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Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Viksit Krishi Abhiyan engages over 20 lakh progressive farmers
1 2 Lucknow: The 15-day Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan-2025, aimed to establish dialogue with progressive farmers to boost agricultural productivity, concluded on Thursday. The campaign, which started on May 29 in 75 UP districts, saw participation by public representatives, agricultural scientists and agriculture and allied department officials at 10,125 places. In all, over 2,019,785 progressive farmers were contacted during the campaign. In Baghpat, Delhi Lieutenant Governor BK Saxena and MP Rajkumar Sangwan received information about agricultural technology from scientists. Agriculture scientist Vikas Kumar said that along with sugarcane, farmers can also grow mustard which will double their income. Information was given about preventing the infestation of the sugarcane crop with insects. Saxena planted saplings in the Krishi Vigyan Kendra. Union minister of state for agriculture Ramnath Thakur visited Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Kallipur, Varanasi. He directed scientists and officials of the agriculture department to reduce the cost of farming and double the farmers' income. Thakur said that farmers should be informed about the latest technology by establishing direct communication with farmers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Keep Your Home Efficient with This Plug-In elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo UP agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi interacted with farmers in Bhavaniapur Khevali under Ramsanehi Ghat tehsil of Barabanki and informed them about farmer-friendly schemes being run by the Central and state govt. He said that the state govt was providing subsidies on modern technologies like PM Kusum Yojana, IPM method, mulching and polyhouse. Farmers were given information about Kharif crop production technology, DSR method, balanced use of fertilizers, nano urea, nano DAP, millets, natural farming, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Kusum, NFSM scheme, agricultural mechanization, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, and production technology of all crops and all other schemes. In Kannauj, information about new technology was given to farmers in 135 gram panchayats. District magistrate Ashutosh Mohan Agnihotri said that the aim of the campaign is to bring benefits from laboratory to field. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
12-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Focus on farmers prosperity, UP minister urges agri scientists
1 2 Varanasi: Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers' welfare Ramnath Thakur concluded his two-day visit to Varanasi on Thursday as part of the ongoing Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, a nationwide campaign to promote sustainable agricultural practices and advanced technologies. During the concluding function held at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Kallipur, the minister urged agricultural scientists and officials to focus on farmer prosperity by reducing farming costs and working towards the goal of doubling farmers' income. He emphasized the need for communicating the latest agricultural innovations to farmers in a language they understand — directly in their fields. Addressing a gathering of farmers, the minister highlighted that sowing rice during the Rohini Nakshatra is considered auspicious and leads to better crop yields due to favorable climatic conditions. The campaign witnessed active participation from farmers across the region. Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Horticulture), ICAR, New Delhi, directed officials to act firmly against the use of adulterated seeds and chemicals. He also stressed promoting diversified farming, including fruits, vegetables, pulses, oilseeds, animal husbandry, and fisheries. Colonel Bijendra Singh, Vice Chancellor of Acharya Narendra Dev University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, highlighted that Uttar Pradesh's agricultural productivity lags behind states like Punjab. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unfriendliest Countries in the World, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo He advised farmers to adopt practices such as timely sowing, field leveling, correct seed rates, and incorporating green manure crops like dhaincha and sunhemp to restore organic matter in soil. Water-saving techniques like sprinkler and drip irrigation and mulching were also recommended. Additionally, beekeeping was encouraged to boost crop yields by 15–20%. As part of the visit, the ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), organized field visits to demonstrate Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) technology and other climate-smart agricultural innovations. The minister visited the ISARC exhibition stalls, where he was briefed on climate-resilient rice varieties, rice-based nutritional products, and farmer-friendly technologies tailored for small appreciated ISARC's efforts in offering scalable and eco-friendly farming solutions suitable for regional conditions. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Grow heat-tolerant varieties, UP minister urgers farmers
