Category Archives: Green Initiatives / Environment

Climbing areca tree, made easy

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology

 

MK Kiran of Shimoga district, a farmer who devised the arecanut tree climbing implement, demonstrating it at Peruvai Village in Dakshina Kannada district recently / Photo: AJ Vinayak / The Hindu
MK Kiran of Shimoga district, a farmer who devised the arecanut tree climbing implement, demonstrating it at Peruvai Village in Dakshina Kannada district recently / Photo: AJ Vinayak / The Hindu

Mangalore :

The shortage of labour is a common problem among farmers.

Crops such as arecanut require skilled persons to climb the trees to pluck arecanut bunches from the plant.

What if any member of the farmer’s family can climb the tree? That is what MK Kiran (30), a farmer from Mallesara village in Thirthahalli taluk of Shimoga district, has devised.

Kiran demonstrated an arecanut tree-climbing implement at a plantation of farmer Anantharamakrishna at Peruvai village in Dakshina Kannada district recently.

Kiran told Business Line that the prototype of arecanut tree-climber has been developed under the guidance of DN Venkat of Coimbatore.

Venkat has devised a climber for climbing coconut trees, he said.

Two steel frames, rubber bushes and ropes are the main parts of the arecanut tree-climber.

The basic principle is just like climbing an arecanut tree manually.

First, the steel frames are latched on to the tree trunk – one at the waist level of the person climbing the tree and the other on the ground. The person climbing the tree will have to sit on the frame at the waist-level and will have to pull up the frame at the ground level using his/her feet. Once the process is over, the person has to stand on the lower frame and pull up the upper frame further. These processes will continue till the person reaches the top.

To a query on the chances of these frames slipping, he said the rubber bushes inside the frames tightly hold them to the tree. The two frames are connected by rope or belt.

He has been working on this project for the past four years.

Stating that he had to face failures many a times, Kiran said he did not give up in spite of that. He has around 2-3 tonnes of scrap materials from this project at his home in Thirthahalli, he said.

This farm implement weighs around 6.5-7 kg and cost is around ₹10,500.

Kiran said that he climbed the prototype first.

“When I found it is safe for me, my mother and wife tried it. When I got their feedback that even they can climb the tree with ease, I ventured out to promote this implement,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Markets> Commodities / by A J Vinayak / Bangalore – April 10th, 2014

Bidar abounds in wildlife

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Travel
Diverse fauna B V Prakash finds a sizeable population of blackbucks in the plains of blackbucks roaming freelyin the wild together witha variety of birds, foxes, porcupines and hares.
BidarBF08apr2014

The northern part of the state is generally considered to be a dry belt, devoid of water bodies, vegetation and wildlife. But the surroundings of Bidar, the northern most district, seems to be an exception. 
For not only a few large reservoirs like the Karanja are around, but pockets of sparsely wooded forests are found fairly well in these parts.The vast grasslands and the wooded country are home to blackbucks and a plethora of bird species.
After Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Haveri district and Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve in Tumkur district, a sizeable population of blackbucks is found in the plains of Bidar as I learnt during a recent visit here.
Apart from sighting free roaming blackbucks in the wild, one can also spot a good variety of birds, some rare species at that.Some smaller animals like the fox, porcupine, black-naped hare and wild boars add to the diverse fauna.
The weather was fair and the sky, a clear blue as I arrived after an exhaustive train journey of 18 hours.
As the drive to the grasslands to sight the blackbucks was slated for the afternoon, lunch and rest was the only immediate occupation.
However, I utilised the time to take a walk around and familiarise with the place.
Abundant greenery
Situated near a small village called Khanapur at about 16 km west of Bidar, the location itself is in a scenic surrounding with a gently forested hill to the east gradually sloping towards west to the brink of a beautiful blue lake.
Called Vilaspur tank after the village nearby, it is an expansive reservoir built for the purpose of drinking and irrigation.
With a chain of not so tall hillocks on the other side, the lake is almost hidden.
The afternoon safari took off in right earnest with Nipun, the enthusiastic manager joining me for the drive.
It was not just a driver but a well-informed naturalist as I learnt during the safari. Passing through the town, we drove southward to a vast field of grassy meadows.
The terrain with undulating ups and downs, abundant grass and bushes and a small tank is quite ideal for the blackbucks.
The far side of the plains is walled off by the air force station which being out of bounds for visitors, has become a boon for the these animals to roam around freely.
As we drove into the fields, we could see groups of blackbucks like tiny specks from the distance.

