for Institutional Changes

This paper compares the experiences in India and China and draws lessons for policy formulation. The important lessons are: (a) self-financing nature of FLC/SWC is a crucial factor for achieving effec...

by Jeemol Unni | On 28 Jan 2016

Linking Conservation with Livelihood: Lessons from Management of Gir-Protected Area in Western India

The paper talks about linking-up of regeneration efforts within and outside the Protected Area (PA) by treating them as an integrated ecological system may help better management and also protection o...

by Amita Shah | On 28 Jan 2016

Drinking Water Supply: Environmental Problems, Causes, Impacts and Remedies – Experiences from Karnataka

Drinking water is a basic requirement for life and a determinant of standard of living. The paper examines the nature and magnitude of environmental problems, causes and impacts in drinking water supp...

by Puttaswamaiah S. | On 28 Jan 2016

Microinsurance Decisions: Gendered Evidence from Rural Bangladesh

This paper draws from a field research experiment to examine the gendered aspects of willingness to pay for index-based insurance in Bangladesh. Participants were presented with risky lotteries and...

by Daniel J. Clarke | On 28 Jan 2016

Ageing in Emerging Markets

This report describes the outcomes of a 2015 symposium on Ageing in Emerging Markets convened by the Emerging Markets Symposium at Green Templeton College, Oxford. It focusses on the causes and conseq...

by | On 25 Jan 2016

Protecting IPRs of Siddha Practitioners through People’s Biodiversity Register

Siddha system of medicine (SSM) focuses on addressing the root cause of the disease rather than treating the disease symptoms, and combinations of herbs, medicinal plants, animal and marine resources...

by N. Lalitha | On 25 Jan 2016

Opportunities and Challenges in Rice Seeds Trade Between India and Bangladesh

Rice, a major staple crop for India and Bangladesh is important not only for ensuring food security, but also the livelihood security of large number of small and marginal farmers engaged in rice cult...

by Neha Jain | On 23 Jan 2016

Economic Growth In South Asia: Role Of Infrastructure

The paper examines the output elasticity of infrastructure for four South Asian countries viz., India,Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka using Pedroni’s panel cointegration technique for the period 19...

by Ranjan Kumar Dash | On 23 Jan 2016

Prospects for Regional Cooperation on Cross-Border Electricity Trade in South Asia

Energy remains one of the key inputs to socio-economic progress in developing societies. South Asian nations, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lank...

by Anoop Singh | On 23 Jan 2016

The Impacts of Diesel Price Increases on India’s Trucking Industry

In the fiscal year 2011–12, under-recoveries1 incurred by Indian oil-marketing companies for diesel rose to an all-time high of INR81,192 crore (US$15 billion) (Government of India, 2012a). Diesel con...

by Gayatri Khedkar | On 21 Jan 2016

Does Marginal Cost Pricing of Electricity Affect the Groundwater Pumping Behaviour of Farmers? Evidence From India

The purpose of this evaluation was to quantify the impact of the recent policy change in West Bengal relating to the pricing of electricity from a flat-rate tariff to a metered tariff. The study attem...

by Meenakshi J V | On 21 Jan 2016

Climate Change and Food Systems: Global Assessments and Implications for Food Security and Trade

This book collects the findings of a group of scientists and economists who have taken stock of climate change impacts on food and agriculture at global and regional levels over the past two decades....

by Food and Agricultural Organization [FAO] | On 20 Jan 2016

Dietary Pattern of Schoolgoing Adolescents in Urban Baroda, India

Diet plays a very important role in growth and development of adolescents, during which the development of healthy eating habits is of supreme importance. There is a dual burden of undernutrition and...

by K. Srinath Reddy | On 19 Jan 2016

Twelfth Plan Working Group on Disadvantaged Farmers, Including Women

This working group on Disadvantaged Farmers, including women is one of the key working groups for defining agricultural policy in the Twelfth Five Year Plan. Eighty-three percent of India’s farmers cu...

by Bina Agarwal | On 19 Jan 2016

Does Clientelism Work? A Test Of Guessability In India

Research on clientelism broadly assumes that local political agents, or brokers, possess fine-grained information on voters’ political preferences, and often can directly or indirectly monitor their v...

by Mark Schneider | On 18 Jan 2016

A Tale Of Two Villages: Kinship Networks And Political Preference Change In Rural India

This paper develops a theory on how voters form and change political preferences in democratic developing world contexts. In the developing world, where state institutions are often weak, voters tend...

by Neelanjan Sircar | On 18 Jan 2016

Raising Agricultural Productivity and Making Farming Remunerative for Farmers

The paper identifies five important aspects of agriculture that need immediate attention to bring economic advantages to millions of farm families. First, output per hectare, which is a common measu...

by Niti Aayog GOI | On 18 Jan 2016

Reclaiming the Grassland for the Cheetah: Science And Nature Conservation In India

The role of scientists in influencing the aims and priorities of biological conservation in developing countries has been a topic of debate and needs elucidation. The Asiatic cheetah reintroduction pl...

by | On 14 Jan 2016

Inequality and Environmental Sustainability

This paper synthesizes the evidence of a negative correlation between income inequality and environmental quality. It shows that inequality exerts adverse impact on environmental outcomes through seve...

by | On 11 Jan 2016

Climate Change and its Impacts on Agriculture: Farmers’ Perception and Adaptation Measures

This study was carried out in Jagatpur VDC of Chitwan district. The study was done using quantitative and qualitative research methodology using Key informant interview, household survey and focus gro...

by Roshna Maharjan | On 08 Jan 2016

Food System Strategies for Preventing Micronutrient Malnutrition

Micronutrients are defined as substances in foods that are essential for human health and are required in small amounts. The goal of this paper is to identify deficiencies in the food system that lead...

by Ross M. Welcha | On 07 Jan 2016

Mental Health Effects of Climate Change

Changes in climate and global warming may require population to migrate, which can lead to acculturation stress. It can also lead to increased rates of physical illnesses, which secondarily would be a...

by | On 30 Dec 2015

Working of Forest Rights Act 2006 and Its Impact on Livelihoods: A Comparative Study of Odisha and Jharkhand

Clearly, the monograph addresses a set of critical issues related to the forest rights and livelihood and makes a sincere effort to draw attention to the plight of forest dependent communities. Policy...

by Tapas Kumar Sarangi | On 30 Dec 2015

The India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and the Proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: A Closer Look

The India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement has been in operation for more than a decade. The paper provides the Sri Lankan perspective of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) highlighting both the positive ou...

by Saman Kelegama | On 29 Dec 2015

The Role of Sri Lanka in Enhancing Connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia

Improving physical connectivity between South and Southeast Asia has long been recognized as a key element in promoting greater trade and investment linkages within the region. As an island economy, S...

by Dushni Weerakoon | On 29 Dec 2015

Ending Violence against Women: From the Beijing Platform for Action to the Sustainable Development Goals

This report contains relevant sections of the principal international agreements over the past 20 years where countries have committed to responding to violence against women and girls. also provides...

by UN Women | On 28 Dec 2015

Empowering Women Migrant Workers in Asia: A Briefing Kit

A new feature of international migration for work is the increase in the numbers of overseas women migrant workers, which in countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka exceed the numbe...

by | On 28 Dec 2015

Financial Inclusion, Regulation, and Education in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has achieved a high level of financial inclusion compared to other South Asian countries. Its financial sector comprises a wide range of financial institutions providing financial services s...

by Saman Kelegama | On 23 Dec 2015

Post Harvest Profile of Banana: 2015

Banana (Musa sapientum) is an important fruit crop in India. Bananas are grown in more than 150 countries, producing 105 million tonnes of fruit per year. The global production of banana is around 102...

by Agricultural Marketing | On 22 Dec 2015

Shia and Iranian Ascendance: Sunni and American Perceptions

The primary aim of this paper, however, is not to account for the historical/political rise of Shiaism or of Iran, or even debate the existence of the so-called ‘Shia Crescent,’ but to examine instead...

by | On 22 Dec 2015

How Does ADB Engage Civil Society Organizations in Its Operations? Findings of an Exploratory Inquiry in South Asia

The focus is on South Asia and the starting point of inquiry is on 33 projects that illustrate the roles and forms of NGO and CBO engagement in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The rep...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 21 Dec 2015

India's Sri Lanka Policy: Towards Economic Engagement

India's Sri Lanka policy has built upon economic engagement to cooperate on initiatives of strategic importance. The lesson one can learn from this is the potential of economic linkages to overcome a...

by | On 18 Dec 2015

National Legal Framework for IDPs in Sri Lanka: A Critical Analysis

This study places special attention on evaluating constitutional provisions that affect IDPs, on legislation pertaining to displacement, and the National Legal Framework for Relief, Rehabilitation, an...

by | On 18 Dec 2015

Agriculture and Nutrition in Bangladesh: Mapping Evidence to Pathways

This paper assesses the emphasis of the literature on different agriculture–nutrition pathways in Bangladesh. More research is needed on the links between agriculture and nutrition in country-specific...

by | On 18 Dec 2015

Global Sustainable Development Report, 2015 edition

The 2015 Global Sustainable Development Report, an intergovernmental-mandated report on the science-policy interface for sustainable development, was presented to UN Member States at the High Level Po...

by United Nations UN | On 17 Dec 2015

Sri Lanka: Rising Sectarian Schism

Sri Lanka, home to a plethora of ethnically diverse communities, saw horrific communal bloodshed in July 1983. Over three decades down the line, history seems to be repeating itself as hordes of Budd...

by Chaarvi Modi | On 17 Dec 2015

Women at the Top in Developing Countries: Evidence from Firm-Level Data

This paper uses worldwide firm-level data to scrutinize the governance factors that favor gender diversity in leadership positions. Our results reveal that the gender of the dominant shareholder is ke...

by Khalid Sekkat | On 16 Dec 2015

Identifying a Fair Deal on Climate Change

A fair deal on climate change for developed and developing countries is identified by focusing not on equitable emissions quotas but on fair access to energy services.

by Nancy Birdsall | On 07 Dec 2015

Look to the Forests: How Performance Payments can Slow Climate Change

This report argues that what is urgently needed is a tested but far from fully exploited approach to funding forest conservation: pay-for-performance transfers, under which public (and private) funder...

by Nancy Birdsall | On 03 Dec 2015

Government Intervention in Grain Markets in India: Rethinking the Procurement Policy

This paper reviews the rice procurement operations of the Government of India from the standpoints of cost of procurement as well as effectiveness in supporting farmers’ incomes. The two channels used...

by Neha Gupta | On 02 Dec 2015

Intergenerational Educational Persistence among Daughters: Evidence from India

The paper examines educational transmission between fathers (mothers) and daughters in India for daughters born during 1962-1991. We find that educational persistence, as measured by the regression co...

by Mehtabul Azam | On 01 Dec 2015

Comment of the Draft Environmental Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015

The Bill which proposes fundamental changes to Environmental Governance in India is deeply disconcerting and disruptive of prevailing environmental jurisprudence. The Bill promotes fundamental changes...

by Environment Support Group (ESG) | On 20 Nov 2015

The Sunday Edit: Bringing Back Beef

Beef bans and intolerance of the diversity that abounds in this country are clearly not the way to win elections.

by Ravi Duggal | On 15 Nov 2015

Assessing Farmer's Willingness to Participate in the On-farm Conservation of Minor Millet using Direct Compensation Payment

This study attempts to examine the role of farmer incentive mechanisms to conserve minor millets in Kolli Hills. The millet varieties were classified either as most preferred varieties (MPVs) or leas...

by | On 06 Nov 2015

Performance of Targeted Public Distribution System in Kerala

Targeted Public Distribution System was introduced in the country following the failure of the Universal PDS to serve below the poverty line and poorest of the poor households.It is being implemente...

by T Jayan | On 04 Nov 2015

Productivity and Efficiency Impacts of Zero Tillage Wheat in Northwest Indo-Gangetic Plains

Conservation agriculture (CA) technologies are being developed for the cereal production systems of South Asia to address the multifaceted problems of decelerating agricultural productivity, resource...