1 2 Varanasi: As part of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan 2025, Union minister of state for agriculture and farmers welfare, Ramnath Thakur, participated in a farmers' dialogue programme organised by the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) at Paniyara village on Wednesday. During the farmer dialogue, the minister emphasised that scientists should conduct research keeping farmer welfare in mind. He added that farmers trust scientists' advice and scientists are working hard to develop new technologies for farmers through dedicated research. Need is to reach the technologies to farmers and motivate them to adopt them. He also urged scientists to develop new heat-tolerant varieties. The minister inspected products displayed by FPOs and farmers at an exhibition in which prominent institutions such as IIVR, Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Renew Power took part in the programme that was attended by Sanjay Kumar, director of National Seed Research Institute, distinguished progressive farmer Padma Shri Chandreshkhar, village head, regional public representatives, Naveen Singh, in charge of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and senior officials from state agriculture department. The minister also inspected the paddy field demonstration of the direct seeded rice method implemented by IRRI at farmer Lallan Dubey's field in Paniyara village. DSR is a sustainable scientific method that helps save water in paddy fields while increasing production and reducing costs. The minister honoured five selected farmers and provided Digital Soil Health Cards to 10 farmers to help them get instant information about soil quality. At IIVR campus's 'agricultural waste management unit', Thakur planted a sandalwood sapling as part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. Dr Sanjay Kumar Singh, deputy director general (horticulture), ICAR, also planted a tree alongside. During dialogue with progressive farmers and FPOs, the minister gathered information about IIVR's role in the nationwide Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. Director Rajesh Kumar said that under IIVR's leadership, in coordination with KVKs and state govt's agriculture department, scientists completed dialogue with over 52,000 farmers across six districts in 13 days, which continues unabated. The director also briefed the minister about farmers' problems gathered from scientists. Major issues addressed included crop damage from nilgai, water crisis, pest management, lack of market access and non-availability of quality seeds. The minister directed quick solutions to these problems.
Indian Express
10-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Only 7% of target area under DSR behind water-saving method's slow growth, a big roadblock: free power
Punjab has brought 14,574 hectares (ha) under direct-seeded rice (DSR) by June 5, way below the target of 2.02 lakh hectares (5-lakh acres) it has set for this year. Last year, 1.02 lakh hectares (2.53 lakh acres) were under DSR, against the target of 2.83 lakh hectares (7 lakh acres). Despite being promoted for the past over a decade by the state government and the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the area under DSR — a cultivation method in which paddy seeds are planted directly into the soil, while doing away with the traditional preparing of nurseries and then transplanting the saplings — has remained marginal making for a fraction of the total area under paddy. This year's target of 2.02 lakh hectares under DSR makes for only 6 per cent of the total expected area under paddy. Soil texture the key According to PAU, approximately 80% of Punjab's land is suitable for DSR. The state has about 25% heavy-textured soil, 55% medium-textured, and 20% light-textured soil. Heavy and medium-textured soil — richer in clay and lower in sand — are most suitable for DSR. These soil types are well distributed in state — Majha region has a higher proportion of heavy-textured soil, Doaba predominantly has medium to heavy soils, and Malwa contains a mix of all three. Farmers are generally aware of their soil types. Yet after years of training, promotion, and incentives — such as the Rs 1,500 per acre offered by the government and claims by progressive farmers who say they have recorded 3–5% higher yield compared to traditional methods — DSR has not seen broader adoption. DSR over the years The cultivation method was formally recommended in 2010. In the first two years, only a select few farmers adopted DSR, bringing a few hundred hectares under it. The method began to gain traction in 2012, with 8,922 hectares (22,037 acres) under DSR. The following three years saw steady growth: 38,900 hectares (96,083 acres) in 2013, 1.15 lakh hectares (2,84,050 acres) in 2014, and 1.65 lakh hectares (4,07,550 acres) in 2015. However, its popularity waned due to a lack of technical knowledge. Many farmers faced yield losses because