But the first denizen that we bumped into was the Indian fox, which is a rare sighting here.

When the fox felt our presence was not too comfortable, it galloped away into the bushes.

Driving further we were more closer to the blackbucks.
They usually wander in groups of 10 to 30 or even more with one or two males in charge of the  herd.
The males have a pair of antlers and are dark brownish and black.
The females are light fawn coloured and smaller in size.
It was a surprise for me to know that the blackbucks are native only to the Indian subcontinent.
The blackbucks once roamed freely all over the plains of India but their numbers reduced drastically with excessive hunting and encroachment of their habitat for agriculture and industry.
However, categorising blackbucks as ‘near threatened species’ by International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2003, has come as a blessing and their population seems to have stabilised to some extent.
We drove along several herds of them, grazing, strolling or sparring before spotting a rare bird, the Indian Courser.The following morning we went out for a nature walk amidst the nature.The bird-life here is pretty good with scores of green bee eaters, robins, sunbirds and red vented bulbuls.

But the best sighting was that of the white-browed bulbul.

The evening was spent on a coracle ride spotting more birds.
As ducks, cormorants and kingfishers  passed by, a panoramic sunset marked the end of the day.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by B V Prakas / DHNS / April 08th, 2014

All the way from Germany in search of Krumbiegal’s works

About Bangalore(Bengaluru) / Karnataka, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Krumbiegal was a landscape designer who designed the Brindavan Gardens, Lal Bagh, Chamundi Gymkhana…

LandscapeBF27mar2014

 

by S.N. Venkatnag Sobers

We have come across many incidents in the past where foreigners have visited India in search of their roots or to know more about their relatives who lived in India for a long time. Many of them have also visited India for research work, especially from England, as ours was a British Colony.

Mysore city recently had one such visitor from Dresden, Germany, who had come here to study the works done by Gustav Hermann Krumbiegal, a German Botanist and garden designer, who is known for his works at the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, Bangalore and for the planning of the avenues of Bangalore.

Dr. Anja Eppert, Garden Superintendent, Dresden, was in Mysore to study the works of Krumbiegal. She visited Brindavan Gardens, Chamundi Gymkhana inside Mysore Race Club premises, Mysore Palace, Fernhills Palace, Ooty, which are said to be designed by Krumbiegal during his stay in Mysore.

Her visit has gained prominence as the German Authorities in Dresden have decided to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Krumbiegal and also introduce him to Germans as majority of them do not know much about him.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Dr. Anja said that some of the gardens designed by Krumbiegal have not been well-maintained. “In case of buildings, it is a different as they get older and sometimes have to be demolished and reconstructed. But, in case of gardens they have to be maintained well throughout. Gardens tell us stories about the kind of people who lived at the time when it was created. It is very important to tell people about the historical relevance of the parks,” she opined.

Dr. Anja added that the German authorities had taken up the research works of Krumbiegal and had sent her on a visit Mysore, Bangalore and Ooty. She mentioned that the German Counselor General in Bangalore informed the authorities about the works done by Krumbiegal during his stay here and that is when they decided to organise an exhibition on Krumbiegal works.

The exhibition will be held next year at Pillinitz Castle and Park in Germany. The German authorities have also planned to publish a book on Krumbiegal. Dr. Anja said that a similar exhibition is also being planned in Bangalore as it would be a good opportunity to exchange garden culture among the two countries.

