-The Business Standard Implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a flagship programme of the Central government to alleviate poverty, has resulted in an increase of up to 20 per cent in the cost of farm production in Karnataka. It has also created a shortage of labour in the agriculture sector in the state. According to a study conducted by the Bangalore-based Institute for Social and Economic Change...

FAO has warned that 2011 may witness a global food crisis. Proactive action is needed to meet the challenge of price volatility, chronic hunger, agrarian despair and climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has alerted developing countries about possible steep rises in food prices during 2011, if steps are not taken immediately to increase significantly the production of major food crops. According to FAO, “with...

Banks have disbursed nearly Rs 90,000 crore credit to farmers in the April-June quarter of this fiscal, the government said on Monday. The government has fixed the credit flow target during 2010-11 fiscal at Rs 3,75,000 crore. "Agriculture credit of Rs 89,687 crore has been disbursed to farmers across the country till June 2010 in the financial year 2010-11," an official statement said. The credit disbursement in 2009-10 was Rs 3,66,919 crore against...

With the continuous high prices of pulses a major worry, the Centre has reoriented its strategy from this kharif season, with farmers being given incentives to go for mechanisation through custom hiring of tractors, ridge and furrow planters, and Rotavators (rotary tillers). Farmers are also being encouraged to take up inter-cropping, adoption of new technologies, integrated nutrient management, better seeds, and drip and sprinkler irrigation. Farmers in 60,000 identified villages in major...

It is a double whammy for farmers of Indravati irrigated pockets of Kalahandi. If delay in release of water into the canals was not enough, the administration is yet to arrange for proper marketing facilities for procurement of Dalua (summer) paddy. The monsoon is knocking at the door but farmers are yet to harvest their crops. Besides, no marketing facilities have been provided for the already harvested paddy raising apprehension...