by Vijesh Krishna | On 02 Nov 2015

Skyrocketing Prices of Pulses and the Agrarian Crisis: Impact of Neo-liberal Policies

This interview with Vijoo Krishnan, Joint Secretary All India Kisan Sabha, on the agrarian crises leading to farmer suicides and rising prices of food grains traces backs the agrarian crises to the ne...

by Vijoo Krishnan | On 02 Nov 2015

The Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture: A Case Study from Nepal

In Nepal, as in many developing countries, concerns are increasing about the negative impact of climate change on agricultural yields and food security. The Nepalese have already seen changes in their...

by | On 22 Oct 2015

Women on Board and Performance of Family Firms: Evidence from India

This paper provides evidence on the effect of women directors on the performance of family firms with a case study of India.

by Jayati Sarkar | On 16 Oct 2015

Gender Equality Results Case Study: Sri Lanka - Improving Connectivity to Support Livelihoods and Gender Equality

This case study documents key gender equality issues as well as key achievements and lessons from a project carried out in post conflict Sri Lanka as part of urgently needed reconstruction. The Improv...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 16 Oct 2015

Development Strategy in Bihar through Revitalizing the Agricultural Sector: A Preliminary Analysis

Based mainly on secondary data and partly on primary information obtained through field surveys in selected rural areas in Bihar in 2011, this paper firstly argues the critical importance of agricultu...

by | On 11 Oct 2015

Determination of Farm-Level Adaption Diversity to Cyclone and Flood: Insights from a Household-Level Survey in Eastern India

The present study aims to assess determinants of adaptation diversity (i.e., a number of adaptation mechanisms undertaken by the farm households). For empirical assessment, a farm household-level s...

by Chandra Sekhar Bahinipati | On 09 Oct 2015

Soil Health: Issues and Concerns - A Review

This paper brings out the importance of soil fertility management (SFM) with respect to agricultural production and livelihood contribution to the rural people. It looks into the farmers' own knowledg...

by B. Suresh Reddy | On 08 Oct 2015

Migration and Development

This brief highlights a central problem the living and working conditions of migrants in the Gulf States. Finding work is what motivates nine out of every ten migrants worldwide. In the Middle East, 2...

by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC | On 07 Oct 2015

Inside the News: Challenges and Aspirations of Women Journalists in Asia and the Pacific

Why does gender equality in the media matter? Because of the many influences that shape the way we see men and women, media are among the most powerful. Media shape our daily lives, infusing their mes...

by UNESCO UNESCO | On 07 Oct 2015

Ground Water and Farm Incomes at Risk from Climate Change in Tamil Nadu, India

Research from South India suggests that climate change will affect ground water availability with serious and negative implications for agriculture. Any increase in temperature above a threshold of ...

by R. Balasubramanian | On 30 Sep 2015

Food Security, Productivity, and Gender Inequality

This paper examines the relationship between gender inequality and food security, with a particular focus on women as food producers, consumers, and family food managers. The discussion is set against...

by Bina Agarwal | On 29 Sep 2015

Production, Market Structure and the Role of Public Policy: Foodgrains in the New Economy

Although India’s plans for market reforms and opening up agriculture with earnest optimism and anticipation, every step on the way was laced with caution and deliberation and every action was weighed...

by Nilabja Ghosh | On 21 Sep 2015

Book Review: Gender, Ideology and Conflict

Review of Women in Terrorism: Case of the LTTE by Tamara Herath. Sage Publications 2015. pp. 264. Rs. 533/- ISBN-13: 978-8132106951.

by Ilina Sen | On 21 Sep 2015

Do Consumer Price Subsidies Really Improve Nutrition?

In this paper results are analysed from a field experiment exploring the response of poor households in China to food price subsidies. Many developing countries use food price subsidies or price cont...

by | On 18 Sep 2015

Agricultural Diversification and Poverty in India

As stress on Indian agriculture increases because of several reasons, such as continuous fragmentation of landholdings and climate change, there is a serious threat to livelihood based on farming. Thi...

by Digvijay S. Negi | On 17 Sep 2015

Developing Regional Value Chains in South Asian Leather Clusters: Issues, Options and an Indian Case

The possibility of developing regional production networks in specific sectors between nations of South Asia has been explored in this paper. The case of the leather and leather goods cluster in T...

by Keshab Das | On 11 Sep 2015

Civil Society Briefs: Sri Lanka

This brief provides an overview of civil society in Sri Lanka. With a view to strengthening ADB cooperation with civil society organizations, the NGO and Civil Society Center periodically prepares rep...

by Asian Development Bank Institute | On 07 Sep 2015

Public Views Of Health System Issues In Four Asian Countries

To elicit the public’s views on health system issues, the study conducted an opinion poll survey in Bangladesh, Mongolia, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The study focused on health inequalities. The results sh...

by Bhatia Mrigesh | On 01 Sep 2015

Addressing Long-term Challenges to Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in South Asia

Notwithstanding its impressive economic growth, food insecurity in South Asia continues to be a stark reality for a large number of households. Despite several successful policy interventions by Gover...

by K. S. Kavi Kumar | On 19 Aug 2015

Deconstructing Indian Cotton: Weather, Yields, and Suicides

Cotton with coevolving pests has been grown in India more than 5000 years. Hybrid cotton was introduced in the 1970s with increases in fertilizer and in insecticide use against pink bollworm that caus...

by Andrew Gutierrez | On 17 Aug 2015

Land Marked by Policy Distortions

Of all the markets in which politicians interfere with prices, the land market is probably the last that will be reformed.

by T.N. Ninan | On 08 Aug 2015

A Reality Check on Suicides in India

In this paper, we study the data from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) of India and disaggregate across demographic and leading causes of suicides. We find that mental and physical health are t...

by Shamika Ravi | On 02 Aug 2015

Perspectives on Valuation of Biodiversity

The economic value that biodiversity and ecosystems have is known to be very high. Despite this knowledge, we still find that there is large scale and significant loss of diversity of resources and ec...

by Suneetha M. S. | On 17 Jul 2015

Adoption of Voluntary Environmental Practices: Evidence from the Textile and Apparel Industry in Sri Lanka

This study examines voluntary adoption of environmental management practices in the textile and apparel sector in Sri Lanka. The textile and apparel industry contributes to 58% of total industrial exp...

by D. W. Kinkini Hemachandra | On 17 Jul 2015

Estimating Demand for Turtle Conservation at the Rekawa Sanctuary in Sri Lanka

This study estimates the entrance fee that can be charged to visitors for ‘turtle watching’ to ascertain whether revenues from such fees can be used to compensate fishermen and reduce such illegal...

by R. M. Wasantha Rathnayake | On 10 Jul 2015

Agricultural Credit and its Impact on Farm Productivity: A Case Study of Kailali District

This study was carried out by Banking Development and Research Unit of Nepal Rastra Bank, Dhangadhi Office. The study aims at exploring the problems related to the procurement and use of agricultural...

by Nepal Rastra Bank NRB | On 26 Jun 2015

The Risk of Disaster-Induced Displacement in South Asia

This technical paper provides evidence-based estimates of the likelihood of disaster-induced displacement in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It att...

by Justin Ginnetti | On 24 Jun 2015

Minorities and Inclusive Electoral Processes in South Asia

This overview brings together major findings and crosscutting issues in the “country situation reports” from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively, which were commissioned b...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 15 Jun 2015

The Migration of Women Domestic Workers from Sri Lanka: Protecting the Rights of Children Left Behind

Remittances that flow from low-skilled labor migration are critical to many developing countries, yet these economic benefits can come at a high price. Roughly half of all migrant workers are women, m...

by Brian Opeskin | On 12 Jun 2015

Gujarat Ecology Commission Annual Report 2013-14

This report of Gujarat Ecology Commission (GEC) provides information and other inputs which are needed to develop policy and provide the right approach for ecological conservation and sustainable deve...

by Gujarat Ecology Commission Government of Gujarat | On 08 Jun 2015

Can Better Houses Help Tackle Indoor Air Pollution - A Case Study of Sri Lankan Tea Pluckers

Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is a major health hazard in many developing countries. The health impact of this type of pollution is obviously influenced by various facets of house design, such as room si...

by Ajantha Kalyanaratne | On 04 Jun 2015

Analysis of Trends in India’s Agricultural Growth

The present study discusses the trends and patterns in agricultural growth at the national and sub-national levels in India. Data on important variables like area, production, input use and value of o...

by Elumalai Kannan | On 04 Jun 2015

Report of the Working Group on Agricultural Research and Education for the Twelfth Five Year Plan 2012-17

This report mainly focuses on agricultural research and education so as to make the system demand-driven, enhance technology flow to farmers and bring transformational changes in Indian agriculture. T...

by Planning Commission | On 28 May 2015

Report of the Working Group on Wildlife, Ecotourism and Animal Welfare for the 12th Five Year Plan 2012-2017

The document has been prepared with the basic surmise that Wildlife Management, Ecotourism and Animal Welfare are to be treated as a Priority Sector during the 12th Plan as the conservation of our nat...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 26 May 2015

State of Indian Farmers: A Report

The present study is based on primary survey across 18 states of India by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi conducted between December 2013 and January 2014. The survey wa...

by | On 18 May 2015

The Coal Mines (Conservation & Development) Amendment Bill, 2012: Standing Committee on Coal and Steel (2012-2013)

Standing Committee on Coal and Steel present this Thirty-Seventh Report (Fifteenth Lok Sabha) on "The Coal Mines (Conservation & Development) Amendment Bill, 2012" relating to the Ministry of Coal. Th...

by Lok Sabha Secretariat | On 14 May 2015

Economic Distress and Farmer Suicides in India: An Econometric Investigation

This paper empirically analyses sources of extreme economic distress in rural India. We use district-level data on farmers’ suicides in two major states during the years 1998 to 2004 to estimate the e...

by | On 29 Apr 2015

National Agroforestry Policy - 2014

The National Agroforestry Policy, which deals with the practice of integrating trees, crops and livestock on the same plot of land, was launched February 10, the first day of the World Congress on Agr...

by | On 21 Apr 2015

The Internet and State Intervention in Asia: A Comparative Study of Selected Countries

In context of contemporary debates about censorship, net neutrality and the role of the state in today’s globalising world, it becomes vital to examine the stand taken by various Asian governments tow...

by Nandini Bhattacharya | On 17 Apr 2015

The Role of Diversity on Freedom of Speech in Democratic Societies

There is no doubt that freedom of speech plays an important role in the process of democratization. Freedom of speech is a guarantee to citizens to participate effectively in the working of democracy....

by | On 24 Mar 2015

A Dynamic Economic Model of Soil Conservation Involving Genetically Modified Crop

This paper attempts to model the positive role of cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) crop with its soil-anchoring root-characteristic and use of conservation-tillage technology, in saving orga...

by Amrita Chatterjee | On 23 Mar 2015

Budget Speech of Maharashtra Part I 2015-16

Speech of Finance Minister of Maharashtra

by | On 23 Mar 2015

An Act to Amend the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

This Act may be cited as the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution to be it enacted by the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

by | On 17 Mar 2015

The India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and the Proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: A Closer Look

The paper provides the Sri Lankan perspective of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) highlighting both the positive outcomes and the negative aspects. The paper shows that the FTA has worked in favor of Sr...

by Saman Kelegama | On 16 Mar 2015

Democracy, Development and the Executive Presidency in Sri Lanka

This paper examines the developmental causes and consequences of the shift from a parliamentary to a semi-presidential system in Sri Lanka in 1978, examining its provenance, rationale, and its unfoldi...

by | On 16 Mar 2015

Straw in the Wind

What does the decision to save groundwater in Punjab or Haryana have to do with air pollution in Delhi? Plenty. We need to know this because many actions have unintended and deadly consequences.

by Sunita Narain | On 26 Feb 2015

Citizens Charter on Drinking Water and Sanitation before Union Budget

Ahead of the Union Budget, Civil Society Organizations ask for policy strategies to support drinking water and sanitation for vulnerable sections. Civil society budget groups, collectively as a networ...

by Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability | On 26 Feb 2015

Report of the Working Group on Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Secondary Agriculture and Policy Required for Internal and External Trade

The report reviews existing agricultural marketing system. It deals with improving efficiency and reducing transaction cost in Agricultural Marketing by strengthening the physical markets, encouraging...

by Planning Commission | On 11 Feb 2015

State Racism and Sexism in Post-war Sri Lanka

Institutionalised racism-sexism in post-war Sri Lanka is not only essentialising women and their productive and reproductive labour in different ways but also rendering it increasingly difficult to bu...

by Chulani Kodikara | On 10 Feb 2015

Sri Lankan Presidential Election at a Glance

This brief is review of an electoral analysis of Sri lanka Presidential Elections. Paper discusses the various measures of failure on the part of the Rajapaksa government and strategies for new govern...

by Saman Kelegama | On 09 Feb 2015

Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election: Risks and Opportunities

This briefing discusses Sri Lanka’s presidential election promises. It promises more competition than was initially anticipated but with that comes a great risk of violence. Long-term stability and po...

by Crisis Group | On 02 Feb 2015

Agribusiness Franchising in India: Experience and Potential

This paper locates the rationale for franchising in agribusiness from global literature and from the Indian smallholder agricultural context where other ways of reaching small farmers or linking them...

by Sukhpal Singh | On 23 Jan 2015

A Farming System Model to Leverage Agriculture for Nutritional Outcomes

The objective of paper is to demonstrate feasibility of nutrition-sensitive agriculture. The proposed model is being tested in two select locations to demonstrate improvement in nutrition status throu...

by M S Swaminathan | On 21 Jan 2015

Presidential Stakes and Sri Lanka's future

Across the great Eurasian plate these days, one can find leaders dispensing with truly competitive politics. But traverse the Himalayas to South Asia and the climate is different: Democracy is on a w...

by Chandrani Sharma | On 13 Jan 2015

Governance in Sri Lanka: Lessons from Post-Tsunami Rebuilding

This article applies complex evolving systems theory to investigating the governance factors affecting rebuilding in the wake of the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka. It also examines the crucial processes o...

by | On 13 Jan 2015

Depeasantization in Punjab: Status of Farmers who Left Farming

The state of Punjab, earlier regarded as an agriculturally developed region of India, has been passing through a severe economic crisis. The capital-intensive mode of production, propagated by the gre...

by | On 24 Dec 2014

Housing and Labor Productivity of Female Tea Pluckers in Sri Lanka

This study analyzes the link between labor productivity of tea-plantation workers in Sri Lanka and their living conditions. The results indicate a significant negative relationship between Indoor Air...

by Ajantha Kalyanaratne | On 16 Dec 2014

Impact of Public Spending on Health and Education of Children in India: A Panel Data Simultaneous Equation Model

The basic objective of the study is to examine the impact of public expenditure on health and education after incorporating the linkages between health status of children and their educational achiev...

by Runu Bhatka | On 12 Dec 2014

Impediments to Contract Enforcement in Day Labour Markets: A Perspective from India

This paper focuses on one such setting in India's urban informal economy: the 'day labour' market for casual labour. We survey seven such markets in Navi Mumbai (a city on the outskirts of Mumbai),...

by Karthikeya Naraparaju | On 12 Dec 2014

GIS Study for Malnutrition and Agro Biodiversity in Maharashtra State, India

Malnutrition is found to be a leading killer throughout the world, with undernutrition in the developing world the main nutrition problem. India is one of the fastest growing country in terms of pop...

by Rahul R. Sagar | On 10 Dec 2014

Measures, Spatial Profile and Determinants of Dietary Diversity: Evidence from India

Food security policies in developing countries generally focus on calorie intake, which is not sufficient to tackle the triple burden of malnutrition: undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies and...

by Mousumi Das | On 14 Nov 2014

What are the Headwaters of Formal Savings? Experimental Evidence from Sri Lanka

When households increase their deposits in formal bank savings accounts, what is the source of the money? High-frequency surveys are combined with an experiment in which a Sri Lankan bank used mobil...

by Michael Callen | On 13 Nov 2014

Making Sense of Green Building Rating

It is time to go beyond just lip service to push green reforms in building standards. On analysing reports from the Indian Green Building Council, researchers at the Centre for Science and Environment...

by Sunita Narain | On 11 Nov 2014

Sustainable Agriculture: A Pathway out of Poverty for India’s Rural Poor

Millions of farmers in remote rural areas of India struggle to feed themselves and their families, while the resources on which they depend are deteriorating daily. This book shows how sustainable agr...

by Sustainable Agriculture Information Network | On 06 Nov 2014

The Soya Project: Farm Evangelists

In 2008, two earnest young men set out to boost soya bean yields in the semi-arid region of Bundi in Rajasthan. Rainfall there is meagre and the soil lacks nutrients. But there are ready buyers for so...

by Civil Society | On 20 Oct 2014

Rising Food Prices in South Asia: A Policy Framework to Mitigate Adverse Effects

The global economic crises that started in 2008 have exposed commodity markets to increasing price volatility and raised concerns for higher inflation, food security and poverty reduction. This seri...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 12 Sep 2014

Budget 2014-15: The Continuing Neglect of the 'Rural'

The Union Budget remains significant for the agricultural sector in the country for at least the following two reasons. First, the budget comes in the background of an agrarian crisis in the country,...

by Arindam Banerjee | On 04 Aug 2014

A Study of Policies Related to Science Education for Diversity in India

This paper presents the findings of a study concerning educational policies related to science education and diversity in India which is a geographically and socio-politically diverse country. If the...

by Sugra Chunawala | On 28 Jul 2014

Expert Opinions on the Budget 2014: Analyzing for Rural India

A group of economists presented their views on what the Union Budget 2014-15 offered for India's agricultural sector and farmers, during a conference entitled Analyzing the Budget 2014 for Rural India...

by Shambhu Ghatak | On 23 Jul 2014

To Cultivate or Not? Examining Factors that Influence Jatropha Agriculture in North East India

This study examines factors that determine the adoption and continued production of Jatropha in plantations in North East India. The study is based on a sample of 144 current-farmers, 137 previous far...

by Kishor Goswami | On 21 Jul 2014

The Role of Mineral Fertilizers in Transforming Philippine Agriculture

Fertilizer policy in the country has evolved from pervasive interventionism in the 1970s to today's market-oriented regime. Government has abandoned price policies and subsidies, focusing rather on...

by Roehlano M. Briones | On 20 Jun 2014

In the Name of Science and Public Health: Concerns about the Safety of Pentavalent Vaccine

This report provides information on the policy and implementation of immunization in India. A description of the findings of the verbal autopsies gathered from the visits to Srinagar and Haryana, as a...

by PUDR Peoples Union for Democratic Rights | On 10 Jun 2014

Monetary Incentives to Reduce Open-Field Rice-Straw Burning in the Plains of Nepal

In southern Nepal, rice straw burning in open fields is common practice. This is problematic because biomass burning contributes to smoke, black carbon and greenhouse gases. While some studies have ex...

by Krishna Prasad Pant | On 02 Jun 2014

Water Security in South Asia: Issues and Policy Recommendations

It is estimated that by 2030, only 60 per cent of the world's population will have access to fresh water supplies. This would mean that about 3 billion people would be living without reliable source...

by Wilson John | On 15 May 2014

Columbo Declaration On Youth ‘Mainstreaming Youth in the Post-2015 Development Agenda’

This declaration is intended to be a framework for the outcome of the World Conference on Youth to be held in Sri Lanka in 2014. It is based on agreed principles from previous outcomes and is intend...

by World Conference on Youth 2014 | On 13 May 2014

Farmers’ Preferences for Climate-Smart Agriculture: An Assessment in the Indo-Gangetic Plain

This study was undertaken to assess farmers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for various climate-smart interventions in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. To assess farmers’ choices and their WTP for t...

by Garima Taneja | On 07 Apr 2014

Backward Agriculture - A Cause Of India's Poverty

The biggest challenge facing India's policy makers is the persisting high incidence of poverty. One of the reasons for the high incidence of poverty in India is its backward agriculture, whose produc...

by Ursula Grant | On 27 Feb 2014

Functioning of the Public Distribution System: An Analytical Report

During September 2013, Parliament passed the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013. The NFSA seeks to make the right to food a legal entitlement by providing subsidised food grains to nearly two-th...

by Sakshi Balani | On 07 Jan 2014

Leveling with Friends: Social Networks and Indian Farmers’ Demand for Agricultural Custom Hire Services

This research was undertaken to understand how information about a new agricultural technology is transmitted through social networks, and what effect information gained through social networks has on...

by Nicholas Magnan | On 26 Nov 2013

Asymmetric Information and Middleman Margins: An Experiment with West Bengal Potato Farmers

A study middleman margins, trading mechanisms and the role of asymmetric information about prices between potato farmers and local trade intermediaries, in West Bengal, India is conducted. Farmers in...

by Sandip Mitra | On 23 Oct 2013

A Critique: HIV/AIDS and the Legal and Policy Framework in Sri Lanka

This paper discusses and comments on the legal and policy dimension and the obstacles it poses to a sustainable and effective response to HIV/AIDS as many do not come forward to obtain medical servic...

by Bhavani Fonseka | On 14 Sep 2013

How will India Facilitate a Credible and Independent Investigation in Sri Lanka?

At the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) 22nd session in Geneva India quietly registered its dismay at the lack of progress made by Sri Lanka since its commitments at the Council in 2009. While urging...

by Raghu Menon | On 14 Sep 2013

Madras Cafe: A Timely Interrogation

The film, MAdras Cafe, offers us an opportunity to revisit memory and ask important questions as to what happened in the early years of the civil war in Sri Lanka. An introspection that is necessary i...

by Aaranya Rajasingam | On 13 Sep 2013

Celebratory Memoirs of the Life of Comrade Sunila Abeysekera

Sri Lanka’s top UN Human Rights award winner Sunila Abeysekara died at a private hospital in Colombo on Monday afternoon after a long battle with cancer. A founder of Sri Lanka’s feminist movement, Ms...

by Lionel Bopage | On 12 Sep 2013

A Tale of Two Farms: Agricultural support in India and Thailand

For agricultural subsidies to be efficient in improving farmers’ incomes and eradicating hunger, holistic policy intervention is required. Complementary policies such as increased access to credit and...

by Maria C.S. Morales | On 30 Aug 2013

Forecasting Profitability

Newly-available Indian panel data is used to estimate how the returns to planting-stage investments vary by rainfall realizations. [BREAD Working Paper No. 392]. URL:[http://ipl.econ.duke.edu/bread/pa...

by Mark Rosenzweig | On 16 Aug 2013

Mumbaikars’ last supper

The National Food Security Bill is all set to become an Act/ordinance and give legal entitlement to the citizens of the country to food. However the Bill does not define what food security is; but sim...

by Mousumi Das | On 19 Jul 2013

Quantification of Yield Gaps in Different Planting Types of Sugarcane in Maharashtra

This paper is an attempt to estimate the magnitudes of yield gaps, causative factors and constrains for attending greater farm potential in adsali, suru, preseasonal and ratoon sugarcane production in...

by Deokae Tai Balasaheb | On 10 Jul 2013

Why Do Farmers Burn Rice Residue? Examining Farmers’ Choices in Punjab, Pakistan

Burning agriculture residues has multiple negative effects including local air pollution, increase in black carbon and contributions to regional and global climate change. This study seeks to understa...

by Tanvir Ahmed | On 03 Jul 2013

The Caloric Costs of Culture: Evidence from Indian Migrants

Can culture constrain caloric intake and contribute to malnutrition? Inter-state migrants within India consume fewer calories per Rupee of food expenditure compared to their non-migrant neighbors, ev...

by David Atkin | On 27 Jun 2013

Examining Private Participation in Embankment Maintenance in the Indian Sundarbans

This paper analyses the complementarities between land productivity and conservation investments in the context of river embankment maintenance in the Indian Sundarbans.[SANDEE]. URL:[http://www.san...

by Prasenjit Sarkhel | On 06 Jun 2013

Addressing Long - term Challenges to Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in South Asia

Notwithstanding its impressive economic growth, food insecurity in South Asia continues to be a stark reality for a large number of households. Despite several successful policy interventions by Gover...

by K.S. Kavi Kumar | On 23 May 2013

Assessing Farmer ’s Willingness to Participate in the On - farm Conservation of Minor Millet using Direct Compensation Payment

The farmers, predominantly the small and tribal, particularly in regions of rich agro-biodiversity immensely contribute to the on-farm conservation and enrichment of this diversity, often at personal...

by Prabhakaran Raghu | On 22 May 2013

Reach out to Peasant Women: A Study from Punjab

Review of the book Those who did not die: Impact of Agarian Crisis on Women in Punjab by Gursharan Singh Kainth.