During her visit to Mysore and Bangalore, Dr. Anja was accompanied by Prasanna Kumar, Retd. Deputy Director of Horticulture, who was in-charge of gardens in Mysore, especially at Lalitha Mahal and had knowledge on Krumbiegal’s works.

For those who do not know about Krumbiegal, he was born in Lohmen near Dresden, and his early studies were in Wilsdruff and Dresden after which he trained in horticulture. In 1884, he worked in Schwerin and from 1885 to 1887 he worked as a landscape gardener in Hamburg. In 1888, he moved to England, designing flower beds at the Hyde Park and became a staff at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew. He then took up a position in 1893 with the Princely State of Baroda as Curator of the botanical gardens there. He also worked with the Government Botanical Gardens at Ootacamund and was responsible for redesigning the architecture. In 1908, he was requested by Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the then Mysore ruler, to serve him and he succeeded John Cameron at the Lal Bagh Gardens as an economic botanist and superintendent.

Krumbiegal introduced numerous plants and was involved in designing the landscape for Brindavan Gardens in KRS. He was also actively involved with the Mysore Horticultural Society that was started in 1912. He obtained seeds from other countries and sent collections in return to Kew and USA. These included Indian specialties such as bamboo rice, varieties of other rice, mango and others.

Outside his key work area, he was often involved in architectural design. The Dewan of Mysore appointed him as an architectural consultant despite protests from the British Resident in Mysore. During the Second World War, Germans in India were declared as enemies and Krumbiegal was along with other Germans kept in an internment camp in Bangalore.

Krumbiegal was responsible for the introduction of many ornamental plants and flowering trees. He was also involved in the choice of avenue trees for Bangalore. The road adjoining Lal Bagh is named after him as ‘Krumbiegal Road’.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / March 21st, 2014

Under his broad brood, swifts ready to fledge

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

With little expertise, wildlife expert Saleem is trying to give them a new lease of life

The city wildlife team is facing an unusual challenge. They have to pull off what is considered a one-in-a-thousand rescue and rehabilitation of young house swifts (Apus nipalensis), which experts term is a touch-and-go situation.

Despite lack of expertise in rehabilitating the house swifts, which are very delicate, the six young ones are being cared for round the clock with great diligence by wildlife rehabilitator Saleem Hameed.

The birds were rescued from the HAL campus on Friday. At present, Saleem feeds them 24 times in 12 hours, once every half an hour.

This is what Saleem said:

“They were eight birds when they came here. They were rescued after a fall from a hangar. The good thing is, they were rescued along with the nest. Sadly, two died soon, but six are alive.

”They are very difficult birds to raise. With a high rate of metabolism, they have to be hand-fed every half an hour and they need attention round the clock at least till they fledge. The feeding starts at 7 in the morning. They are fed an insect diet, Mazuri, shipped down from the US. They are responding well. They need great care and attention, predominantly between 7 am and 7 pm.

”Unlike most birds, these are very sociable and live in huge colonies. In most birds, we find the territorial fight and new ones are not easily accepted. But here, they are accepted soon as they are sociable. As nothing much is known about swifts, we hope these birds which are roughly about 3-4 weeks-old would take a week or two to fledge. Some birds fledge within a month. Sparrows fledge within 14-15 days.

”An interesting thing is that one of them, probably the oldest of the lot, has already started jumping and is trying to fly. He jumps about 2-3 feet. As they fledge, they have to be launched into air to ensure they can join other swifts that are in a colony.”

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Chetan R, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / March 27th, 2014

Repository of Indian medicines

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Science & Technology

With the growing interest in traditional and complementary systems of medicine across the globe, a facility located in Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) campus, Bangalore helps authenticate the identity of medicinal plants, especially in the form of a repository of the natural resources. 

This centre named as Bio-cultural herbarium is a one-stop information related to plants and currently holds about 40,000 accessions pertaining to more than 3,200 medicinal plants collected from across various bio-geographic regions of the country. A unique feature of this herbarium is its easy accessibility both to the scientific community and the layman which has been achieved through linking the cultural information pertaining to vernacular names, local uses and classical uses of plants to the herbarium database.

