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Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Indian agriculture's response to global warming
The impact of global warming is no longer a distant threat—it is a daily reality felt in the parched fields of Rajasthan, the flood-hit rice belts of Punjab, and across India's climate-vulnerable agri-ecosystem. Agriculture, the backbone of India's rural economy and a livelihood for more than 50% of the population, is increasingly at the mercy of erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, unseasonal hailstorms, and rising temperatures. Though India is only a marginal contributor to global emissions, it bears a disproportionate burden of climate-induced agricultural vulnerability. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has already flagged India's agricultural sector as highly sensitive to climate variability. Now, with 310 out of 651 agricultural districts classified as 'highly' or 'very highly' vulnerable, this crisis demands urgent and collective action. Fortunately, the Indian government is not standing still. Through the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and its embedded National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), a strategic policy framework aims to improve ecological sustainability, climate resilience, and water-use efficiency. But are these measures enough? Let's take a closer look. The Per Drop More Crop initiative has introduced micro-irrigation to address water stress. The Rainfed Area Development Programme promotes integrated farming systems to reduce climate risk. Soil health is being revived through schemes encouraging organic and judicious fertiliser use. The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture and the National Bamboo Mission further reinforce efforts for sustainable agriculture. Perhaps most crucially, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme are shielding farmers financially from unpredictable crop losses. While these insurance schemes are essential, adaptation—not just risk compensation—must be our long-term goal. India's scientific establishment, through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), has pioneered the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project. With over ₹1,060 crore allocated, NICRA focuses on climate-resilient technologies, district-level risk assessment, and building adaptive capacity among farmers. A key achievement under NICRA is the development of 2,900 new crop varieties over the past decade, with over 2,600 designed to tolerate biotic and abiotic stresses such as drought, flood, salinity, and extreme temperatures. These scientific breakthroughs represent India's readiness to adapt at the genetic level of agriculture. Furthermore, 448 Climate Resilient Villages (CRVs) have been piloted across 28 states and union territories. In Rajasthan alone, 35 CRVs across 13 districts are helping farmers adopt innovative practices—like zero tillage, direct seeding of rice, and water-saving irrigation—to withstand climatic extremes. Despite these policy and scientific advances, systemic challenges persist. Awareness and adoption of climate-resilient technologies remain low in many vulnerable regions. Insurance coverage is uneven, and schemes like PMFBY often face implementation bottlenecks. The fragmented landholding pattern, absence of robust climate data at the farm level, and limited extension services further slowdown impact. Additionally, the climate crisis exacerbates farmer distress in states like Punjab, where drought and desertification are altering soil profiles and cropping patterns. Such shifts threaten not only food security but also the socio-economic fabric of rural India. To complement government-led missions, India's agri-startup ecosystem is rapidly emerging as a powerful enabler of climate-resilient agriculture. With over 2,000+ agri-startups across the country, this new generation of innovators is deploying AI, IoT, remote sensing, and satellite-based analytics to provide real-time, hyperlocal advisories on weather forecasting, irrigation cycles, and soil health management. From low-cost drip systems to climate-smart greenhouses, and from bio-based inputs to precision farming solutions, startups are democratising access to climate innovation while accelerating on-ground adoption. The ministry of science and technology and the ministry of education have spearheaded landmark investments to establish Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) and Centers of Excellence (CoEs). These initiatives represent a bold, structured approach to funding cutting-edge research, deep-tech startups, entrepreneurial capacity building, human skilling, and global-industry partnerships. Programmes like the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems ( ₹3,660 crore) and the CoE for AI in Agriculture, Healthcare, and Sustainable Cities ( ₹990 crore+) are at the heart of this transformation. At the centre of this movement is iHub AWaDH at IIT Ropar, supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under NM-ICPS. With a budgetary outlay of ₹110 crore+, iHub AWaDH has built one of India's most diverse deep-tech portfolios in agritech and water-tech, now comprising 140+ startups, collectively valued at over ₹1,300 crore. These startups have raised ₹102 crore+ in external