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 15 Apr 2013

Options and Determinants of Rice Residue Management Practices in the South-West Region of Bangladesh

This study examines options for managing rice residue and the factors that determine its management in the south-west region of Bangladesh. Study results indicate that while straw length, low-elevatio...

by Mohammed Ziaul Haider | On 29 Mar 2013

Address by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee to Parliament

Reviving economic growth is the priority of the government. [http://presidentofindia.nic.in/sp210213.html].

by Pranab Mukherjee | On 22 Feb 2013

New Frontiers, New Struggles: Press Freedom in South Asia 2011-12

Journalism in South Asia is facing many challenges with physical security being a major issue in most of the region. Several countries may have improved relatively due to decisions to reduce the risks...

by International Federation of Journalists IFJ | On 04 Feb 2013

Land Acquisition for Industrialization and Compensation of Displaced Farmers

This paper addresses the question of how farmers displaced by acquisition of agricultural land for the purpose of industrialization ought to be compensated. Prior to acquisition, the farmers are leasi...

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 22 Jan 2013

How to Tackle Food Insecurity in Asia

Review of the book Food Security in Asia, by Amitava Mukherjee Sage Publications India 2011 pp. xix+392, Rs 895/-.

by Rudra Narayan Mishra | On 04 Jan 2013

Women Workers from Asia to Gulf: Its Outcomes

Review of the book 'Migration of Women Workers from South Asia to the Gulf' By Rakkee Thimothy, S.K. Sasikumar, UN Women, 2012

by R. S. Reshmi | On 24 Dec 2012

Notional Contracts: The Moral Economy of Contract Farming Arrangements in India

This study examines the moral economy of firm-farmer contracts in contract farming schemes in India, bringing together data from field surveys, conducted between 2007 and 2010, of 42 agribusinesses a...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 20 Sep 2012

Food Subsidy in India: Trends, Causes and Policy Reform Options

This paper analyses the trends in volume of food subsidy in the post-reforms period (1991-92 to 2012-13) and then examines various components of food subsidy, which are under the control of FCI and th...

by Vijay Paul Sharma | On 20 Sep 2012

Energy Savings Potential and Policy for Energy Conservation in Selected Indian Manufacturing Industries

This paper focuses on the assessment of energy savings potential in seven highly energy consuming industries. The paper estimates the energy savings potential for each of these industries using unit l...

by Manish Gupta | On 17 Sep 2012

The Heterogeneous Welfare Impacts of Participation in Contract Farming Schemes: Evidence from Southern India

The heterogeneity of welfare impacts of contract farming participation is demonstrated by estimating an endogenous switching model using survey data for 474 farmers in four commodity sectors, gherkin...

by Sudha Narayanan | On 06 Sep 2012

Agricultural Credit - Accomplishments and Challenges

Agriculture’s share in GDP is less than 15 per cent but it still remains the direct domain of over half of the population whose economic prospects are linked to the performance of agriculture. There a...

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 03 Aug 2012

Conserving, Augmenting and Sharing Water

There is a huge crisis for water all around the world, certainly in India with groundwater table going down and drinking water selling almost at the rate of toned milk. That also shows that country ha...

by Anil K Gupta | On 20 Jul 2012

The Salween River Basin: Dam Cascades Threaten Biological and Cultural Diversity

F rom its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau to its estuary in Burma, the Salween River supports over ten million people. For many decades, it was the longest free-flowing river in Southeast Asia. It...

by International Rivers Network IRN | On 17 Jul 2012

Eat, Drink and be Healthy: A Paradigm Shift for Linking Food and Beverages Industry with People’s Knowledge and Institutions

The food and beverages industry has not yet established strong and vibrant linkages with the local communities to develop value added products and share the benefits. The paper lists seven models fo...

by Anil K Gupta | On 11 Jul 2012

Small Farmers in India: Challenges and Opportunities

This paper examines the roles and challenges of small holding agriculture in India. It covers trends in agricultural growth, cultivation patterns, participation of small holding agriculture, productiv...

by S. Mahendra Dev | On 06 Jul 2012

State Health Insurance and Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditures in Andhra Pradesh, India

In 2007, the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India began rolling out the Aarogyasri health insurance to reduce catastrophic health expenditures in households “below the poverty line.” The program...

by Victoria Fan | On 05 Jul 2012

National Budget of Bhutan: Financial Year 2012-13

Budget of Bhutan 2012-13. URL:[http://www.mof.gov.bt/downloads/BudgetReport2012.pdf].

by Minister of Finance Bhutan | On 04 Jul 2012

Climate Change Vulnerability of Mountain Ecosystems in the Eastern Himalayas

The ecosystem of the Eastern Himalayas are vulnerable to climate change as a result of their ecological fragility and economic marginality. The conservation policies at national and regional levels ar...

by Karma Tse-ring | On 28 May 2012

Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security

This paper takes a broader view and explores the multiple effects that global warming and climate change could have on food production and food security. Dealing with climate change would require stre...

by S. Richa | On 24 May 2012

Development Trajectory, Emission Profile, and Policy Actions: Thailand

Thailand has made significant progresses toward green and low-carbon development; however, there is a need to further address the issue. The country has to focus on the implementation of no-regret pol...

by Qwanruedee Chotichanathawewong | On 16 Apr 2012

Gujarat Budget 2012-13

Budget Speech by Minister of Finance. [Government of Gujarat]. URL:[http://financedepartment.gujarat.gov.in/budget12_13_pdf/FM_Speech_English_Part_A_Final.pdf].

by Ministry of Finance Government of Gujarat | On 12 Apr 2012

Farmers’ Information Needs and Search Behaviors: Case Study in Tamil Nadu, India

Using a case study of two districts in South India, farmers’ information needs and information search behavior, factors affecting their search behavior, and their willingness to pay for information a...

by Suresh Chandra Babu | On 10 Apr 2012

Highlights of Madhya Pradesh Budget 2012-13

The salient features of the budget estimates of 2012-13 of Madhya Pradesh. [Ministry of Finance Madhya Pradesh]. URL:[http://www.mp.gov.in/finance/index.htm].

by Madhya Pradesh Government | On 04 Apr 2012

A Review of Input and Output Policies for Cereals Production in India

This paper reviews the key policies with regard to agriculture inputs such as seed, fertilizer, water, agricultural equipment, research, extension, and agricultural credit. It also provides an overvie...

by Ganga Shreedhar | On 29 Mar 2012

Historical and Contemporary Factors Govern Global Biodiversity Patterns

Jetz and Fine that we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction event on this planet and the cause is us. By achieving greater understanding of the underlying causes and correlates of current-...

by Jonathan Chase | On 29 Mar 2012

Causes of Emissions from Agricultural Residue Burning in North-West India: Evaluation of a Technology Policy Response

The burning of agricultural field residue, such as stalks and stubble, during the wheat and rice harvesting seasons in the Indo-Gangetic plains results in substantial emissions of trace gases and pa...

by Ridhima Gupta | On 28 Mar 2012

Maharashtra Budget Speech 2012-13: Part I

Budget for the year 2012-13. [Government of Maharashtra]. URL:[http://maharashtra.gov.in/pdf/english_speech_part_I.pdf].

by Maharashtra Government | On 27 Mar 2012

Tamil Nadu Budget Speech: 2012-13

Speech of Thiru O. Panneerselvam, Hon’ble Minister for Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Budget for the year 2012-2013 to the Legislative Assembly on 26th March, 2012. [Government...

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 27 Mar 2012

National Budget of Bhutan-2011-12

Budget speech by the Finance Minister of Bhutan. [Budget Speech]. URL:[http://www.mof.gov.bt/downloads/Budgetreport2012.pdf].

by Minister of Finance Bhutan | On 22 Mar 2012

Agricultural Insurance in India: Problems and Prospects

The challenges of providing insurance to Indian agricultural sector in a manner that is both meaningful and sustaining. Critical assessment of the existing initiative and present possible options fo...

by M J Bhende | On 09 Mar 2012

Subsidizing the National Food Authority: Is It a Good Policy?

National Food Authority's (NFA) twin mandate of price stabilization and food security has cost the government billions of pesos in losses over the past few decades. As such, there is a need to ...

by Senate Economic Planning Office SEPO | On 28 Feb 2012

Sri Lanka Budget Speech 2012

Budget speech 2012.

by Mahinda Rajapaksa | On 24 Feb 2012

Economics of Mango Cultivation

The paper is based on "Commodity Specific Study on Mango" undertaken by NABARD in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal. For the study, A total sample of 186 respondents was sele...

by G.D. Banerjee | On 17 Feb 2012

Cultural Diversity, Geographical Isolation, and the Origin of the Wealth of Nations

This research argues that variations in the interplay between cultural assimilation and cultural diffusion have played a significant role in giving rise to differential patterns of economic developm...

by Quamrul Ashraf | On 16 Feb 2012

Selling Formal Insurance to the Informally Insured

Unpredictable rainfall is an important risk for agricultural activity, and farmers in developing countries often receive incomplete insurance from informal risk-sharing networks. The demand for, and...

by A. Mushfiq Mobarak | On 10 Feb 2012

Aiding Conflict: The Impact of U.S. Food Aid on Civil War

This paper examines the effect of U.S. food aid on conflict in recipient countries (these include Asian countries like Afghanistan, Sri Lanka). To establish a causal relationship, time variation in fo...

by Nathan Nunn | On 08 Feb 2012

Agriculture-Nutrition Linkages and Policies in India

This paper looks at some key entry points for agriculture to influence nutrition and suggests policies for nutrition-sensitive agricultural development, within the current policy framework. In additi...

by S.Mahendra Dev | On 07 Feb 2012

Is Caste Destiny? Occupational Diversification among Dalits in Rural India

he caste system – a system of elaborately stratified social hierarchy – distinguishes India from most other societies. Among the most distinctive factors of the caste system is the close link betwee...

by Ira Gang | On 07 Feb 2012

Transparency in Parliament: A Review of the Procedures and Practices in South Asia along with Recommended Guidelines for Increasing Openness

This paper examines the functioning of Parliaments in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka1 in order to gauge the extent of openness and access from the point of view of both Members of Parliam...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 31 Jan 2012

More and Better Jobs in South Asia

This report investigates how more and better jobs can be created in South Asia. It does so for two reasons. First, this region will contribute nearly 40 percent of the growth in the world’s workin...

by Reema Nayar | On 30 Jan 2012

Input Prices, Subsidies and Farmers' Incentives

The paper studies the subsidy policy in Bangladesh. It analyses implications of subsidy policies; both pros and cons and also suggests some possible solutions.

by M Asaduzzaman | On 20 Jan 2012

Inefficiency and Abuse of Compulsory Land Acquisition: An Enquiry into the Way Forward

This paper focuses on two issues: the problems with the compulsory acquisition of land, and the regulatory and institutional impediments that obstruct voluntary land transactions. It is argued that an...

by Ram Singh | On 19 Jan 2012

The Broken Broker System? Transacting on Agricultural Wholesale Markets in India (Uttarakhand)

The focus is on the central role played by state-regulated commission agents, known as brokers: agents who are widely present in Indian markets to assist sellers in finding buyers through organizing a...

by Bart Minten | On 29 Dec 2011

Root Problem: Labour Laws

Delivering the third Business Standard lecture on Thursday night, Raghuram Rajan provided an interesting insight into the reason for high inflation in India. The professor of finance at Chicago, who i...

by T.N. Ninan | On 23 Dec 2011

Mullaperiyar – the Issue and the Politics

Discussions and debates are going on in Kerala over the Mullaperiyar dam. A solution is proposed here to solve the issues associated with the dam.

by Santhakumar V | On 19 Dec 2011

Exposing the Plight of Farmers in Punjab

Review of the book 'Debt and Death in Rural India: The Punjab Story' by Aman Sidhu and Inderjit Singh Jaijee Sage Publications India, New Delhi, 2011, Rs 750/-, pp 360.

