Agriculture

What is indiGau?

2021-08-13T08:38:00.007-07:00

Topic: GS3 paper

Science and technology, indigenous development of technology,

Geography: animal conservation

IndiGau is a cattle genomic chip of purely indigenous cow animal breed developed by the Indian Institute of animal biotechnology Hyderabad to conserve the breed of cow.

Purposes:

To achieve the goal of conservation of our own breeds with better characters. For example Gir, Sahiwal, kankrej, Ongole etc.
To help toward the doubling the farmers income by 2022.

Reference

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1745479

Kisan Sarathi Digital Platform

2021-07-16T09:06:00.005-07:00

Aim- to facilitate farmers to get right information at right time.

Benefits:

Farmers can use this platform to get information
They can communicate with scientists directly to obtain advisories on agriculture and its allied sectors of Kisan Vigyan Kendras.
It empowers farmers with technological interventions to reach farmers in remote areas.

Note- It was launched on 16july 2021 at 93rd icar foundation day.

Matsya setu app

2021-07-06T22:06:00.010-07:00

The app is developed by the ICAR-central Institute of fresh water aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA) Bhubaneswar with funding support of national fisheries development board (NFDB).

Aim: To disseminate the latest fresh-water aquaculture technologies to the aqua-farmers of the country.

Features:

Matsya setu app have species wise /chapters wise learning online course modules.
Aquaculture experts explain the basic concept and practical demonstration on breeding, seed production, grow up culture of commercially important fishes like carp, catfish, scampi, murrel, ornamental fish, pearl farming.
Better management practices to be followed in maintaining the soil and water quality, feeding and health management.
Modules are divided in to small vedio chapters for convenience.
Quiz test and assessment program are available.
Upon successful completion of each course module an e- certificate can be auto-generated.
Farmers can also ask their doubts from experts.
New and scientific methods of fish farming are available there.

Reference

https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2021/jul/doc20217621.pdf

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1733198

Upsc GS-3 paper- technology ( e-technology in aid of farmers)

Khadi Prakritik Paint

2021-07-06T09:49:00.006-07:00

Cow dung paint

It is India’s first and only made paint from cow dung in Jaipur. It is a cow dung paint. It was launched in January 12th, 2021 by the Ministry of micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

It has a potential of creating sustainable development for benefit of the poorest of the poor.

A new plant has been installed at Jaipur with daily productions capacity of 500 litres. Which a unit of khadi and village industries commission (KVIC).

The plant is equipped with modern technology and machinery that ensures high standards in terms of quality and uniformity.

This product is available in two forms:

Distemper
Emulsion

Objectives: it has two objectives:

To increase the farmers income
To generate employment

Advantage: it has multiple benefits that are:

Eco-friendly
Cost-effective
Odorless
Non-toxic
Natural thermal insulation
Anti-fungal
Anti-bacterial

Reference

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1733070

Geographical Indication Tagging

2021-06-26T05:56:00.012-07:00

Topic- prelims (upsc)

GI Tag

GI refers to indication of the special goods identified in a specific geographical area of any country, state, district, local bodies or villages.
GI Tagging represent the goods that are secured and no other person can use that registered name except authorised user.
User may be an individual, groups, NGO, companies etc that registered themselves with geographical indication registry under registrar.
The head office of GI registry is in Chennai.
Users are registered for a maximum of ten years but may be time to time renewal for next ten years and then again.......and so on.
Fee is ₹ 5000 on registration for ten years.
Goods may be agricultural products, crafts, arts, fruits, textiles, metals, etc.
Goods must be special, specific, unique, in production, reputation or with any extra ordinary quality belongs to that territory specially.
It provides security to users to keep its products unique and gives protection from unfair competitions. And no others can use that registered product's name for manufacturing or sale.
Government searches market for these goods for selling and export.
And given special attention on it.

Note-

It came in existence in 2003 by an act known as

The Geographical Indications of Goods ( Registration and protection) Act, 1999.

