Digital ecosystem of Agriculture with farmers at the centre

These institutions are: (i) Patanjali Organic Research Institute (ii), Amazon Web Services (AWS) (iii), ESRI India Pvt. Ltd. (iv) Agribazar India Pvt. Ltd. The MoUs have been signed with these organizations for pilot project using Kisan Database as adhaar within a period of one year: With ESRI for setting up and launching of "National Agriculture Geo Hub", with Amazon Web Services for creation of digital services and innovation ecosystem linked with digital agriculture in the agricultural value chain, with Agribazar to collaborate with Department of Agriculture for pilot project in 3 States (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan) to promote digital agriculture and an MoU has been signed with Patanjali for agricultural management and farmer service in 3 districts (Haridwar- Uttarakhand, Hamirpur- Uttar Pradesh and Moraina- Madhya Pradesh).

· Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India has prepared a Consultation Paper on India Ecosystem Architecture (IndEA) Digital Ecosystem of Agriculture (IDEA) with a view to keep farmers at the centre of agro-ecology by promoting free digital technologies.

India-Australia cooperation and collaboration in the field of Agriculture

· 4th June 2020.

· The India - Australia Grains Partnership was a significant inclusion aiming to use Australia’s expertise in post harvest management to strengthen rural grain storage and supply chains so as to reduce losses and wastage

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Shri Giriraj Singh chairs a virtual program on the occasion of World Milk Day

· Minister announces the launch of a National Award, Gopal Ratna Award, for Dairy Sector.

· Integration of e- Gopala app with UMANG platform also announced.

· Milk production has increased at an average annual growth rate of 6.3% per year in the last 6 years – Shri Giriraj Singh.

· National Awards for the Cattle and Dairy sector, the Gopal Ratna Awards. The award has three categories - i) Best Dairy farmer, ii) Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT) and Best Dairy Cooperative/ Milk producer Company/ FPO.

The Seed Minikit Programme was launched by Union Agriculture Minster Sh. Narendra Singh

· by distributing Seed Minikits (higher yielding varieties of seeds) to farmers.

· 12.70 % more wheat procured in comparison to last year corresponding period

Union Minister of State for Agriculture& Farmer’s Welfare Shri Parshottam Rupala launches the Bamboo Market Page on Govt e-Marketplace (GeM) portal

· The National Bamboo Mission and the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) have been working together for having a dedicated window on the GeM portal for marketing of the Bamboo Goods (Bamboo based products & Quality Planting Materials). Resultant to the collaboration, a dedicated window “The Green Gold Collection” for bamboo products was launched by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Parshottam Rupala during a virtual event on 3rd June, 2021

World Environment Day 2021- ‘Ecosystem Restoration’

15 JUNE

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shri Narendra Singh Tomar addresses the 42nd session of FAO Conference

· the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji had released a special seventy-five rupees commemorative coin which aptly combines the themes of agricultural production and nutrition in its motto - “सही पोषण देश रोशन’’ meaning “a country will shine if the nutrition is correct”.

· Special parcel trains with refrigeration facilities “the KISAN RAIL” were introduced by Indian Railways to transport the essential commodities including perishable horticulture produce, milk and dairy produce from the production centres to the large urban markets across our vast country creating a win-win situation for the producers and consumers.

Government of India's NAFED launches Fortified Rice Bran Oil to Boost Healthy Living

· Shri Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution today E-launched “Nafed Fortified Rice Bran Oil”.

· Nafed (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd).

Shri Arjun Munda, Minister for Tribal Affairs launches the tribal livelihoods initiative “Sankalp Se Siddhi – Mission Van Dhan”

· tribes India Coffee table book, new TRIFED Head Office among other highlights of the mega-launch event ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi’ – Mission Van Dhan, was launched by Shri Arjun Munda,

ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research Releases 4 New Varieties of Rice

· The Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) has recently released four new varieties of rice namely: DRR Dhan 53, DRR Dhan 54, DRR Dhan 55 & DRR Dhan 56 for the farmers.

Read more on home page..

16/6

3 Centers of Excellence established in Karnataka under Indo-Israel Agriculture project

· Israeli Agro-Technology will be tailored to local conditions

· These Centers of Excellence will help in increasing farmers income – Shri Narendra Singh Tomar

· Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP).

