Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<h2>What Are Agricultural or Farming Drones?</h2>Agricultural <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/drone-technology-uses-applications">drone technology</a> has been improving in the last few years, and the benefits of drones in agriculture are becoming more apparent to farmers. Drone applications in agriculture range from mapping and surveying to cropdusting and spraying.On the surface, agricultural drones are no different than other types of drones. The application of the UAV simply changes to fit the needs of the farmer. There are, however, several drones specifically made for agricultural use (more on that in a later section).<h2>Agricultural Drone Technology</h2><h3>Precision Agriculture</h3>Precision agriculture refers to the way farmers manage crops to ensure efficiency of inputs such as water and fertilizer, and to maximize productivity, quality, and yield. The term also involves minimizing pests, unwanted flooding, and disease.Drones allow farmers to constantly monitor crop and livestock conditions by air to quickly find problems that would not become apparent in ground-level spot checks. For example, a farmer might find through time-lapse drone photography that part of his or her crop is not being properly irrigated.<h3>Mapping/Surveying</h3>The process of using a drone to map or survey crops is a relatively straightforward one. Many newer agricultural drone models come equipped with flight planning software that allows the user to draw around the area he or she needs to cover. Then, the software makes an automated flight path and, in some cases, even prepares the camera shots.As the drone flies, it automatically takes pictures using onboard sensors and the built-in camera, and uses GPS to determine when to take each shot. But if your drone does not have these automatic features, then one person needs to fly the drone while the other takes the photos.<h3>Cropdusting/Spraying</h3>In 2015, the Federal Aviation Administration approved the Yamaha RMAX as the first drone weighing more than 55 pounds to carry tanks of fertilizers and pesticides in order to spray crops. Drones such as this are capable of spraying crops with far more precision than a traditional tractor. This helps reduce costs and potential pesticide exposure to workers who would have needed to spray those crops manually.<h2>Future of Farm Drones</h2>BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, expects spending on the overall drone market to surpass $12 billion by 2021. But what about the agricultural drone market specifically?<a href="https://www.gminsights.com/pressrelease/agricultural-drones-market">Global Market Insights</a> forecasts that the agricultural <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/drone-industry-analysis-market-trends-growth-forecasts-2017-7">drone market</a> size will exceed $1 billion and 200,000 units shipped by 2024. GMI attributes the growth through 2024 to increasing awareness of the pros and cons of drones in agriculture among farmers.The company also claims that technological advancements in farming techniques will push demand during the forecast period. Increased automation stemming from a lack of skilled resources and a labor crisis will also bolster agricultural drone demand. Finally, GMI expects government programs in this sector to permit operations of various sizes to help make farming processes more efficient.<h2>Agricultural Drones for Sale</h2>There are numerous types of agricultural drones on the market, but a few have risen above the rest as the cream of the crop. <ol><li>PrecisionHawk's DJI Matrice 200 v2: PrecisionHawk is a popular drone choice for farmers, and after partnering with DJI in 2016 the company has flourished in the market. PrecisionHawk describes the <a href="https://www.precisionhawk.com/drones/dji-matrice-200">M200</a> as the ideal drone for, "the toughest farming environments." It features advanced obstacle detection and can even fly in sub-zero temperatures.</li><li>senseFly eBee SQ: senseFly describes its <a href="https://www.sensefly.com/drone/ebee-sq-agriculture-drone/">eBee SQ</a> as the "advanced agricutlture drone." It's popular among farmers, and the biggest selling point is the company's proprietary eMotion software, which makes designing a flight plan incredibly simple. The drone boasts the ability to capture hundreds of acres of footage in a single flight. </li><li>Sentera PHX Complete System: The <a href="https://sentera.com/product/sentera-phx/">PHX</a> features a long-range omnidirectional communication link and can collect data from 700 acres. Senetra offers farmers the ability to increase opperational efficincies and perform plant health analytics. </li></ol><h2>More to Learn</h2>Governments globally are retaining restrictions on drone use - limiting the potential for agricultural monitoring via the aircraft. Business Insider Intelligence's Global Drone Regulation Landscape report details what exemptions the FAA have made for construction, energy, and agricultural firms as well as obstacles drones face in these areas, and others, globally.Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to get access:<ol><li>Purchase &amp; download the full report from our research store. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://store.businessinsider.com/products/the-global-drone-regulation-landscape?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=report_teaser&amp;itm_content=full_report_text&amp;itm_term=store_text_link-drone-license-laws-regulations&amp;vertical=connectivity#!/">Purchase &amp; Download Now</a></li><li>Join thousands of top companies worldwide who trust Business Insider Intelligence for their competitive research needs. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/corporate?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=report_teaser&amp;itm_content=learn_more_text&amp;itm_term=enterprise_text_link-drone-license-laws-regulations">Inquire About Our Enterprise Memberships</a></li></ol><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/drones-101?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=drone&amp;itm_campaign=drones-101"></a>