GI registry is quasi- judicial body
Bar code and tag are provided as GI tag

Shahi litchi was the fourth agricultural products to get GI certification from Bihar in 2018, afterJardalu mango, Katarni rice and Magahi paan. GI registration for Shahi Litchi is held with the Muzaffarpur-based Litchi Growers Association of Bihar.

G.I. TAGGED PRODUCTS OF INDIA

West Bengal

Khirsapapati mango(malda)
Lakshmanbhog mango ( malda)
Fazil mango ( malda,)
Amrapali mango (malda)
Chausa mango( malda)
Language mango(nadia)
Fazli mango (malda)

Bihar

Jardalu mango (bhagalpur) : exported to UK
Katarni rice
Magadhi pan
Shahi lichi(Muzaffarpur): India is the second largest producer of litchi (Litchi chin) in the world, after China. Muzzafarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Champaran, Begusarai districts and adjoining areas of Bihar have favorable climate for growing Shahi Litchi.

Andhra Pradesh

Banganapalli mango (krishna)
Survarnarekha mango ( chittor)

Tamilnadu

Madurai malli flower ( nilakottai, dindigul, sathyamangalam)

Uttar Pradesh

Crafts of Varanasi district
Brocade,
Banarasi Sarees,
wooden toys,
glass beads,
metal repousse,
wall hanging.
Mirzapur district
Sandstone,
Durries,
pink enameling: It is the art of decorating a metal surface by fusing mineral substance on it. It is done jewellery items

Hand made carpet (Bhadohi)
Terracotta (Gorakhpur)
Perfume (Kannauj)
Metal craft (Moradabad)
Pottery (khurja)
Black Pottery (Azamgarh)
Kalanamak rice (Siddhanagar, Gorakhpur, Bahraich, sravasti, Maharajganj, Deoria etc.): it got GI tag in 2010-11 and its variety is KN-3.
Dushhery mango ( Malihabad)

Maharashtra

Jalgaon banana ( Jalgaon district) : It got certification in 2016. India is world’s leading producer of banana with a share of around 25% in total output. Exported to Dubai.

Andhra Pradesh, Maharasra, Madhya pradesh ,Uttar Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Bihar, Kerala contribute more than 70% country’s banana production.

GUJRAT

Bhalia wheat: It recieved GI certification in 2011. It is grown Bhatia region of Gujrat which includes Anand, kheda, bhavanagar, bharuch, Ahmedabad, surendra Nagar. It has high protein content and is sweet in taste and grown in rainfed areas without Irrigation. It is exported to Yeman, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Iran, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Kenya

Note:

Bihar, U.P., Telangana, Karnataka,o Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal are the mar mango producer in India. And exported to various regions and countries including Middle East, European Union, USA, Japan, South Korea etc.
India is world’s leading producer of banana with a share of around 25% in total output. Exported to Dubai.

Andhra Pradesh, Maharasra, Madhya pradesh ,Uttar Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Bihar, Kerala contribute more than 70% country’s banana production.

APEDA promotes export of agricultural and processed food product by providing assistance to the exporters under various components of its scheme such as Infrastructure development, product quality development, market development, buyers sellers meets etc .
India is the second largest producer of litchi (Litchi chin) in the world, after China. Muzzafarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Champaran, Begusarai districts and adjoining areas of Bihar have favorable climate for growing Shahi Litchi.

Reference

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1727440

The Geographical Indications of Goods ( Registration and protection) Act, 1999

MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP)

2021-06-10T09:23:00.008-07:00

MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP)

Cereal

It is a minimum rate assured remunerative price by the government to its farmers for their agricultural produces to sale in the markets not below this minimum rate. It means that there are a fix rate of agricultural produces in a financial year for both Kharif and Ravi crops to assure the farmers that if there is no market available for farmers to sale their produces as they want on profit or getting loss on stress selling at very low price in markets then in that situation government entities will procure their products at predefined minimum rate with at least 50% remunerative ( profit) of their average actual costs production across country.

"In 2018-19, during budget announcement finance minister Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman announced the fixing of the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times of the all indian weightage average cost of production"

Explanation: let us assume, a farmer produces wheat in a season and total expense occurred on his head is Rs 10 / quintal including all type of expenditure finally.

