Media Monitor
Agriculture Industry
We must modify and transform our agri-food systemsedit
Hindustan Times – Online
We live in a world full of competing interests and disagreements. Yet despite this, there is one underlying, unifying interest that we all share. It is in all our interests to have access to safe, affordable and nutritious food at all times. The question is, will there be enough food for all in the not too distant future, and will it be produced sustainably? The answer is not so affirmative without immediate action. Despite our common interest, this region is backsliding into greater hunger and malnutrition. According to one recent UN report, Asia and the Pacific is so off track, it would need an additional 35 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – in ...
Agriculture Ministry calls upon states to chalk out action planedit
The Print – Online
The Union agriculture ministry has called upon state officials to chalk out a comprehensive action plan at the micro level for effective control of paddy stubble burning during the ensuing season. Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare attended a farm demonstration on crop residue management at village Rangian in Kharar tehsil, Distt SAS Nagar, Punjab and interacted with farmers. The objectives of the Crop Residue Management (CRM) Scheme include protecting the environment from air pollution and preventing the loss of nutrients and soil micro-organisms caused by the burning of crop residue, a government press release read. It also included promoting management of crop residue by retention/incorporation into the soil or collection ...
Events
ICAR hosts Kisan Mela looking to ensure wider outreach of new technologiesedit
Hindustan Times – Online
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (ICAR-CIPHET) organised an industry interface fair on agro-processing along with a Kisan Mela on Monday at its premise. The event, aimed at showcasing new technologies to various stakeholders including industry, entrepreneurs, farmers and students for wider outreach, coincided with the institute’s 34th Foundation Day. ICAR-CIPHET director Dr Nachiket Kotwaliwale briefed the attendees on activities held at IIFA and Kisan Mela 2022. Live demonstrations of different technologies including machines, plastics structures were provided to visitors at more than 40 stalls, along with display and sale of different value added products like vegan dairy analogues, gluten free bakery products, extruded snacks and some innovative ...
Technology in Agriculture
India Mobile Congress: How 5G technology can boost agriculture production?edit
Hindustan Times – Online
Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally introduced 5G services in India last Saturday. Promised to transmit high-speed internet like never before, with low latency and more stability, this new age technology is set to bolster the digital revolution of India. One such application of 5G is smart farming solutions, displayed in the ongoing India Mobile Congress, the event where 5G was launched on Saturday. A joint initiative of telecom major Airtel, along with a leading manufacturing firm L&T Smart World and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC)-backed AgroW Smart, is working to raise the yield of agricultural produce by integrating smart sensors and controllers in agricultural fields. These sensors sense the crop and soil conditions. ...
Paddy in India
Odisha set for another bumper paddy harvestedit
The New Indian Express – Online
With monsoon still active and overall crop condition being normal, the State is all set for another bumper paddy crop this kharif season. Reports received by the Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production from districts said that early, medium and late duration paddy crops are in excellent condition barring a few pockets reporting pest attack of moderate to low intensity. Autumn paddy (early variety) is in maturity stage, harvesting of which will start within a week. Medium and late duration paddy are in panicle and tillering stage respectively. Further rainfall as forecast by the IMD will hugely assist the crop, said a senior officer of the directorate. There was a 13 per cent ...
Stubble Burning
Stubble fires rising in Punjab, may impact Delhi after Oct 10edit
Hindustan Times – Online
Farmers have started burning crop stubble across the northern plains, with Sunday recording this year’s highest single-day fire count of 130, data collated from satellite images showed. As in the previous years, Punjab is again the primary culprit with the state accounting for 83 fires on October 2 (Sunday); Haryana had seven fires and Uttar Pradesh 36. Data compiled by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space (CREAMS), a centre under the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), shows that between September 15 and 30, 147 farm fires were recorded in Punjab. Compared to that, in just the two days of October 1 and 2, the state recorded a total fire count ...
Stubble burning cases see a spike in Punjab, 350 cases recorded so faredit
Hindustan Times – Online
As many as 350 cases of stubble burning have been reported from Punjab over the last two weeks, with majority of the incidents being reported two border districts of the Majha belt – Amritsar and Tarn Taran. As per the data provided by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), with 284 cases, Amritsar has reported the maximum number of farm fires so far while Tarn Taran, with 39 cases, stands at the second place. On Monday alone, the state witnessed 75 cases out of which 54 were reported from Amritsar and 12 from Tarn Taran. Ferozepur, Patiala and Gurdaspur districts reported two cases each on the day. On October 2, Amritsar recorded 64 cases while ...
Centre asks Punjab to chalk out detailed plan to control paddy stubble burningedit
The Indian Express – Online
The Centre on Monday asked the Punjab government to chalk out a comprehensive action plan at the micro level for effective control of paddy stubble burning during the ensuing season. Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary in the Union Agriculture Ministry, told state officials to chalk out a detailed plan while attending a farm demonstration on crop residue management at Rangian village in Kharar tehsil of SAS Nagar district in Punjab, an official statement said. The states were also told to establish a mechanism to ensure effective utilisation of machines, promote the use of bio-decomposer in a complementary mode with the Crop Residue Management (CRM) machines, and promote ex-situ utilisation of straw by way of mapping ...