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The campaign aimed at sensitising the fishers and creating awareness on the climate-smart fisheries management in the changing climate scenario.

The ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata organised the campaign on “Climate-Smart Inland Fisheries in Coastal Wetland, West Bengal” at the Coastal Wetlands of Bermajur – 1 Village, Sandeshkhali – 2 Block of Sundarbans, West Bengal on December 29, 2021.

Dr Uttam Kumar Sarkar, Principal Investigator, NICRA & HoD, Reservoir and Wetland Fisheries Division, ICAR-CIFRI, Barrackpore highlighted the various issues and innovative adaptation strategies for managing the fisheries of the coastal wetland.

Tapan Sardar, Gram Pradhan, Bermajur – 1, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal appreciated the Institute’s initiative for the development of the Scheduled Caste community through the climate-smart fisheries.

The campaign aimed at sensitising the fishers and creating awareness on the climate-smart fisheries management in the changing climate scenario registered participation by 70 Scheduled Caste Fishers including 20 women.

The campaign aimed at sensitising the fishers

Signs actor Pankaj Tripathi as brand ambassador 

Anmol Feeds has recently launched its products under the umbrella brand Nouriture to meet the growing challenge of quality livestock feeds in the market. The company announced its first brand ambassador maverick actor Pankaj Tripathi for its cattle feed brands Nouriture Godhenu Gold, Milk-o-milk plus and Super 20 plus.

Amit Saraogi, MD, Anmol Feeds, stated, “Our campaign aims to educate and inform the farmers about why they need the right cattle feed for better yield. We hope the words, Sirf chusti nahi, pushti bhi is embedded in the minds of every farmer and stay for a long time.”

Signs actor Pankaj Tripathi as brand ambassador Anmol

The Centre helps to propagate the critically endangered plant and tree species in the country.

Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated “Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre”, a modern tissue culture laboratory at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Nandigama mandal of Rangareddy district. Launched on December 28, 2021, the laboratory helps to propagate the critically endangered plant and tree species in the country.

While Heartfulness Institute aims at growing the plantlets at the Ashram, a good share will also be given off across the country to the forestry department, NGOs, and other plantation bodies that are involved with afforestation in India.

The Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre has a 5,000 sq ft facility with 10,000 cleanroom technology, 15,00,000 annual sapling production capacity with the finest equipment and infrastructure with the tissue culture processes being overseen by a team of experts from India and Israel with more experts joining the team in the next three months.

At least five endangered varieties are propagated at the rate of 1.5-2 lakh saplings per year per variety by the Heartfulness Tree Conservation Centre. The raw material sources are obtained from native locations of the endangered species with the help of the Forest Department.

The Centre helps to propagate the critically

GrowPods allow growers to easily and affordably grow produce that is ultra clean, nutritious, and is better than organic.

The leading distributor of GrowPods, Advanced Container Technologies, Inc (ACTX) has recently announced that, GrowPods can help eliminate pesticides that are commonly found in many food products – including organic foods.

GrowPods are portable self-contained indoor farms that can be located virtually anywhere and offer farmers a way to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs that and free of pesticides, harmful chemicals and pathogen contamination.

Since, most people want the cleanest produce possible, and many opt for food labelled ‘organic’. However, most consumers don’t realise that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) allows many dangerous substances in organic farming.

GrowPods allow growers to easily and affordably grow produce that is ultra clean, nutritious, and is better than organic.

GrowPods allow growers to easily and affordably grow

The app will help in hiring in and hiring out of agricultural machinery and will benefit small and marginal farmers

Sardar Randeep Singh Nabha, Agriculture Minister, Punjab, launched a Farm Machinery App of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) during the Farm Expo organised for the farmers of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh recently. He also released Punjab Agriculture Vision CD for the next five years, compiled by PAU. In his remarks, the minister hailed the remarkable contribution of PAU in making the nation food secure and updating the farmers, farm women and the rural youths about the latest developments in agriculture through ICT tools during COVID-19 times. He said, “The app will help in hiring in and hiring out of agricultural machinery and at the same time, will benefit small and marginal farmers.”

DK Tiwari, Financial Commissioner (Development), Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Vice-Chancellor, PAU said, “The CD and app are the new achievements of PAU that wish to enrich the knowledge of the farmers through digital technologies.”

