Rice at risk

Growing paddy is not viable for small farmers of Kerala. Will the state be able to preserve the crop which delivers a number of ecological …

Flash droughts hit nearly 15% rice, maize areas in 1951-2018 monsoons: Study

At least 39 flash droughts occurred in 1951-2018; 82% occurred during the monsoon season, the study found 

Thirty Million, a documentary on Bangladesh and that sinking feeling

This documentary by Daniel Price and Adrien Taylor explores the adverse impact of climate change on Bangladesh' landscape, food security and …

Global Eco Watch: Chinese pink dolphin numbers rise in Pearl river estuary

Down To Earth brings you the top happenings in the world of global ecology

Climate crisis in North East India: Why Nagaland’s Liphi, Runchan villages saw floods never seen before

Nagaland’s Wokha district experienced at least 3 heavy-to-very heavy rainfall events in 2018 

In deep water

Rivers Krishna and Mahanadi are in crisis. In the race to industrialise, states have drawn plans to exploit their last drop. For four decades, …

Dying for ration: Centre to give free foodgrains to 813 million from New Year, but what of those excluded

Coverage of the National Food Security Act is still done on the basis of the outdated 2011 Census  

Amid protests over agri laws let's look at how some countries support farmers

Every day, 54, mostly developed countries give nearly $2 billion in support to their farmers

Enhanced food security and soil biodiversity: A climate-positive approach

Conservation of soil biodiversity, soil organic carbon through sustainable farming practices should be deemed essential to improve agricultural …

Air pollution damages crops more than climate change

Study finds that black carbon and ozone pollution in India has significantly cut wheat and rice yield

Global Eco Watch: 1.2 million Indians died of snake bites in last 20 years

Down To Earth brings you the top happenings in the world of global ecology

Organic farming: Reaping mixed benefits

Contradictory state of affairs in two Uttaranchal villages highlights both potential and obstacles of organic farming. The paradox has cropped up …

Letters

Letters

Dip in yield, low protein content: PAU field experiment finds several problems with nano urea

Production can decrease further year on year if nano urea application is continued

Sustainable agriculture: Punjab needs policies to support crop diversification

Growing maize instead of paddy can reduce water use by 60-70% 

Activists urge FSSAI to reconsider planned fortification of rice, oil

Instead of food fortification, the food regulator needed to promote organically grown, biodiverse food for people, ASHA said

How Odisha is revalorising minor millets 

Despite their glorious past, millets have been sidelined in farms and on food plates over the years

Save and Grow: a guide to sustainable cereal production

The technique focuses on conservation agriculture, maintaining soil health, selecting crops with higher yield potential and greater resistance to …

Provide farmers with means to salvage wet grains, M S Swaminathan tells states

Agriculture scientist also suggests maintaining seed reserves for growing alternate short-duration crops

Lateral Thoughts: A recipe best avoided

Dependence on food import is not the solution for preventing biodiversity loss or decreasing greenhouse gas emissions

Paddy fields burning: Smog shrouds national capital

The smoke resulting from burning crop residues combined with vehicular emissions make the air we breathe deadly

Brazil’s GM corns no more resistant against bugs

Farmers demand compensation as seed companies blame farmers

Punjab bats for direct seeding of rice. But will it help farmers?

Lack of migrant labourers in the wake of COVID-19-fuelled reverse migration has prompted state government to abandon traditional transplantation …

Can President Mukherjee redress this farmer’s grievance?

World record holder for highest paddy yield awaits certification