Exploring agricultural drones: The future of farming is precision agriculture, mapping, and spraying

Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture Practices

<ul class="summary-list"><li>President-elect <keyword id="99719" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Joe-Biden">Joe Biden</keyword> is expected to tap former Secretary of Agriculture <keyword id="249828" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tom-Vilsack">Tom Vilsack</keyword> to reprise his old job leading the department, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-expected-to-nominate-tom-vilsack-to-lead-agriculture-dept-11607471628">according to a Wall Street Journal report</a>.</li><li>Vilsack, a former two-term governor of Iowa, led the Agriculture department from 2009 to 2017 during nearly the entire tenure of former President Barack Obama.</li><li>The former secretary has long supported Biden, <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/11/23/tom-christie-vilsack-endorse-joe-biden-president-iowa-caucuses-2020/4275737002/">backing the president-elect</a> in November 2019 before the 2020 Iowa caucuses.</li></ul>President-elect Joe Biden is expected to tap former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to reprise his old job leading the department, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-expected-to-nominate-tom-vilsack-to-lead-agriculture-dept-11607471628">according to a Wall Street Journal report</a>.Vilsack, a former two-term governor of Iowa who has deep roots in <keyword id="3830395" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="rural-america">rural America</keyword>, where Democrats have struggled mightily over the past two presidential cycles, led the Agriculture department from 2009 to 2017 during nearly the entire tenure of former President Barack Obama.The former secretary has long supported Biden, <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/11/23/tom-christie-vilsack-endorse-joe-biden-president-iowa-caucuses-2020/4275737002/">backing the president-elect</a> in November 2019 before the Iowa caucuses.<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/08/politics/tom-vilsack-agriculture-secretary/index.html">A source told CNN</a> that Biden decided to select Vilsack largely because he "felt it was important to bring in someone with experience" dealing with the intricacies of the department, from handling trade issues with farmers to managing a hunger crisis that's become a reality for many Americans due to the coronavirus pandemic.The Vilsack pick would also represent another example of Biden choosing an individual with ties to the Obama administration and with whom he has a preexisting relationship.In a Senate that will be closely divided regardless of which party wins the January 2021 Georgia runoff elections, Vilsack is also a nominee who can attract bipartisan support for confirmation. In 2009, <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2009-01-20/html/CREC-2009-01-20-pt1-PgS661-7.htm">he was confirmed</a> by unanimous consent.Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican, said on Tuesday that he would be willing to advocate for Vilsack during the confirmation process."I like what Vilsack did as secretary of agriculture for eight years, and if he was in for another four years it would be OK with me," he said during a Tuesday phone call with rural reporters. "I would be glad if he wants me to speak for him before the [Senate] Agriculture Committee."Grassley added that Vilsack has been "very helpful in getting a lot of things done and bringing them to the attention of people."Vilsack was first elected as governor of Iowa in 1998, serving from 1999 to 2007. In late 2006, he launched a bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, only to end his campaign in February 2007 and endorse then-Sen. Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign. After Clinton lost the nomination to then-Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, Vilsack backed the Democratic presidential nominee, who went on to win the 2008 presidential election.This story has been updated.