The centre also has a repository of raw drugs collected directly from the botanical source and samples. The herbarium and raw drug repository is supported with an image library that currently possesses over 20,000 images. Dr Noorunnisa Begum, curator of the Herbarium says “Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and their utilisation is increasingly being realised and put to use by modern medicine”.

The long term goal of the centre is to act as a vehicle to promote medicinal plant conservation and in turn help revive health care traditions.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> Spectrum / by Manish Sharma / March 11th, 2014

African nations to adopt biofuel models from State

Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Models or prototypes of biofuels developed six years ago by the Karnataka State Biofuel Development Board (KSBDB) are being adopted by certain African nations under a programme by the United Nations through the World Agroforestry Council (WAC). 

The models are aimed at empowering farmers.

State government, however, is lending minimal support to the models. Speaking at a press conference here to announce the national conference on Accelerating Biofuel Programmes in India on February 22, A K Monnappa, Managing Director of KSBDB, said: “It has been observed that similar agricultural situations prevail in Asia and Africa. Some African countries such as Mozambique have decided to espouse the multi-species cultivation approach model, unlike the Karnataka government, which promotes the single-species cultivation approach.”

Fuel crops

“The Hasiru Honnu and Baradu Bangara models, which are already in use, encourage farmers to grow oil seeds along the borders of farmlands and wastelands. They also ask them to cultivate fuel crops in addition to agricultural crops. These seeds are then collected and sold at standardised rates,” he said, while pointing out that the recent budget had made provisions for 10 per cent biofuel to be blended in automobiles, compared with the earlier five per cent.

MoU to be signed

The KSBDB and the WAC will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard. African nations will set up information and infrastructure development organisations, which will have a capacity to generate 100 litres of biodiesel a day.

Asked about the slow growth of biofuel in India, Divakar Rao of Vision Group on Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, said: “The KSBDB is only a facilitator. The board functions through NGOs. The mindset of the people and lack of adequate funding from the government have delayed the implementation of various models. Recommendations from the national conference will be sent to the Government of India for implementation.”

Meanwhile, the KSBDB is striving to increase production of oil seeds in the State by encouraging farmers, especially in the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkot, Davangere, Chitradurga and Tumkur. The board would also seek the help of the Indian Railways.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> City / DHNS / Bangalore – February 19th, 2014

Country’s First Electric Bus Launched in Bangalore

Green Initiatives / Environment, Records, All, Science & Technology, Travel
BMTC launched an electric bus at Shantinagar Bus Station on Thursday; Right: A view of the interiors | Sudhakara Jain
BMTC launched an electric bus at Shantinagar Bus Station on Thursday; Right: A view of the interiors | Sudhakara Jain

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) introduced the country’s first electric zero-emission bus in the city on Thursday.

Although the bus has been in Bangalore for over a month now, it was officially launched by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy after getting the required permissions from the Transport Department.

The bus will run on a trial basis for the next three months. During this time, it will operate along various routes, beginning with one from Majestic to Kadugodi that is likely to cost `80.

Plans are also afoot to run the bus along the airport routes. The charging point for the bus is at the Volvo depot at Majestic.

“We will study whether the bus is economical and if it can function efficiently in the city. When the battery is fully charged (six hours), the bus can run for about 250 km, which is ideal for BMTC. However, this needs to be tested. We also need to see how it fares on various roads in the city and which routes are best suited to operate the bus,” said BMTC managing director Anjum Parvez.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that though the bus is expensive, it is likely to be a good deal as a long-term investment.

“The bus costs about `2.7 crore and this is expensive. But this is one bus in the entire country. Once the demand for the bus goes up and more people express interest in purchasing it, the rates are likely to come down. Moreover, the research and development wings of various bus manufacturers are working on this and it is some only time before the initial cost of the bus is reduced,” he said.