they were unaware of soil suitability, nutrient deficiencies, and weed control. As a result, the area under DSR shrank: 19,660 hectares in 2016; 9,440 hectares in 2017; 6,200 hectares in 2018; and 23,300 hectares in 2019. A labour shortage, triggered by Covid-19 induced lockdowns in 2020, pushed DSR adoption with area under it expanding to over 5 lakh hectares — about 18% of the total area under paddy. It further expanded to 5.62 lakh hecatres the next year, which witnessed the second wave of Covid-19. The surge, however, was short-lived. In subsequent years, the area declined again: 69,230 hecatres (1.71 lakh acres) in 2022, 70,040 hectares (1.73 lakh acres) in 2023, and 1,02,429 hectares (2.53 lakh acres) in 2024. Stumbling blocks to adoption While discussions often focus on technical issues such as soil type or lack of knowledge about the technique, one of the biggest and yet the one of the most under-discussed barrier remains the free power policy for agricultural tube wells. Punjab has close to 14 lakh agriculture tubewells. The state is estimated to spend Rs 20,500 crore on power subsidies in 2025-26 fiscal. Of this, Rs 10,000 crore will go towards the farming sector, the subsidy bill being the highest for any category. This subsidy, while intended to ease the financial burden of farmers, has taken a huge toll on the ground water. DSR, which does not require flood irrigation during sowing, need the first irrigation around three weeks after seeding. This method helps save approximately 15–20% of water compared to the traditional puddled transplanting of rice (PTR). According to PAU, the traditional method consumes between 3,500 to 4,125 litres of water to produce just one kilogram of rice, depending on the variety. However, with irrigation effectively free due to subsidised electricity, farmers have little economic incentive to adopt a more water-efficient technique like DSR. In traditional puddling, farmers often over-irrigate, flooding fields excessively because they bear no cost for power or water. DSR, by contrast, demands carefully timed irrigation and efficient water management, making it economically less attractive under current conditions. Dr MS Bhullar, Principal Agronomist at PAU and head of the team that developed the DSR technique, said, 'The tar-wattar technique (as DSR is known) not only saves water but also labour and time, maturing 7–10 days earlier and easing post-harvest straw management. Yet, despite these benefits, most of the paddy area in Punjab is still cultivated through the puddling method'. Experts argue that unless the free electricity policy is revisited, DSR — and other water-saving practices — will face an uphill battle. Free power has encouraged groundwater over-extraction and locked Punjab into water-intensive paddy farming. 'The current flat-rate incentive structure does not encourage long-term change. When water and power are free, why invest in DSR equipment or adopt a technique requiring greater precision and planning,' asked an expert. Soil suitability only part of the story Technical barriers such as low yield on light soil, iron deficiency in the Upper table soil, and weed issues are real. DSR performs poorly on sandy soil that doesn't retain moisture well and in areas lacking plant-available iron, leading to yield losses. Such experiences have caused many farmers to abandon DSR after initial trials. 'The larger issue, however, is structural and policy-driven. Even in areas with ideal soil (Majha, Doaba, and parts of Malwa), adoption remains low. This indicates that while technical challenges exist, they don't fully explain the resistance,' said an expert. What needs to change Beyond awareness drives, Punjab must reconsider its free power policy. A gradual shift to metered electricity or direct cash transfers could encourage more responsible water use without politically alienating farmers. Incentives should be targeted, not flat-rate, based on soil suitability, proper training, and long-term adoption. Mandatory training supported by real-time technical assistance and comprehensive soil testing is essential to prevent failures that damage DSR's credibility. Farmers need full-cycle handholding, from sowing to harvest. As a senior PAU scientist, requesting anonymity, said:'The lukewarm response to DSR is not simply a matter of ignorance, unsuitable soil, or traditional preferences. At its core lies a deeper economic contradiction: a method designed to save water cannot succeed in a system where water costs nothing. Unless the state revisits its approach to free electricity for agriculture and aligns its incentives accordingly, both DSR and the broader effort to reduce paddy area in Punjab will continue to falter'
Canberra Times
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Canberra Times
Major upgrade to Defence HQ on outskirts of ACT delayed by four years
Following the change in government in 2022, the Defence Strategic Review recommended a focus on the most strategic bases in the north of Australia. The DSR also recommended Defence undertake an audit of all bases across the country, which was completed in 2024. The findings of this audit have not been published.
