National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)
Context: The Centre will spend ₹11,000 crore for a new mission – National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP). Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Agricultural Resources, Food Security), GS-II: Governance (Government Policies & Interventions) Dimensions of the Article: About India’s Oilseeds Production and Imports About National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) Alternative sources About India’s Oilseeds […]
Climate crisis and emissions from India’s dairy sector
Context: Agriculture contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions release by cattle and from animal waste. Relevance: GS-III: Environment and Ecology (Environmental Pollution, Conservation of Environment, Climate Change), GS-III: Agriculture Dimensions of the Article: Dairy Sector and Environmental Damage Other issues with dairy sector according to activists Background to the Dairy Sector in India Dairy […]
Concerns over mandatory fortification of food items
Context: In a pushback against the Centre’s plan to mandatorily fortify rice and edible oils with vitamins and minerals, a group of scientists and activists have written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), warning of the adverse impacts on health and livelihoods. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice (Issues Relating to Poverty & […]
Innovative farming methods and social media
Context: Farmers make time for social media to network, share and solve problems by discovering innovative farming methods. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Agricultural Resources, E-Technology in the Aid of Farmers), GS-III: Science and Technology Dimensions of the Article: Penetration of Social Media and its impact Examples of Farmers using social media positively Other benefits of Social […]
No landless farmers in new database
Context: The Centre’s new National Farmers Database will only include land-owning farmers for now as it will be linked to digitised land records. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Use of Technology to aid farmers and agriculture), GS-III: Science and Technology (Use of Developments in Science and Technology) Dimensions of the Article: About India’s National Farmers Database in […]
Lessons from India’s food security response
Context: With a reduction in COVID-19 infections as the second wave weakens in India, it is important to focus on the pandemic’s disruptive impact on the food security and livelihoods of the poor and marginalised. Relevance: GS Paper 3: Public Distribution System – Objectives, Functioning, Limitations, Revamping; Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security; Technology […]
Monsoon Deficit problem for oilseed farmers
Context: The easing of the monsoon post June 2021 has resulted in a 32% rainfall deficit during that period, and is likely to push farmers into changing their kharif crop patterns. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Cropping patterns), GS-I: Geography (Important geophysical phenomena) Dimensions of the Article: What is cropping pattern? Rabi Crops Kharif Crops Zaid Crops […]
Digital Platform Kisan Sarathi launched
Context: In order to facilitate farmers to get ‘right information at right time’ in their desired language, a digital platform namely ‘KisanSarathi’ was launched in July 2021 during the occasion of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) celebrating its 93rd foundation day. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Agricultural Marketing, E-Technology in the Aid of Farmers) Dimensions […]
Livestock schemes to be merged
Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) decided that the Central government will spend ₹9,800 crore on livestock development over the next five years in a bid to leverage almost ₹55,000 crore of outside investment into the sector. Relevance: GS-III: Agriculture (Agriculture and allied industries, Economics of Animal-Rearing) Dimensions of the Article: Role of […]
Centralised farmer database under ‘AgriStack’
Context: The Union government’s new exercise to give agriculture a shot of technology — by creating a centralised farmer database under ‘AgriStack’— may not run a smooth course. Relevance: GS-III: Science and Technology (Use of Developments in Science and Technology), GS-III: Agriculture (Use of Technology to aid farmers and agriculture) Dimensions of the Article: About […]