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Article and Image Courtesy : Deccan Herald
Author : Saadia Azim
This practice has helped tackle the skewed sex ratio in the region
There is a small, nondescript village in Bihar that has found a great way to tackle declining sex ratios, global warming and climate change, all in one go. Theirs is a solution that incorporates tradition as well as knowledge of farming and it has been in practice for decades now. Generally, the flood-ravaged districts of eastern Bihar present a scenario of abject...
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Report Courtesy : World Bank
The purpose of this report is to improve the knowledge base for facilitating investments in land management technologies that sequester soil organic carbon. While there are many studies on soil carbon sequestration, there is no single unifying volume that synthesizes knowledge on the impact of different land management practices on soil carbon sequestration rates across the world.
A meta-analysis was carried out to provide soil carbon sequestration rates in Africa,...
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Article Courtesy : The Finanacial Express
Author(s): Banikinkar Pattanayak and Rajat Guha
Punjab, the grain bowl of India, is in danger of losing the coveted tag as depleting groundwater levels force the state to seriously consider reducing the planting of water-intensive paddy crop in the medium-to-long term to avoid a disaster.After a recent meeting with Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, the Planning Commission has decided to send a team of experts to the state to review the problem...
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Article Courtesy : The Economic Times
Is the government finally moving to address the burgeoning crisis in India's agricultural soils? On May 15, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had told the Lok Sabha that due to excess use of fertilisers in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, paddy cannot be grown any longer. He also said that so much urea is being used by farmers that it is affecting productivity. And that his ministry was planning to redirect India's fertiliser subsidy towards...
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Article Courtesy : Deccan Herald
Author : Ajith Athrady
Popularly known as the Father of Green Revolution in India, well-known agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan has always advocated moving the country towards sustainable development, using environmentally friendly agriculture, food security and preservation of biodiversity. A nominated member of Rajya Sabha, he spoke about the prevailing drought situation in some parts of the country and the steps the Central government should take to...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : M. J. Prabu
Better growth: Dhirajlal Thummar in his groundnut field
It is natural for farmers to invariably go in either for a change in their cropping pattern, or in some cases, even stop farming when their crops fail. But it is only a few determined ones who try to find the root cause of the problem and overcome it.Mr. Dhirajlal Virjibhai Thummar, a groundnut farmer from Gujarat, is credited with developing a new groundnut variety named “Dhiraj...
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Article and Image Courtesy : Mid-Day
The 'bug-lady', Dr V Shubhalaxmi poses with world’s largest moth, the Atlas moth
Her real name is Dr V Shubhalaxmi but her passion for all things crawly but not-so-creepy has made her famous as The Bug Lady.
“People might love to see birds and animals but no one really cares about bugs. In fact, most of us run towards them to kill them. It is this apathy towards insects that makes me work more in the field of Entomology.People don’t realise how important...
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Article Courtesy : Times of India
Author : Sudipta Sengupta & Sunil Mungara
Hi-tech Hyderabad might soon have to invoke the rain gods for its next glass of water. The city has water stock for another 60 days following which Hyderabad will slip into an acute drought, warn ground water officials. The city is already reeling under an alarming 26 per cent drinking water deficit and a severely receded water-table. Its only hope now is a bountiful monsoon.A quick scan of some residential pockets...
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Article Courtesy : IANS
Author : Anil K. Rajvanshi
In every religion, culture and civilization, feeding the poor and hungry is considered amongst the most noble deeds. In the Hindu religion, for instance, one is able to do one's 'punya' (good work) by feeding the poor.However, such large-scale feeding will require huge investment in both resources and time. A better alternative is to create conditions by which proper wholesome food is made available to all the rural poor at affordable price....
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Article Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle
Author: M. Roushan Ali
The city’s water problem is turning acute as a large number of borewells have dried up, with experts attributing the worsening situation to the absence of rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures. Hyderabad’s residents primarily depend on groundwater for all purposes barring drinking and cooking. With the groundwater table depleting fast, experts said the main villains are the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and the Water Board, the...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : P. Sainath
A facsimile of The Times of India August 28, 2011 page with the 'marketing feature' on Bt Cotton
The same full page appeared twice in three years, the first time as news, the second time as an advertisement
“Not a single person from the two villages has committed suicide.”
