State-run insurance firms headless; PMFBY implementation suffers

Performances of private insurance companies were also not encouraging, though they had been opted for those states where risk was less

Central American farmers create funds to tackle climate disasters

Apart from acting as safety nets for disasters, the funds encourage good agricultural practices and income-generating activities among vulnerable …

Vegetarian and dairy-based diet can ensure optimal use of agricultural land

A research in USA finds that shifting to lacto-vegetarian diet can provide for 1.3 to 2.6 times more people

UN seeks response to deal with El Niño effect; urges preparedness to deal with La Niña

The UN estimates that the number of people affected by the combined impacts of El Niño and La Niña could top 100 million

Farmers demand law for guaranteed income

Participants voice concern on drought, farmers' suicide and water conservation, among other issues

In the Parliament on March 11, 2016

Here’s a round-up of today’s debates and reports on environmental and developmental issues

Monsoon 2022: Erratic rains may delay Odisha Kharif crops

Dry June led to late paddy transplantation; More than half of targetted acreage lie uncultivated    

Farmers stare at another loss despite good rains. They need a boost from govt

Indian farmers have accumulated huge debts due to crop damages and less remunerative price for produce

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (October 16, 2019)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal

Wrong to say Bt cotton successful in India: Environmental activists

The GM crop traditionally modified to repel pests has instead induced new pests that can greatly disrupt the ecological balance

High temperatures reduce rice, sorghum yield in Karnataka

A recent study reveals that during kharif and rabi seasons the state is exposed to a high number of days when mercury climbs above 33 degrees Celsius

Journey of the Fall Armyworm

Fall Armyworm has infested crops in over 50 countries across two continents in just over two years

Fall Armyworm attack: Odisha braces itself for the pest

After its attack last year, the state agriculture department issued advisories to all districts and distributed leaflets listing preventive and …

Animal feed ingredient from US with GM corn can hurt India's livestock industry

As lower yield pushes up maize prices feed makers turn jittery; but importing genetically modified ingredients can spell trouble in the …

Northeast monsoon goes weak all over, except the south

This poor show will impact the Rabi crops when farmers are already suffering from one of the worst agrarian crisis

New centre to help farmers become climate resilient

The centre would focus on real-time structured surveillance for insect-pests and diseases using GPS-tagging techniques

Startup shows how crop residue can generate useful products

Incubated in the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Kriya Labs can convert any agro-residue into paper, tableware, bioethanol or fabric

Taste the genetically modified buffet

CSE tested 64 processed food products bought from retail stores in Delhi-NCR, Punjab and Gujarat and one sample of crude cottonseed oil. These …

Meagre payments, reluctant states mar Modi’s flagship crop insurance scheme

10 million farmers have dropped out of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in just a year

Point of no agri-returns Part 1: How India lost its historic agriculture recovery growth phase in just four years

Government reports say 2004-14 had the highest agriculture growth that has fast slipped back to near-zero growth despite normal monsoons and …

Today it is hazardous; tomorrow it is going to be deadly

The air quality in Delhi is likely to worsen further with north-westerly wind expected to bring in more toxic smoke from Punjab and Haryana in …

Reaping benefits of integrated farming in Zambia

A woman farmer in Chongwe district of Zambia lifted herself out of poverty through integrated and diversified farming

NITI Aayog’s three-year action plan on agriculture raises hope as well as concerns

In a major digression from the current discourse on GM crops, the report claimed that the farmers in India have “enthusiastically embraced&…

In Parliament on March 10, 2017

The controversial crop insurance scheme, the impact of erratic weather on crops, chronic diseases, food fortification were among some of the …

Urgent funds required to help 385,000 people in Nigeria

Three consecutive planting seasons have been lost due to conflicts in northeastern part of the country