Now, he wants to sale his wheat in the market and sold it Rs20/quintal hence he gained profit of Rs10 for that wheat and he satisfied with market conditions and feel happy.
If farmer wants to sale it in market but traders or buyers are willing to procure it at just Rs8/ quintal and he is compelled to sell it at that rate and gaining loss of Rs2, then he is not satisfied with market conditions and will decide not to farm in next season or will choose to get suicide in distress. To protect the farmer's profit government assures/ promises farmers in a prescribe form before every season that if there would not be market available at remunerative prices then government will procure their produces at least on 50% profit so farmers should got involved in farming without future distress selling.

Comprehensive costs of production(C2). It is a comprehensive measure of costs of production called C2, which includes assumed cost of capital invested, including machinery and rent on land plus value of family labour.

Comprehensively, it includes: all paid on costs such as those incurred on account of :

hired labour
Bullock labour
Machine labour
Rent paid for lease in land
Expenses incurred on material inputs:

Seeds
Fertilizers
Manures
Irrigation charges

Depreciation on implements and farm buildings
Interest on working capital
Diesel/ electricity for operation of pump sets
Miscellaneous expenses and
Value of family labour.

Purposes:

To protect the farmer's interests
To increase the production of specific crop(such as pulses, oil seeds) increasing more MSP of that particular compare to other to become self reliant
To make a benchmark for private traders
To increase the farmers enthusiasm of farming
To stop farmer's suicide
To procure grains for public distribution system at subsidised rate to the people of India to reduce the malnutrition and poverty.
To enhance the cropping areas
To meet the food demand
To increase crop diversification by differential remunerative

Historical background

Green revolution: after independence in August 1947 India faced acute shortage of food grains for its people to feed them. Then, just after 13Years in 1960s, India had taken various measures to tackle food grain shortage following are:

Farmers were given seeds of high-yieldiing varieties of rice and wheat.
Punjab and Haryana were chosen because the region already had a network of Irrigation systems
Critical inputs such as power, Fertilizers, pesticide and machinery were provided at subsidised rates.
Minimum Support Prices were offered to farmers output for first time.

Resulted in enormous production of grains and food shortage India changed into food grains surplus India, this movement called green revolution. Since then, the concept of MSP is running.

Challenges regarding MSP

MSP primarily work in case of grains, such as rice and wheat because government buys nearly 40% of the produce at assured rates which are increased annually.
MSP lead farmers first choice to choose rice and wheat crops for farming.
Resulting in very less production of other crops, such oilseeds and pulses causing deficiency in oil production and Daal because buying of these crops are very less.
Incentivised production of rice in Punjab and Haryana due to MSP led rapid reduction in ground water level causing may be environmental disasters in future.
Government pays higher MSP every year than previous resulting in produce is non-competitive in global market.
India facing difficulties in wheat export because it is more expensive than others exorting countries.
It hurts nutritional security in India.
High production of rice and wheat are leading air pollution by burning stubbles.

Note:India ranked 94 out of 107 nations according to global hunger index 2020.

Measures taken by India to reduce such challenges :

There is shifting of Higher MSP for non- cereal crops, such as pulses, oil seeds than cereal crops such as rice and wheat
3 new farm laws implemented.

What is Kharif crops?

All those crops which are harvested in winter season are called Kharif crops and are sown in summer monsoon season such as Paddy, Pulses (Tur, Urad, Moong), Oilseeds (Soybean, Groundnut), Cotton and Sugarcane.

What is Rabi crops?

All those crops which are harvested in hot(sunny)/ summer season and are sown in winter monsoon season are called Rabi (sunny ) crops. for example, Wheat, Barley, Gram, Lentil, Rapeseed, and Mustard, Safflower.