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 13 Dec 2011

Fifth Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series: Moving Towards Universal Access to Health Care- 1

The Fifth Anusandhan Trust’s Krishna Raj Memorial Lecture Series on Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Sciences was held on January 5, 2011. The speakers were Dr. K. Srinath Reddy (Chairperson...

by Hansa Thapliyal | On 29 Nov 2011

Energy Intensity and Firm Performance: Do Energy Clusters Matter?

In analyzing this phenomenon for Indian manufacturing industries, this study tries to find out the determinants of profitability of firms based on three energy clusters (natural gas, petroleum, coal)...

by Santosh Kumar Sahu | On 10 Nov 2011

Dial “A” for Agriculture: A Review of Information and Communication Technologies for Agricultural Extension in Developing Countries

This article outlines the potential mechanisms through which ICT could facilitate agricultural adoption and the provision of extension services in developing countries. It then reviews existing prog...

by Jenny C Aker | On 07 Nov 2011

Macro-Economic Policy Outcomes and Agriculture Relation between Fiscal Deficits and Investment in Agriculture

In an earlier paper (Alagh, Munish, 2011) it was shown that macro economics matters in agriculture. The relevance of understanding the impact of macro-economic policy on agriculture was outlined. A...

by Munish Alagh | On 24 Oct 2011

Production and Marketing of Coconut in India

The production and marketing scenario of coconut in the country has witnessed a phenomenal development, particularly in the field of production such as development of improved high yielding dwarf va...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 21 Oct 2011

Gender, Governance and Women’s Rights in South Asia

This study focuses on gender equality and democratic governance in the five largest states of the South Asian region, namely, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Beginning with a general...

by Seema Kazi | On 20 Oct 2011

Relation between Population, Gender and Reproductive Health

Review of the book 'Population, Gender and Reproductive Health'. F Ram, Sayeed Unisa and T V Sekher (eds.), Rawat publications, 2011, 416 pp, Rs 925

by K.S. James | On 20 Oct 2011

Transactions Matter but They Hardly Cost: Irrigation Management in the Kathmandu Valley

This study estimates the transaction costs entailed in maintaining Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems (FMIS) in Nepal based on a case study of 60 irrigation systems in the Kathmandu valley. It analyz...

by Ram Chandra Bhattarai | On 18 Oct 2011

Evaluation of Value-Added Agricultural Advisory Services: Case Study of Agriclinics in Southern India

The Indian national program of agriclinics and agribusiness centers, started in 2002, aims to provide farmers with a reliable alternative to the private input dealer by subsidizing technically trained...

by Claire J Glendenning | On 14 Oct 2011

Valuing the Recreational Uses of Pakistan’s Wetlands: An Application of the Travel Cost Method

This study applies a single-site truncated count data travel cost model in order to estimate the value visitors place on recreation in Keenjhar. The recreational use value associated with Keenjhar...

by Ali Dehlavi | On 27 Sep 2011

Does the System of Rice Intensification Outperform Conventional System? A Case Study of Gujarat

The paper examines the farm level performance of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of paddy cultivation as against the traditional method. The role of NGOs in raising awareness among farmers...

by Jharna Pathak | On 22 Sep 2011

Opening India’s Garments Sector to South Asia

This paper examines the competitiveness of the Indian garments industry vis-à-vis the other South Asian countries Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Under the SAFTA agreement, many of the garment i...

by Saon Ray | On 16 Sep 2011

The Land Acquisition Bill: A Critique and a Proposal

The new Bill on land acquisition recently tabled in Parliament is well intentioned but seriously flawed. Its principal defect is that it attaches an arbitrary mark-up to the historical market price to...

by Maitreesh Ghatak | On 12 Sep 2011

Vital Stats: Parliament in Monsoon Session 2011

In performance terms, the house fell significantly short of its initial plan. Proceedings were marred by disruptions – first on the issue of corruption and the detention of Anna Hazare, and later on t...

by Rohit Kumar | On 09 Sep 2011

The Seed and Agricultural Biotechnology Industries in India: An Analysis of Industry Structure, Competition, and Policy Options

This paper examines the structure of India’s cereal seed and agbiotech industries, its potential effects on innovation and social welfare, and the policies that may improve both industry performance a...

by David J Spielman | On 31 Aug 2011

Achieving Progress for Development Effectiveness in Busan: An Overview of CSO Evidence

The global Reality of Aid Network has been working in preparation for Busan alongside CSO colleagues from women’s rights organizations, trade unions, farmers’ organizations, faith-based organizations...

by Brian Tomlinson | On 30 Aug 2011

Risks, Farmers’ Suicides and Agrarian Crisis in India: Is There A Way Out?

Poor returns to cultivation and absence of non-farm opportunities are indicative of the larger socio-economic malaise in rural India. This is accentuated by the multiple risks that the farmer faces...

by Srijit Mishra | On 23 Aug 2011

National Policy for Farmers

There is a need to focus more on the economic well-being of the farmers, rather than just on production. Socio-economic well-being must be a prime consideration of agricultural policy, besides pr...

by Ministry of Agriculture GOI | On 19 Aug 2011

The Costs of Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through Adopting Organic Agriculture

This paper provides estimates of the costs of organic agriculture (OA) programs, and sets them in the context of the costs of attaining the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It anal...

by Anil Markandya | On 19 Aug 2011

Fertilizing Nature: A Tragedy of Excess in the Commons

Globally, we are applying excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizers to our agricultural crops, which ultimately causes nitrogen pollution to our ecosphere. The atmosphere is polluted by N2O and NOx gas...

by Allen G Good | On 17 Aug 2011

Distress Situation in Dryland Areas Impacts on Livelihood Pattern and the Coping Strategies: A Review

This paper is a review of the different coping mechanisms adopted by the households in different dryland area of India. The primary focus of the present paper is to understand the coping mechanisms...

by Nikhil Govind | On 05 Aug 2011

Food Quality in Domestic Markets of Developing Economies: A Comparative Study of two Countries

Food quality has become an important determinant of success in global food trade and growers for international markets have to continuously adjust to buyers’ requirements. It is however not clear to w...

by Anneleen Vandeplas | On 03 Aug 2011

Understanding the Impact of the Economic Crisis on Child and Maternal Health among the Poor: Opportunities for South Asia

The economic crisis hit many countries in 2007 and the effects are still being felt, especially in poorer developing nations. Much of the debate surrounding the economic crisis and its impacts has foc...

by Azra Abdul Cader | On 11 Jul 2011

India's Drylands and Emerging Challenges

In order to tackle the issues of desertification, land degradation and droughts, 22 major programmes are being implemented in the country, including, the “Mission for Green India”, one of the Missio...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 21 Jun 2011

Media Under Fire: Press Freedom Lockdown in Sri Lanka

In October 2008, a delegation from the International Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression Mission undertook a solidarity and advocacy mission to Sri Lanka to assess the current media situation...

by Int Press Freedom & Freedom of Expression Mission IPF&FE | On 13 Jun 2011

Frontier Issues on the Global Agenda- Emerging Economy Perspective

The article is a report of RBI Minister Duvvuri Subbarao on issuesing concerning the G-20 countries and also issues effecting all the countries collectively.

by Duvvuri Subbarao | On 13 Jun 2011

Monitoring Pesticides in Vegetables and the Environment in Meerut District

Farmers in Meerut many pesticides wich are banned in West due to their carcinogenic characteristics. PSI’s staff, accompanied by the staff of Janhit Foundation, collected soil and vegetable samples fr...

by People's Science Institute PSI | On 07 Jun 2011

Book Review: Ineffable or Not: Understanding and Writing about Sri Aurobindo

Review of The Lives of Sri Aurobindo Peter Heehs. Columbia University Press, New York 2008. xiv + 496 pp. $45.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-231-14098-0. [ https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showpdf.php?id=32846...

by Hanna H. Kim | On 05 Jun 2011

Report of the Expert Group on Agricultural Indebtedness

The issue of farmers’ indebtedness becomes a matter of intense debate whenever the agricultural sector faces distress. But, the root cause of the current crisis is not indebtedness alone - indebtedn...

by Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research | On 30 May 2011

Status of Minorities in Bangladesh in 2009

Despite the long history of accommodation and tolerance of diversity and multiculturalism that constituted a previous generation of Bengali culture and nationalism, it is evident that in Banglades...

by South Asians for Human Rights | On 13 May 2011

Ministry of Finance and Planning Annual Report

This paper contains the annual report of Ministry of Finance and Planning, Government of Sri Lanka. URL: [http://www.treasury.gov.lk/FPPFM/fpd/pdfdocs/annualreports/annualreport2009-eng.pdf]

by Ministry of Finance and Planning, Govt of Sri Lanka | On 10 May 2011

Which Type of Stove is Best? An Environmental Impact Assessment from Nepal

This study investigates whether the type of cook stove a household uses has an impact on its level of firewood use. Not surprisingly, the study finds that households with traditional mud stoves use...

by Mani Nepal | On 05 May 2011

Report of the Task Force on Plantations Sector

Today there is no credible alternative facility available to a grower to meet the risks of price movements and the art of price risk management is unknown to the small growers. (In this entire report,...

by Ministry of Commerce and Industry GOI | On 02 May 2011

Enhancing Intra-SAARC Trade: Pruning India’s Sensitive List under SAFTA

The study suggests an approach to reduce India’s sensitive list under SAFTA. The concept of Revealed Comparative Advantage has been used to pair the RCAs for products on India’s sensitive list with th...

by Nisha Taneja | On 29 Apr 2011

Report of the Task Force on Credit Related Issues of Farmers

The Task Force visited 45 villages across 17 states and held state and regional level consultations to understand from women and men farmers, bankers, civil society, academicians, planners, activists,...

by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Devt NABARD | On 27 Apr 2011

Local Knowledge and Agricultural Sustainability: A Case Study of Pradhan Tribe in Adilabad District

The paper presents some empirical data from the Pradhan Tribe of Andhra Pradesh which highlights the community's indigenous agricultural knowledge and the changes over time. These custodians of indi...

by Anil Kumar K | On 25 Apr 2011

Guidelines for Human-Leopard Conflict Management

After careful consideration of the inputs received from a variety of stakeholders, the following framework guidelines are suggested for managing the humanleopard conflict situations in areas where l...

by Ministry of Environment and Forests GOI | On 22 Apr 2011

Targeting and Distribution of Post-Tsunami Aid in Sri Lanka : A Critical Appraisal

In this study, two types of aid transfers - boats and houses are examined- that were made to rehabilitate tsunami-affected fishery households in Sri Lanka. The goal is to investigate the distributio...

by Asha Gunawardena | On 20 Apr 2011

Rural Development & Energy Policy: Lessons from Agricultural Mechanisation in South Asia

The purpose of this paper is to reopen policy debates on the role of agricultural mechanisation in rural development. The paper examines very different and diverse patterns of agricultural mechani...

by Stephen Biggs | On 29 Mar 2011

Was Tsunami Aid Well Targeted? An Examination of Disaster Assistance in Sri Lanka

As countries in South Asia ready themselves for climate change and the possibility of increased frequency in natural disasters, it is useful to understand how well post disaster operations work to...

by South Asian Network for Development SANDEE | On 28 Mar 2011

Integrated Environmental and Social Assessment for Maharashtra Agriculture Competitiveness Project

Small and marginal farmers often lack proper market access to get a fair price for their produce because of their small marketable surplus and limited bargaining power. In addition, restriction on s...

by Government of Maharashtra | On 28 Mar 2011

Was Tsunami Aid Well Targeted? An Examination of Disaster Assistance in Sri Lanka

The Tsunami in 2004 devastated Sri Lanka. In its aftermath, followed aid and support from multiple sources. As countries in South Asia ready themselves for climate change and the possibility of in...

by Asha Gunawardena | On 18 Mar 2011

Managing Common Pool Resources for Poverty Reduction in Tribal Areas of Eastern India

The main objectives of the study were to analyze the role of non-timber forest products in poverty alleviation in Chhattisgarh; to examine the system of governance, institutional framework and prog...

by R S Deshpande | On 17 Mar 2011

Sri Lanka Budget 2011-12

Budget speech by Finance Minister.