When asked if the state government would be willing to share the cost or offer subsidies, Reddy said, “We will consider various options if the bus is found to be suitable for the city. At present, it is on a three-month trial and following this, a decision will be taken on whether or not to purchase the bus,” he said. He added that what was important was that pollution levels would be brought down by using electric buses, hybrid or CNG-operated buses. The bus, manufactured by Build Your Dreams (BYD), was brought to India by Utopia Pvt Ltd. At least 5,000 such buses are operational in countries such as the United States, Netherlands, Switzerland and some European countries.

GOING GREEN

Zero emission

No oil required

Costs Rs 2.7 crore (Volvo Rs 88 lakh)

Fare from Majestic to Kadugodi – Rs 80

Runs for 250 km with 6 hours of charging

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Express News Service – Bangalore / February 28th, 2014

Media-savvy man of letters

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature

Science, environment, and literature are his passion. Afshan Yasmeen listens to him.

"My dream is to prepare a reader of Darwin's works." / The Hindu
“My dream is to prepare a reader of Darwin’s works.” / The Hindu

NATURE IS his inspiration. Biodiversity, flora, fauna, and tribal people cast a spell on him. A man of varied interests, he has authored several books on forest-related issues and wildlife conservation and scripted documentaries for noted wildlife photographers. K. Puttaswamy has been making waves in his own quiet way — as a writer who blends ecology with literature.

From being the Head of the Department of History of Sciences at the Kannada University in Hampi, he is now a communicator: he interacts with the media on a day-to-day basis as Public Relations Officer for the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP). He is an Assistant Director with the Department of Information and Publicity.Mr. Puttaswamy joined the Information Department in 1985 as an Information Assistant after a short stint in Kannada journalism. He worked with the Department of Forests, Ecology and Environment as a Scientific Officer and was then deputed to the Department of Backward Classes in the Devaraj Urs Research Institute and the Department of Youth Services and Sports till 2001.

He then joined the Kannada University, Hampi, as the head of the Department of History of Sciences. “The Department was created specifically to record Karnataka’s indigenous science practices (from pottery to ayurveda). Owing to lack of resource persons, we could only document the history of sciences, Karnataka’s environment and ecological hotspots”, he says.

Puttaswamy used to pen poems as a student but later realised that “kathe” and “kavana” (fiction and poetry) were not for him. In 1976, as a student at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), GKVK in Bangalore, he became an active Socialist. “It was the turning point of my life.” He is now doing his Doctorate in Literature on “An Ecological Study in Kuvempu’s Literature”. Apart from authoring several books on science in nature such as Bangalooru, and Jeeva Jala, he has also translated the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. “My English teacher, Akumal Ramachander, encouraged me to translate it. In fact, he introduced me to the world of literature and encouraged me to translate works of science into Kannada”, he explains.

His other translations include the Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Facts and Figures by Susan Bosanco, Charles Darwin by Anna Sproul, Alexander Fleming by Beverly Birch, and Nature’s Masterpiece — the Elephant by Ajay A. Desai. His translation of Iyaruingam by Birendra Kumara Bhattacharya is Janatheya Rajya. Jeeva Jaala won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy award in 1999 under the best science book category. Puttaswamy won the Karnataka State Environment Award in 2000.

Puttaswamy has also scripted many video documentary films directed by Krupakar and Senani, all dealing with forest-related issues, conservation of wildlife, and creating environmental awareness.These include “Tiger Lion Safari of Tyavarekoppa”, “Neeru Hakkigala Swarga”, “Hasarina Siri”, “Karnataka Pakshiloka”, “Karnataka Praniloka”, “Kalarava”, “A Journey through Moyar”, and “Hariva Nadige Ankusha”.

“Though several science writers, including paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, inspire me, I want to translate Fruitjoy Capra’s Tao of Physicsand Eric Fromm’s Anatomy of Human Destructiveness into Kannada . But my dream is to prepare a reader (an abridged version) of Charles Darwin’s works by 2007,” he says.