MSP for Rabi crops has been decided by the government of India for the year 2021-22.

wheat with 2% increase to Rs.2015 per quintal
barley with 2.2% increase to Rs1635 per quintal
Gram with2.5% increase to Rs5230 per quintal
Lentils with 7.8% increase to Rs5500 per quintal
Mustard/ rapeseed with 8.6% increase Rs5050 per quintal
Safflower with 2.1% increase to Rs5441 per quintal

Reference

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1725613

https://www.globalhungerindex.org/

Groundnut

2021-06-08T09:56:00.001-07:00

Groundnuts production in India

Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnuts in India, which is followed by Rajasthan Tamilnadu, Andhra-pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya pradesh, Maharasra and West Bengal.

The crop is grown in both Kharif and Ravi seasons. The Kharif has a share of more than 75% of the total production.

India's groundnuts importing countries are:

Indonesia
Malasiya
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Nepal
Ukraine
China
Russia
United Arab Emirates etc.

Agroforestry

2021-06-03T10:30:00.001-07:00

Agroforestry

Slogan for promoting agroforestry is: Har Medh Par Pedh

Agroforestry is the combination of agricultural and forestry technologies to create integrated diverse and productive land use systems.

It is a complex land management system of deliberate growing agriculture with forest and animal Husbandry for maximum production and income on the same unit of land as an agriculture simultaneously which become multi functional and given diverse benefits. It has been applied in both small and on large tract of land, where in small unit, trees are grown surrounding the agricultural unit;while in large tract of land, trees are aligned or grown in rows with agricultural crops in alternate manner.

It has three main components that are:

Agricultural crops
Forest trees
Livestock or animal husbandry

Based on these three components, there are three types of agroforestry technological practices:

Agri-silviculture agroforestry: Here agri means agricultural crops and and silvi means forest trees. So in this system crops and forest trees are grown together on the same land.
Agri-pastoral agroforestry: Here agri means agricultural crops and pastoral means animal or livestock. So in this system crops and livestock maintained simultaneously.
Agri-silvi-pastoral agroforestry: Here agri- means crops, silvi means forests, and pastoral means animal. So in this system of agroforestry these three are grown and maintained simultaneously on the same unit of land as an agriculture.

For agroforestry landscape may of any type such as plain, slope, contour, hilly, waste lands etc. Agroforestry meets the tripple-win indicators of climate smart agriculture, i.e.,increased productivity and cash income, adaptation to the climate crisis, and mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG).

Benefit:

Agroforestry the keeps prrssure off natural forest and contributes to reducing man and animal conflicts.
70% timber used are provided by these out side forests.
Agroforestry meets

almost half fuel wood needs,
About 2/3rd of the small timber demand,
70-80%of the plywood demand,
60% raw materials for paper pulp
9-11%of country's green fodder requirement.

Agroforestry (tree based farming systems) produces lac, gum, resins, medicinal plants, fruits, fodder, timbers, dyes, spices, etc.
Tree based farming systems lead to improved

livelihoods,
better nutrition,
women's empowerment,
revitalised soils,
nutrient cycling,
Cleaner water,
Less polluted air,
Productive and Resilient cropping environments
Together with carbon sequestration both above and below the ground.

Agroforestry helps diversify the income stream of farmers to buffer risks, while providing environmental benefits from deep rooted perennials.
Agroforestries enriching the ecosystems' biodiversity with trees complementary to crops.
The loss of biodiversity is closely linked to the emergence of pandemics.
Deforestation, changes in forest habitat, monoculture farming, poorly managed agricultural landscapes and runaway urbanization impact the composition of wildlife species, disturbing the niches that harbour micro-organisms and protract the interface with humans.

While tree-based farming is as old as settled cultivation, agroforestry came into the field of scientific enquiry policy intervention more recently. The world agroforestry centre in Nairobi is the leader. India was first in the world to adopt a national agroforestry policy in 2014.

A national mission on agroforestry technology a and practices was stablished under the agriculture ministry.

The significance of agroforestry as a carbon sink for achieving India's GHG mitigation commitments is well-recognised.

Considering the largeness of India's agriculture, the potential of agroforestry is game-changing.

Land repair and restitution of soil health is intrinsic to agroforestry practices. India has committed itself to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

Agroforestry reverses land degradation. It neutrilises climate impact.

The national forest policy 1988 had set a visionary goal of increasing green cover 33% of geographical area, the current being about 25%.