Dr JS Mahal, Director of Extension Education, while sharing the benefits and importance of the app, said that more than 65 per cent of farmers in Punjab own less than five acres of land and cannot afford the farm machinery. The app will be bridge the gap between the farmers who want machinery and the farmers who are into custom hiring of farm machinery, he added. It will connect the farmers with the farm machinery owners, who can get good returns through this technology. It is available in Google Play Store, he mentioned.

Present on the occasion were Dr GPS Sodhi, Additional Director of Extension Education; and Dr GS Manes, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy).

The app will help in hiring in

Panellists discuss ways to uplift the farmer community and urged the ministries for better policies in place

The last day of 12th Agrovision had a panel discussion on ‘Enhancing GDP and Farmers Income.’ The panel discussion had Narayan Tatu Rane, Minister For Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Nitin Gadkari, Chief Patron, Agrovision, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, G Chandrashekhar Aiyar, Economist, Senior Journalist, Policy Commentator with a passion for agriculture; Dr N Persuraman, Principal Scientist, MSSRF; Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj; Dr Agyeya Tripathi, Finance Expert; Sujit Sahgal, author; Dr Ashish Paturkar, Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU), Nagpur; Devendra Parekh, Past President, Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED); Girish Gandhi, Organiser, Agrovision; Krishan Bir Chaudhary, President, Bharatiya Krishak Samaj; Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishi Samaj and Ravi Boratkar, MD, MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications, Publisher, MMA publications and Chairperson, Agrovision Foundation and Milind Kokje, Chief Editor, Agrospectrum.

The session started with Gadkari discussing the challenges faced by the farmers in the Vidarbha region and how Government of India has been proactively finding solutions to help the farmer community. He mentioned ethanol-based fuel produced from sugarcane, the use of drones in farmlands and nano urea where the wastage of it will minimal.

Discussing the various opportunities in the agriculture sector with MSME Minister and Agriculture Minister, Gadkari added, “We need to work on preparing a policy on (use of) drones in the farm sector. Drones are related to agro and MSME can generate about 50 lakh jobs in the rural sector in one year. Besides, it will benefit farmers too.”

Ajay Vir Jakhar talked about the need for a modified agri policy in place that will be helpful for farmers. He urged the ministers for better coordination among all the stakeholders for the upliftment of the sector and developing the food system in the entire country.

Chandrasekhar talked about proper training mechanisms in the MSME sector, educational programmes in the food processing sector through a cluster approach in hedging for commodity price risk management. According to him, there should be a focus to reduce price volatility, on growing cereal pulses, need to relook at import-export policy and all stakeholders should work together. The government need to impose a duty on import, price risk management on MSME, provision on MSP and import-export policy, which is what Chandrasekhar mentioned at the event.

Tripathi mentioned about the need to upgrade agri entrepreneurship, promote FPOs. He urged the farmers to act as managers. Mentioning that though there are policies in place, there is a lack of implementation which the government needs to look into. Schemes are many but proper awareness is needed for the upliftment of the sector. Apart from this, he also mentioned setting up SDG goals.

Rane opined about how his ministry will look into the food processing sector, on how an increase in agri GDP is going to have a positive impact on farmers. He assured that his ministry will look into the farmer’s and hoped for positive outcomes for the sector.

Panellists discuss ways to uplift the farmer

With a market size of around Rs 30000 crore, the agrochemicals industry will play a critical role in improving India’s agricultural capability. Rajesh Aggarwal, MD, Insecticide India gives an insight

The year 2022 will be critical for agriculture and its allied industries to get government support, as agriculture continues to play a vital part in fuelling India’s GDP growth. With a market size of around Rs 30000 crore, the agro chemicals industry will play a critical role in improving India’s agricultural capability. 

According to a recent analysis by Reports and Data, the global agro chemicals market is estimated to reach $281.88 billion in 2028, with a revenue CAGR of 3.8 per cent over the forecast period. With higher research and development spending, 2022 will undoubtedly be the year of new products and collaborations, propelling market revenue growth throughout the forecast period.

The road ahead

As three proposed agricultural regulations are abolished and tens of thousands of farmers return to the field, the government will also soon consider the long-pending seed bill and the pesticides bills which have been hanging for almost two decades now. The industry looks forward to promotion and support for the Indian manufacturers who will manufacture the technical as well as formulations for the domestic consumption as well as the exports. Indian agrochemical manufacturers have a lot of potentials and they can prove their might if the regulations encourage them. 2022 will be a year of innovation and R&D.

The agrochemical industry survives on a scientific foundation that meshes well with traditional farming techniques. While collaboration was an important part of this scientific journey in the beginning, with the pandemic, Indian enterprises are increasingly interested in boosting their research and development capacities and facilities so that they may harness its power on their own.

