Apple orchards should avoid hurried displacement of traditional varieties

By Bharat Dogra Apple orchards have become a leading livelihood source in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Himachal Pradesh. However orchard owners have been troubled from time to time by several problems including competition from indiscriminate imports and reducing margins. In such a situation sometimes they are tempted to go in for technologies …

#WednesdaysForWater: Interrelationship between water and sustainable farming

By Megha Gupta[1], Mansee Bal Bhargava[2] Water as a commodity cannot be ignored as a critical input into agriculture in nearly all aspects of determining effect on the eventual yield. Around 70% of freshwater withdrawals go into the agriculture sector and of it nearly 70% is the groundwater. The water uses within the agriculture sector …

Protect and promote the native crop diversity in India

 By Sudhansu R Das Construction of National Highways for the movement of goods and services, agro processing industries, storage, godowns, super markets, commercial farming and advanced agriculture technologies etc are unable to check the rising food price in the country.  The food price in the country has skyrocketed adding to hunger, malnutrition and stunted growth; …

Why was agriculture one of the worst hit sectors during the pandemic

Sanjit Shinde* The COVID-19 pandemic was highly disruptive for almost every sector in India. However, agriculture was one of the worst hit sectors, with long standing systemic issues exacerbated by the disruption in supply chains. Besides being the backbone of the Indian economy, the agricultural sector is also one of the prime employers in rural …

Assuring farmers’ income in the context of new farm laws: Issues and way forward

By Dr Arjun Kumar, Ritika Gupta “The agriculture sector is broadly successful. The public distribution system is functioning well, food security has been achieved and productivity is outstripping expectations. However, the farmers are unhappy, their incomes are abysmally low and cases of farmer suicides are still rampant”. Highlighting this critical conundrum that is being faced …

11 lakh plus PM-KISAN payouts failed during COVID-19 lockdown in 2020

By Venkatesh Nayak* Readers may recall our previous despatches (click here and here) about the implementation of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN Yojana). This is the third and the last in this series of despatches.     Background to the RTI intervention Readers may recall, front-ending the payment of one PM-KISAN installment was part of the PM-Garib Kalyan Yojana package …

RTI reveals: Rs 1,360 crore paid out to undeserving persons under PM-KISAN Yojana

By Venkatesh Nayak* On 25th December, 2020, a third of the global population celebrated Christmas despite the restrictions imposed on their movement and assembly in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile the Hon. Prime Minister of India spoke on the occasion of the birthday of the Late Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee informing …