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 17 Mar 2011

Draft National Food Security Bill: Explanatory Note

This Explanatory Note highlights the rationale and major considerations that form the basis of the NAC proposals on food security. It supplements (i) the NAC recommendations on food security relea...

by National Advisory Council NAC | On 04 Mar 2011

Report of the Expert Group on Agricultural Indebtedness

The issue of farmers’ indebtedness becomes a matter of intense debate whenever the agricultural sector faces distress. But, the root cause of the current crisis is not indebtedness alone - indebtedn...

by Ministry of Finance | On 28 Feb 2011

Post-Tsunami Recovery: Lessons from Case Study 1. Sri Lanka

The tsunami of December 26, 2004 left Sri Lanka with over 30,000 people dead, almost a million displaced and an estimated 150,000 people lost their primary source of livelihood. There was massive d...

by Sisira Jayasuriya | On 28 Feb 2011

Sri Lanka: Budget Speech, 2011

In the aftermath of the long war in the north, the prime minister anf finance minister launched Mahinda Chintana - Vision for the Future” that targets a per capita income in excess of US$ 4,000 by 201...

by Mahinda Rajapaksa | On 26 Feb 2011

India and the Civil War in Sri Lanka:   On the Failures of   Regional Conflict Management in South Asia 

The  paper  provides  an  assessment  of  India’s  role  in  the  final  years  of  the  civil  war  in  Sri  Lanka  (2003‐2009).  In  particular,  it  looks  for  explanations  for  India’s  in...

by Sandra Destradi | On 10 Feb 2011

Central-Bank Government Relationship in the Context of Emerging Economic Environment

This is a analysis of relationship between the Central Bank of Sir Lanka and the Sri lankan Government. It views the relationship in context of emerging economic environment and global economy.

by P. B. Jauasundera | On 30 Jan 2011

Rethinking Agricultural Production Collectivities: The Case for a Group Approach to Energize Agriculture and Empower Poor Farmers

In the face of persistent rural poverty, an incomplete agrarian transition, the predominance of small and marginal farms and an emerging feminization of agriculture, this paper argues for a new in...

by Bina Agarwal | On 28 Jan 2011

Should Shrimp Farmers Pay Paddy Farmers? The Challenges of Examining Salinisation Externalities in South India

There has been growing concern over conversion of coastal rice paddies to shrimp farms. This study estimates the external cost of shrimp-induced salinity on crop production by comparing two villages i...

by L. Umamaheswari | On 13 Jan 2011

Transforming Conflict with an Economic Dividend: The Sri Lankan Experience

Peace can generate an economic dividend, which can be further increased by appropriate economic reform. This dividend can in turn be used to raise popular support for conflict resolution measures...

by Saman Kelegama | On 31 Dec 2010

The Two Cultures Revisited: Some Reflections on the Environment-Development Debate in India

The speech is mainly about the "two cultures” (modern society—the cultures of the science and that of the humanities) syndrome—the apparent gap between those espousing the case for faster economic g...

by Jairam Ramesh | On 23 Dec 2010

Negotiating Placeness:Tribal Communities in Western Ghats

The paper discuses the differences tribals and government have in understanding of and perception about the forest. It also discuses the outcomes of these differences.

by M. Suresh | On 15 Dec 2010

Consumer Preferences for Water Supply? An Application of Choice Models to Urban India

This paper examines consumer preferences for the attributes of alternative sources of water supply in Chennai, based on a household survey where respondents were given the description of a set of op...

by P. B. Anand | On 08 Dec 2010

Dairy Information Services Kiosk and Dairy Portal

A proof of concept application using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the dairy sector was developed by the Centre for Electronics Governance at the Indian Institute of Management, Ah...

by T.P. Rama Rao | On 03 Dec 2010

Census of Castes

The present system of making Census has many advantages such as, taking stock of Indian situation with detailed data regarding the wide diversity of our people and the finding of conditions of life ha...

by Rajesh Komath | On 01 Dec 2010

Socioeconomic Impacts of Cross-Border Transport Infrastructure Development in South Asia

Although the overall economic performance of economies in South Asia in recent years has been impressive, there is concern that an aging and increasingly inadequate infrastructure may limit the potent...

by John Gilbert | On 01 Nov 2010

Public Debt Management in Sri Lanka-Performance in 2009 and Strategies for 2010 and Beyond

The information included in this publication covers the public debt management strategies adopted in 2009, the movements in debt stock during the year and the related costs and risks and the primar...

by Central Bank of SriLanka CBSL | On 30 Sep 2010

Impact of Protection on Forest Quality at Pench Tiger Reserve

This paper reports the results of a study undertaken by PSI in the autumn of 2002 to assess the impact of protection on the quality of the forest in the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

by M Mahajan | On 28 Sep 2010

Seasonality and Wage-responsiveness in Nonclearing Labour Markets: Evidence from Indian Agriculture

Labour income is often a major source of income not only for landless rural households but also for the 'small' farmers in Asian agriculture. Fluctuations in labour income can be quite marked, owing t...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 10 Sep 2010

Tiger Conservation in India

The primary focus of the paper is to analyze the Indian Tiger Conservation program – Project Tiger. The circumstances that lead to and the conditions under which the program was launched are discuss...

by Varun Khandelwal | On 03 Sep 2010

Direct Taxation of Agriculture

Extension of the wealth tax to agriculture, it will be recalled, was opposed on the ground that it would hurt even the small and medium-sized farmers. This argument was advanced...

by K. N. Raj | On 01 Sep 2010

Managing Knowledge, Creating Networks and Triggering Innovations for Sustainable Agriculture

In this paper, the author discuss the major knowledge gaps, stress the importance of peer learning and building upon farmers’ own innovations and suggest new initiatives for transforming extension s...

by Anil. K Gupta | On 25 Aug 2010

Determinants of Small-Scale Farmer inclusion in Emerging Moder Agrifood Markets: A Study of the Dairy Industry in India

In response to structural transformations taking place in the Indian dairy sector mainly in processing segment this paper examines determinants of market channel choices of milk produce...

by Vijay Paul Sharma | On 02 Aug 2010

Collective Action in Diverse Sierra Leone Communities

Scholars have pointed to ethnic and other social divisions as a leading cause of economic underdevelopment, due in part to their adverse effects on public good provision and collective action. We inve...

by Rachel Glennerster | On 13 Jul 2010

Supply Response of Indian Farmers: Pre and Post Reforms

This study estimates supply response for major crops during pre and post reform periods using Nerlovian adjustment cum adaptive expectation model. Estimation is based on dynamic panel data approach wi...

by G. Mythili | On 06 Jul 2010

Exchange Rate Regimes and Macroeconomic Performance in South Asia

Stylized facts for South Asia show the dominance of supply shocks, amplified by macroeconomic policies and procyclical current accounts. Interest and exchange rate volatility rose initially on libera...

by Ashima Goyal | On 09 Jun 2010

Addressing Agricultural Power Subsidy: A Case Study of North Gujarat

This paper on the basis of fieldwork in the region of North Gujarat tries to analyze the perceptions among various sections of the farmers and examines whether the subsidy is pro-poor in nature. The...

by Vidyut Joshi | On 07 Jun 2010

Diversity and Endangerment of Languages in Nepal

The purpose of this paper is to disseminate among a wider public insights gained from the UNESCO Language Survey Report (2002) for Nepal. The emphasis is put on the linguistic diversity of Nepal o...

by Sueyoshi Toba | On 03 Jun 2010

Do Reservation Policies Affect Productivity In The Indian Railways?

The objective in this paper is to shed some empirical light on a claim often made by critics of affirmative action policies: that increasing the representation of members of marginalized communities i...

by Ashwini Deshpande | On 26 May 2010

Book Review: Of Space and 'Spatialities'

Review of Spatialising Politics: Culture and Geography in Postcolonial Sri Lanka. Catherine Brun and Tariq Jazeel (Editors). Sage Publications, New Delhi; 2009, 260 pp, Rs. 695.

by Anandi Dantas | On 04 May 2010

Impact of ASEAN-India FTA on India’s Plantation Commodities: A Simulation Analysis

The present study attempts a quantitative assessment of the impact of recently signed ASEAN-India FTA (AIFTA) for selected plantation commodities (coffee, tea and pepper) in India. Partial equilibri...

by C. Veeramani | On 20 Apr 2010

Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile Phones on Indian Agriculture

This paper investigates a series of questions that explore this topic: What kind of information do farmers value the most to improve agricultural productivity? Do mobile phones and mobile-enabled ag...

by Surabhi Mittal | On 03 Mar 2010

Pesticides and Productivity – a Study of Vegetable Farming in Nepal

In Nepal, agriculture is commercializing day by day and levels of agro-chemical use are growing. This is beginning to raise concerns about the health and environmental impacts of farm chemicals suc...

by Ratna Kumar Jha | On 09 Feb 2010

Productivity of Pesticides in Vegetable Farming in Nepal

This paper examines the effectiveness of damage control mechanisms to reduce crop losses from agricultural pests. It uses data from a sample of Cole crop (Cauliflower and Cabbage) growing households...

by Ratna Kumar Jha | On 22 Jan 2010

Water Democracy: Reclaiming Public Water in Asia

This collection of 19 new essays written by civil society activists, trade unionists and other water practitioners, presents examples of ongoing struggles against water privatization and commercia...

by Focus on the Global South FGS | On 22 Jan 2010

Market-Based Approaches to Environmental Management: A Review of Lessons from Payment for Environmental Services in Asia

Market-based approaches to environmental management, such as payment for environmental services (PES), have attracted unprecedented attention during the past decade. PES policies, in particular, hav...

by Bhim Adhikari | On 20 Jan 2010

Contract Farming in Thailand: A View from the Farm

The study presents an initial assessment of the situation and to raise the main issues in terms of farmers’ and workers’ rights. It is part of a long term process involving farmer movements, trade un...

by Isabelle Delforge | On 15 Dec 2009

Rethinking Food Security Policies: IDSAsr Declaration

Declaration made at the end of two days national seminar on Food security and Sustainability in India held on November 7-8, 2009 organized by GAD Institute of Development Studies, PO Naushera, Amritsa...

by Gursharan Singh Kainth | On 14 Dec 2009

The Limits of Intellectual Property Rights: Lessons from the Spread of Illegal Transgenic Cotton Seeds in India

This paper examines these difficulties of regulation in the context of spread of unapproved transgenic Bt cotton seeds in India. This paper also examines the impact of the cultivation of approved and...

by Bharat Ramaswami | On 08 Dec 2009

Valuing the Land of Tigers – What Indian Visitors are Willing to Pay

The study uses an assessment of visitors’ travel costs to estimate the annual recreational value of the Sundarban. It calculates this to be at least INR 15 million (US$ 377,000) for domestic visitor...

by Indrila Guha | On 27 Nov 2009

Agricultural Subsidies and Negotiations: Strategies and Options

The paper points out that some provisions of the framework will allow developed countries to maintain and, in some cases, even increase domestic farm support and still remain WTO-compliant. In most ca...

by Parthapratim Pal | On 25 Nov 2009

Government vs Weather The True Story of Crop Insurance in India

The government of India started offering widespread crop in insurance in 1985, with the Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme. The CCIS has been replaced by the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme....