Biden is expected to nominate Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture

<keyword id="19919396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tripura" source="keywords">Tripura</keyword> Agriculture and Farmers Welfare <keyword id="19914583" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Minister" source="keywords">Minister</keyword> Ratan Lal Nath on Thursday said that within the next few months, drone technology will be integrated with the state's agriculture sector to address certain challenges. The members of <keyword id="22212826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="womens-self-help-groups" source="keywords">women's self-help groups</keyword> (SHGs) will get the best possible training so that they can operate the drones effectively for different purposes such as <keyword id="22212827" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spraying-fertilisers" source="keywords">spraying fertilisers</keyword> and pesticides in fruit and flower gardens. Speaking to after the inauguration of the new Agriculture Development Research and Training Centre at Killa under the Gomati district of Tripura, Nath said, "The central government has launched the scheme called drone Didi which is especially for women. Soon after the scheme was launched, a state committee was constituted. As per the recommendations of the committee, drones will be sent to the agriculture sub-divisions." According to Nath, the appointment of trainers has already been done who will impart training to the SHG members. "The trainers are already recruited. We hope within the next two months drones will reach each of the 47 agri-subdivisions," he added. The Minister also announced that a special scheme has been undertaken to appoint "Krishi Sakhis (Friends of Farmers)" who provide agriculture-related solutions to the farmers in the rural areas. "One sakhi (friend) will be appointed for one rural local body such as Gram panchayats and Village Committees. We have forwarded the proposal to the central government. If we get the approval, the process of appointing Sakhis will be started immediately." On the agricultural infrastructure he inaugurated, Nath said, "We are setting up new infrastructure in all agri subdivisions. This is a new training center set up for the farmers of the area. All the officials, trainers, and experts will come here and speak to the farmers. Arrangements have also been made for video conferencing." SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-price-hike-new-plans-and-how-you-can-save-money/articleshow/111331794.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-price-hike-new-plans-and-how-you-can-save-money/articleshow/111331794.cms" target="_blank">Reliance Jio and Airtel price hike – new plans and how you can save money</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/allied-blenders-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111317150.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/allied-blenders-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111317150.cms" target="_blank">Allied Blenders IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/111304902.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/111304902.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in July 2024</a>

Tripura to introduce drones for agriculture purposes, says Minister

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Several people across the US have reported receiving packages marked as jewelry that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/us/seeds-from-china-mail.html">actually contain mysterious seeds from China</a>.</li><li>Some Utah residents told Fox 13 they received small packages with Chinese writing indicating that the items were jewelry, but they contained unidentified seeds.</li><li>Officials in Virginia and Kentucky told residents who receive these packages not to plant the seeds, as they "may be invasive plant species."</li></ul>Several people across the US have reported receiving unsolicited packages marked as jewelry that actually contain mysterious seeds from <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>.Some Utah residents <a href="https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-department-of-agriculture-investigates-mysterious-seeds-sent-from-china-to-tooele">told Fox 13 in Salt Lake City</a> that they'd received small packages with Chinese writing that indicated the items were jewelry but contained unidentified seeds."I opened them up and they were seeds," Lori Culley of Tooele told the outlet of packages she found on Tuesday. "Obviously they're not jewelry!"Fox 13 reported that the Utah Department of <keyword id="6355165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="agriculture">Agriculture</keyword> and Food would likely investigate in coordination with Customs and Border Protection.Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services <a href="https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/press-releases-200724-seeds.shtml?fbclid=IwAR0w9ZQ3kJpRkpX8Ye_8QdE2VOfMDzM-oHcaJHeFQs84vdztyFCIGaOlOg4">also said on Friday</a> that it was aware of reports of several residents receiving "unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China."The department said that while it had not identified the seeds, they "may be invasive plant species." It asked recipients not to plant the seeds but to contact the Office of Plant Industry Services.Kentucky's commissioner of agriculture, Ryan Quarles, said on Sunday that Kentucky was "the 4th known state to report suspicious packages appearing to originate from China containing seeds."Quarles <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanQuarlesKY/status/1287460825108746240">also asked recipients</a> not to plant the seeds, as they "could contain <keyword id="1616462" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="invasive-species">invasive species</keyword>." He said they should put the package in a bag, wash their hands, and contact the Department of Agriculture.While it's unclear what the seeds are, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/invasive-species-cost-world-agriculture-billions-of-dollars-in-damage-2016-6">invasive species pose a large threat</a>. A 2016 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that invasive species represented a multibillion-dollar threat for agriculture around the world.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/cdc-reports-over-200-infections-in-salmonella-outbreak-2020-7">CDC warns of a 'rapidly growing' Salmonella outbreak amid more than 200 reported infections</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/invasive-species-cost-world-agriculture-billions-of-dollars-in-damage-2016-6">Ignoring this threat could cost the world billions of dollars</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-vaccine-problems-hamper-rollout-before-2021-2020-7">Don't hold your breath for a coronavirus vaccine. Here are the 7 biggest challenges we still need to overcome.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mint-asks-americans-spend-coins-amid-shortage-coronavirus-2020-7">The US Mint is pleading with Americans to 'start spending their coins' after the coronavirus pandemic sparked a national shortage</a></li></ul>

