Back in f(l)avour

Entry of high yielding hybrid rice has spelt doom for traditional diversity in the Konkan belt. Thanks to a science academy, the ancient legacy …

Going off course

As the Cauvery river dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu gets reduced to a politico-legal wrangle, focal issues remain unaddressed

Kerala must opt for heat-tolerant rice varieties for better yield: Study

Rise in temperature and reduction in rainfall under present and future climate scenario affected rice yield, thereby reducing crop maturity time

Climate change: Crop yields in Punjab will fall by up to 13% in next 30 years

A study by Punjab Agricultural University used rainfall & temperature data from 35 years to project the impact of climate change on 5 major …

Diversify crops, shift rice to places that can support it: Central panel

Low returns and high risks from alternative crops among reasons past efforts failed, says report

Coffee that will keep the Cauvery flowing

It is time we thought long and deep about the origins of our rivers. Their birth is our life

Delayed paddy plantation has cascading effect on north India’s air pollution: Harvard University

Delhi and other parts of the region can experience lesser pollution if certain districts of Punjab do not delay planting paddy, say researchers

Bumper kharif amid excess stock? Is India staring at hard agri decisions

Restrict procurement from Punjab and Haryana; stop procuring from states offering bonus on MSP; divert excessive stock for ethanol and cattle feed

Why farmers are not cheering their exceptional feat this kharif season

Highest rice acreage in six years, more farmers in farms, a bounty monsoon and an expected bumper harvest don't enthuse farmers as their …

Fortified rice scheme to create Rs 3,000-crore market for just five big firms

The Centre’s decision to provide only fortified food items under government schemes rekindles the debate on whether fortification helps …

Can gasification be the solution to crop burning?

Biomass gasification can not only prevent air pollution from burning crop residues, but also increase farmers’ income and manage municipal …

"Subsidy culture has killed local agriculture"

Thupstan Chhewang, Chief Executive Councillor and chairperson of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) speaks to Down To Earth.

Ladakh on the move

Ladakh is the one region in India where sustainable development is the only way ahead. Dry toilets, water efficient crops, cooperative farming, a …

A home-grown drought

Monsoon this year has failed most of India, causing drought in even well-irrigated and rainfed areas. Ravleen Kaur reports how our food …

India-Pakistan nuclear war can starve humanity: Study

Food supplies may drop over 20% in 70 poor countries with 1.3 bln people, the study estimated  

Agroforestry boosts rice and biodiversity in India

In West Bengal, the adoption of useful trees into paddy fields has boosted crop yields and crop diversity, and has also sparked a movement that …

Meet the Kerala farmer who preserves genetic diversity of rice

He received the National Plant Genome Saviour Award for his efforts towards conserving 45 varieties of rice seeds

How much is the crop loss in flood-hit states?

In Uttar Pradesh, over 30,000 hectares of sown crops have been affected by the floods in 12 districts

Not just green: Natural farming in Andhra yielded more produce than conventional methods, shows study

Apart from the higher yield, nutrient availability was also unaffected in Zero Budget Natural Farming

Depleting food grain stock ring alarms: Is India staring at a rice crisis?

Over 44 million tonnes of grains in stock compared to 78.6 million tonnes last year; Wheat dangerously close to buffer limit

Why climate change studies on rice production are important in Wayanad

Area under rice cultivation has been declining rapidly in north Kerala district between 2004-05 and 2018-19 

Traditional seeds need to be conserved for organic farming

At the 19th Organic World Congress, more than 55 groups have come together to call for the conservation of indigenous seeds and shunning GM crops

Despite having toilets at home, many in rural India choose to defecate in open

Programmes launched to promote use of latrines have failed to influence sanitation behaviours of many people

Outstanding grain

The aromatic enigma makes basmati a clear winner among grains. The lack of knowledge of what traditional basmati is and an inability to take …

Scientists identify genes that can increase drought resistance in plants

African ‘orphan’ crop varieties to help plants battle high temperatures