-PTI Mumbai: In a bid to help farmers increase soil productivity by appropriate use of fertilisers, Bank of Maharashtra has launched a soil and water health card which will help them ascertain the nutrient status of their farm lands. “It will give farmers the level of nutrients available in their farm land so that they can administer correct dosage of fertilisers. This will help improve soil fertility and crop yield,” bank’s executive...

-Livemint.com Farmers’ welfare is a multi-dimensional issue, with the farm ministry playing a small but significant role Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to rename the ministry of agriculture to ministry of agriculture and farmers’ welfare may be symbolic, but is at the least a recognition of the stress in rural economy. The stress, particularly in the farming sector, is now all too obvious with the increase in suicides being reported in many...

-Financial Chronicle Hunger has three major dimensions. First, is widespread undernutrition or calorie deprivation; second, there is inadequate consumption of pulses and other protein rich foods leading to protein hunger; third, the diet of the underprivileged sections of our society, normally deficient in micronutrients like iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A and vitamin B12. If we wish to achieve the zero hunger challenge by 2025, we will have to pay concurrent attention...

-PTI NEW DELHI: The government today launched three agri-portals to make the process of organic farming certification, fertilisers' quality checking and issuance of Soil Health Cards, more transparent and accountable. These portals, launched only in English, will be made available in regional languages also in the next phase for the benefit of farmers. "The three agricultural portals will bring more transparency and accountability. This will help the farming community," Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan...

-The Indian Express Among the Modi government’s many hits was one crucial miss — agriculture. The Narendra Modi sarkar’s performance in the first year has at least five major achievements and one major miss. To ensure that this neglect does not become its Achilles’ heel, the Modi sarkar will have to focus on and initiate reforms in this weakest link in the chain — agriculture. Else, it will not let the Indian...