-The Business Standard Every year, like clockwork, India is caught between the spectre of months of crippling water shortages and drought and months of devastating floods. In 2014, there has been no respite from this annual cycle. But something new and strange is indeed afoot. Each year, the floods are growing in intensity. Each year, the rain events get more variable and more extreme. Each year, economic damages increase -...

-The Hindu Business Line How ‘Protected Cultivation' can help prevent crop damage due to national disasters While the first green revolution managed to make the nation self sufficient the next round of reforms certainly needs to address the problems faced by today's farmers. According to statistics available on Indian Council of Agricultural Research, India reaped a record foodgrain production of 259.32 million tonnes (mt) in 2011-12. However, the output fell to 257.13...

-PTI New Delhi: With sowing of kharif crops almost completed, the total area planted to all summer crops including rice and pulses remains lower at 96.62 million hectare from the year-ago due to poor monsoon. While sowing of pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, cotton, sugarcane and jute has completed, the planting of rice would end by next month. As per data released by the Agriculture Ministry, the total area under all kharif crops stands...

-Down to Earth In the Vidarbha region which is facing 30 per cent rainfall deficit in the first half the monsoon, the situation is very grim The drought in Maharashtra is worsening. With 15 talukas just declared drought-hit, 136 out of a total 355 talukas in the state are now officially reeling under drought. They have received rainfall that is less than 50 per cent of average in the state. Moreover, 15 districts...

-Live Mint Half of the country by area has received deficient or scanty rainfall in the south-west monsoon season so far this year New Delhi: Half of the country by area has received deficient or scanty rainfall in the south-west monsoon season so far this year, and some experts are veering around to the view that 2014 will be India's first drought year since 2009. Overall, rainfall has fallen 18-20% short of...