New Delhi is gradually inching back to itself after a period of succumbing to national pride. The city has exhaled the razzmatazz around the organising of the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG). Buses are back on the roads, people back to work and Shera, the Games mascot, now lies unmasked in godowns.

And so it is time to look at all the scandals whose investigations were put on hold in the interest of holding the Games themselves. The financial irregularities, the shoddy work until very late in the day, the security inadequacies were all kept at bay to make the event take place without the spotlight being on the taint of these failures. But the morning after the closing ceremony, an enquiry was initiated into the corruption scandals, many of them pointing to members of the Games Organising Committee.

In rural parts of the developing world where many people depend on subsistence farming practices, food security is not about consistent access to a supermarket but about consistent access to seed. Small farmers typically depend on local seed systems, in which farmers save and exchange seed, as well as commercial suppliers for the seeds that they have to buy from agro-dealers.

The FAO has begun seed aid efforts to help countries in crisis, but many are concerned about possible biopiracy that could come with it. (Photo credit: Bernard Pollack)

A few innovative steps, taken urgently, can greatly bridge the gap in access to electricity for poor consumers. Structural reform will take years, and given its complexity and poor record so far, cannot be the only pre-occupation, write Sreekumar N and Shantanu Dixit.

The State and Central governments are busy with massive electricity generation (capacity addition) plans to support the country's 8 per cent economic growth. There are attractive schemes to invite private participation, initiatives to facilitate land acquisition, and support to speed up environment clearances. As per the Integrated Energy Policy, the installed capacity is to be increased 6 times in the next 25 years. In addition to supporting growth, it is argued that capacity addition is required to provide quality electricity access to the whole population.

In essence, the film is a straightforward critique of the electronics industry and how these goods are currently “designed for the dump,” not being easily repairable and not having components that can be used in future designs. Annie gives a great example of phone chargers, which could easily be based on a uniform design so that you can use the same cord for all of your products, even if you update your phone.

“Milk is milk,” says the Center for Global Food Issues (CGFI), a project to support technology and free-trade in the agricultural industry. In their view, all milk—whether from pasture-based, organic farms or produced from industrial, high-input milking operations—is an essential part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. “Supplements don’t change milk,” states their official ‘milk is milk’ website. “They just increase the cow’s ability to produce milk more efficiently.”

Often called ‘magic’ marama, the green gold of Africa, this plant is working its secret charm above and below ground in southern Africa.  Above ground it produces seeds similar to the peanut or soybean, but is actually higher in nutritional value than either; below ground it produces a high-protein tuber that is bigger and healthier than potatoes, yams or sugar beets. And to top it off, the planet can also generate a high quality vegetable oil.

Native to the Kalahari Desert across Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, marama has been a part of the diet of the indigenous people in the area for the generations. And yet, it has not been introduced into wide range cultivation and remains one of the most neglected indigenous vegetables in Africa.