They are not only boosting Indian manufacturing but are also reorienting themselves from producer to solution provider in the process. While collaborations have been important in bringing world-class agrochemicals to India, next-generation formulations developed in India have also proven to be equally efficient and cost-effective. There are simple to spray or broadcast, with a low dosage and better efficacy. As a result, it is clear that agrochemical businesses will increasingly focus on incorporating next-generation formulations into their R&D capabilities and product mix in order to gain a competitive advantage. In the aftermath of COVID-19, when their main exporter China had to stop down operations, Indian agrochemical companies are also making great progress in finding new avenues to export. This is a significant step toward the industry’s self-sufficiency.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for drones in agriculture

THE SOPs for the use of drones in agriculture has been released by the government. These SOPs will serve as guidance for all parties involved in the use of chemicals for pest and disease control.

Drones are already being tested for their deployment in the cotton-growing region of the country to spray pesticides to control pests that would otherwise be treated by agricultural labourers, which takes a long time and uniform spray is also an issue. Drones not only reduce the risk of inadvertent fume inhalation but also speed up the pest management process by covering larger regions in less time. The key benefit of deploying a drone is that it will use less pesticide and provide more precision throughout the application procedure.

As per the directives, pesticide companies must submit phytotoxicity studies, and trials are likely to begin soon across India. This will greatly add to research which in turn will lead to greater productivity in the coming years. Though the commercial use will take some time, it is good that the government is working in this new direction. Insecticides (India) Limited (IIL) is raising awareness among farmers by providing sufficient training, as well as information and insights on the judicious use of agrochemicals. More government support and joint work in this direction can make these awareness programmes reach a wider audience in all parts of the country, this will really help the farmers to increase their productivity by reducing the damages.  

The agrochemical industry contributes heavily towards food security and provides employment to a large workforce and has been a Champion Sector for decades. The need of the hour is that the sector is provided with its due share in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ while removing bottlenecks and introducing progressive regulatory measures to safeguard the environment.

With a market size of around Rs

The startup believes on digitising the agriculture industry by integrating IOT implementation.

Pune-based start-up Bharat Krushi Seva believes in digitising the agriculture industry by integrating IOT implementation. The leading IT company in the agricultural field provides an online platform for farmers to opt for new technologies. Bharat Krushi Seva has a certified and skillful group of domain experts, agriculture and agribusiness consultants, IT professionals, marketing specialists having vast experience in their respective fields.

Sharayu Lande, Founder and CEO, Bharat Krushi Seva said, “Having eight plus years of experience working with technology, helped us understand the power of data and technology and how technology can make a huge difference in the life of Indian farmers. With this initiative, in 2019 we started working with 1,000 farmers on building the algorithm of data analytics and our proof of concepts.”

Hemant Dhole Patil, Co-founder and COO, Bharat Krushi Seva said that, “We are Building Bharat Krushi Seva which is an App based platform for Farmers. Where farmers can increase their productivity using our cumulative set of services starting from Soil Testing, personalised crop specific weather monitoring and alerting system, personalised crop consultancy for early prediction of pest & diseases, credit services to buy the inputs & connectivity with bulk buyers for market linkage.”

Currently the start-up is in touch with 40,000+ farmers in Maharashtra with two business tie ups for input companies with Nirmal Seeds & Zydex, 3 Business Tie Ups in output. The start-up has a vision for the “Mass Adoption of Digital Agriculture”, that will directly impact five million farmers in the coming five years.

The startup believes on digitising the agriculture

PM will also release an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organizations

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has planned to release the 10th installment of financial benefit under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on January 1, 2022, on an online mode via video conferencing.

Moving ahead, the scheme will also enable the transfer of Rs 20,000 crore or more to the 10 crore plus beneficiary farmer families. The main agenda of this scheme was to empower the grassroots level farmers, by hearing and resolving the problems they face.

PM-KISAN scheme provides a yearly benefit of Rs 6000 to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal four-monthly installments of Rs 2000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In this scheme, Samman Rashi of over Rs 1.6 lakh crore has been transferred to farmer families so far.

During the programme, PM will also release an equity grant of more than Rs 14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), which will benefit more than 1.24 lakh farmers. Prime Minister will also interact with FPOs during the event while addressing the nation.

PM will also release an equity grant

According to the union minister, North-Eastern States can be developed as a hub of organic farming along with natural farming

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare virtually inaugurated the New Built Administrative Building of the ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Zone – 6, Guwahati, Assam.