Three and a half years ago, at a time when the controversy over the use of genetically modified seeds was raging across India, a newspaper story painted a heartening...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : M. J. Prabu
Good alternative: Kumaravelu in front of the demonstration plot in which the grass is grown
At a time when Tamil Nadu has been reeling under a severe power crisis for over three months, and the problem may have eased with the arrival of wind power over the past week, the existing demand-supply can possibly be addressed through alternate sources.One such solution lies in tapping the right renewable green resource like the humble Napier...
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Article Courtesy : DNA
Author : Yogesh Pawar
Veteran agricultural scientist and alumnus of Harvard and Berkeley Universities, Dr Peter Kenmore was in Mumbai for NABARD’s 30th anniversary lecture on ‘Future of Global Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities for India.’ This United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization India representative spoke on the current scenario in agriculture. Some excerpts:
There’s a lot of churn over GM technology in India. At a time when the country is grappling...
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Article Courtesy : Hindustan Times
Author : Prasad Nichenametla
The Centre has suspended a decision to allow rice cultivation under NREGA, fearing that it would lead to demands for including other crops under the act. In a bid to rebuild the appeal of the UPA's flagship programme, minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh had announced a new version of the right-to-work scheme in February.One of the modifications was to allow small, marginal and SC/ST farmers to employ NREGA workers on...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : L. Renganathan
Farmers and officials from Agriculture Department at a demonstration on a motorised de-weeder at Nanjai Kalikurichi village in Karur on Thursday. A majority of the paddy fields are being brought under the SRI method of cultivation
Overcoming inhibitions in packing off age old tradition and embracing new technology, Nanjai Kalikurichi villagers in the district have adopted the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method of paddy...
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Article and Image Courtesy : Hivos
Only by looking at long-term, sustainable solutions will it be possible to nourish 9 billion people
Food insecurity threatens almost one billion people, especially in rural areas in developing countries, where four out of five people go hungry every day. Scientists estimate that the world’s population will grow to 9.1 billion by 2050. Since natural resources are already dangerously degraded, fossil fuels are becoming scarce, and climate change has become an...
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Artcile and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : K. Manikandan
Soothing the stomach: Koozhu is commonly made with ‘kezhvaragu’ or ‘ragi’ – finger millet
It's a modest porridge made from a variety of millets and cereals, but it has a wide and loyal following. Young and old, students and the salaried as well as daily-wage labourers, all vouch for ‘koozhu'. Initially, this indigenous porridge was restricted to temple festivals in the city and its suburbs, but not anymore.Easy to make and soft on...
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Article Courtesy : Centre for World Solidarity (CWS)
Author : R.V. Rama Mohan
Abstract:
India is one of the most water-short countries in the world. With 16% of the world’s population and only 4% of total available freshwater, India is challenged by overall and relative water scarcity. Water may prove to be the crux of further development in many parts of India, as water is required for further socio-economic development, for attaining food security and other Millennium Development Goals. Water...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : Baba Mayaram
Raju Titus
Three kilometres from Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, on the road to Bhopal, is situated the Titus Farm that proudly flaunts its fertile expanse of 12 acres and a unique farming method that can potentially help overcome the worrying suicidal trend among farmers of the State, and perhaps of the country. The sole but strong characteristic of the farm that differentiates it from the rest is the use of natural methods to grow and...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : S. Vishwanath
"We are fast running out of a precious resource due to sheer mismanagement and callousness bordering on stupidity"
The only solution touted is the drilling of more borewells and deeper too
Over the years, shortage of rainwater is biting harder and harder. This year, for example, has seen a severe drying up of borewells. Private tankers scurry about, and prices are up as is the waiting time. Quality of the water has deteriorated and...