People in the US have reported receiving packages marked as jewelry that actually contain mysterious seeds from China

The recent predictions of <keyword id="6366970" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IMD">IMD</keyword> (<keyword id="55209" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Meteorological-Department">Indian Meteorological Department</keyword>) have had a ‘butterfly effect’ on India’s socio-economic policy landscape. The capital markets have tumbled primarily due to a cautioned 25 basis point reduction in the repo rate by the Reserve <keyword id="6355303" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bank-of-India">Bank of India</keyword> (RBI). The move by RBI considered many factors among which the announcement by the IMD that India is heading for the second consecutive year of deficient rainfall had an influence. The fear of <keyword id="67286" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Food-inflation">food inflation</keyword> lead the Finance Minister to comment on June 4, 2015 that the impact of deficient rains may not have a significant bearing on food grain production. He clarified this was due to the geographical distribution of the coming monsoon. The broader issue remains that <keyword id="235059" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Agriculture">Indian agriculture</keyword> is still dependent heavily on monsoons for agriculture. Three points merit attention with respect to the agriculture sector in India. 
 First, Indian agriculture remains labour intensive (thus providing employment to roughly half the population) and with a lack of appropriate infrastructure strategy. Often the interventions made in rivers/ for irrigation are knee jerk reactions to local developmental needs in contrast to a national strategy required for irrigational development across India. More often than not there are delays in infrastructure development, and it severely undermines the pace of not only agricultural growth but means of sustenance to farmers. It means that the farmers at most times are left to the mercy of rain gods rather than appropriate water harvesting and storage techniques for his/her agricultural produce. It drastically increases the risks of crop failure. Innovative schemes for canals/water harvesting like the solar farm mounted on the top of a canal in Gujarat could bring dual benefits of <keyword id="1710483" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-preservation">water preservation</keyword> as well as electricity critical for the agricultural sector. 
 Second, moving down in the agricultural value chain one observes there is a lack of formal market access, formal means of finance and inhibition to technology utilization that has driven farmers to suicides. Farmers are often left to borrow from informal sources like moneylenders who lend at exorbitant rates that often leads to a debt trap for farmers. Inhibition to technology usage (with respect to <keyword id="6386447" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Farming">farming</keyword> methods as well as seeds is prevalent in some parts. One observes it even in the government storage facilities under its <keyword id="107125" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Food-Corporation">Food Corporation</keyword> of India (FCI). An estimated 40% of the India’s agricultural output by value is left to rot due to lack of adequate storage facilities. On the one hand, India suffers from chronic malnutrition (roughly one out of every four children is undernourished) and fares poorly (55th in 2014) on Global Hunger Index. On the other hand it continues to let the foodgrains rot in the government-owned storage facilities. A solution to the problem could be more competition in the food storage sector leading to better outcomes for all the stakeholders. 
 Third, there is an imperative need for reallocation of human resources to higher productivity activities. It means that choice must be given to <keyword id="48857" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Farmer">farmer</keyword>s who want to move to other sectors of the economy for their livelihood. 50% of the population still in a relatively non-productive sector does merit serious scrutiny and action by policymakers. It also means that the government should look at a cluster-oriented approach to agro-industrial development. Corporations make huge profits out of agricultural value added products even when some of them are unhealthy for consumers. The government should foster newer business models (Like Amul, Lijjat Papad), which can provide employment as well as create value for farmer communities across India. It has tried to do it in this budget with the establishment of the MUDRA bank that aims to provide credit to small business units. However, credit is only a part of a much bigger malaise. The problem of farmer suicides and Indian agricultural output can be solved only when there is a multipronged structural approach to solving the issues. It includes reducing farmer's dependence on rain, providing better market access to agricultural produce, bettering infrastructure for storage, a greater choice to farmers for livelihood and value addition to agricultural produce by farmer communities. 
 (<keyword id="209438" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Kapoor">Amit Kapoor</keyword> is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness &amp; Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal. Amit can be reached at <a href="mailto:amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in">amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in</a> and tweets @kautiliya. The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India.) 
 
