Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
Paddy farmers suffer as pests attack crop, shift to commercial cropsedit
Deccan Chronicle – Online
Paddy farmers in old Adilabad district who suffered huge losses due to pest attack on their crops shifted to commercial crops like cotton and soya during kharif season. Many paddy farmers cultivated the fine paddy variety Telangana Sona Masuri promoted by the state government in Khanapur, Kadam and Nirmal areas. Paddy cultivation is less in Adilabad district and more in Mancherial and Nirmal districts where irrigation facility is available.
Telangana: Cultivation of paddy creates higher CO2 emissions, says studyedit
The Times Of India – Online
One hectare of paddy production releases 30,671 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions into the atmosphere and impacts climate change, states a new study by Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) conducted in Telangana. The study further said that the harmful methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20) emissions are part of CO2 equivalent, according to international standards. A tonne of CO2 contains 32 tonnes of methane and 300 tonnes of nitrogen dioxide (N20). Researchers said the study is important in the wake of recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which said CO2 emissions must be reduced by 50% by 2030 from now to decrease the pace of climate change.
Sowing area of kharif crops 1.55% lower than last year so far: Govt dataedit
Business Standard – Online
Area sown to summer crops like paddy was lagging behind by 1.55 per cent at 1,043.87 lakh hectare so far in the ongoing kharif season of the crop year 2021-22 (July-June), according to data released by the agriculture ministry on Sunday. Sowing operation is still underway and planting of summer (kharif) crops can be continued till the end of August, it said. Farmers had planted summer (kharif) crops in 1,060.37 lakh hectare in the year-ago period.
Dairy Farming
GADVASU experts discuss use of paddy straw as feededit
Hindustan Times – Online
The directorate of extension education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, organised a workshop for animal scientists working at all KVKs of the state to explore the use of paddy straw as animal feed. Inderjeet Singh, the vice-chancellor, stressed joint efforts of PAU, GADVASU, and line departments to make farmers aware of the use of paddy straw as a cheaper source of livestock nutrition. He said that out of 8 MT of rice straw being burnt in the field, 0.8 MT can be consumed by unproductive animals kept in gaushalas.
Monsoon + Indian Agriculture
Farmers in Maharashtra’s rain-deficit Vidarbha region worry over kharif cropsedit
The Indian Express – Online
With Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region having received 11 per cent less rain below normal this year, farmers are a worried lot. Nearly a month after sowing was completed in mid-July, farmers believe the quantity and quality of kharif crops will be hit badly if the deficit continues till the end of this month. Although the state, as a whole, has received 7 per cent more rain between June 1 and August 22, it was mostly in Marathwada and Central Maharashtra. Drought-prone Marathwada, comprising eight districts, has received 533.4 mm rain so far compared to the usual 446 mm, a 20 per cent increase. Central Maharashtra received 595.6 mm against the normal 547 mm, an increase ...
Stubble Burning
School programme helps Kapurthala village take a smart leapedit
The Times Of India – Online
Jarnail Singh, sarpanch of Nurpur Lubana, said the village was grappling with problems of solid and liquid waste management, poor school infrastructure and low agricultural output. But with support from MSK and its partners, these problems have been addressed. In Kapurthala district, MSK’s intervention starts with the promotion of improved agriculture practices, soil moisture conservation. MSK team, in partnership with the NGO, has divided agriculture practices on the basis of climate smartness parameters like seed smart, nutrient smart, weather smart, water smart, energy smart & knowledge smart. Their main focus is on complete village development and transfer it into climate smart village, build resilience and improve farm income through enhancing the crop productivity. ...