Maize is most important food crop after rice and wheat contributing towards national food security with an annual production of 28.7 million metric tonnes. The major maize producing states are Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Maize is a relatively less water demanding crop and gives higher yield...

The health conscious urbanites are moving towards growing their own food. Starting as a hobby, urban farming is evolving as a necessary means to address issues of food security, physical and emotional well being. This calls for improved access to information and intensive knowledge exchange through diverse and emerging media. Urbanisation...

Urban spaces can be innovatively used for food production. They can help city dwellers rethink their connection with food ecosystems and land in the process. Educational institutions provide a unique opportunity conducive to integrating food security as part of its curriculum as well as outreach activities. The IIT Gandhinagar organic farm...

Farmers of coastal Tamil Nadu are compelled to grow rice despite its low returns, as rice alone has the unique feature of withstanding water stagnation for a longer period of time. Integrating fish culture and poultry rearing in rice helped farmers in 3 coastal districts in Tamil Nadu to double their...

Krishi Vigyan Kendras have been instrumental in helping farmers adopt integrated systems on the farm, thereby helping them produce more and earn more. Lyngrah’s farm, now a model farm, serves as an example of such support provided by KVK. Shri Wallam Kupar Lyngrah, a dedicated progressive and innovative farmer, hails from...

Pardhis are a community of traditional hunters, who live a nomadic life, and hunt predominantly for meat. They also help farmers against crop raid by wild herbivores, cull man-eaters on behalf of communities and governments, and in the past helped royalty on hunting expeditions. They had an important role in...

Women farmers in the hill State of Himachal Pradesh are gradually turning to non-chemical, low cost “natural farming”, which has not only provided them with a sustainable livelihood but also empowered them better. Launched in 2018, the State’s Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Yojana is promoting the climate resilient Subhash Palekar Natural Farming...

Dans le sud de l'Inde, la région agricole autour d'Anantapur, l'une des plus grandes du pays, est en pleine conversion vers une agriculture 100% naturelle, à rebours du modèle agricole indien. La terre compte huit millions de paysans, dont Surendra Reddy. Le fermier a été l'un des premiers convertis. Depuis quatre...

In recent years, the interests on the social world and the physical world of indigenous peoples have been on the increase, resulting in a gradual growth of literature on indigenous or tribal peoples of the world. Such works have provided an understanding on the situation of indigenous peoples. However, more...

The clod breaker is a simple wooden tool made out of a cylindrical log with iron spikes. It can be pulled by animals or even by an adult person. By driving the clod breaker over your field in opposite directions, the soil will become loose, aerated and absorb more water....

Growing concerns relating to land degradation, threat to eco-systems from over and inappropriate use of inorganic fertilizers, atmospheric pollution, soil health, soil biodiversity, and sanitation have rekindled the global interest in organic recycling practices, like composting. The potential of composting to turn on-farm waste materials into a farm resource makes...

Provision of advice and other services related to farming at the village level is critical for enhancing the incomes of small and marginal farmers. Creation of an eco-system that can support the emergence of agri-entrepreneurs through delivery of these services at the village level is the only way forward if...

The World Health Organization (WHO) characterized COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March, 2020. Two weeks later, a nationwide lockdown was announced in India, to ensure consistency in the application and implementation of pandemic control measures. The lockdown adversely affected numerous fishers and fishworkers and their families. Being contact-intensive, small-scale fisheries...

Local food initiatives with agroecological approaches are increasingly recognized. The global pandemic's challenge is alerting communities to the importance of being self-sufficient and resilient. Overall, farmers are thriving during the pandemic by making appropriate adaptations while urban consumers moved towards 'growing own food' and 'buying local'. This issue of the Low-External-Input and...

Length Frequency Distribution Analysis (LFDA) and Catch and Effort Data Analysis (CEDA) are software packages with analytical tools to guide and assist stock assessment and develop fisheries management policies in developing countries. The outputs of LFDA include estimates of growth and mortality and precautionary management advice. CEDA analyses catch and...

On May 29, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayong), the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, organized a convention with international experts with the aim of promoting agroecological agriculture in India. The experts united on the importance of producing food free of fertilizers, agrochemicals and pesticides,...

Bamboo and rattan are ideal resources for development that integrates poverty reduction and environmental sustainability, and INBAR’s priority is giving people at all levels the knowledge and skills they need for long-term development involving bamboo and rattan. Therefore, preserving bamboo extends its life and maintains its quality. Bamboo culms are...

Poor farmers in marginal areas continue to grow old crop varieties that are often susceptible to pests and disease, and which are less suited to current constraints and opportunities experienced by farmers. These farmers have had little exposure to new varieties, whilst those that have been released are often not...

Blowfly infestation of traditionally processed fish is a serious problem that results in significant physical and economic losses. It also leads to the unregulated use of inappropriate and hazardous insecticides by fish processors in some developing countries. This manual provides guidance on the biology of blowfly infestation and its control....

Bhavnaben Suthar of Dungarpur, India is a farmer and master trainer for SEWA Manager Ni School. She grows various crops including wheat, chana, and sarso in her farmland. The majority of farmers in their area also grows vegetables. However, their livelihood is deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. As her farm...