Image: thinkstock

Three points about the Indian Agricultural Sector

India is keenly anticipating the <keyword id="6147670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2019">Budget 2019</keyword>. All the different stakeholders of the country are now keeping their hopes high this time as the country is to face the general assembly election in April – May. The severe drop in the annual rainfall this year has made the agriculture sector of the nation a crisis ridden one over the times ahead. Hence there are strong anticipations that the spending on agriculture sector in the 2019 interim budget will be an all-time high. Notably, the agriculture sector sustains the lives of more than 600 million Indians that will make up more than half of the total population of the country. Over the past five years, there was a sharp rise in the spending towards agriculture. In 2018-19, the total spend on agriculture under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> was about Rs 57,600 crores. Looking back at the allocation for agriculture in 2013-14 budget presented by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, we find a sharp three fold increase. A close analysis of the past agriculture budgets will reveal that the highest jump was noticed in 2016-’17 that which showed a whopping 79% hike in spending towards agriculture. Though NDA’s allocations towards the agriculture sector were more static in nature, the government ensured that the allocation was on an average at 2% of the total spending across all the different sectors when compared to the 1.3% during the second term of the UPA. Also we find that the 2018-’19 taking it up further to 2.3% over the preceding year’s budget. Agriculture economy makes up about 18% of the <keyword id="6354971" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="gross-domestic-product">gross domestic product</keyword> (GDP). However, it caters to more than half of the total population of the country. About 69% of the population or 833 million Indians are inhabiting the rural areas and a majority of this segment is below the poverty line. Hence, the agriculture sector is most likely to attract extra consideration when Modi’s government will present its last budget before the upcoming general elections. In addition, we can say the agriculture sector has become even more important to demand the government’s attention as the Bharatiya Janata Party has lost in three state elections in December 2018, which are all a predominantly agriculture based economies. Experts see that farm distress was the major factor behind the electoral reverse that challenged BJP’s stronghold. In November 2018, there were a line of protests by more than 200 farmer groups with the principal demand of better prices for their crops and cancellation of debts. After the debacle the government faced in the state elections, the agriculture sector might get a special attention by the Modi government in the interim budget 2019 as the government is most likely to use the budget to please the majority of the country’s population occupied with agriculture. Anticipations foresee relief packages for the farmers. Already the government had also wooed the farmers stating that the farmer incomes will double by 2022. Hence the priorities in front of the Modi government seem to be clear for the agriculture allocation in budget 2019.

Budget allocation for agriculture in India through the years

One of the biggest challenges of today’s world is <keyword id="118345" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Food-security">food security</keyword>. According to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, food security is achieved when the world population has physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences. However, millions of people across the globe do not have access to safe and adequate sources of food which can provide them with much-needed nourishment. 
 The <keyword id="397960" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Food-and-Agriculture-Organisation">Food and Agriculture Organisation</keyword> (FAO) and the <keyword id="49053" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="World-Food-Programme">World Food Programme</keyword> reported in 2009 that for the first time since 1970, more than one billion people are hungry or undernourished worldwide. Furthermore, the world population will most definitely not stop growing and will demand even more food in the near future. 
 
An important element of food security is the development of agriculture. Otherwise, how would the world meet its food requirements? Nevertheless, the world has long neglected this industry. 
 
Food Crisis And Neglect Of Agriculture 
Food security has been an issue since the beginning of mankind. Humans have always been concerned with finding better and improved ways to produce food. Agriculture was a discovery that allowed man to have a stable source of food. It also allowed man to locate himself in a single place instead of moving around chasing the herds of animals, which in turn, allowed further development and specialisation of agricultural techniques and agriculture in general. 
 
Unfortunately, with developments such as the industrial revolution, agriculture, which has always been a pinnacle in the process of securing food for man, started to become a neglected industry in favour of more advanced forms of businesses. Today, many countries in the world have deficient agricultural policies to support farmers, whether small or large. 
 
