Outlook – Online

Mahindra & Mahindra on Wednesday said its Japanese arm, Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery (MAM), and Kubota, have entered a collaboration to offer products, services and solutions to meet customer needs through mutual utilisation of resources in Japan.

Under the collaboration, the two firms will expand the existing scope of mutual original equipment manufacturing (OEM) supply, placing focus on tractors, rice transplanters and combine harvesters, including implements and associated equipment, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) said in a regulatory filing.

The two partners are also discussing supply of agricultural machines that can accommodate Kubota”s farming support system, KSAS, and utilisation of the system at MAM.

Besides, there will be future discussion for collaboration in product development.

M&M Executive Director ...

The Tribune – Online

Finally, the bluff of doubling farmers’ income has been called. Not by any critic of the government, but by Dr Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture) of the Niti Aayog. No, it was not a confession. You don’t expect that from functionaries in the Narendra Modi government. Rather, the truth tumbled out in the course of a casual and disingenuous plea for the three farm laws. This is what the PTI copy of Chand’s interview reads: “I will say that if these three farm laws are not adopted immediately, then I don’t see that goal (of doubling farmers’ income by 2022) getting fulfilled.”

Just chew on this one. The grand mission of doubling the income of farmers was ...

Livemint – Online

Decreasing farm incomes and uncertain climatic conditions have driven many people away from their farmlands over the past few decades. But which farming households take up non-farm work more seriously?

A new study by Anviksha Drall and Sabuj K Mandal of IIT Madras shows that agricultural households where family members have easy access to credit, have good social capital from participating in co-operatives, and are more technically educated are more likely to have people working outside farms.

The Hindu – Online

Military farms have been closed after 132 years of service, the Army said and the formal closing ceremony was held on Wednesday to mark the occasion.

“All the officers and workers have been redeployed within the Ministry to continue providing service to the organisation,” the Army said.

There have been several recommendations in the past to shut down the farms. In 2012, the Quarter Master General branch had recommended their closure and again in December 2016 by Lt. Gen. DB Shekatkar (retd) committee which was appointed to recommend measures to enhance combat capability and rebalance defence expenditure of the armed forces.

Philstar – Online

As we strive to build a people-centered partnership between India and the Philippines, the agriculture sector is naturally a key focus area. A major lesson from the pandemic is that the agriculture sector, in addition to health and digital economy, will continue to play a crucial role in determining social and economic outcomes.

India is already a strong partner for the Philippines in health and IT. In the agriculture sector too, India can be a partner of choice. India’s rich experience can support the Philippines in its ongoing efforts to transform this sector, which accounts for over 10 percent of GDP and employs over 22 percent of the work force locally.

The Hindu Business Line – Online

The National Collateral Management Limited (NCML) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI) to provide skill training in the agriculture sector.

The partnership will enable a continuous learning framework leading to training and development of resources in the agriculture industry. It will also benefit the agriculture warehousing industry.

The Times of India – Online

The Supreme Court-appointed committee to study the three new controversial agricultural laws has submitted its report to the apex court on March 19 in a sealed cover, one of its members said on Wednesday. Thousands of farmers – mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh – have been protesting against the three agri-marketing laws passed by Parliament in September last year. The farmers, including women and the aged, have been staying put at three points at the Delhi borders – Ghazipur, Tikri and Singhu – since November 26 last year to demand repeal of the farm laws and according to legal status for the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.