Spectre of drought haunts the nation! More than 40 percent of districts are affected by drought this year. Drought is expected to affect the prospect of crop production and livelihood of agriculturalists. According to an estimate made by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 283 districts out of total 640 districts are affected by drought. In such districts, rainfall deficiency this year has been in the range of -20 percent to...

-Livemint.com Amid all the gloom, the lower inflation rate and commodity prices could bring some respite With the southwest monsoon retracing, concerns about the deficiency of rainfall and its impact on the economy are increasing. The 15% rainfall deficit makes it the second consecutive year of less-than-normal monsoon dotted with some unseasonal showers. Together, this would have multiple ramifications on economic growth. Both macroeconomic and sectoral analysts have turned cautious and some...

-Down to Earth With only 58 per cent rainfall this season, Maharashtra is likely to face one of the worst agrarian crises ever As the fear of drought looms large over India, Beed district in Maharashtra’s Marathwada region is gearing up to face one of its worst agrarian crises this year. Matters have come to such a pass that the residents of Gangamasla village in the district have threatened self-immolation to protest against...

-India Today Agriculture powerhouse Madhya Pradesh still suffers from high levels of malnutrition, a contrast that exposes our flawed food policies Madhya Pradesh in mid-March is heavy with the scent of the Mahua blossom. Heaped at village bazaars, and now restricted largely to brewing liquor, its pungent smell is fast disappearing from indigenous tribal stews and curries. On the road to Petlawad and Alirajpur on the western edge of the state, farmers...

-Livemint.com It is hypocritical of the US to give price support to its farmers while denying it to the world’s poorest farmers The tenth ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), to be held in Nairobi on 15-18 December, is already mired in discord, with negotiators unable to agree on a mandated post-Bali work programme. At issue are US and European Union (EU) proposals to scrap the texts agreed to thus...