investments, with ₹17 crore deployed internally through government-backed funding programs like DST NM-ICPS, Startup India Seed Fund, MeitY Startup Hub, and CSR Funds from HDFC. These numbers testify to the ecosystem's growing depth and credibility. Initiatives like SAMRIDHI, SPRINT, WATER Innovation Challenge, the WISE Fund (supporting women-led climate tech ventures), and ATMAN (focusing on agri-deeptech acceleration) demonstrate how startup innovation is being seamlessly integrated into national policy frameworks. Moreover, the establishment of 12 Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) labs across 9+ states, under the NM-ICPS mission, and programmes like SPRINT (12 editions) are giving student innovators, agri-tech entrepreneurs, and rural startups access to prototyping, experimentation, and validation infrastructure—through grants, mentorship, access to networks, and labs—thus bridging the last-mile gap in climate technology access. Adding another layer of institutional commitment, the Ministry of Education (MoE) launched a ₹990 crore+ Centres of Excellence (CoE) programme, with a dedicated CoE on AI in agriculture awarded to IIT Ropar under the banner of with a specific budget of ₹330 Cr. This CoE is tasked with revolutionising agriculture using AI-powered tools across biodiversity, nutrient intelligence, crop health, and livestock monitoring. India's response to climate threats in agriculture must now shift from fragmented schemes to a national climate-smart agriculture mission. This includes: · Mainstreaming climate resilience in all agri-schemes—from PM-KISAN to PMFBY. · Boosting public-private partnerships to scale up innovations in drought-resistant crops and precision farming. · Expanding CRVs as models of best practice in every vulnerable district. · Strengthening agri-infrastructure for water storage, solar irrigation, and resilient supply chains. · Investing in data and digitisation to enable real-time agro-advisory services based on hyperlocal weather forecasting. · Upskilling extension workers to become climate educators. · Deploying more funds, establishing CPS Labs, and expanding SPRINT programmes nationwide across other institutions and hubs. Above all, climate literacy among farmers must become a national priority. Awareness is the first line of defence—and our farmers deserve timely, credible, and actionable information. India cannot afford to let its agricultural sector remain the frontline victim of a crisis it didn't cause. As we march towards the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, climate-resilient agriculture must be at the heart of this development narrative. It is time to turn every village into a climate-resilient unit, every farmer into an empowered change-maker, and every policy into a shield against climate shocks. With the 3I3P model—innovation, investment, implementation, and programme-policy process—India can rise as a global model of sustainable and climate-smart agriculture. This article is authored by Pilot Neeraj Sehrawat, chief strategy officer, Kailash Kher Foundation and Mukesh Kestwal, chief innovation officer, IIT Ropar.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Officials issue dire warning about potential food shortages that could impact millions: 'We should be worried'
India is the second-highest producer of both wheat and rice, according to the World Economic Forum. But with rising atmospheric temperatures changing rainfall and other weather patterns, experts warn that these agricultural outputs will soon be dramatically lower. Outlook Planet reported on the concerning patterns, sharing that India's wheat and rice outputs are expected to dip by 6 to 10% in the coming decades. This is largely due to a loss in freshwater supply. Atmospheric temperatures are climbing — 2024 was India's hottest year on record, the Times of India reported — and this has changed the weather. Western Disturbances, the weather systems that migrate from the Mediterranean, are decreasing in India. These systems are responsible for bringing winter rain and snow, which in turn supplies much of the springtime freshwater supply needed to grow crops. And without this water supply, crops cannot grow. "Water availability is decreasing," said Dr. M Ravichandran, who works as the Secretary with the Indian government's Ministry of Earth Sciences. "Over two billion people, including those in India and China, depend on this water. It is a very serious issue, and we should be worried about the future." Outlook Planet cited the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA), a project piloted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. NICRA's research predicts that India's wheat yield will decline by 6 to 25% by 2100, and that their irrigated rice yields will drop 7% by 2050 and 10% by 2080. Outlook Planet quoted Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the Director General of the India Meteorological Department. Mohapatra said that the decrease in these staple crop yields will start "significantly impacting farmers and food security of the country." Right now, approximately half of India's population works in the agricultural sector. With these losses, they may be unable to supplement their income. A decrease in both food and water supplies could threaten to upend entire economies in India and beyond. This could ripple into higher prices at the grocery store or major shortage supplies — similar to the ones the U.S. has been experiencing with eggs due to a climate-related bird flu outbreak. A similar issue is happening with fishing in India. With ocean temperatures rising, many fish are moving away from warm coastal waters toward deeper seas. "This is creating major problems for the fishing community and impacting their livelihoods," Ravichandran explained. