-The Times of India VIJAYAWADA: In what could be a disturbing scenario, agriculture experts point out that Andhra Pradesh is facing the worst-ever drought situation in its history as more than 370 of the total 670 mandals are severely ravaged by drought. "This is the worst drought ever. While there were no rains in September, all districts except East and West Godavari are facing acute drought. The number of drought-affected mandals will...

-The Financial Express Dismantling cane economy will not be painless, shift crop to drip irrigation Opinion-makers, from agricultural economists and academics to environmentalists, have blamed sugarcane for aggravating the water shortage in Marathwada. But the view is contested. ‘I reject the hypothesis,’ says Venkat Mayande, during a conversation in Pune. Mayande was vice-chancellor of Akola’s Panjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University till 2012. How can 2.1 lakh hectare (ha) of cane cause a shortage of...

-Business Standard Environmental activist and water expert Himanshu Thakkar tells Aditi Phadnis that India needs a comprehensive water-use policy immediately. * You are quoted as saying that India is in the grip of its worst hydrological crisis ever. Isn't that a bit drastic? After all, India has endured endemic water scarcity in many parts of the country for several years now. What makes you so pessimistic? I do not think it is statement...

-The Hindu Business Line Six districts in AP and Telangana tell the story of nutrition and gender bias Consider two sets of appalling nutrition-linked realities in India. One, almost half the children under five years of age are stunted and two, most Indian girls and women are generally anaemic. Given India’s poverty level, the stunting is not surprising. Anaemia among girls and women is also linked to cultural issues. Across the country, boys...

-The Hindu VISAKHAPATNAM: DWCRA member makes strides by sellingfruit juice concentrates. Initially, she started off with just a couple of fruit juices using mango and guava pulp. A couple of decades ago, G. Bhagya Lakshmi was striving hard to make both ends meet with her husband Raghavendra Rao’s meagre income. Today, she earns Rs.2-3 lakh a month by making homemade juice concentrates. Hailing from Bandarulanka in East Godavari district, Bhagya Lakshmi attributes the...