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
Synthetic influx
Synthetic menthol threatens the livelihoods of 400,000 families of farmers who grow Mentha
Maratha silent protests make noise for economic security, social justice
Reservation in government jobs and relief to drought-hit farmers are among the major demands of the Marathas
Land grabbing intensity doubled in last four years, says report
Land deals primarily target areas previously used for agriculture, which increases competition for land and the potential for conflicts
In the Parliament on March 15, 2016
Here’s a round-up of today’s debates and reports on environmental and developmental issues
'Indigenous Rice Seeds' central to sustainable farming in India
Changing climate and erratic weather events have forced agriculturists to revisit traditional rice varities that had once lost their popularity …
Creepy-crawlies on my plate
The writer tasted creepy crawly creatures during a conference on indigenous food in Shillong, Meghalaya
'Agricultural censuses can monitor environmental changes'
From providing agricultural information for specific countries to identifying trends in the sector, censuses serve a variety of purpose
Biotechnology assures leap in production
Tissue culture can change the face of agriculture, asserts Ajit Thomas, who heads a firm that has gone in a big way for biotechnology …
Beware of the developers
In its bid to get out of poverty, the Bihar government has finalised a plan to drain out lakes and convert them to farmlands. But it seems to be …
Environment for change
Shifting over to sustainable agriculture requires a new climate for convincing and aiding farmers to change the existing practices
Ungreening the revolution
A programme initiated with much drum-beating, the green revolution has not just backfired but even eroded traditional systems of farming. Farmers …
"All idiot farmers commit suicide"
Shubhranshu Choudhary finds out why farmers’ suicide is such a touchy subject in Chhattisgarh
Food Systems Summit: How government is robbing billions of dollars from farmers
India’s policies block farmers’ earning in order to keep food cost low for consumers, according to the latest UN report
On slippery peel: Can India’s banana cultivation face Panama wilt
Panama wilt infection has ruined banana plantations across the world for 50 years now. While scientists are trying to find solutions in natural …
Maharashtra rejects more agri insurance claims even as farm suicides double
No data on suicides across India since 2015; number of claim rejections far exceeded number of cases approved in 2016-18
India’s time to lead at the WTO
USA’s price suppression and market distortions in cotton is threatening Indian and African producers
Nano fertilisers: Parliamentary report suggests close audit of field trials to see long-term effects
An audit by Department of Fertilisers found 25-50% variation in saving nitrogen use after applying nano urea
Bring law to guarantee minimum support price: Bharatiya Kisan Sangh
RSS organ voices opposition to provisions of recent farm laws after farmers across spectrum hit streets in protest
Wars, speeches and land
On May 6, 2011 three employees of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation were held hostage by villagers from Bhatta and Parsual in …
The way ahead for low-emission agriculture
Direct emission of greenhouse gases reduces substantially by switching to organic fertilisers
India's Cow Crisis Part 1: Nepal bears the brunt of India's cow vigilantism
Hounded by cow vigilantes and trade restrictions, farmers in Uttar Pradesh's border areas abandon their unproductive cattle in Nepalese villages …
How investing in processing machines can help India promote millets
An African-Canadian company is helping promote Mali's fonio millet by investing in processing machines. India too needs to procure advanced …
Commercialisation of GM rice turns out to be a dud: report
Countries across the world continue to promote golden rice even though there is evidence to show vitamin A deficiency can be reduced without …