by Jennifer Ifft | On 06 Nov 2009

Kerala Fights Clock in ASEAN Free-Trade Deal

The paper discusses the impacts of free-trade policy on the agricultural exports of Kerala.

by Ranjit Devraj | On 08 Oct 2009

Survival Lessons Water Management Traditions in the Central-Western Himalayas

India is home to fantastic water harvesting traditions that have evolved over millennia. The central western Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are no exceptions to these traditions....

by People's Science Institute PSI | On 21 Sep 2009

Chronic Poverty and Development Policy in Sri Lanka: Overview Study

The present study attempts to capture chronic poverty in Sri Lanka by examining general information on poverty and drawing conclusions on those who are likely to be among the chronic poor. Certain p...

by Indra Tudawe | On 17 Sep 2009

The Afghan Economy After the Election

There were many challenges involved in the conduct of the elections. For example, the people had to cast votes among 16 presidential candidates (2 candidates withdrew two days before the elections) i...

by Manabu Fujimura | On 17 Sep 2009

Rispana Valley Historical Area

There are various historical water conservation structures and water-mills in the Rispana valley near Rajpur. There are some of the more important structures and discusses the possibility of preservin...

by William Stichter | On 12 Aug 2009

Unravelling Khulna Jessore Drainage Project

An analysis of the Asian Development Bank-funded Khulna Jessore Drainage Rehabilitation Project by the Bangladeshi NGO Uttaran.

by Shahidul Islam | On 24 Jul 2009

Union Budget-First Cut Analysis 2009-2010

The thrust of this budget on the expenditure side is twofold. Continue with the fiscal stimulus measures and extend these for another six months or one years as the case maybe. Significant among these...

by IRIS India IRIS | On 09 Jul 2009

Report on Utilisation of Funds and Assets Created Through Ganga Action Plan in States Under GAP

The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was launched by the Government of India in the year 1985 with the objective of abatement of pollution in the river Ganga due to discharge of sewage into the river from the...

by Kirit Parikh | On 03 Jul 2009

Archiving the Nation –State in Feminist Praxis: A South Asian Perspective

This essay mainly examines the relationship between feminism and nationalism as a point from which it looks at South Asian feminist scholarship. The historical circumstances in their respective countr...

by Uma Chakravarti | On 03 Jun 2009

Large Farmers In The Lease Market : How and Why Do They Enter the Market? Are Marginal Farmers Affected in the Process?

The paper revolves around the necessity to rid the large tenant of the lease market in the interest of the poor peasant, who yearns to lease-in a piece of land. The notion that the petty peasant is o...

by C. S Murty | On 02 Jun 2009

Do Social Clauses in Generalized Systems of Preferences Advance the Cause of Women?

While in the era of globalization, millions of women got paid employment in labour-intensive industries in developing countries, they still face precarious working conditions. Women rights violations...

by Franziska Humbert | On 01 Jun 2009

If Technology is like Word, Institutions are like Grammar: Institutional Context of Technological Innovations and Knowledge Systems at Grassroots.

Many developing countries have taken interest in learning from the Honey Bee Network experience for replicating the model. In a UNESCO conference, the author was asked to identify the key steps that n...

by Anil K Gupta | On 27 May 2009

Interest Groups and Patent Reform in India

India’s patent reforms represent a shift in India’s policy from one of enormous opposition to revising patent laws according to the WTO, to one of compliance with many aspects of TRIPs (Trade Related...

by Anitha Ramanna | On 26 May 2009

Can Ethical Trade Certification Contribute to the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals? A Review of Organic and Fair-trade Certification

The growth of ethical consumerism in developed countries has led to increased imports of environmentally and socially certified products produced by the poor in developing countries, which could poten...

by Sununtar Setboonsarng | On 13 May 2009

Sri Lanka Budget 2009

2009 Budget speech

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 20 Apr 2009

Vote-Buying and Reciprocity

In this paper, how social preferences overcome the commitment problems implicit in vote-buying is examined. Data used for the study is a survey information on vote-buying experienced in a 2006 munici...

by Frederico Finan | On 03 Apr 2009

Andhra Pradesh Budget Speech 2009-10

Speech of Sri K. Rosaiah

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 23 Feb 2009

The State of the World's Children 2009

The State of the World’s Children 2009 focuses on maternal and neonatal health and identifies the interventions and actions that must be scaled up to save lives.

by United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF | On 13 Feb 2009

Mullaitivu Vs Gaza: The Tokyo Co-Chairs fail on the responsibility to protect

The Mullaitivu district where the Sri Lankan Army have started cluster-boming today i.e. 4 February 2009 would look exactly what Gaza strip was about a few weeks ago. The Hamas whom Israel sought to c...

by Asian Centre for Human Rights ACHR | On 06 Feb 2009

Development of Corrugated Fiber Board Cartons for Long Distance Transport of Tomato in India

Tomotaoes which are produced in Gujarat, north west India are small, so the growers were not organized enough to raise funds to sponsor research at public R&D institutions in the area. That task was t...

by Girja Sharan | On 25 Nov 2008

SEPHIS e-Magazine, Global South, Volume 4: no.5, October 2008

Contents: Culture as an Element in Violent Reactions to Economic Development by Dan Tschirgi the Headscarf Issue, Women and the Public Sphere in Turkey by Yylmaz Colak Inter-societal Comparative St...

by SEPHIS | On 21 Oct 2008

Poverty, Private Property and Common Pool Resource Management: The Case of Irrigation Tanks in South India

This study tries to understand the main causes of tank degradation and the complex interrelationships among poverty, private coping mechanisms and community coping mechanisms that affect tank performa...

by Balasubramanian R | On 17 Oct 2008

Report on the Fact Finding Mission to the North & East of Sri-Lanka to Asses the State of Displaced Persons

This report on the state of displaced persons in the North and East of Sri Lanka analyses the security conditon and concerns of those who live in makeshifts and camps in conflict affected areas. It pr...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 25 Sep 2008

A New Era of World Hunger?- The Global Food Crisis Analyzed

This paper is an account of the main streams discussed in an international conference, held in New York in April 2008, organized by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Global Policy Forum, which cons...

by James A. Paul | On 24 Sep 2008

Impact of Organized Retailing on the Unorganized Sector

The study has indicated how consumers and farmers benefit from organized retailers. The study has also examined the impact on intermediaries and manufacturers. The results are indicative of the mega-a...

by Mathew Joseph | On 23 Sep 2008

How Participatory is Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM)? A Study of Water User Associations (WUAs) in Andhra Pradesh

It is argued that the reason for the ills of irrigation management is the alienation of farmers from the process of planning and implementation. Often 'lack of political will' is identified as the ma...

by V. Ratna Reddy | On 23 Sep 2008

From Slash-and-Burn to Sustainability – A Study from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

because their traditional ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Farmers in these communities have to farm more intensively and this is causing a whole host of environm...

by M. A. Monayem Miah | On 19 Sep 2008

Sri Laka Budget Speech

2008 Budget presented by His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapaksa

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 18 Sep 2008

Does Tourism Contribute to Local Livelihoods? A Case Study of Tourism, Poverty and Conservation in the Indian Sundarbans

This study examines the contribution of tourism towards improving the livelihoods of local people in a remote island village of the Indian Sundarbans.

by Indrila Guha | On 18 Aug 2008

Distress Debt and Suicides among Agrarian Households: Findings from Three Villages in Kerala

The factors and process underlying agrarian distress in Kerala by undertaking the case studies of three villages situated in Wayanad and Idukki districts namely, Cherumad, Kappikkunnu and Upputhara. T...

by K.N. Nair | On 31 Jul 2008

Shifting Cultivation and its Alternatives in Bangladesh: Productivity, Risk and Discount Rates

This study evaluates the economic feasibility of replacing shifting cultivation (Jhum) with settled agriculture and new soil conservation technology based on an assessment of the farmers’ risk and cor...

by M. A. Monayem Miah | On 29 Jul 2008

Andhra Pradesh State Policy on Organic Farming

The objectives of the policy on organic farming, the strategies of the policy are explained here.

by Centre for Sustainable Agriculture CSA | On 26 Jul 2008

Impact of Organic Farming on Economics of Sugarcane Cultivation in Maharashtra

The primary goal of this paper is to examine the impact of organic farming on economics of sugarcane cultivation in Maharashtra. The study is based on primary data collected from two districts coverin...

by Kshirsagar K G | On 14 Jul 2008

Report on SAHR Fact Finding Mission to the North and East of Sri Lanka to Assess the State of Displaced Persons

This report on the state of displaced persons in the North and East of Sri Lanka analyses the security condition and concerns of those who live in makeshifts and camps in conflict affected areas. It p...

by South Asians for Human Rights SAHR | On 11 Apr 2008

Tamil Nadu Budget 2008-09

Speech of Prof. K. Anbazhagan, Minister for Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu, presenting the Budget for 2008-2009 to the Legislative Assembly on 20th March, 2008.

by Tamil Nadu Government | On 25 Mar 2008

Andhra Pradesh Budget 2008-09

SPEECH OF SRI K. ROSAIAH, HONOURABLE FINANCE MINISTER WHILE PRESENTING THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2008-09 TO THE ANDHRA PRADESH STATE LEGISLATURE.

by Government Andhra Pradesh | On 10 Mar 2008

Union Budget 2008-09: A Bag of Tricks to Get the Vote

The budget is an election budget. There are lots of sectors which needs more attention. Many questions are raised at the end of the document which the government may fail to answer

by Arun Kumar | On 04 Mar 2008

WTO & US: A political mix challenging the health concerns of Indian farmers

The World Trade Organization being an international regulatory body remains a key organization that can exert a huge influence on international agricultural trade as well as on national trade policies...

by Upendra Bhojani | On 27 Feb 2008

Current Issues in Agriculture Credit in India: An Assessment

This paper attempts to analyse the issues in agricultural credit in India. The analysis reveals that the credit delivery to the agriculture sector continues to be inadequate. It appears that the banki...

by Ramesh Golait | On 22 Feb 2008

Critical Issues Facing China’s Rubber Industry in the Era of Market Integration: An Analysis in Retrospect and Prospect

This paper discusses the emerging contradictions that may have serious implications for the sustainable growth and performance of China’s rubber industry in the era of internal restructuring and globa...

by Viswanathan P K | On 30 Jan 2008

Innovative Indo-US Collaborations – Missed Opportunities

This paper analyzes the situation of the Indo US Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture, by using the science studies approach.

by C. Shambu Prasad | On 16 Jan 2008

Book Review: Public Memory and Cultural Politics in Sri Lanka

Militarizing Sri Lanka: Popular Culture, Memory and Narrative in the Armed Conflict by Neloufer de Mel; Sage, New Delhi, 2007; pp. 329, Rs. 475.

by Pramod K. Nayar | On 14 Jan 2008

Transgenics in Indian Agriculture: Experiences so far and implications of KIA proposals on Indian Farmers

KIA proposes to bring a paradigm shift in Indian Agriculture in terms of human resource development, research, technology generation, technology dissemination and commercialization. In the short run,...

by Ramanjaneyulu G V | On 05 Jan 2008

HDI in Context

The United Nations Development Programme has just put out its latest Human Development Report, containing the human development index (HDI) for 177 countries, with the data being for 2005. India ranks...

by T.N. Ninan | On 03 Dec 2007

National Human Development Report 2001

The process of development, in any society, should ideally be viewed and assessed in terms of what it does for an average individual.For any approach or development framework to be meaningful and effe...

by Planning Commission, India | On 28 Nov 2007

Traditional Chinese Medicine Could Make “Health for One” True

The present paper analyzes the possibilities of Traditional Chinese Medicine to become a perfect medicine.

by Qian Jia | On 12 Nov 2007

Poverty, Development and Basic Biology

Although PLoS Biology does not often publish articles that grapple with issues like poverty and human development, it was chosen to do so here because it is believed that the collective output of scie...

by Liza Gross | On 12 Nov 2007

Book Review: Managing Natural Resources: Civil Society Initiatives

Review of Community-based Natural Resource Management Issues and Cases from South Asia by Ajith Menon, Praveen Singh, Esha Shah, Sharachchandra Lele, Suhas Paranjape, K.J. Joy Sage Publications, New D...

by Santhakumar V | On 05 Nov 2007

Enhancing Rural Livelihoods

The Overseas Development Institute in the UK recently carried out a study on ICT for rural livelihoods, commissioned by InfoDev. The study included a literature and donor review in collaboration with...

by Paul Matthews | On 26 Oct 2007

Marketing of Bt Cotton in India: Aggressive, Unscrupulous and False….

