farmers | DD News

September 30, 2026 4:02 PM

Centre approves ₹5,547.99 crore MSP procurement of pulses and oilseeds in three states

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved procurement worth ₹5,547.99 crore at Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. The procurement will cover around 7.06 lakh metric tonnes of pulses and oilseeds and is aimed at protecting farmers from a decline in market prices and ensuring remunerative returns for their produce. ...

September 29, 2026 4:05 PM

Over Rs 1,200 crore PM-RKVY support sanctioned to 10 states; Shivraj Singh Chouhan calls for ‘Team Agriculture’

The Centre has sanctioned more than ₹1,200 crore to 10 states under the Prime Minister Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY), Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday, calling for stronger Centre-State coordination and a "Team Agriculture" approach to improve farmers' livelihoods and food security. Addressing the second day of the National Agriculture Conference – Rabi Campaign 2026 on Tuesday, Chouhan said the Centre and states should rise above political differen...

September 28, 2026 3:03 PM

Government pushes aquaculture insurance with 40% premium incentive

India’s rapidly expanding aquaculture sector is increasingly confronting a challenge that can undermine years of investment in a single crop cycle - the financial impact of disease, floods, cyclones and other natural and non-preventable risks. With fish production more than doubling over the past decade and aquaculture now accounting for around 74 per cent of the country’s total fish production, the government is seeking to make insurance an integral part of aquaculture risk management thro...

September 21, 2026 12:33 PM

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on one-day visit to Punjab today; to flag off ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan is scheduled to undertake a one-day visit to Punjab on Monday, during which he will inaugurate the ‘Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra’, address a public rally, and hold ground-level interactions with farmers and women from self-help groups. According to the Minister’s itinerary, Chouhan will commence his tour in Bathinda district by paying obeisance at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo. Following his visit to the shrine...

September 17, 2026 1:08 PM

India makes first soil carbon payments to farmers in Punjab, Haryana

India has moved its agricultural carbon market from policy to the farm level, with more than 2,500 smallholder farmers in Punjab and Haryana set to receive over ₹2.9 crore in digital payments for adopting regenerative farming practices. The first payments were released at a programme held at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, where Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)...

September 14, 2026 10:31 AM

Seven years of PM-KMY: Building a pension safety net for India’s small and marginal farmers

For millions of small and marginal farmers, securing a stable income in old age can be as important as sustaining livelihoods during their working years. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana (PM-KMY), launched on September 12, 2019, seeks to address this need by providing eligible farmers with an assured pension after they turn 60. As the scheme completes seven years on September 12, 2026, it has enrolled 24,96,252 farmers across the country as of February 6, 2026. The scheme has emerged as...

September 10, 2026 11:10 PM

Proposed Seed Act to tighten crackdown on fake seeds, protect farmers’ rights: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has stepped up consultations with farmer organisations on a proposed new Seed Act aimed at strengthening regulation, curbing the sale of fake and substandard seeds and ensuring greater accountability across the seed supply chain. Chouhan held a consultation with representatives of farmer organisations from across the country at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi on Thursday. Representatives from almost all states participated and a...

September 9, 2026 10:16 PM

Agrivoltaics to help farmers earn from crops and clean energy: Pralhad Joshi

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Wednesday said India’s farmers could emerge as both “Annadatas” and “Urjadatas” by producing food and clean energy from the same piece of land through agrivoltaics. Addressing a curtain-raiser event for the 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 in New Delhi, Joshi said the next phase of the PM-KUSUM scheme would include a dedicated component for agrivoltaics. The initiative is expected to enable farmers to continue cultivat...

September 9, 2026 6:12 PM

Centre to hold nationwide farmer consultation on new Seed Act on September 10

The Centre is preparing to introduce a stringent new Seed Act aimed at curbing the sale of fake and substandard seeds and protecting farmers from financial losses. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will hold a nationwide consultation with representatives of major farmer organisations on September 10 to seek their views before the proposed legislation is finalised. The consultation will be held at 4 pm at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi and is ...

September 8, 2026 11:19 PM

AI learns to track Mithun behaviour in real time, opening new possibilities for livestock management

Researchers at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun (ICAR-NRC on Mithun) in Nagaland have developed an artificial intelligence-based system that can detect and track the behaviour of Mithun in real time, a development that could transform livestock monitoring and help farmers manage animal health, welfare and reproduction more efficiently. Mithun, scientifically known as Bos frontalis and popularly called the “Cattle of the Hills”, holds considerable social, cultural and economic imp...