-The Hindu     Aberrations in monsoon behaviour are not uncommon. What is new is the difficulty in forecasting caused by factors coming under the generic title, ‘Climate change.' Forecasts by the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum and the India Meteorological Department indicate that the south-west monsoon rainfall may be deficient. Also, there is a possibility of the evolution of an El Niño event during June to September. There is a 45 per cent...

-The Hindu Business Line   Technology is transforming Indian agriculture and increasing output. This is good news, given that India may need to produce 90 million tonnes of foodgrain annually by 2030 to feed its growing population, says Vishwanath Kulkarni Jitendra, a prosperous farmer from Machrauli in Haryana, had barely hired a combine to harvest wheat on his 10-acre plot when clouds started building up. The weather office had predicted rains over the...

-The New Indian Express   Chennai: Non-governmental organisation Praphanjam conducted a food festival - Chennai Parampariya Unavu Thiruvizha - recently, hoping to draw attention to organic farming, which could help to reduce the suicide rate among farmers. With today's farmers in dire need of sustainability, only organic farming falls within the accepted definition of sustainable agriculture. But to put organic farming into practice, a large number of consumers are required. "Through this festival...

-The Hindustan Times   Chhajali (Sangrur): The ongoing parliamentary elections hold little meaning for 80-year-old debt-ridden Jasmail Kaur as they cannot change her fate. Jasmail has been living alone at her small house at Chhajali village of Sunam since her 19-yearold son Jaggi committed suicide 18 years ago. "Jaggi was two when his father Gurjant Singh died of a prolonged illness," says Jasmail with tears in her eyes. "For the past 18 years,...

-ANI   Aurangabad: Absence of proper rainfall has risked the farmlands of Aurangabad district in Maharashtra and lack of subsequent effective government intervention is leaving farmers with no option but suicide. According to climate report of researchers there are high chances of climatic conditions similar to El Nino effect to occur in 14 districts in Maharashtra. Farmers of Marathwada region in Aurangabad have been experiencing difficult times for the last three years. The...