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Much of the onus of slowing down the planet's warming is coming down to the decisions made by governments and corporations to create — and then adhere to — plans for emissions reductions. However, looking for ways to stay informed and take local action is an excellent way to be empowered in the fight against the drastic impacts of the planet's overheating. For example, choosing to upgrade to electric cars or non-polluting home energy systems is a great way to minimize your own energy usage. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Associated Press
06-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
YOUR PART-TIME CONTROLLER, LLC, ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF FEDERAL AWARDS SERVICES TO HELP NONPROFITS NAVIGATE FEDERAL FUNDING IN TIME OF UNCERTAINTY
PHILADELPHIA, March 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Your Part-Time Controller, LLC (YPTC), a leading provider of nonprofit accounting services, is proud to announce Hatsy Cutshall as Director of its new Government Awards Management department. Hatsy moves into her position following more than 13 years with YPTC, where she served as the leader of markets in Washington, DC, Phoenix, and New England. She came to YPTC with years of experience as the CFO of two largely federally funded nonprofits, where she oversaw and performed accounting, compliance reporting, audit preparation, and indirect cost rate negotiations. Throughout her tenure with YPTC, she has helped clients and colleagues with questions and challenges working with government funding from Federal, State, and local sources. YPTC's Government Awards Management services focus on developing cost allocation plans, preparing NICRA applications and single audits, complying with Uniform Guidance and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and overall management and reporting of government funding. In addition to these services, Hatsy continues to provide guidance and resources for managing the impact of the recent sweeping executive orders regarding federal funding for nonprofits. The Government Awards Management service partners with YPTC's Government Funding department, which already supports nonprofit clients by identifying federal (and non-federal) grant opportunities and the application process. Derick Dreher, leader of the Government Funding department at YPTC, helps nonprofits find and secure major grants in his role. 'The expansion of YPTC's Federal Awards department to include the wraparound services of Government Awards Management comes at a perfect time,' says Derick Dreher, 'Now, more than ever, nonprofits are increasingly concerned with the federal funding discourse and are often unsure of where to turn. The goal of our combined efforts will be to guide nonprofits through this uncertainty.' Derick and Hatsy will collaborate on an upcoming webinar, " Demystifying Federal Funding: Nonprofit Questions Answered", where they will walk through the decision-making process behind federal spending, the types of funding available to nonprofits, and the compliance requirements organizations must meet after receiving an award. This session is the first of YPTC's Managing Through Uncertainty, a series designed to deliver real-time insights and practical guidance for federal funding and the nonprofit sector. Organizations are encouraged to subscribe, attend, and engage to remain current on how potential executive orders may impact their funding and operations. 'Derick and I are dedicated to keeping organizations updated and prepared for all possible outcomes,' says Hatsy Cutshall. 'Our goal is to remain a trusted ally and source of calm for all nonprofits.' About YPTC YOUR PART-TIME CONTROLLER, LLC (YPTC) is a national firm with over thirty years of experience building stronger nonprofits. YPTC offers valuable, specialized services such as accounting, financial reporting, data visualization, and more. Support, flexibility, and transformation mark our overall approach; we meet clients wherever they are. As a partner and strengthening agent, YPTC allows nonprofits to focus on what matters: furthering the mission of the organization. For more information, please visit our website
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
USAID has 'demonstrated pattern of obstructionism,' claims top DOGE Republican in letter to Rubio