Future requirements:

There is a strong case for increasing public and private investment in agroforestry for the creation of economic and natural capital.
There is a need to reconcile the widely varying estimates of area under agroforestry with the aid of remote sensing, GPS, and GPS tools and technologies.
Convergence and coordination needs about the contribution of fruit, timber,and fodder trees in block Plantation, homestead gardens and field boundaries.
The inceivisation of farmers to scale up adoption of tree based farming envisages simple working regimes for felling and transportation of trees; development of adequate quality of planting material; certification; the leveraging the bank loans for tree Plantation; insurance cover; security of land tenure;and tax rationalisation on wood and tree products to promote wood based industry.
Agroforestry will lead diversification of farmer incomes, thereby addressing vulnerability to climate related risks.
But, the marketing of tree based products is not as streamlined as staple crops.
To create fair value-chains alternative marketing channels such as farmer producer organisations need to be fostered.

It is estimated that agroforestry is globally offsetting about a third of total agricultural emissions.

This has the potential of making the agriculture sector emission neutral by 2050.

Note-

ICAR Central Agroforestry Research Institute at Jhansi, U.P.

https://aicrp.icar.gov.in/agroforestry/

https://www.hindustantimes.com/environment/the-untapped-green-potential-of-agroforestry-101622634125212-amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

Milk production india

2021-06-01T10:11:00.005-07:00

Gopal Ratna Award

for Dairy Sector
Every year,the first day of June is observed as World Milk Day.

The Minister announced the launch of the National Awards for the Cattle and Dairy sector, the Gopal Ratna Awards.

The award has three categories -

Best Dairy farmer,
Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)
Best Dairy Cooperative/ Milk producer Company/ FPO.

Note- He mentioned that eligible farmers/dairy cooperative societies/ AI technicians can apply for award online and portal for award will open from 15th July 2021. Winners for the award will be announced on 31st October 2021.

e-GOPALA app (Generation of wealth through Productive Livestock), a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers, had been launched by Hon’ble PM on 10th September 2020.
India is a global leader amongst dairying nations and produced 198.4 million tonnes of milk during 2019-20. Value of output of milk is more than Rs 7.72 lakh crore during 2018-19 at current prices which is more than the value of output of wheat and paddy together.
Milk Production has grown at an average annual growth rate of 6.3% per year during last 6 years whereas world milk production is growing at the rate of 1.5% per year.
Percapita availability of milk has increased from 307 grams per person per day in 2013-14 to 406 grams per person per day in 2019-2020 that is 32.24% increase.
Dairy sector provides livelihood support to 8 crore dairy farmers engaged in dairying mainly small & marginal and landless labourers.
The dairy cooperatives of the country have the singular distinction of providing seventy five percent of their sales, on the average, to the farmers.
Over 2 crore dairy farmers organised into dairy cooperatives and there are 1.94 lakh Dairy Cooperative Societies collecting milk from milk potential villages

Dairy infrastructure development funds: 4000 crore has been assent for milk processing in 7states more than 26projects.

Dairy instruments
Labs

NATIONAL MISSION ON EDIBLE OILS- OIL PALM (NMEO-OP)

2021-06-01T00:05:00.026-07:00

Background:

Edible oil crisis in India

On an average, the annual demand in India is 24 million tonnes of edible oils
While production of oils like palm oils, mustard oils, soybean oils, groundnut oils and sunflower oils are in India is only 8 to 11 million tonnes annually.
India imports 13.35 million tonnes ( 133.50 lakh tonnes) oils costing 80 thousands crores.
To meet this demand Government of India imports 60% of its oil demand from foreign countries. It means India's edible oils dependency is more than how much it produce.
To reduce this dependency government planning to distribute free of cost soybean and palm oils seeds for boosting oil seeds production.
Whenever prices of oils in international market increases the oil prices goes high immediately in India and leads to inflation.
Now India looking for green revolution for oils prodution.
India is the world's biggest cooking oil importer over the past two decades because:

population has increased
Restaurant increased
Life style increased
Eating habits changed

Palm oil imports contribution is 2/3rd of its total oils import from Indonesia and Malaysia major palm oil profucer of the world.
Soft oils like soybean oils are being imported from Brazil and Argentina to meet demand.

