The WHO is likely to add aspartame, an artificial low-calorie sweetener, to its list of chemicals which can possibly cause cancer in humans. Will such a classification help regulate artificial sweeteners that are widely added to food products, such as soft drinks, biscuits, pastries, yoghurt, jams and jellies, in India? Gaon Connection talks to some experts.

From stray cattle, pest attacks, to rising incidence of heatwaves, farmers are increasingly facing risks in the agriculture sector. To help minimise the losses and boost farmers' incomes, agricultural scientists from CSIR-CIMAP and the farm science centre at Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh held a workshop on cultivation of medicinal and aromatic crops.

Agro-photovoltaic projects are being offered as a solution to the growing resistance against solar energy projects that require large tracts of land and often lead to conflicts with the local communities. These projects allow traditional livelihoods, such as grazing, and generation of electricity, to co-exist on the same piece of land.