farmers | DD News

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...

September 7, 2026 6:29 PM

Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviews plan to strengthen KVKs through greater state participation

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday reviewed an action plan to strengthen Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) through greater participation of state governments, with a focus on upgrading 300 centres by March 2027 and establishing incubation-cum-skill centres at all KVKs by December 2028. The meeting, held in New Delhi, reviewed the implementation of recommendations concerning KVKs made during the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference 2...

August 11, 2026 5:18 PM

Livestock sector expands as Kisan Credit Card coverage crosses 50 lakh farmers, milk output rises to 247.87 MT

India’s livestock sector has recorded significant growth in institutional credit, milk production, scientific breeding and veterinary healthcare, with the number of animal husbandry farmers covered under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme rising to 50.42 lakh in 2025-26, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh said on Tuesday. The minister said KCC coverage for livestock farmers had increased substantially from 15.08 lakh beneficiaries in 2021-22 to 50.4...

August 5, 2026 10:40 AM

Farmers voice strong support for ethanol after meeting Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Farmer leaders from across the country have expressed strong support for the expansion of ethanol production, describing it as a major opportunity to boost farm incomes and strengthen India's energy security, during a meeting with Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Krishi Bhavan on Tuesday. A delegation of the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC), comprising representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telang...

July 30, 2026 8:07 PM

APEDA facilitates first-ever sea shipment of value-added flavoured makhana from Bihar to Canada

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first-ever sea shipment of value-added flavoured makhana (fox nuts) from Bihar to Canada, marking a significant step in expanding the global footprint of the state's premium agricultural produce while boosting returns for farmers through value addition. The inaugural consignment, comprising seven metric tonnes packed in two containers, was flagged off from Darbhanga on July 29 and dispatched to...