MC² Grand Butanol Challenge launched to identify energy innovations in biotech domain
In one of its first forays in the energy sector, India’s premier bio innovation organisation, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has signed a MoU with MC2 Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation backed by India’s energy majors, dedicated to catalysing deep-tech innovation in India’s energy and industrial sectors. The partners together launched the first edition […]
Indian govt to scale up digital crop survey in the current kharif season
After covering 31.3 crore plots in 4.41 lakh villages during the last Rabi season under the Digital Crop Survey (DCS) to collect data on crops grown by farmers, the government plans to scale it up to 45 crore plots in 5.53 lakh villages in the ongoing Kharif season, as 10.15 crore Farmer IDs have been […]
Can AI predict your harvest? Understanding how farmers are using data to reduce risk
For most of Indian agriculture’s history, the data available to support harvesting decisions have been thin, delayed, and generic. AI is now beginning to change the information environment that farmers operate in, and the shift from backwards-looking data to real-time predictive farming is one of the more significant technological transitions happening in any sector of […]
Climate-smart agriculture and water efficiency in rural communities
The Indian farmer has always lived in dialogue with the sky. For centuries, sowing patterns followed the rhythm of monsoons, and rivers dictated village life. Today, that dialogue has turned uncertain: rain arrives late or all at once, summers stretch longer, and groundwater tables sink silently beneath fields. The climate crisis is no longer a […]
Chouhan asks ICAR scientists to explore non-GMO ways to raise pulses yield
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday called upon the scientific community to look for non-genetically modified organism (GMO) solutions to raise productivity in pulses and oilseeds, areas where India continues to rely heavily on imports. “If countries without access to GM seeds can get better yields in pulses, why can’t India?” Chouhan said while […]
Cabinet approves new investment policy for Urea
In a major push toward self-reliance in fertilizers, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Wednesday approved the National Investment Policy for Urea-2026. The policy aims to facilitate the establishment of eight new plants, generating an additional 10 million tonnes (mt) of output to completely offset India’s current import dependence on the nitrogen nutrient. […]
India set to ban Paraquat herbicide, issues draft Order
The Indian government on Tuesday issued a draft order proposing a blanket ban on Paraquat Dichloride, citing its severe toxicity to humans and animals. The draft notification seeks to halt the manufacture, import, sale, and distribution of the widely used herbicide, giving stakeholders 30 days to submit feedback before a final ban is gazetted. Already […]
Over 2 lakh micro food processing enterprises covered under PMFME: Chirag Paswan
Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan on Saturday announced that over 2 lakh micro enterprises have received credit-linked subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme since its launch in 2020 to set up processing facilities with a combined investment of ₹20,300 crore. The total subsidy amount provided so far […]
NABARD’s Gramodyam to unlock rural India’s entrepreneurial potential
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) launched Gramodyam, an entrepreneurship development programme designed to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of rural India on its 45th Foundation Day on Sunday. Launched by Shaji KV, Chairman of NABARD, this initiative is being implemented in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) under the aegis […]
How quick commerce is silently eliminating India’s middlemen and benefitting horticulture farmers
A partnership between quick commerce companies like Blinkit, Zepto with farmer producers organisations (FPOs) developed in last few years has addressed the price gap between what farmers receive and what consumers pay for horticulture products. For instance, Sambhal Swarnim Potato FPO of Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh has seen real growth from the partnership – […]