By Afshan Yasmeen in Bangalore

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu Online / Home> Life Bangalore / Sunday – November 09th, 2003

Now, work out at Ulsoor lake

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Sports, Travel
Ulsoor residents and police personnel using the open air gym at Ulsoor Lake in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P./ The Hindu
Ulsoor residents and police personnel using the open air gym at Ulsoor Lake in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P./ The Hindu

Inauguration of gym marked by controversy over poster

The park adjoining Ulsoor Lake, popular among walkers and laughter clubs, is now an open air gymnasium. On Wednesday, the gymnasium, which sports the latest equipment, was inaugurated.

The project was jointly undertaken by the Bruhath Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Halasuru Lake Residents Welfare Association and realty group RMZ Corp. This is the fifth such outdoor gym in the city.

Imported from Turkey, the equipment in the gym cost over Rs. 20 lakh. It was inaugurated by Rajeev Gowda, Professor of Economics and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

Mr. Gowda said, “These projects show contribution and commitment to fitness and exercise which is much needed in today’s society.”

Enthused Ulsoor residents feel the project would bring people together and would be of help to senior citizens. “Senior citizens would prefer to exercise out in the open rather than in a gym. Also, we want people from all walks of life to come together and utilise this facility,” said Deepak Khatri, a resident of Ulsoor.

Meanwhile, the inauguration saw some tense moments when some political activists, who identified themselves as supporters of area MLA R. Roshan Baig tore down some posters put up by organisers. They claimed that the fact that Mr. Baig’s picture was not on the poster, which featured Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, had angered him and his supporters. Another allegation was that the posters featured the logo of RMZ prominently, while the BBMP logo was either too small or absent.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities / by Staff Reporter / Bangalore – February 06th, 2014

Bangalore’s rose exports bloom ahead of Valentine’s Day

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, World Opinion
Roses are grown on nearly 250 hectares in and around Bangalore, while the daily production is around 15 lakh stems./ Photo: Bhagya Prakash K. / The Hindu
Roses are grown on nearly 250 hectares in and around Bangalore, while the daily production is around 15 lakh stems./ Photo: Bhagya Prakash K. / The Hindu

Around five million roses are expected to be exported from Bangalore

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, nearly five million roses are expected to be exported from Bangalore, which produces the best varieties in India.

C.G. Nagaraju, managing director, International Flower Auction Bangalore (IFAB) Ltd., told reporters here on Wednesday that roses were grown on nearly 250 hectares in and around Bangalore, while the daily production was around 15 lakh stems. The varieties that are in demand are ‘Taj Mahal’, ‘Grand Gala’ and ‘First Red’.

He said while roses did not have a market all round the year, they were in demand on certain days, such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. “This year, due to harsh weather in Europe, we expect increased exports of long-stemmed roses. The increase is likely to be between 20 to 25 per cent from last year when four million stems were exported,” he said.

Major exports are made to European countries, Gulf countries, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia. Increased exports are also being attributed to the Valentine’s Day weekend.

Mr. Nagaraju said that even locally, the sale of roses had picked up. With the wedding season a month away, the sale of roses was likely to see an increase. During Valentine’s Day, 25 lakh long-stemmed roses are expected to be sold locally.

V. Jhansi Lakshmi, vice-president of the South India Floriculture Association, said the floriculture industry would grow with good support from both the Union and State governments by having a single window system for the export of flowers. Customs and phytosanitation should be under a single window, and airfreight rates must be subsidises and import duties exempted, she said.

IFAB’s executive member M. Sridhar Chowdary said that in India, varieties that were developed nearly 10 years ago were cultivated. Indian growers face stiff competition from growers in Kenya, Ethiopia and China, where newer varieties were cultivated. “The biggest challenge is the royalty that growers will have to pay to cultivate the new varieties. It has to be resolved,” he added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Bangalore – February 06th, 2014