Rainfed Agriculture

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August 10, 2022 The irrigation at all costs mindset and narrow policies for drought protection during the colonial rule ignored rainfed agriculture and local practices that sustained agriculture in the Bombay Deccan. This continues even today.
Recurrent droughts and the struggle for survival (Image Source: Gaurav Bhosale via Wikimedia Commons):
June 19, 2022 Odisha Millets Mission is trying to bring back the glory of millets in tribal areas
A range of millet recipes and ready to cook items are sold by Millets on Wheels in Jashipur block in Mayurbhanj district. This initiative is supported by Odisha Millets Mission (Image: Odisha Millets Mission)
May 25, 2022 A study assesses the impact of the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming programme
The APCNF policy promotes zero synthetic chemical inputs (Image: Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming Facebook Page)
April 24, 2021 Study by CEEW proposes several measures for promoting sustainable agricultural practices and systems, including restructured government support and rigorous evidence generation
SRI rice field (Image: Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 4.0)
April 1, 2021 Lower transaction costs, minimal leakages, and immediate delivery make a strong case for direct cash transfers, says study.
Access to credit increased farmers' expenditures on farm-related activities. (Image: Pixy.org)
March 12, 2021 Challenges and aspirations of community champions and how programs can address them
Kalyani Dash works with 150 households in the village directly and trains them on chemical-free farming techniques, water secure crop production, efficient water use in agriculture for a sustainable farming future as well as kitchen and nutrition gardening. (Image: FES)
Water Aid launches tool to track Swachh Bharat Mission
News this week Posted on 25 Nov, 2014 11:15 AM

An interactive tool to monitor progress of toilet construction launched

Toilet under construction in Karnataka
Local weather stations greatly improve local crop production
Area- and crop-customised agro-advisories in Sangamner taluka of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, have helped farmers deal with weather-based events and minimise their related losses. Posted on 19 Nov, 2014 05:06 PM

“In gram crops to control gram-pod borers, use pheromone traps”. While a statement like that most likely won't make sense to average people, it does to the farming community in the Sangamner taluka of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. They have been trained to make sense of the agro-advisory provided by Vasundhara Sewaks.

Onion seeds in farms (Source: WOTR)
River restoration to be the focus of the first 'India Rivers Week'
News this week Posted on 23 Oct, 2014 04:49 PM

First 'India Rivers Week' to be held in Delhi from November 24-27

Cauvery river in Karnataka
Barefoot scientists a.k.a local farmers
Solutions to deal with the ill-effects of climate change extend beyond formal scientific knowledge. Local communities combat these using their Indigenous knowledge. Posted on 09 Oct, 2014 09:38 PM

Effects of climate change have aggravated the vulnerability of agricultural systems in all the parts of the country but people have found their own solutions and methods to deal with it. These have come from age-old knowledge practices of local farmers and communities, who depend on natural resources and who interact with the local ecosystems on a day-to-day basis.

Farmer couple ploughing their field
Furious Jhelum claims 160 lives
News this week Posted on 08 Sep, 2014 06:19 PM

J&K reels under the worst flood in 60 years

Floods wreak havoc in Jammu & Kashmir
An oasis of hope in the land of suicides
Since the implementation of Phad irrigation, a low cost and eco-friendly system that works without electricity, agricultural production has increased improving the situation of farmers in Yavatmal. Posted on 07 Sep, 2014 10:05 AM

Yavatmal, a district in Maharashtra, has gained popularity more for the number of farmer suicides than anything else in recent years. Since 2001, more than 2700 cases of suicide have been registered in this district alone. Poor water availability, low agriculture production and increasing debts are the major causes for suicide. 

A check dam constructed by Dilasa in Dhangarwadi
Ken-Betwa river link to divert 6,000 hectares of Panna Tiger Reserve
News this week Posted on 01 Sep, 2014 10:06 PM

Ken-Betwa river link to take away 10% of MP's Panna Tiger Reserve

Map showing Ken-Betwa river link (Source: Shannon)
Himachal Pradesh's forests make way for Renuka Dam
Policy matters this week Posted on 19 Aug, 2014 01:31 PM

Forest clearance granted to the proposed Renuka Dam

Forest cover of Himachal Pradesh
Zabo: The art of impounding water
Kikruma in Nagaland has its own system of water harvesting. Watch a farmer explain this unique method called Zabo, which helps manage water while nurturing the soil and optimizing agriculture. Posted on 06 Aug, 2014 01:37 PM

Located at an altitude of 1270 metres , Kikruma, a quaint village nestled in a rainshadowed area of Phek district of Nagaland is a wonder. Centuries ago, the village evolved a self-organizing system to take care of its water, forest and farm management. ‘Zabo’, which means 'impounding water', is an ingenious method of catching rainwater from running off the mountains.

Ponds as reservoirs for paddy fields located below
Bihar under threat as massive landslide occurs in Nepal
News this week Posted on 05 Aug, 2014 12:59 PM

Massive landslides occur in Nepal and Pune's Malin village

A landslide caused by downpour
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