FIRST ON FOX: The Senate chair of the DOGE Caucus is exposing a "demonstrated pattern of obstructionism" at the U.S.' top aid agency in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, outlined how the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been "stonewalling" her office for years as she sought documents to ensure taxpayer dollars weren't wasted at the agency, which is now under the microscope of billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). "USAID's spending shows a blatant disregard for the wishes of American taxpayers, and it is time to disrupt the system," Ernst told Fox News Digital. "The agency has been wasting millions of tax dollars on things like tourism in Lebanon, Sesame Street in Iraq, sending Ukrainians to Paris Fashion Week and so much more." In one instance, the Iowa Republican claims USAID misled her staff to believe that details about funds going to businesses in Ukraine were classified, funds that in some instances were used for travel to fashion shows and film festivals. 'Viper's Nest': Usaid Accused Of Corruption, Mismanagement Long Before Trump Admin Took Aim In 2024, after months of delays, USAID finally agreed to offer Ernst's staff a review of recipients of taxpayer-funded assistance to businesses in Ukraine, according to the letter. Read On The Fox News App But the agency insisted the documents be reviewed in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF), suggesting the records would be classified. "These requirements were all presented to my staff under the false pretense that this data was classified," Ernst wrote to Rubio. "Only after demanding to speak to your USAID Office of Security, my staff uncovered that this data was, in fact, unclassified." Ernst said that based on her staff's review, it appears that over 5,000 Ukrainian businesses received U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance, with awards of up to $2 million each. What Is Usaid And Why Is It In Trump's Crosshairs? That trade assistance was in some instances used to bankroll business owners attending glamorous film festivals and fashion shows in cities like Berlin, Paris and Las Vegas. She also accused the agency of "misleading" her office on the costs of indirect aid. Negotiated indirect cost agreements (NICRA) allowed contractors to use more than 25% of the total award on costs like "rent for a partner's corporate headquarters, advocacy costs, and other miscellaneous expenses." Ernst said her staff reached out in November 2022 asking USAID for information on NICRAs with grant recipients. The agency responded, "USAID does not have a system to track or report on this data, as it is not possible to compare indirect costs between for-profit and nonprofit organizations," according to Ernst. In February 2023, Ernst followed up with a link to a publicly reported NICRA database that USAID confirmed does exist. The agency then said that it "protects the confidential business information of its implementing partners, including NICRAs… outside the scope of a formal oversight request by a committee of jurisdiction." Then, Ernst partnered with former House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, to give USAID the request from a "committee of jurisdiction." "Even then, USAID refused to permit my staff to acquire the documents or take substantive notes on the NICRA rates. The lack of transparency was alarming because the NICRA rates far exceeded staff's expected range of indirect costs allowed." Usaid Closes Hq To Staffers Monday As Musk Says Trump Supports Shutting Agency Down Ernst said: "In the wake of this series of significant misjudgments and oversight obstruction by USAID, it is of the utmost importance to conduct a full and independent analysis of the recipients of USAID assistance." She also pointed to Chemonics, a government contractor that USAID's inspector general found over-billed the U.S. government by $270 million through fiscal year 2019. Chemonics led a $9.5 billion USAID project to improve global health supply chains that, "led to 41 arrests and 31 indictments related to illicit resale of USAID funded commodities on the black market, and fueled ongoing allegations that Chemonics falsely portrays its projects' outcomes to secure future contracts with USAID," Ernst wrote. "No more stonewalling," said Ernst. "We need to scrutinize every last dollar being spent by this rogue agency." In a notice posted on its website Tuesday night, USAID announced that all direct hire staff would be placed on leave globally, except for designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs. The Trump administration is now exploring merging the agency with the State Department and Rubio has been appointed its acting director. Rubio told reporters in El Salvador the "functions of USAID" must align with foreign policy and called it a "a completely unresponsive agency." Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, staged a protest outside the USAID headquarters on Tuesday, arguing that the agency is essential for flexing U.S. soft power throughout the world, preventing and monitoring disease outbreaks, and safeguarding U.S. national security. "USAID is the backbone of America's soft power, helping to stabilize fragile regions and protect U.S. interests abroad," said Reps. Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., who is on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., from the Africa subcommittee. "Weakening it will fuel global crises, endanger American security, embolden other nations like China and Russia, and leave the Trump Administration solely responsible for the fallout."Original article source: USAID has 'demonstrated pattern of obstructionism,' claims top DOGE Republican in letter to Rubio
Fox News
05-02-2025
- Business
- Fox News
USAID has 'demonstrated pattern of obstructionism,' claims top DOGE Republican in letter to Rubio