National Mission on edible Oils - oil palm

Government of India launched a centrally sponsored scheme, mission on edible oils known as national mission on edible oils- oil palm on 15 August 2021 from the red fort of India with a vision to make India self reliance in edible oils. For this government has allocated ₹11040 Crores. Central shares will be 8844 crore and 2,196 crore of states shares.

Vision: to make India self reliant in edible oil production

Aim:

The scheme seeks to bring additional 0.65Million hectares land under palm oil by 2025-26 to reach the target of one million hectares, up from 0.37 million hectares at present.
This would result in an increase in crude palm oil output to 1.1 million tonne by 2025-26, and 2.8 million tonnes by 2029-30.
To cut the import dependecy on edible oils.
To cut import bill.

Purposes:

The programme seeks to promote Plantation in the northeast regions, besides the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Viability gap funding : to shield the growers from international price volatility by paying to farmers' accounts in the form of direct benefit transfer. This price assurance is known as "viability price". This viability price will be the annual average of crude palm oil (CPO) of the last 5year adjusted with whole sale price index to be multiplied by 14.3%. This will be fixed yearly for the oil palm year.
To save the imports duty applied by government because international prices of oils palm has increased and government being forced to reduce imports duty to make oil affordable.
To cut India' growing reliance on import of edible oils because India edible oil imports is the 3rd most high value imports, after petroleum crude and gold.

Characteristics of palm :

Palm is the cheapest edible oil used in most food items, from breads to pizzas.
Palm required thrice water as compare to coconut that make it water intensive leads ground water extraction.
Palm oil, a perennial crop, yields more oil per acre than coconut.
It required 5 to 7 years to become full grown tree from plant to give yield and profits.
Palm oil plants require tropical climate and peaty soils that India has.
Palm oil has healthy unsaturated fats and vitamins.
Humid and rainy Andaman is a good place to grow palm.

Challenges regarding palm oils prodution:

As it required large amount of water it leads to ground water extraction causing ground water table depletion.
As it must be planted in rainfed forests areas that are ecosensitive zone, consequently, will lead to monoculture in forests of North East Region and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
It will replace natural tropical forest, depleting biodiversity by decimating swathes of pristine forests, wiping out wildlife, from orangutans to birds.
India could face disasters.

Pros and cons:

India's palm oils prodution will increase
Monocropping will lead to biodiversity loss
India's foreign reserves will be saved
Loss of wild life habitation and ground water level depletion rapidly increasing.
Rules would be broken down:

Rainforest should be absolutely no gone zone
Do field cultivation and soil management
Avoid weedicide
Don't allow monocropping
Grow other crops within Plantation.

Ecological balance will destroy.
Human entrance will fear the animals and will make them go out.

What needs to be done by India ?

India should follow the Sustainable agriculture approach for palm oil Plantations too.

Note-

Sumatra, borneo, Malay peninsula- produces 90% of global palm oil.
Centrally sponsored scheme: it means Central government and state governments both will contribute financially at a fixed ratio that may be 60:40, 80: 20 etc. In which Central share will be maximum.

Reference

https://agri-geography.blogspot.com/2021/05/seeds.html

What is ambiTAG?

2021-05-31T12:40:00.007-07:00

AmbiTAG

IITRopar develops "AmbiTAG"- India's first indigenous temperature data logger for the cold chain management
Nation's first-of-its-kind IoT device for secure transportation of vaccines, blood and body organs, perishable products (food and dairy), etc.
A step forward for "Atma Nirbhar Bharat."
Technology Innovation Hub AWaDH will give away the AmbiTag device at production cost for COVID vaccine transportation.

Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar (IIT Ropar) in Punjab has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT device – AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines and even body organs and blood. That recorded temperature further helps to know whether that particular item transported from anywhere in the world is still usable or perished because of temperature variation. This information is particularly critical for vaccines including Covid-19 vaccine, organs and blood transportation.

