The New Indian Express

“Educated youth should take up agriculture as their profession; they can make it profitable if they adopt integrated farming practices. We can blend our traditional and modern techniques,” says  M Sankaranarayanan (49), a farmer from Puliyankudi in Tirunelveli district, who received State’s special award from the Chief Minister on Republic Day. The honour was for the highest yield under the System of Rice Intensification method. The award  carries `5 lakh and a medal.

Business Standard

India Meteorological Department (IMD) plans to change its weather advisory service for farmers, linking it to a dynamic crop calendar of each district, based on the onset and progress of the monsoon.

Deccan Herald

While efforts are being made the world over to increase the production of food and to better distribute it, very large quantities of it are being wasted. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), about 1.3 billion tonnes of food, which is over one-third of all food produced for human consumption, is lost or wasted. It is worth about $750 billion.

The Hans India

Successive droughts, ill-timed demonetisation and unseasonal rain have put farmers in distress. Lack of any assured income has further abetted farmer suicides. Going by the reports, more than one farmer committed suicide every hour in 2015. The Union Budget 2017-18 should primarily confront this issue by ensuring guaranteed income. Currently, guaranteed procurement is only confined to two crops – wheat and paddy. Government should chalk out plan to extend this facility to other grains.