Agriculture News at a Glance: February Highlights

1. J&K to promote sustainable agriculture with its new project

Jammu and Kashmir’s “Alternate Agriculture System for Sustainability” project aims to promote sustainable agriculture by expanding organic cultivation, producing and recycling bio-inputs, and providing training for farmers. With a budget of Rs. 84 crores over the next five years, the project aims to benefit 10,000 farming families by expanding the area under certified organic cultivation to 4000 hectares.

2. A new nano urea plant to start in Deoghar

Amit Shah lays the foundation for an Rs. 450 crore nano urea plant and township for IFFCO in Deoghar, Jharkhand. It is the fifth urea plant of its kind in India.

3. Nagaland government joins forces with Patanjali Foods for Oil Palm Plantations

The Nagaland government and Patanjali Foods have signed an MoU to promote oil palm cultivation in the state under the National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm {NMEO OP}. The initiative aims to expand the area under cultivation and establish an oil mill, benefiting farmers and reducing dependence on imported edible oil. The partnership highlights the government’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and development in the state.

4. 2nd Indian Rice Congress was inaugurated at Cuttack

The President of India, Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the Second Indian Rice Congress at Cuttack and noted that ICAR-NRRI has developed new rice varieties, CR Dhan 310 rich in protein and CR Dhan 315 rich in zinc. The Governor of Odisha Prof. Ganeshi Lal was also present.

5. Excess tobacco produced in Karnataka can be sold: Government Says

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry has allowed the sale of excess Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco produced by registered and unregistered growers during 2022-23 without penalty as the produced quantity was less. The no-penalty permission will cover the loss due to low production

6. Union Agriculture Minister Inaugurates National Horticulture Fair at IIHR

Union Agriculture Minister, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, inaugurated the National Horticulture Fair on “Innovative Horticulture for Self-Reliance” at the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research in Bengaluru. The fair showcased the latest technologies in horticulture, including vegetable and medicinal crop varieties, flower waste utilization and cost-effective pest management. The event aimed to inspire farmers to adopt innovative practices for self-reliance and sustainability in horticulture.

7. Hyderabad hosts International conference on trade and marketing of coconut products

The coconut board with the International coconut community organized an International conference on the trade and marketing of coconut products in Hyderabad.

Four sessions were held in this two-day conference addressing

• International Outlook for Coconut Products
• Moving towards sustainable coconut sourcing
• Global marketing Prospects and Growth prospects for coconut products
• Innovative Industry Practices and Application of Technology

8. Outbreak Alert: H5N1 Avian Influenza Detected in Jharkhand

The ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Disease in Bhopal has detected the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in samples received from a government poultry farm in Bokaro, Jharkhand, after January 2019 in Godda district. The farmers whose poultry birds, eggs and poultry feed are disposed off by the state government will get compensation. The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India provides funds to States and UTs on a 50:50 sharing basis under LH & DCP Scheme.

9. Hyderabad hosts Start-up conclave on Animal Husbandry & Dairy

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairy, Government of India hosted a start-up conclave in Hyderabad, in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board, Startup India, CII and the Animal Husbandry Department of Telangana, to promote start-ups in the livestock, dairy and animal husbandry sectors. The event included showcasing of selected start-ups, pitch fest, buyer seller meet and workshop to train early-stage start-ups.

10. Odisha Leads the Way with India’s First AI Chatbot for Agriculture

Governor of Odisha, Prof. Ganeshi Lal, recently launched ‘Ama KrushAI’, India’s first AI chatbot for the agriculture sector. The bot is built using the ChatGPT system and Bhashini language interpretation platform developed by IIT Madras. It will be providing information about best agronomic practices, government schemes and loan products from commercial and cooperative banks. This chatbot is trained to resolve farmers’ queries on various topics and provide personalized responses based on their data in the Krushak Odisha state farmers’ database.

11. The Sensor based Smart Agriculture project to Boost Agriculture in J&K

The government of Jammu and Kashmir has approved an Rs. 30.40 crore project “Sensor-based Smart Agriculture” Project to integrate agriculture with technology driven by Artificial Insemination and IoT for automation of practices, enhanced resource use efficiency and profitability. It would also enable the use of Hi-tech polyhouses for the cultivation of cash crops round the year.

12. Master card & ACCESS to empower FPOs in Assam

The Mainstreaming agriculture through networks and development initiatives (MANDI) programme of Mastercard & ACCESS Development Services will train farmers in capacity building. The project will train frameworks, curriculum and tools for FPOs in Assam. It also aims at providing financial literacy to farmers and improving market linkages and digital tools along with creating awareness about financial services and schemes.