Shaped as USB device, AmbiTag continuously records the temperature of its immediate surroundings “from -40 to +80 degrees in any time zone for a full 90 days on a single charge. Most of the similar devices available in the international market record data only for duration of 30- 60 days”.

It generates an alert when the temperature goes beyond a pre-set limit. The recorded data can be retrieved by connecting the USB with any computer. The device has been developed under Technology Innovation Hub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub). AWaDH is a Govt of India project.

Besides perishable items including vegetables, meat and dairy products it can also monitor the temperature of animal semen during transit. “So far, such devices are being imported by India in a massive quantity from other countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, and China,"

“The device will be made available to all companies involved in COVID vaccine transportation from production facilities to the last mile vaccination centers in the country at the production cost of Rs. 400. This device is small contribution to the Nation for a push towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat”.

2021-05-21T09:19:00.003-07:00

Rural Development in India

Government of India has launched two app for the transparency and accountability in the MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL EMPLOYMENT GAURANTEE SCHEME (MGNREGS).

These two app are:

National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) app

The NMMS App will help to take a real time attendance of workers at MGNREGS' place of work along with locational photograph, which will increase citizen oversight of the programme and will make payment facilities faster of their work.

Area officer monitoring (AOM)app

Area Officer Monitoring App facilitates to the officials to record their findings online along with time stamped, tagged photograph for all the schemes - Mahatma Gandhi NREGS, PMAYG (pradhan mantri awas yojana gramin), PMGSY(pradhan mantri gram sadak yojana) . This would enable them to keep better record of inspections and to facilitate for analysis of the findings for better programme implementation.

Benefits:

Transparency and accountability will increase
Real progress will be available to official on the spot
Workers will get benefited by faster payment
Workers will be in surveillance by officers
Corruption will reduce
Attendance will improve
Village work will improve etc.

Farm subsidies for chemical fertilisers

2021-05-20T09:37:00.004-07:00

Fertilizers subsidy increased for 2021 Kharif

Formers benefited and Government getting loss

Now, the farmers will get a bag of DAP for Rs 1200 instead of Rs 2400.

subsidy rates for DAP and other P & K fertilisers for upcoming Kharif season issued up to October 2021

Government to provide a total of Rs.14,775 crore more subsidy in Kharif season

Rs. 9,125 Crore additional subsidy for DAP and Rs. 5,650 Crore additional subsidy for NPK based complex fertiliser

The Central Government will provide a total of Rs.14,775 crore more subsidy in the Kharif season 21.

In which Rs.9,125 Crore additional subsidy for DAP
And Rs.5,650 Crore additional subsidy for NPK based complex fertiliser, will be spent.

Now the subsidy on P&K fertilizers including DAP have been increased more than 100% till Kharif season 21.

With the additional amount of Rs 14,775 crore in Kharif season 21 towards this subsidy, the existing subsidy load which was on Government Rs.27,500 Crores in 2020-21 will now be Rs. 42,275 Crores.

Subsidy of DAP fertilizer has been increased from Rs.500 per bag to Rs.1200 per bag, which is an increase of around 140% for this kharif.

Thus, despite the rise in international market prices of DAP, it has been decided to continue selling it at the older price of Rs.1200 per bag

To avail P&K fertilizers to the farmers at affordable prices. The subsidy is released to fertilizer companies as per NBS rates so that they can make available fertilizers to farmers at affordable price.

In last few months, the international prices of raw materials of DAP and other P&K fertilizers increased sharply. Prices of finished DAP etc. in the international market have also increased proportionately. So the actual price of a DAP bag increased to Rs.2400, which was being sold by Fertilizer companies at Rs.1900 after considering the subsidy of Rs.500 per bag.

The Government of India is taking all efforts to ensure that farmers do not have to face the brunt of price-rise. The Government of India has decided to support farmers on this issue.

The Central Government spends about Rs.80,000 Crore on subsidies for chemical fertilisers every year. With the increase in subsidy in DAP and other subsidized P&K fertilizers, it has been decided to provide an additional Rs.14,775 crore as subsidy in Kharif season 21.

