Can farming mean a permanent renewal of life?
For the past three decades, the practice of permaculture has found acceptance from not just rural communities in India but also from urbanites …
Rs 1,402,680,000,000: India's agrarian import bill for 2015-16
This is India's agrarian import bill for 2015-16. More than three times of India's annual agriculture budget, this money could have been …
Cattle can no longer be traded for the purposes of slaughter: Centre
Sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets banned; now cattle can only be sold for ‘agricultural purposes’
Droughts getting intense, more frequent in southern states
Be it temple tanks or rainwater harvesting structures, South India had set the standard in water conservation. Now they are just forgotten traditions
How farmers united in Punjab and Haryana during the 2023 floods
For every farmer whose crop has been ruined, there is another one who is sending him saplings from hundreds of kilometres away
The maize debt trap: Why are tribal farmers in this Odisha district caught in a loop of debt?
Depleting soil quality and rising fertiliser costs perpetuate a crushing cycle of debt and marginalisation
Why are tomato prices going north?
Delayed monsoon, high temperature, low production, heavy rainfall, reduced supply from neighbouring states, all are to blame
Meet the Telangana Dalit women working to preserve millet biodiversity for 30 years
While the money these women make might not be as much as cash crops like sugarcane or wheat, they have managed to end hunger and ensure food …
Does India really need GM Mustard?
Botanists say that pests and insects may grow resistant to the transgenic crop after a decade or so, triggering the need for newer versions of …
Antimicrobial resistance: Intensification of food production must be sustainable
Rise in demand for meat and dairy products was reconciled through the intensification of livestock systems
Tropical forests the size of Europe lost in first 20 years of this century
South America lost around 68 million hectares — the highest in the world, followed by Africa with 49 million hectares, according to a new …
How COVID-19 controls hit farmers in 7 low-income countries, most in Africa
In countries with strictest controls, 80% smallholder households reported major disruptions
Hottest March in 122 years damages wheat crop across North India
heat is a temperature-sensitive crop that requires a cool temperature, especially in March when it is at its final stage
Agriculture is linked with malaria in complex ways: evidence from 16 African countries
This is worrying because, currently, three branches of development are trying to achieve their goals in isolation
How Sumi Nagas’ traditional knowledge helps them navigate nature’s vagaries
The Sumi tribe of Nagas uses several ecological indicators to facilitate agricultural practices and predict seasonal variation; but this wisdom …
Fifth edition of national bio-entrepreneurship competition launched
Over 30 industry and investment partners come forward to support bio-entrepreneurship in India through this competition
Dragon fruit: Is it the next big thing in Indian horticulture
The dragon fruit, which is indigenous to the Americas, can grow in arid and semi-arid regions with very low input cost
How Maharashtra’s tomato belt can tackle its viral menace
A plethora of viruses as well as insect vectors and pests pose an emerging threat to the tomato belt of Maharashtra; it is a wake-up call to …
‘Crop residue can boost soil health’
Andy MacDonald, manager, Rothamsted long-term experiments, Rothamsted Research, UK, speaks to Down To Earth on key findings of the Broadbalk …
New targets to protect biodiversity must include farmers and agriculture
Africa’s protected areas cover an area of 20.4 million km² or 15.1% of the landmass. But experts say this isn’t enough.
Bihar’s advice to villagers — cook lunch early morning to avoid fire incidents
Spike in fire incidents coupled with losses due to COVID-19 lockdown has become cause of worry for farmers
Promoting agri practices in Punjab for water efficiency, better residue management
New-age machines can help save costs, water & electricity usage as well as combat the problem of stubbles
IISF 2019: Experts advise sustainable, climate-smart, diverse farming
With reduced land holdings, increasing populations and climate change looming large, this was the solution to farmers’ problems, they said
This man saved his village from flash floods, reclaimed surrounding sal forests
He constructed the first check dam in Jamtoli village in Jharkhand to ensure heavy rains don't wash away farms
This 45-year-old makes farming profitable for the entire Soliga tribe
Prakash roped in 30 Soliga farmers and 1,000 other marginal farmers and formed a collective to set up a millet processing unit in Karnataka's …