· TheseCentres of Excellence generate knowledge, demonstrate best practices and train officers and farmers.

Cabinet approves Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) Fertilisers for the year 2021-22

GI certified Jalgaon banana exported to Dubai

· India exported 1.91 lakh tonne banana worth Rs 619 crore during 2020-21

· In a major boost to exports of Geographical Indications (GI) certified agricultural produce, a consignment of fibre and mineral rich ‘Jalgaon banana’ has been exported to Dubai.

· India’s banana export has been rising sharply because of adoption of farm practices as per the global standards.

17/6

Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Records Highest Ever Turnover in FY 2020-21 Despite Covid-19 Pandemic

· In a year completely marred by Covid-19 pandemic, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has recorded its highest-ever turnover. In the year 2020-21, KVIC registered a gross annual turnover of Rs. 95,741.74crores, as compared to Rs. 88,887 crores

18/6

· 12.59 % more wheat procured this year in comparison to last year’s corresponding period

· 431.12 LMT wheat procured so far, against the last year corresponding purchase of 382.88LMT

· About 48.75Lakh farmers benefitted from the ongoing wheat procurement

· 839.41LMTs of paddy procured on MSP for ongoing KMS 2020-21 and RMS benefitting 124.00Lakh farmers

· Government agencies procured 8,60,368.59MT of Pulses and Oilseeds on MSP

· Central and State Governments coordinate actions to contain the prices of pulses

· Prices of Tur, Moong dal and Urad stabilise and show declining trend

World’s Most Expensive Mango

· Variety name :Miyazaki

· Country of origin :Japan

· Price : Rs. 2.7 lakh (around USD 3600) per kg

Features:

· weighing a minimum of 350 grams

· 15% of sugar content

· Its skin is fiery red

· The fruit appears like a dinosaur egg

19/6

50 kWp Solar roof top under the IPDS scheme of Government of India inaugurated in Solan as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’

20/6

7th International Yoga Day

· 7th International Yoga Day programme tomorrow, 21st June

· The theme this year is ‘Yoga For Wellness’, which focusses on practising Yoga for physical and mental well-being.

21/6

India expands its cereals exports footprints through shipping rice, wheat and other cereals to newer destinations

· Overall exports of cereals have seen a sharp spike in 2020-21

· The sharp spike in exports of mainly rice (basmati and non-basmati), wheat and other cereals in 2020-21 is attributed to synergy and collaboration between various stakeholders – farmers, millers, exporters and government agencies in boosting exports.

West Bengal relaunches Krishak Bandhu scheme doubling farmers

· Which will benefit around 60 lakh farmers across the state.

· Krishak Bandhu scheme

Big Bud 747- World's Largest Farm Tractor".

· The Big Bud 747 or 16V-747 Big Bud is a large, factory build, production tractor built in Havre, Montana, in 1977.

· It has 1100 horsepower.

· It is the "World's Largest Farm Tractor".

22/6

· India and Fiji sign MoU for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors

· The Government of India announced Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to ameliorate the hardship faced by the poor due to economic disruption caused by Corona virus. Under the scheme, free food grains @ 5 kg per person per month is being distributed to beneficiaries covered under NFSA.

Bayer Launches Yellow Watermelon Variety in India

· Bayer has launched ‘Yellow Gold 48’ – India’s first-ever yellow watermelon variety, under its Seminis® brand of high-yielding vegetable seeds. The yellow watermelon has been made from superior germplasm as part of Bayer’s global research and development efforts.

World’s Longest Grain Basmati Rice: Incredible Features and Types

· Pusa 1121 paddy grains

· In Kharif 2003, IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute) had almost done a miracle in rice. They developed world’s longest grain rice variety Pusa 1121. It was developed by two brothers –Devesh Mittal, who won the Padma Shri, and Aman Mittal. This rice variety has extraordinary long grain, upto 0.33 inches (8.4 Easy to cook and digest

23/6

Government approves extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY), from July 2021 up to November, 2021

· Around 80 Crore NFSA beneficiaries were allocated additional 5 kg of foodgrains, free of cost for a period of 8 months

· In 2021, PM-GKAY was announced for a period of two months (May and June) with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 26,602 Crore

Bayer Launches Yellow Watermelon Variety in India

· Bayer has launched ‘Yellow Gold 48’ – India’s first-ever yellow watermelon variety, under its Seminis® brand of high-yielding vegetable seeds. The yellow watermelon has been made from superior germplasm as part of Bayer’s global research and development efforts.

