-Down to Earth One of the major causes behind suicidal intent is depression, experts find while studying cases in Punjab, Telangana and Maharashtra Farmer suicides, which have till now been studied economically and agriculturally, are now being looked at from behavioural and psychological angles. A study is being conducted under the National Agricultural Science Fund of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in three states — Punjab, Telangana and Maharashtra. Punjab Agricultural University...

-The Hindu Business Line A dispersed pattern of urbanisation leads to sprawl with higher motorisation and pollution. A new urban vision is needed India’s demographic dividend cannot be realised if young entrants to the labour force as well as potential migrants from Agriculture do not gain new livelihoods. Hastening of the structural transformation brings with it three mega-challenges for policy-makers: employment of migrants; growing urbanisation; and ensuring better education and vocational training...

-The Hindu Business Line Farmers’ organisations have threatened to disrupt the functioning of Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMC) in Maharashtra if the Centre sticks to its stand of prohibiting onion exports and imposing limits on stocks. Farmers in the onion hub of Nashik said that they would agitate against the government’s decision as farmers are facing the brunt. With onion prices rising, the government had on Sunday prohibited exports until further notice and...

-The New Indian Express The area under cultivation in Kerala has seen a major drop over the decades due to urbanisation. But there is an increased interest among the rural and urban folks to go back to Agriculture. Kerala has long been a consumer state, depending on neighbours to meet its food requirements. Though the state has unique and diverse agro-climatic conditions in various regions, which enable it to cultivate many types...

-The Economic Times The crops sub-sector accounted for nearly 62% of the Agriculture and allied sector in 2011-12, which has gradually come down to about 58% in 2016-17. NEW DELHI: The share of Agriculture, forestry and fishing declined to 17.9% in India’s gross value added (GVA) in 2016-17 from 18.6% in 2013-14, the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) said in a report. “The share of this sector in overall GVA...