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(Here is the translation of a news item on the Ground Water Sharing Act published in 'Sakshi' (Telugu Newspaper) dated 5 May 2012)
Land may be yours, but water is not yours!!!Like mines and sand, ground water is declared as national asset
Government is bringing new act for sharing ground water
According to this, if you get plenty of water in your bore, you have to share with others
This is to promote meaningful and effective utilisation of ground water, officials say
Action to improve ground...
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Report Courtesy : World Bank
The APDAI started in June 2006 and was implemented in two phases. Phase I of the pilot program (June 2006–April 2007) was financed by a World Bankexecuted trust fund. The GoAP launched Phase II (May 2007–June 2009) as a two-year pilot program in collaboration with the World Bank. It was financed by the recipient-executed Japan PHRD Climate Change Initiative Grant (CCIG) of US$961977. The activity closed in December 2009 after a six month extension requested by the...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Economic Times
Author : M Rajshekhar
April and May are months of waiting and organising for Indian farmers. As they wait for the monsoon rains to plant a new crop, they are organising money to buy seeds and fertilisers. This suggests that bank loans to farmers should surge during this period. But data shows otherwise.Between April 2009 and January 2010, for example, loans outstanding to the agriculture sector stood at Rs 3,00,000 crore, according to research...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : M. J. Prabu
Gurusamy with his collection of native seed varieties
Inside a dingy and dark room of a house at Odayarpalayam village in Karnataka's Chamrajnagar district, old earthen pots and worn-out plastic jars are lined up on ramshackle wooden shelves. Inside them are colourful beads and seeds, labelled neatly.These are native seeds, painstakingly collected and documented by Gurusamy, a traditional seed collector and farmer, who has been in the...
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Article courtesy : Business LinePeople in rural areas in Andhra Pradesh have been facing a paradoxical situation with regard to water supply and sanitation. Thanks to several Government schemes, they are able to get funds to build physical infrastructure. But when it comes to maintaining it, they find it difficult to get funds.A just concluded WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) study conducted by CESS (Centre for Economic and Social Studies) and WashCost India found that there is increased...
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Article courtesy : The Hindu
Author : G. Nagaraja
The extremities in weather conditions delivered a deadly blow on Jampana Rama Raju, a fish farmer from Tadinada village in Undi mandal of West Godavari district. Around 5-6 tonnes of the fish in his 100-acre pond worth Rs. 5 lakh died in the last two days due to deficiency in oxygen levels caused by sudden changes in the climate.“I have just buried the dead fish in my fields. I could not have recovered even the fuel expenses had I brought them...
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Article and Image Courtesy : Reuters
Author : Nita Bhalla
It was a deal struck almost 40 years ago by a poor, illiterate Indian farmer, driven by desperation after a drought wiped out his crops and left his family close to starvation.The agreement: 10 acres of land, the size of four soccer pitches, for a mere 10 kg (22 lbs) of sorghum grains.
"My father-in-law pawned the land for food," said Kowasalya Thati, lifting the hem of her grey sari and stepping into the muddy field of rice paddy...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : M. J. Prabu
Sweat and toil: Mahavir Singh Arya in his field
It is an accepted fact that importing food cannot solve the problem of food shortage. “Modern technologies do offer vast prospects for crop improvement, but that alone need not make it popular among small and marginal farmers,” says farmer Mr. Mahavir Singh Arya, from Churu district, Rajasthan.Despite facing acute problem of water shortage, Mr. Mahavir, an advocate of organic farming,...
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Article and Image Courtesy : Deccan Herald
Author : Nrupathunga S K
Greenhouse cultivation is much more reliable. This method is suitable for vegetables and flowers. It’s possible to grow disease-free crops
Greenhouse farming is gaining popularity in the Malnad region. Youth from farming families seem keen to try their hand at this method. Throughout the district people are deserting outdoor cultivation and building greenhouses. If this situation prevails, we may find greenhouses popping up...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : Bharat Dogra
At a time of widespread concerns about the crisis situation faced by an increasing number of farmers, the remarkable achievements of some women organic farmers have appeared like a ray of hope in Gorakhpur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Prabhavati Devi is one such farmer based in Dudhai village (Sardarnagar block). Along with her husband Suryabhan she owns one and a half acres of land. It is a very small farm, but this family...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : Shailendra Sinha
In this case it was denial that was the mother of invention. Shayamal Chaudhary, 65, from Jharkhand proved that he could do it single-handedly by digging a pond in his village for 14 years…and succeeding.A simple farmer from Kurua village, Sukhjora Panchayat, Shyamal repeatedly requested the Block Development Officer to have a pond dug that would fulfil the irrigation requirements of the fields. After filing several applications...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : R. Krishna Kumar
Ghani Khan
Fired by zeal for conservation of genetic diversity in crops, an organic farmer from the Mysore region has embarked on a project to establish what is reckoned to be India's first paddy museum.
