Outlook India – Online

The seed industry on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the Centre”s “regressive decision” to not allow scientific field trials of genetically modified crops, including Bt Brinjal, without considering the recommendations from states and Union Territories.

In his written reply to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had said, “It has been decided that proposals of field trials of GM crops, including Bt Brinjal, will not be taken for consideration in the GEAC without recommendation of the concerned state/UT government.”

Krishi Jagran – Online

The Delhi University alumnus, Master of Arts from Hansraj College  has emerged as a Change Agent in  Samastipur district in Bihar is leading the country  by advocating and practicing many Innovative Tools and skills of Modern Farming. He holds out hope for farmers across the country especially Bihar. Raising the productivity of his Mango orchard from mere ten thousand to nine lacs in a period of three to four years is not a simple task.

Experimenting Innovative Modern   techniques to improve the litchis in his orchard is also worth mentioning. He has painstakingly transformed his farm and orchards to be the most technologically advanced in the state of Bihar. He started micro irrigation in his orchards  10 years ago. He also started a completely automated Fertigation  system in his orchards  and was inaugurated by the present Chief Minister of Bihar in 2019.

The Times of India – Online

In deciding to consider proposals for GM crop field trials only upon the recommendation of state governments, Centre has signalled a retreat in another arena of farm reforms. Last year, central regulator Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) allowed biosafety field trials of two new transgenic Bt Brinjal varieties in eight states. RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh asked the Centre and these states to deny no-objection certificates for the field trials. GEAC’s decision to initiate trials, a compulsory prelude to commercial release, was a completely scientific decision based on long-term ICAR studies.

Unfortunately the dogmatic opposition to transgenic crops rejects such findings, nor do they appreciate that the two Bt Brinjal varieties were developed indigenously. Field ...

News Today – Online

Agriculture sector in India helped in the speedy recovery of the economic growth post the pandemic, said Shivendra Bajaj, executive director, Federation of Seed Industry of India.

According to him, India’s agriculture and allied sectors helped the farm sector clock a growth rate of 3.4 percent in the financial year 2020-21.

It is lower than the last year’s growth but is the best when compared with other sectors during pandemic.

Despite the disruptions in the supply chain during the Covid-19-led lockdowns, Indian agriculture is set to perform better.

According to the first advance estimates issued by the Agriculture Ministry, food grain production is expected to be 144.52 million tonnes in Kharif 2020-21 as against 143.38 million ...

LiveMint – Online

Agriculture and allied sectors account for about 18% of the Indian economy, but around 40% of employment. How do we reconcile this with the reports we hear of shortages of farm labour? What is the true extent of farm employment in India and how does it differ in states which have traditionally been agriculture- focused vis-à-vis others?

Economic Times – Online

IT firm Cisco India on Wednesday said 25 agri-tech startups have been selected as semi-finalists in the ‘Cisco Agri Challenge’ hosted in partnership with the government. The startups were selected from 844 entries received in the challenge. About 25 contestants shortlisted as semi-finalists will start the user-testing of their solutions on the ground beginning April, the company said in a statement.

Cisco Agri Challenge is an initiative aimed at mobilising agri-tech startups to innovate solutions that have the potential to positively impact at least 10 million lives.