The paper examines the prevailing situation of Bt cotton marketing in India. It tells a story of how aggressive and unethical marketing practices are adopted for luring faemers into the Bt cotton trap...

by Centre for Sustainable Agriculture CSA | On 04 Oct 2007

Conserving Biodiversity Efficiently: What to Do, Where, and When

Conservation priority-setting schemes have not yet combined geographic priorities with a framework that can guide the allocation of funds among alternate conservation actions that address specific thr...

by Kerrie A Wilson | On 21 Sep 2007

Going ethical

Many companies have realized the need to talk of, and do something about, corporate social responsibility (CSR), but in many cases this is merely CPR: corporate public relations. The correct thing for...

by T.N. Ninan | On 17 Sep 2007

Price Incentives, Nonprice factors, and Crop Supply Response: The Indian Cash Crops

Agriculture as a source of growth was sorely neglected in the early development strategies of the currently developing countries. Realisation of this shortcoming prompted public policy in these countr...

by Sunil Kanwar | On 06 Sep 2007

Sustainability of Community Aquaculture – a Study of Transaction Costs from Sri Lanka

Over the last decade there has been a major push within policy circles to strengthen community initiatives related to natural resources management. The success or failure of such projects is an import...

by Athula Senaratne | On 29 Aug 2007

Sustainability of Indian Agriculture: Towards an Assessment

This paper presents a systemic framework to look at the prospects for sustainability of Indian agriculture. The framework is based on trends, indicators and assessment by experts spanning three domain...

by V.M. Rao | On 27 Aug 2007

The Value of Biodiversity in India’s Forests

This paper attempts to value the biodiversity functions of India’s natural ecosystems and suggest a method to adjust national (GDP) and state income (GSDP) accounts. The main objectives of this stud...

by Haripriya Gundimeda | On 26 Aug 2007

Can Horticulture be a Success Story for India?

In spite of being one of the largest producers of fruits and vegetables in the world, the export competitiveness among the Indian producers remains low. But with new marketing initiatives, the post-ha...

by Surabhi Mittal | On 24 Aug 2007

Women and Food Security in South Asia: Current Issues and Emerging Concerns

The educated and socially empowered Asian Woman is the key to improving the nutrition and mental acuity of young children and that improvement sets in motion lifelong prospects for heightened learning...

by Nira Ramachandran | On 24 Jul 2007

Agrarian Scenario in Post-reform India:A Story of Distress, Despair and Death

Indian agriculture today is under a large crisis. An average farmer- household’s returns from cultivation would be around one thousand rupees per month. The state of the vast majority of small and mar...

by Srijit Mishra | On 22 Jun 2007

Productivity of Rural Credit: A Review of Issues and Some Recent Literature

It is argued that Indian agriculture is undergoing fundamental change wherein the technology and inputs are moving out of the hands of the farmers to external suppliers. This, over a period of time ma...

by M S Sriram | On 13 Jun 2007

India's Informal Trade With SriLanka

The study is based on an extensive survey carried out in the Indian cities of Chennai, Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram, Tuticorin, Mumbai and Rameshwaram. Informal trade between India and Sri Lanka is larg...

by Nisha Taneja | On 19 Apr 2007

Indo-Sri Lanka Trade In Services: FTA II And Beyond

India and Sri Lanka are in the process of negotiating Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. In this context, the study shows that since there has been an increase in services trade between the...

by Nisha Taneja | On 09 Apr 2007

Trade in Services and South Asia: An Aggressive Agenda

This paper outlines the significance of services for South Asia and discusses the possible strategies to secure the region's trade and development interests through the GATS negotiations.

by Rupa Chanda | On 05 Apr 2007

Book Review: Trojan Horses?

Review of Susantha Goonatilake's 'Recolonisation: Foreign Funded NGOs in Sri Lanka' . Takes up case studies of some leading development and human rights NGOs in Sri Lanka, arguing that NGOs are neith...

by Mohan Rao | On 21 Mar 2007

Supply Reponse Of Indian Farmers In Pre And Post Reform Periods: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach

Supply response to price changes is likely to increase with the increasing liberalization of the agricultural sector. Past studies revealed weak supply response for Indian agriculture. There are no r...

by Mythili G | On 19 Mar 2007

WTO Agreements and Indian Agriculture: Retrospection and Prospects

By the end of 1999 World Trade Organization (WTO) will complete its five years of existence. At that time, re-negotiation on Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) will also begin. It is time to take a retros...

by Satish Y Deodhar | On 14 Mar 2007

Suicides by Cotton Farmers in Andhra Pradesh

The paper disuses and analyzes the condition of cotton farmers of Andra Pradesh and the reasons for their committing suicides.

by Reji K Joseph | On 05 Mar 2007

Transaction Costs and Institutional Innovation: Sustainability of Tank Aquaculture in Sri Lanka

Freshwater community-based aquaculture was introduce to village irrigation tanks in the dry zones of Sri Lanka in order to off-set the limited supply of animal protein available to residents in inla...

by Athula Senaratne | On 17 Feb 2007

Grounding the Spirit: Revival of Irula Art as a Form of Narrative Tradition

Kriebish had, for a long time, cherished a dream of setting up a learning and documentation centre dedicated to the study of oral literature, village religion and customs, music and dance, traditional...

by Leena Pascal | On 12 Feb 2007

Natural Resource Conservation, Use and Sustainability in Drylands

This keynote address of the conference on Natural Resource Conservation Use and Sustainability in Drylands, focuses mainly on some new concepts of resource assessments in dry areas, some recent debate...

by Yoginder Alagh | On 30 Jan 2007

Women’s Right To Land, Assets, And Other Productive Resources: Its Impact On Gender Relations And Increased Productivity

It is often assumed that poverty reduction would lead to gender equality. Research however, points to the opposite, namely, that increasing prosperity can have perverse gender effects . It is therefor...

by Nitya Rao | On 26 Dec 2006

Unbound Savagery: Brutal Repression of Farmers by UP Police

This report brings out again sharply the perennial question, which the poor in the country are asking – Development for Whom? A big business company has been allotted land disproportionate to the requ...

by People's Union of Civil Liberties PUCL | On 26 Dec 2006

Textile and Clothing Trade with European Union: Impact of year-old EU Generalised System of Preferences

Taking into account the latest data of exports of textiles and clothing to the European Union from South Asia and China, a year-end assessment of the impact of the Generalised System of Preferences (...

by C. Satapathy | On 14 Dec 2006

System of Rice Intensification in India: Innovation History and Institutional Challenges

This report documents the history of the systems of rice intensification (SRI, for short) in India in the last few years and presents some of the institutional changes and challenges that SRI throws u...

by C. Shambu Prasad | On 06 Dec 2006

State Against Democracy: Case Study in Orissa, India.

The tribal communities of Orissa face a massive new threat from legislation for conservation and forestry and their judicial interpretations, as well as from the increasing onslaughts of globalisat...

by Shyama Prasad Rout | On 29 Aug 2006

Geodisability Knowledge Production and International Norms: A Sri Lankan Case Study

In this paper I argue that United Nations norm standard setting, as a form of geodisability of knowledge which delimits and denotes the kinds of bodies known as disabled, is a technology for reining...

by Fiona Kumari Campbell | On 28 Jul 2006

Square Pegs in Round Slots: Dealing with Diversity in Law Schools

There is a profile that law students are expected to fit – proficient in English, assertive, capable of dancing circles around most people in terms of playing on words or logical reasoning for insta...

by Chinmayi Arun | On 25 Jul 2006

An Emerging Knowledge Economy and a Stagnating Agrarian Economy: Contradictions in Andhra Pradesh under Globalization

This paper presents some features of the contradictions in Andhra Pradesh’s economy today: the fast growth of IT and other technology-intensive industries in Hyderabad, and the alarming levels of dist...

by Jayan Jose Thomas | On 30 Mar 2006

Chronicles of Tragedies and Harbingers of Hope: Resistance to Neo-Liberalism-- People’s Movements and Alternatives

Neo-liberal economic policies have threatened land security, security of employment opportunities and food security. In the background representatives of the peasantry have to transform themselves int...

by Vijoo Krishnan | On 26 Mar 2006

Sri Lanka: Budget Speech by Finance Minister in Parliament

'Mahinda Chintana' : Towards a New Sri Lanka

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 05 Mar 2006

Sri Lanka: Budget Brief, 2006: Towards a New Sri Lanka

Tax Proposals and Administration Summary of Budget 2006

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 05 Mar 2006

Sri Lanka: Recent Economic Developments: Highlights of 2005 and Prospects for 2006

Economic Review of Developments in 2005 and Prospects for 2006. Presented before the Budget for 2006.

by Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka | On 05 Mar 2006

Role of Japan in BIMSTEC

The main objective of the paper is to explore the role of Japan in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC). The analysis suggests that BIMSTEC-Japan cooper...

by Mukul Asher | On 26 Feb 2006

Social Capital, Diversity and (Economic) DEvelopment: Evidence from Indian IT Industry, Bangalore

This paper addresses two sets of questions related to IT development and lessons to be drawn for other regions both in and outside India. Firstly, based on original fieldwork an additional argument t...

by Florian A. Taube | On 19 Jan 2006

Multilateral Solutions to the Erosion of Non-Reciprocal Preferences in NAMA

This paper analyzes the risks of preference erosion arising from MFN trade liberalization in manufactured products. It focuses on developing countries that receive non-reciprocal preferences in the m...

by Patrick Low | On 19 Dec 2005

Contract Farming for Agricultural Development:Review of Theory and Practice with Special Reference to India

The present paper examines contract farming and its situation in India on the basis of nature of contracts, nature of contract growers, practice and implementation of contract farming and techniques,...

by Sukhpal Singh | On 11 Nov 2005

Peasant Movement in South Maharashtra: Not only 'Issue based' Anymore

The February agitation of farmers and the drought affected of rural South Maharashtra, in the form of a two-day ‘sit in’ last in Mumbai led to ministerial-level negotiations and several important deci...

by Anant Phadke | On 04 Oct 2005

Draft National Policy For Tribals:Suggestions For Improvement

The draft tribal policy (hereinafter referred as draft or DTP) prepared by the Ministry of Tribal affairs appears to be a mere reiteration of the existing policies and programmes. The paper suggests t...

by Naresh C. Saxena | On 12 Sep 2005

Multifunctional Agroforestry Systems In India For Livelihoods: Current Knowledge And Future Challenges

Land-use options that increase resilience and reduce vulnerability of contemporary societies are fundamental to livelihoods improvement and adaptation to environmental change. Agroforestry as a tradit...

by Deep Narayan Pandey | On 10 Sep 2005

NAC Concept Paper-A Note On Agriculture And Irrigation

This note highlights the main issues and outlines the proposed action plan in respect of the following five major areas in Agriculture and Irrigation: (1) Augmentation of water resources for irrigati...

by C.H. Hanumantha Rao | On 09 Sep 2005

Crop Insurance Scheme: A Case Study Of Banana Farmers In Wayanad Districts

Crop insurance is recognised to be a basic instrument for maintaining stability in farm income, through promoting technology, encouraging investment, and increasing credit flow in the agricultural sec...

by Manoj Kumar K | On 11 Aug 2005

Comment:Draft Nep: A Flawed Vision

The draft National Environment Policy represents the first-ever attempt to draft a policy for the environment as a whole. the draft is fundamentally flawed in its vision and its analysis of socio-envi...

by Sharatchandra Lele | On 08 Aug 2005