Ghani Khan of Kirugavulu in Malavalli taluk of Mandya district cultivates and conserves more than 300 varieties of paddy and rice, most of which do not make it to the market and may be lost to posterity.
However, Mr. Khan, who...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : S. S. Kavitha
On a mission: K.B. Ravindran
Three in the morning and a half-a-dozen students load a truck with saplings, shovels and plastic pots under the supervision of a teacher. On reaching their destination, this team, unsatisfied with the work of the labourers, digs up the earth, flattens the soil and removes pebbles and bits of plastic. Once they are satisfied, they await the arrival of the chief guest for the sapling planting ceremony.The...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Weekend Leader
Author : G Krishna Prasad
Bore Gowda has preserved 70 rice varieties (Photos: Sahaja Samrudha)
India is a centre of megadiversity, not only geographically but also in its food. For instance, there used to be more than 3 lakh varieties of rice and there are more than 50 traditional varieties of Brinjal grown in the country.More than 20,000 varieties of rice have been documented by former director of Central Rice Research Institute, Dr R H...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : Thilaka Baskaran
Sugar substitute: As its sweetness is not from carbohydrates, Stevia adds negligible calories to your diet
Fifteen years ago at a horticultural show in Chennai, I came across the Stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana bertoni) for the first time. The curator gave me a leaf to taste and I could hardly believe the intense sweetness of the little leaf. I bought a couple of inexpensive saplings of this plant and have been growing them ever...
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Article Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : K. Lakshmi
Areas abutting the city are increasingly dotted with packaged drinking water industrial units. A minimum of 30 plants have come up over the last year in the neighbouring districts. The rising demand for water this summer has also paved the way for the sale of sub-standard quality of water and operation of unauthorised units.The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Southern Region, cancelled the licences of 15 industrial units in and around the city...
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Article and Image Courtesy : The Hindu
Author : M. J. Prabu
R.M. Thiruchelvam (left) with Andhra Pradesh groundnut farmers
There appears to be a general consensus that the country's agriculture sector can do better with some encouragement, motivation to youngsters who are driven with a passion, and a dream to do something for the rural poor.“Ironically the government which keeps talking about encouraging youth to take up agriculture, does nothing to help us chip in,” says Mr. R.M. Thiruchelvam...
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Article Courtesy : Business Standard
The poor need assured supplies of food along with cash but diverting their income through part-payment in kind is regressive
K S GopalFormer member, Central Employment Guarantee Council “In the Food Assurance Scheme, we found that aggregate food availability is high. So if one person works, his entire family receives adequate food. This eliminates hunger in the community”Mahatma Gandhi once said that to poor and famished people, food...
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Article Courtesy : IRIN News
The system of rice intensification (SRI) is gaining ground across Asia as more and more governments come to rely on it for food security.“SRI was not invented by scientists, but its results speak for themselves,” Sudeep Karki, from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and an SRI specialist in Nepal, told IRIN. “SRI is the counterpart in agricultural development of a viral idea in social media, imposing its way from the ground to the top.”Less seed, less water,...
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Article Courtesy : Current Science
Author : Vikram Soni
In the developing world climate change has far more ramifications than can be addressed by controlling just carbon emissions. The developed world has stable populations and landscapes, and is thus affected mainly by the air which spreads democratically without boundaries. On the other hand, the developing world with increasing populations and consumption is depleting its living natural resource base of water, forest, soils and agriculture...
