The Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) at Columbia University has developed The Global Poverty Mapping Project whose goal is to enhance current understanding of the global distribution of poverty and the geographic and biophysical conditions of where the poor live. Additionally, the project aims to assist policy makers, development agencies, and the [...]

There has been considerable discussion with regard to the role of Cable television in influencing womens’s status in India. Not long ago a couple of economists from the NBER used panel data in India and found that introduction of Cable TV increases autonomy among women, reduced incidence of domestic violence, increased female school enrollment and [...]

Some titillating headlines: Microfinance: Whole Planet Foundation (WPF), a Whole Foods Market nonprofit that “empowers individuals in the global community through entrepreneurship” recently announced the creation of the Whole Planet Foundation Supplier Alliance for Microcredit (WPFSAM), a coalition of natural foods companies that aims to support the financial endeavours of WPF. The WPFSAM Alliance has [...]

Pluggd.in discusses the launch of an incubation program for technology start ups at IIM-Ahmedabad. “iAccelerator aims at accelerating the web and mobile related brainwaves into prototypes and possibly build a team around the idea, get some funding and most importantly achieve some traction from the potential customers. We feel that it is a novel way [...]

Blood donation is now more accessible in India, thanks to a creative solution of linking SMS and a blood donor database. Hindustan Times reports: All it takes is an SMS. Here’s how it works: a person in need of blood sends out a text message to a special number, mentioning, in a particular format, his [...]

A new documentary entitled “FLOW” (For Love of Water) has recently gained critical acclaim at the Vail International Film Festival and the Flagstaff International Film Festival, and is now gaining traction within the United States. The film has been called “infuriating and incredible” for its evocative approach to the global water crisis: FLOW: For Love [...]

Can films promote peace? 2006 TED Prize winner, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim, certainly believes they can. And so, on May 10, 2008, known as “Pangea Day,” several cities across the world – Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro – “will be linked via satellite for a live program of powerful films, live [...]

Agriculture: Politicians are expected to focus much of their rhetoric and polling towards the upcoming elections on issues near to rural agrarian sectors of the population. Amidst fears for price increases on basic goods, both Minister for Food and Civil Supplies C. Divakaran and Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar said the the centre will [...]

The World Health Organization has produced a world map that estimates the number of deaths that can be attributed to climate change. The map estimates anywhere from 40 to 80 million deaths in India can be attributed to climate change. [Source: Google.org]

Pratham released the results of their annual survey earlier this year which may be useful for those wanting data to inform their work. The survey shows that more children are attending schools, but that teacher attendance has slightly declined. According to a Merinews article, the report shows that the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan government program is making [...]