Rainfed Agriculture

Featured Articles
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)
Climate change real, warns Pangi tribe
The effects of climate change are felt by the indigenous communities residing in the Himalayan region. How are they coping with these changes? Posted on 13 Jun, 2019 02:14 PM

Mountain ecosystems are highly sensitive due to ecological fragility, geomorphologic instability but are blessed with vast eco biodiversity.

Chandrabhaga river through Pangi valley, Himachal Pradesh (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Skymet Weather releases kharif crop estimate 2019
With over 50 percent of the cultivable area being rain-fed, the farm economy could be in a precarious situation with the ongoing rain deficiency. Posted on 11 Jun, 2019 04:25 PM

India’s leading weather and agriculture risk monitoring company has released a Kharif Report, sharing the prediction for the upcoming monsoon and its impact on the production of kharif crops.

Cotton production in the country is expected to go up by 10 percent as compared to last year. (Image: Kimberly Vardeman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)
Food security with flood, drought-resistant rice crops
New drought and flood tolerant rice varieties can ease water constraints and ensure food security, study says. Posted on 07 Jun, 2019 11:23 AM

In recent years, cycles of extreme drought and severe flooding have affected the country’s water availability and crop production. The trend can be attributed to climate change. Scientists have been exploring drought and flood tolerant crop varieties to offset stress conditions that significantly constrain rice production.

Determining the long-term effects of the flood-tolerant rice variety Swarna-Sub1. (Image: Centre for Effective Global Action)
GHG emissions, water footprints of dietary patterns
Rice-based diets had higher emissions but wheat-based diets used more water, says study. Posted on 07 Jun, 2019 10:40 AM

India's food system produces large environmental impacts but these vary by diets. The per capita environmental impacts of diets in India are currently lower than those of many high-income countries due, in part, to habitually low consumption of animal source foods.

As India continues in its nutrition transition, people currently consuming the rice and low diversity pattern will be likely to adopt more diverse diets (Image: Senthil T S K, Wikimedia Commons)
Caste and farmer’s access to quality information
A study finds that farmers from socially-marginalised castes continue to be disadvantaged in accessing agricultural extension services. Posted on 06 Jun, 2019 05:07 PM

Increase in agricultural productivity is not only dependent on material inputs, but also on farmer’s access to relevant information on crop production and farm management practices. This information is provided through agricultural extension services in India.

Access to information helps improve crop output among farmers. (Image Source: India Water Portal)
Monsoon to arrive late, less rain expected: Skymet
The forecast shows monsoon to begin under the shadow of El Niño and could be below normal across all four regions. Posted on 30 May, 2019 11:25 AM

Skies in several parts of Kerala are overcast with pre-monsoon but monsoon is progressing sluggishly, as per meteorological predictions. “This year’s monsoon rains will arrive on India southern coast in Kerala on June 4 and deliver less rain than average year,” says Skymet, a private weather forecasting agency.

Monsoon in Sikkim Himalayas (Image: Marina, Wikimedia Commons, CC-A-2.0-Generic)
Understanding water footprint of cereals in India
Changes in cereal production practices can contribute to improved efficiency of water use in India. Posted on 30 Apr, 2019 01:05 PM

India has the highest national freshwater demand globally and 91 percent of our freshwater is used in the agriculture sector. Cereals account for over 50 percent of the dietary water footprint in India and represent a potential opportunity for reducing water use in Indian agriculture.

Cereals and millets at a bazaar in Nizampet, Hyderabad (image: Aditya Madhav, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)
IMD predicts near-normal monsoon this year
News this week Posted on 17 Apr, 2019 12:53 PM

India could witness near-normal monsoon this season: IMD

Normal monsoon is good news for India's economy. (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
DDA allows waste dumping on Yamuna floodplains
Policy matter this week Posted on 04 Apr, 2019 06:42 AM

DDA allocates 42.5 acre plot on Yamuna floodplains for waste dumping

Yamuna river in New Delhi (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Bullet train project worries activists
News this week Posted on 27 Mar, 2019 03:15 PM

Activists seek President, PM intervention to protect mangrove trees in Maharashtra

A wetland in Mumbai (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
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