The field station of the CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, located in Bonera, is playing a crucial role in promoting and expanding lavender cultivation in the picturesque southern district of Pulwama.  Through their dedicated efforts, they are empowering local labourers and revolutionising agricultural practices in the region. Lavender, known for its captivating fragrance and versatile uses, has gained popularity as a crop worldwide. Recognising its potential in Jammu and Kashmir, the CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine has actively engaged in research and development to harness the benefits of lavender farming. By collaborating with local farmers and providing them with technical expertise, the institute has successfully brought lavender cultivation to the forefront of the agricultural industry in Pulwama.  This initiative has not only created new opportunities for the region but also contributed to the overall socio-economic development of the local community. The labourers working on the lavender farm are experiencing a significant improvement in their livelihoods. Many of them previously relied on traditional farming practices that yielded limited returns. With the introduction of lavender cultivation, they now have access to a high-value crop that fetches better market prices. The CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine has conducted extensive research on lavender varieties suitable for the climatic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir. Through careful selection and breeding, they have developed robust and disease-resistant lavender plants, ensuring successful harvests for the farmers. Further, the institute has imparted advanced agricultural techniques and best practices to the labourers, enabling them to maximise their yield and optimise the quality of lavender oil and other lavender-based products.  This knowledge transfer has not only enhanced productivity but has also empowered the farmers with valuable skills for sustainable agriculture. The director of the CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine said, "Our aim is to create a lavender revolution in Jammu and Kashmir, transforming the lives of farmers and boosting the economy. Lavender farming has tremendous potential, and we are committed to supporting the local community in capitalizing on this opportunity." The success of lavender cultivation in the southern Pulwama district has garnered attention from other regions in Jammu and Kashmir. Farmers and agricultural enthusiasts are now eager to adopt lavender farming, recognising its profitability and ecological benefits. With the continued efforts of the CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine and the dedication of local farmers and labourers, the lavender industry in Jammu and Kashmir is poised for remarkable growth. This collaborative endeavor is not only diversifying the agricultural landscape but also positioning the region as a key player in the lavender market.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday flagged in ‘OP Sadbhavana 2022-23’, a 10-day organic farming education tour from Sajik Tampak to Sikkim, at Mantripukhri in Impha, reports Eastmojo. OP Sadbhavna, which comprises a team of 20 farmers from Kana Valley in Chandel district, was flagged off from Sajik Tampak to Gangtok on February 4 under the aegis of HQ IGAR(S). Speaking at the event, CM Biren Singh lauded the efforts of Assam Rifles for promoting organic farming in border areas. “Organic farming is an important part of ‘War on Drugs’ as it provides a means for alternative farming. The participants will help promote organic farming in the state and also educate the public about its benefits,” the chief minister said. CM Biren also expressed his gratitude to Sikkim government for providing opportunity to the farmers of Manipur for learning various aspects of organic farming. The chief minister also laid emphasis on generating public awareness about the benifits of organic approach to agriculture. The tour was organised to enlighten and expose the young farmers of the state on organic farming. During their maiden visit to Sikkim, the farmers were provided knowldge on various chemical-free organic farming techniques. During the tour programme, a series of presentation and field visits to various organic farms were also organised by the Agriculture and Horticulture Department of Sikkim. Besides, the farmers also got an oppurtunity to interact with Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad Chaurasia in Gangtok. The farmers, through OP Sadbhavana, were able to gain practical knowledge on organic ways of soil testing, pests controll and harvesting techniques. They also gained knowlege on the emerging markets for organic products. Source: Eastmojo

India has embraced technology in every field of activity. It is adopting smart farming methods through technology and innovation in the agriculture sector and this may prove to be a game changer in the days to come by substantially raising farmers income.   How is this method beneficial? Smart farming involves the application of sensors and automated irrigation practices. It can help monitor agricultural land, temperature and soil moisture. This would enable farmers to monitor crops from anywhere. Moreover, smart farming can help integrate digital and physical infrastructures, which would benefit small farmers. Agri-based startups can reach out to the farmers and help them gain access to such viable and cost-effective solutions. Agri-based, tech-driven startups have been very innovative in assisting farmers and revolutionising farming techniques. They have also addressed one of the most powerful headwinds (climate change) through climate-smart farming. In a unique move, the Indian government is implementing a Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM), which includes India Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA), Farmers’ Database, Unified Farmers Service Interface (UFSI), funding to the states on the new technology (NeGPA), revamping Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC), Soil Health, Fertility and profile mapping.   According to a report published by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) in 2019, there were more than 450 argi-based tech-driven startups in India as of 2019. This number has skyrocketed in the last two years as the sector witnessed a surge in investments and funding. Agri-based tech-driven startups have been very innovative in assisting farmers and revolutionising farming techniques. They have also addressed one of the most powerful headwinds (climate change) through climate-smart farming.   Under the NeGPA programme funding is given to the governments in various Indian states for Digital Agriculture projects using emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Internet of Things (IOT), Block chain etc. Adoption of drone technologies is being done too. To promote smart farming, the government promotes startups in the agriculture sector and nurtures agri-entrepreneurs.   The ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMKSY-PDMC) aims to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through micro irrigation technologies like drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. PMKSY is a scheme initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.   The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) promotes innovation, extension and education in agriculture. A total of 1,575 field crop varieties were released for different agricultural crops during 2014-21. During 2014-21, 91.43 crore agri-advisories were provided to farmers through mobiles. ICAR developed 187 mobile apps on different farm and farmer related services during 2014-21.   The agriculture sector plays a vital role in enriching India’s economy. Agriculture accounted for almost 17.8 per cent of India’s Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2019- 20. According to the World Bank’s collection of development indicators, employment rate in the Indian agriculture sector stood at 41.5 per cent in 2020. From a socio-economic standpoint, agriculture is a vital sector which requires focus and awareness at all levels.   According to India Brand Equity Foundation, the rising population and changing diets have created a huge pressure on land in India. Farmers are struggling to keep up as crop yields level off, soil degradation rises, water shortage increases, biodiversity declines, and natural calamities become more frequent. Furthermore, agriculture accounts for almost 14 per cent of India’s total greenhouse gas emissions.   In the meantime, the NITI Aayog (erstwhile Planning Commission of India) conducted a study entitled “Efficacy of Minimum Support Prices on farmers”, in 2016, which found, among other things, that MSP declared by the government has encouraged 78 per cent of the farmers covered under the study for adopting improved methods of farming such as high yielding varieties of seeds, organic manure, chemical fertilizer, pesticides and improved methods of harvesting etc.   Additionally, oilseeds, pulses and copra of Fair Average Quality (FAQ) are procured from registered farmers under Price Support Scheme of the umbrella scheme of Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), as per its prescribed guidelines.   The Indian national Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep Minimum Support Price or MSP at levels of one-and-half times of the cost of production. Accordingly, government has increased the MSPs for all mandated Kharif (including wheat), Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from the agricultural year 2018-19.   Moreover, India’s National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) is the only source of enrolment for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), on which farmer applications from various designated sources including banks/financial institutions are entered. Specific cut-off dates have been prescribed for enrolment of farmers, debit of premium, remittance of farmers’ premium to concerned insurance company and uploading of data of farmers on NCIP.   The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been incentivising setting of food processing industries through central sector umbrella scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI) and centrally sponsored scheme ‘PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme across all the country.   Under scheme of creation of infrastructure for agro processing clusters, a component scheme of PMKSY, the scheme is aimed at development of modern infrastructure and common facilities to encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units based on cluster approach and also to create modern infrastructure for food processing closer to production areas and to provide integrated and complete preservation infrastructure facilitates from the farm gate to the consumer.   Source: Newsroomodisha.com

Huawei is turning to technology for pig farmers as it deals with tough sanctions on its smartphones. The Chinese telecoms giant was stopped from accessing vital components after the Trump administration labelled it a threat to US national security. In response to struggling smartphone sales, Huawei is looking at other sources of revenue for its technology. Along with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tech for pig farmers, Huawei is also working with the coal mining industry. Former US President Donald Trump claimed Huawei can share customer data with the Chinese government, allegations it has repeatedly denied. As a result, the world's largest telecoms equipment maker has been limited to making 4G models as it lacks US government permission to import components for 5G models. Huawei's smartphone sales plunged 42% in the last quarter of 2020 as it struggled with a limited supply of microchips due to the sanctions. Huawei has also been locked out of the development of 5G in a number of countries, including the UK, amid fears over national security. Reports have suggested that it will reduce its manufacturing of smartphones by up to 60% this year, although it said it can't confirm this figure. "The issue here is not like there's any problem with our quality or experiences of the Huawei products. It's not a level playing field for Huawei as Huawei is caught in between the geopolitical tensions," a company spokesman told the BBC. And so, Huawei appears to be looking for other sources of revenue - moving into cloud computing services, smart vehicles and wearable devices. It even has plans for a smart car. But it also has its eye on a few more traditional industries. Pig farming China has the world's biggest pig farming industry and is home to half the world's live hogs. Technology is helping to modernise pig farms with AI being introduced to detect diseases and track pigs. Facial recognition technology can identify individual pigs, while other technology monitors their weight, diet and exercise. Huawei has already been developing facial recognition tech and faced criticism last month for a system that identifies people who appear to be of Uighur origin among image of pedestrians. Other Chinese tech giants, including JD.com and Alibaba, are already working with pig farmers in China to bring new technologies. "The pig farming is yet another example of how we try to revitalise some traditional industries with ICT (Information and Communications Technology) technologies to create more value for the industries in the 5G era," the Huawei spokesman added. Mining coal and data Earlier this month, Huawei founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei announced a mining innovation lab in northern China's Shanxi Province. He wants to develop technology for coal mines that will lead to "fewer workers, greater safety, and higher efficiency" and enable coal miners to "wear suits and ties" at work. During a round-table meeting at the event, Mr Ren said the company was also expanding into consumer products such as televisions, computers and tablets. "We can still survive even without relying on phone sales," Mr Ren said, adding that it is very unlikely the US will remove Huawei from a blacklist that bars companies from working with the Chinese tech firm. Source: BBC AH