Rubber Board Plants the First Genetically-Modified (GM) Rubber in India

· It was an exciting day at Sarutari research farm in Guwahati as the Rubber Board of India planted the first genetically-modified (GM) rubber plant on 22 June 2021. This is believed to revolutionize the cultivation of natural rubber in India.

· The GM rubber plant is developed at the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII).

· gene MnSOD (manganese-containing superoxide dismutase) inserted in it.

24/7

APEDA in collaboration with Indian embassy organize virtual buyer seller meet for boosting agricultural and processed food products exports to Algeria

· In a bid to boost agricultural and processed food products exports, APEDA in collaboration with Indian embassy has organized a virtual buyer seller meet (VBSM) with Algeria where key stakeholders in the agricultural value chains from both the countries participated.

India and Fiji Sign Pact for Cooperation in Agriculture

· for Agriculture, Waterways & Environment in a virtual meeting on June 22.

· This MoU is valid up to 5 years from the date of its signing, provides for Cooperation in Agriculture and allied sectors such as Dairy industry, Water resources Management, Horticulture industry, Post-Harvest Management, Agriculture research, Agriculture mechanization and much more.

· What is an MoU?

· A Memorandum of Understanding is a formal agreement between 2 or more parties.

Good News! 50% Reservation in Agriculture Universities for Students from Farm Families

· State: Karnataka

· Seats: 983 to 1,230.

· Reasons: To make farmers better equipped to handle globalization

25/6

ICAR-CTCRI Develops Bio-Pesticides From Tapioca leaves; Receives Patent Too

· The Patent Office, Government of India, has granted patent for the technology, “Apparatus and Process for Extraction of Biopesticides from Cassava Biowastes.” This technology has been jointly developed by ICAR-CTCRI (Central Tuber Crops Research Institute) in collaboration with Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment (KSCSTE).

26/6

Exotic dragon fruit or Kamalam from Maharashtra exported to Dubai.

· Scientifically referred to as Hylocereusundatus, the dragon fruit is grown in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, the USA and Vietnam. Dragon fruit production commenced in India in early 1990s and was grown as home gardens. Dragon Fruit has become increasingly popular in recent years in the country as it has been taken up for cultivation by farmers across various states.

27/6

the Prime Minister inaugurated Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy at AMA, Ahmedabad. This is yet another instance showcasing the close bond between India and Japan." On 27th June.

APFTAL and Marut Dronetech Sign Deal with PJTSAU

· Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) signed an agreement with Asia Pacific Flight Training Academy Limited (APFTAL) and Marut Dronetech Private Limited, which has stated ambitions to employ drones in agriculture.

· The three organizations will work together on research and development as well as training for unmanned aerial vehicles.

· Training modules would be designed and developed by the APFTAL and Marut Dronetech. They would train the trainers in order to assist the institution in developing human resources capable of operating unmanned vehicles.

· While APFTAL would handle the training, the university would supply the necessary physical facilities for training.

28/6

India to become Aatmanirbhar in Phosphatic Fertilisers

· India Aatmanirbhar in Rock Phosphate, the key raw material of DAP and NPK Fertlisers. By following the clarion call of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is surely marching towards achieving Aatmanirabharta in fertilisers in the time to come.”

APEDA facilitated exports of Burmese grapes ‘Leteku’ to Dubai

· In a major boost to harness the export potential of agricultural and processed food products from north-eastern states, a shipment of fresh Burmese grapes referred as ‘Leteku’ in Assamese language has been exported to Dubai from Guwahati by air route.

· APEDA assisted in exports of Geographical Indications (GI) certified KajiNemu (Assam lemon) to London. So far around 40 metric tonnes of Assam Lemon has been exported.