FIRST ON FOX: The Senate chair of the DOGE Caucus is exposing a "demonstrated pattern of obstructionism" at the U.S.' top aid agency in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, outlined how the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been "stonewalling" her office for years as she sought documents to ensure taxpayer dollars weren't wasted at the agency, which is now under the microscope of billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). "USAID's spending shows a blatant disregard for the wishes of American taxpayers, and it is time to disrupt the system," Ernst told Fox News Digital. "The agency has been wasting millions of tax dollars on things like tourism in Lebanon, Sesame Street in Iraq, sending Ukrainians to Paris Fashion Week and so much more." In one instance, the Iowa Republican claims USAID misled her staff to believe that details about funds going to businesses in Ukraine were classified, funds that in some instances were used for travel to fashion shows and film festivals. In 2024, after months of delays, USAID finally agreed to offer Ernst's staff a review of recipients of taxpayer-funded assistance to businesses in Ukraine, according to the letter. But the agency insisted the documents be reviewed in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF), suggesting the records would be classified. "These requirements were all presented to my staff under the false pretense that this data was classified," Ernst wrote to Rubio. "Only after demanding to speak to your USAID Office of Security, my staff uncovered that this data was, in fact, unclassified." Ernst said that based on her staff's review, it appears that over 5,000 Ukrainian businesses received U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance, with awards of up to $2 million each. That trade assistance was in some instances used to bankroll business owners attending glamorous film festivals and fashion shows in cities like Berlin, Paris and Las Vegas. She also accused the agency of "misleading" her office on the costs of indirect aid. Negotiated indirect cost agreements (NICRA) allowed contractors to use more than 25 percent of the total award on costs like "rent for a partner's corporate headquarters, advocacy costs, and other miscellaneous expenses." Ernst said her staff reached out in November 2022 asking USAID for information on NICRAs with grant recipients. The agency responded, "USAID does not have a system to track or report on this data, as it is not possible to compare indirect costs between for-profit and nonprofit organizations," according to Ernst. In February 2023, Ernst followed up with a link to a publicly reported NICRA database that USAID confirmed does exist. The agency then said that it "protects the confidential business information of its implementing partners, including NICRAs… outside the scope of a formal oversight request by a committee of jurisdiction." Then, Ernst partnered with former House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul to give USAID the request from a "committee of jurisdiction." "Even then, USAID refused to permit my staff to acquire the documents or take substantive notes on the NICRA rates. The lack of transparency was alarming because the NICRA rates far exceeded staff's expected range of indirect costs allowed." Ernst said: "In the wake of this series of significant misjudgments and oversight obstruction by USAID, it is of the utmost importance to conduct a full and independent analysis of the recipients of USAID assistance." She also pointed to Chemonics, a government contractor that USAID's inspector general found over-billed the U.S. government by $270 million through fiscal year 2019. Chemonics led a $9.5 billion USAID project to improve global health supply chains that, "led to 41 arrests and 31 indictments related to illicit resale of USAID funded commodities on the black market, and fueled ongoing allegations that Chemonics falsely portrays its projects' outcomes to secure future contracts with USAID," Ernst wrote. "No more stonewalling," said Ernst. "We need to scrutinize every last dollar being spent by this rogue agency." In a notice posted on its website Tuesday night, USAID announced that all direct hire staff would be placed on leave globally, except for designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs. The Trump administration is now exploring merging the agency with the State Department and Rubio has been appointed its acting director. Rubio told reporters in El Salvador the "functions of USAID" must align with foreign policy and called it a "a completely unresponsive agency." Democratic lawmakers, meanwhile, staged a protest outside the USAID headquarters on Tuesday, arguing that the agency is essential for flexing U.S. soft power throughout the world, preventing and monitoring disease outbreaks, and safeguarding U.S. national security. "USAID is the backbone of America's soft power, helping to stabilize fragile regions and protect U.S. interests abroad," said Reps. Greg Meeks, top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sara Jacobs,Calif., top Democrat on the Africa subcommittee. "Weakening it will fuel global crises, endanger American security, embolden other nations like China and Russia, and leave the Trump Administration solely responsible for the fallout."