Seeds

2021-05-20T08:27:00.002-07:00

National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm

The Government of India through the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm has the objective to augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm. To this end a multi-pronged strategy is being adopted which includes the following:

Increasing the seed replacement ratio with focus on varietal replacement
Increasing irrigation coverage
Nutrient management
Intercropping with cereals/pulses/sugarcane
Productivity improvement and adoption of proven and climate-resilient technologies
Area expansion through diversification of low yielding food grains.
Targeting rice fallow areas and high potential districts
Promotion in non-traditional states
Encouraging mechanization
Research projects
Training of farmers and extension officials
Supporting cluster demonstrations for the adoption of good agricultural practices
Creation of 36 oilseed hubs with a focus on regional approach for larger availability of quality seeds
Post-harvest management at farm and village level
Formation of Farmer Producer Organisations

As a result of the above efforts, the production of oilseeds has increased from 27.51 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 37.31 million tonnes in 2020-21 (2nd advance estimates), while the area has increased from 25.99 million hectares to 28.82 million hectares and yield from 1075 kg/hectares to 1295 kg/hectares during the same corresponding period.

To achieve self-sufficiency in the production of oilseeds, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has adopted a multi-pronged strategy. Under the strategy, the Government of India has approved an ambitious plan for the free distribution of high yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers for the Kharif season 2021 in the form of mini-kits such as soybeans and groundnut.The special Kharif programme will bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds and is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals.

From the year 2014-15, there has been a renewed focus on increasing the production of pulses and oilseeds. The efforts have yielded good results. Oilseeds production has increased from 27.51 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 36.57 million tonnes in 2020-21 ( 3rd advance estimates), while pulses production has increased from 17.15 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 25.56 million tonnes in 2020-21 ( 3rdadvance estimates

He mentioned that the Seed Minikits programme is a major tool for introducing new varieties of seeds in the farmers fields and is instrumental for increasing the seed replacement rate.

The mini kits are being provided by the Central Agencies National Seeds Corporation (NCS), NAFED and Gujarat State Seeds Corporation and wholly funded by the Government of India through the National Food Security Mission.

20,27,318 Seed Minikits of pulses, about 10 times more than last year, and more than 8 lakh Soybean seed mini kits and 74 thousand Groundnut mini kits are to be provided free of cost directly to the farmers under the National Food Security Mission alongwith free distribution of soybean seeds for intercropping and in high potential districts in 41 and 73 districts respectively.

The Government’s priority is on increasing production of pulses and oilseeds. The formulated strategies are to increase production through area expansion, productivity through HYVs, MSP support and procurement

Agriculture

What is indiGau?

Kisan Sarathi Digital Platform

Matsya setu app

Khadi Prakritik Paint

Geographical Indication Tagging

MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP)

What is Kharif crops?

What is Rabi crops?

Groundnut

Agroforestry

Milk production india

Gopal Ratna Award

for Dairy Sector Every year,the first day of June is observed as World Milk Day.

NATIONAL MISSION ON EDIBLE OILS- OIL PALM (NMEO-OP)

What is ambiTAG?

AmbiTAG

Rural Development in India

National Mobile Monitoring Software (NMMS) app

Area officer monitoring (AOM)app

Benefits:

Farm subsidies for chemical fertilisers

Fertilizers subsidy increased for 2021 Kharif

subsidy rates for DAP and other P & K fertilisers for upcoming Kharif season issued up to October 2021Government to provide a total of Rs.14,775 crore more subsidy in Kharif seasonRs. 9,125 Crore additional subsidy for DAP and Rs. 5,650 Crore additional subsidy for NPK based complex fertiliser

Seeds

for Dairy Sector
Every year,the first day of June is observed as World Milk Day.

subsidy rates for DAP and other P & K fertilisers for upcoming Kharif season issued up to October 2021

Government to provide a total of Rs.14,775 crore more subsidy in Kharif season

Rs. 9,125 Crore additional subsidy for DAP and Rs. 5,650 Crore additional subsidy for NPK based complex fertiliser