· Jackfruits sourced from the Tripura based Krishi SanyogaAgro Producer Company Ltd was exported to London

Statistics Day – India- 29-June

· Theme: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-2: End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture

· It has been designated as one of the Special Days to be celebrated at the national level and is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Late Prof. P C Mahalanobis, on 29th June, in recognition of his invaluable contribution in establishing the National Statistical System.

UPL Ltd.

· UPL Ltd. Launches new ‘NPP’ Business Unit to Enhance Biosolutions Capacity for Sustainable Agriculture offering Worldwide

· UPL Ltd. (NSE: UPL & BSE: 512070), a world leader in sustainable agriculture products and solutions, has announced the launch of ‘NPP’ – Natural Plant Protection – a new global business unit housing UPL’s comprehensive portfolio of natural and biologically derived agricultural inputs and technologies.

29/6

Government allocates 198.78 LMT food grains under PMGKAY-IV (July-November 2021)

· The Government of India announced Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to ameliorate the hardship faced by the poor due to economic disruption caused by Corona virus. Under the scheme, free food grains for a period of two months (May-June 2021) @ 5 kg per person per month is being distributed to beneficiaries covered under NFSA.

Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System

· To address anemia and micro-nutrient deficiency in the country, Centre expedites capacity of the fortification of rice to increase from 15,000 MT to 3.5 lakh MT by incentivising and creating awareness among rice millers

· Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on "Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System" was launched for a period of 3 years beginning in 2019-20

· The Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on "Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System currently implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh

· Fortification of rice is a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets and a step towards nutritional security and to fight anemia and malnutrition in the country

Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme under Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan Completes One Year

· Launched on 29th June 2020,

· The centrally sponsored Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and promote formalization of the sector, marks the completion of its one year.

· the PMFME Scheme is currently being implemented in 35 States and Union Territories. The online portal for the application of the PMFME Scheme was made live on 25th January 2021. More than 9000 individual beneficiaries have registered on the portal, out of which more than 3500 applications have been successfully submitted under the scheme.

Milestones achieved under the PMFME Scheme

· One District One Product

· Capacity Building and Incubation Centres

· Seed Capital

· Marketing and Branding

· Institutional Mechanism

· Promotion and Publicity of the PMFME Scheme

About the PMFME Scheme

Launched under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to enhance the competitiveness of existing individual micro-enterprises in the unorganized segment of the food processing industry and to promote formalization of the sector and provide support to Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, and Producers Cooperatives along their entire value chain. With an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the scheme envisions to directly assist the 2,00,000 micro food processing units for providing financial, technical, and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing enterprises.

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission

· DAY-NRLM is addressing gender issues through Social Action Committees of SHG federations.

· DAY-NRLM to institutionalise gender across all its work and ensure that community-based platforms like social action committees are further strengthened to promote equitable access to rights, entitlements and a decent living for women and girls.

Additional Subsidy for Farmers

· According to the Finance Minister, an additional sum of Rs 14,775 crore would be supplied, which will include a core additional subsidy of Rs 9,125 crore for DAP and a core additional subsidy of Rs 5,650 crore for NPK-based complex fertilizer.

Kerala’s Agriculture Enthusiasts Launch “Support A Farmer” Initiative

Aquaconnect Launches ‘Pond Diary’ For Aqua Farmers

30/6

ICAR-IVRI Gets Patent For Instant Soup Mix Made From Spent Hen Meat

One more Indian patent has been added in the IP portfolio of ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar (Uttar Pradesh).

The institute has been granted another patent on “UTILIZATION OF SPENT HEN MEAT FOR PREPARATION OF INSTANT SOUP MIX” (Patent No. – 370161; 24.06.2021); filed vide application number 122/DEL/2014. The team of the inventors includes Dr Palanisamy Gokulakrishnan and Dr Sanjod Kumar Mendiratta.

In the present invention, an improved process was standardized for preparation of instant soup mix using spent hen meat, starch, spices and condiments with high protein (>26%) and low fat (<2%) contents. The developed technology aimed for efficient utilization of abundantly available spent hen meat in the form of instant soup mix in order to fulfil the nutrient needs of our country at a very affordable price. It offers nutritious, palatable, convenient and ready-to-reconstitute meat product to the consumers.