-The Hindu Far from creating dependency, evidence shows that social protection increases both on-farm and non-farm activities, strengthening livelihoods and lifting incomes Today, on World Food Day, the world has a lot to celebrate. As a global community, we’ve made real progress in fighting global hunger and poverty in recent decades. A majority of the countries monitored by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation — 72 out of the 129 —...

-Livemint.com The destruction of almost two-thirds of the state’s cotton crop by the whitefly has forced 15 farmers to commit suicide, pushed hundreds of others into debt An insect has ravaged the cotton crop across Punjab’s Malwa region. The destruction of almost two-thirds of the state’s cotton crop by the whitefly has forced as many as 15 farmers to commit suicide and pushed hundreds of others into debt. A Times of India report...

-The Economic Times PUNE: The seemingly inexorable rise in the price of dal was unabated on Thursday with some experts predicting that tur, urad and moong—staples of Indian households—could remain beyond the reach of consumers through Diwali and Christmas.  With wholesale prices having risen by about 18% in a week and crossing the Rs 190/kg mark, end consumers may have to pay as much as Rs 200/kg for dal in a few...

-PTI Bhubaneswar (Odisha):  A total 107 blocks spread across 12 districts of Odisha are facing drought-like situation and suffered crop loss of 33 per cent or more, state Revenue and Disaster Management minister Bijayshree Routray today said. "Eye estimation reports so far received by the agriculture department show crop loss to the extent of 33 per cent and more in 2,57,930 hectare of crop land in 12 districts," Mr Routray told reporters. The...

-DNA State policies favouring certain food crops have rendered pulses forbiddingly expensive and the common man is feeling the pinch The huge spurt in dal prices, touching Rs180 per kilogram and even Rs200 in some cities, has come as a dampener to the festive season, and raised questions about the policies of the government. For some years now, India has been resorting to huge imports of pulses to meet domestic demand...