The Union Minister applauded the unparalleled roles played by the Krishi Vigyan Kendras in providing crop diversification and good quality seeds in the country. This has accelerated the progress of the country, he added. Tomar emphasised the need to adopt natural farming practices on a larger scale. The Union Minister outlined the vision of promoting the oil palms’ farming in the North-East states.

Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare regarded the inauguration of the New Administrative Building of ICAR-ATARI, Guwahati as a new dimension in the various progress made by the Council. The minister highlighted the aim to enhance the use of drones and nanotechnologies in the agricultural sector. The need to include the women farmers in the Farmers’ FIRST Programme was stressed by the minister. Choudhary accentuated on linking the country’s distant farmers with the Farmers’ Producers’ Organizations.

According to the union minister, North-Eastern States

He has a career spanning more than 37 years

The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has appointed Milind Madhukar Deo as Director – Technical of Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCFL). Before this, he was Executive Director – Coordination, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers.

He joined the company in July 1984 as a Management Trainee. In his long career spanning more than 37 years, he has worked in various capacities in ammonia and urea plants, complex fertiliser plants, group of chemical plants, steam generation plants, methanol and nitric acid plants, product handling plant, technical services, health, safety and environment management, energy management and coordination of performance improvement schemes.

Deo is a Bachelor of Chemical Engineer from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (earlier known as UDCT, Mumbai) from the 1984 batch.

He has a career spanning more than

To focus on manufacturing pesticides, intermediates, fungicides, etc

Agrochemical company Heranba Industries has acquired 57,248.29 sq mt plot at Saykha Industrial Estate in Gujarat. The company already owns plots for the production of pesticides, intermediates, fungicides, herbicides and insecticides and has received permission to settle (CTE) from Gujarat Pollution Control Board.

The company has received the environmental permit from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change, Government of India to set up a production unit with a capacity of 10,680 TPA on the Saykha Plot for its products’.

For further expansion of the production units, Heranba acquired additional industrial lot No. T-108 +109 with an area of 57,248.29 square metres at Saykha Industrial Estate.

To focus on manufacturing pesticides, intermediates, fungicides,

The MoU will explore joint research in the areas of crop protection and the use of drones in agriculture

Dhanuka Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad to jointly provide technical know-how and support to farmers in Telangana. The MoU will also explore joint research in the areas of crop protection and the use of drones in agriculture. Dhanuka Group chairman RG Agarwal showcasing drones for agriculture use.

Dhanuka Group plans to participate and sponsor conferences and together with the university will jointly conduct research activities in the field of crop protection chemicals. In partnership with the university, Dhanuka will encourage farmers to use modern agriculture technologies, which will play a vital role in increasing crop production.

The company has procured two drones and will train 30-40 drone pilots to aid farmers across India, including Telangana.

The MoU will explore joint research in

Dhaanvi by Hosachiguru is a space designed for children of all ages to engage in activities that bring them closer to nature

Hosachiguru, a farm asset management company, has launched ‘Dhaanvi’, a managed farmland that is focused on creating unique farm experiences for children. The farmland is located in Yerahalli in Thattiguppe village.

Dhaanvi Farmland by Hosachiguru was launched with a two-fold goal in mind – one, to provide an open space for children to appreciate and engage with nature, and become green enthusiasts and nature lovers of tomorrow, and two, to help children become the green superheroes of tomorrow by instilling in them the need and value of a green future. With this goal in mind, Hosachiguru has curated Dhaanvi where children can participate in activities like farming, tilling, animal petting, and harvesting, as well as storytelling, puppet performances, wall ball, hopscotch, and other games. 

Commenting on the new launch, Srinath Setty, Co-founder, Hosachiguru, said, “We live in an age where digital screens have become one of the main sources of entertainment for children. We as parents have a responsibility to introduce our kids to experiences that are closer to nature. Farmland like Dhaanvi is a great way to let your child experience the magic of nature through fun activities such as farming, harvesting, and physical farm-based games. This not only makes them appreciate nature but it also empowers them to become green superheroes of tomorrow.” 

The farmlands will also have herbal and vegetable permaculture gardens, an Ayurvedic wellness center, animal interactions at barns and Gaushalas, viewing decks & machans, camping sites, kids playing areas, and an activities center. Owners can also work from the farm with high-speed internet access at designated areas. 

Dhaanvi by Hosachiguru is a space designed