In the heat of the ongoing protests against the new farm laws, some views have emerged that the state has saddled the Indian farmer with excessive taxes. In support of this contention, methodology and data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been used to claim that Indian farmers have enjoyed “negative support”.Indeed, some have gone as far as to suggest that crores of rupees have been “plundered” from Indian farmers owing to agricultural policies pursued in India. Is this really so? What are the reasons for this so-called negative support? If support has indeed been negative, are the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act and the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to be blamed? What are
64% of world’s arable land at risk of pesticide pollution: Study
Overuse of pesticides might tip the balance, destabilise ecosystems and degrade the quality of water sources that humans and animals rely on to survive, the study said. Photo: Ruksan Bose / CSE
Watch how MGNREGA help villages beat poverty in Bundelkhand
Meegni & Himmatpura were troubled by water scarcity like several other villages of the region Meegni and Himmatpura villages are to Bundelkhand region. The region is infamous for prolonged droughts and migration. Water scarcity is the major reason for these migrations. 15 years ago, Meegni and Himmatpura were parched lands where agriculture was completely dependent on monsoon. Farmers could barely grow any crop on the water deficient dry soil. Women in the villages walk for kilometers to fetch water for their household needs. Children in the village were not sent to schools. Poverty and hunger was looming over the
What about harvest? Protesting farmers say colleagues back home have them covered
Farmers in Punjab plan to first harvest fields of neighbours who are away at Delhi borders in unprecedented solidarity Farmers at the Singhu border in Delhi. Photo: Shagun Kapil / CSE
Contentious farm laws: Agri-reforms led to farm income decline, land concentration in Bihar
It is imperative to know that without the existence of regulated markets, agriculture markets are deprived of efficient marketing infrastructure and fair prices to farmers and all other stakeholders A farmer harvesting wheat. Photo: Wikipedia
Orchard in nowhere: How MGNREGA has helped in greening up Sabarkantha villages
Construction of water conservation structures has helped farmers set up a fruit orchard in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district (Photographs: Jumana Shah)
Levelled out: MGNREGA helps bring in more land under cultivation in Ranga Reddy
Residents of Manchal village in Telangana’s Ranga Reddy district levelled their undulating lands and used the stones to form bunds around the field (Photograph: Shagun Kapil)
‘Agriculture budget’ exercise begins in Rajasthan
The exercise for presenting a separate “agriculture budget”, with the emphasis on welfare measures for farmers, has started in Rajasthan in accordance with the announcement made by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in the 2021-22 State Budget. The new document will provide for innovations for the benefit of cultivators.Agriculture Minister Lalchand Kataria said in the State Assembly that while the agriculture budget would fulfil the dreams of farmers, the steps for providing new facilities in the farm sector would be accompanied by sufficient financial provisions. Organic farming would also be promoted in a big way, he said.The Assembly passed the budgetary demands worth ₹3,756 crore for the agriculture sector and ₹1,829 crore for the Animal Husbandry Department by a
‘Negative support’ to Indian farmers: myth or reality?
In the heat of the ongoing protests against the new farm laws, some views have emerged that the state has saddled the Indian farmer with excessive taxes. In support of this contention, methodology and data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been used to claim that Indian farmers have enjoyed “negative support”.Indeed, some have gone as far as to suggest that crores of rupees have been “plundered” from Indian farmers owing to agricultural policies pursued in India. Is this really so? What are the reasons for this so-called negative support? If support has indeed been negative, are the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act and the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to be blamed? What are
Permaculture: Stricken by drought years ago, a Nepal village comes back to life
Hundreds left Kurule Tenupa village in Nepal’s Dhankuta district a decade ago; they are now returning home to newer ways of farming Permaculture farming is gaining traction in Nepal's Dhankuta district. Photo: Permaculturenepal.com