Globalization has also contributed in part to the abandonment of agriculture in favour of more profitable businesses. When developed countries with resources to produce cheap food started entering the markets of countries with more deficient technology and higher food prices, local farmers were driven out of business since they could not compete with the cheaper food sold by the developed countries. 
 
Today, the world is facing a critical time in terms of food security. The recent food crisis and economic recession of 2008-2009 have driven millions of people into poverty. According to a 2010 report on food security and agricultural development by the UN Secretary General, several factors converged to make 2009 a particularly damaging year for people at risk of food insecurity: 
 
● The food crisis had pushed the prices of basic goods beyond the reach of millions of poor people. 
● The price increases forced many poor families to make compromises, such as replacing more nutritious food with food that is less nutritious, selling productive assets, withdrawing children from school, forgoing health care or education, or simply eating less. 
 
Possible Solutions 
Efforts have been made to address this enormous issue. One of the most ambitious projects of the international community is the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Back in 2000, the countries of the world committed themselves to certain concrete goals to address the major issues of the planet. The first one of these MDGs establishes that the world has committed itself to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. The concrete goal is to be able to halve the number of people living in hunger by the year 2015. 
 These kinds of concrete commitments help focus efforts throughout the world. However, it has not been enough. The <keyword id="6355833" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="united-nations">United Nations</keyword> itself reports that due to the crisis in 2008- 2009, the progress to end hunger in most regions suffered enormous setbacks. In various parts of the Africa, thousands of people have died and millions more are at risk due to one of the biggest and most severe food crisis in history. Caused by the worst drought that the region has seen in 60 years and decades of civil conflict, many inhabitants of countries such as Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia face serious threats to their lives due to shortage of food and the high prices of basic commodities. 
 
The international community has taken action and implemented various mechanisms to combat the effects of climate change. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification seeks to establish plans of action to combat this phenomenon, which greatly affects agriculture and food production. Additionally, the issue of desertification and drought has been included in other important documents such as the Agenda 21, which includes the most pressing environmental issues of the world. 
 
This is one of the most important principles that resulted from the 2009 World Summit on Food Security: it is part of the “twin-track” approach to tackle the problem: 
 
● Direct action to immediately tackle hunger for the most vulnerable 
● Medium- and long-term sustainable agricultural, food security, nutrition and rural development programmes to eliminate the root causes of hunger and poverty. 
 This is a task that must be addressed at all levels. Countries need to work on implementing adequate national policies to develop agriculture as well as securing food for their population. The <keyword id="429631" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="International-Fund-for-Agricultural-Development">International Fund for Agricultural Development</keyword>, for example, allocates money and resources to finance agricultural development projects throughout the world, especially benefiting the small farmers and the poor. On the other hand, the World Food Program delivers and distributes food to areas and regions struck by different crisis whether man-made or natural. 
 
However, the challenges not only come from the current shortage of food for the current population of our planet. Seeing the rates at which the world population is growing, efforts also need to be put to create long-term solutions which can also feed the people of the future. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation food production will have to increase by 70% to feed a population of nine billion by 2050. In order to intensify food production by that much, immense effort will have to go into new, better and more intensive ways of producing our food. 
 
Food security and agricultural development are important issues. Unless action is taken to secure adequate amounts of food for the population of the world and to improve the defective agricultural system in the world, over one billion people would be at risk of dying.

Agricultural Development And Food Security: The Challenges Ahead

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An <keyword id="23420" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Arkansas">Arkansas</keyword> man <a href="https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/arkansas-man-plants-seeds-from-china/527-2e9862ef-4b4e-4dc2-8d90-53e0c1fd0a24">recently told the local news outlet 5News</a> that he'd planted the mysterious seeds that Americans have reported receiving.</li><li>Doyle Crenshaw said he planted the seeds two months ago. Last week, the US <keyword id="127737" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Department-of-Agriculture">Department of Agriculture</keyword> warned against doing so, since they could be invasive species.</li><li>The state's agricultural agency plans to remove the plant, 5News reported.</li></ul>An Arkansas man recently said he planted mysterious seeds he received before hearing the US Department of Agriculture's warning against doing so.People across the country have reported receiving seeds in packages appearing to come from <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> — and sometimes <a href="https://www.insider.com/packages-of-jewelry-from-china-contain-mysterious-seeds-2020-7">marked as jewelry</a> — that they did not order. Last Thursday, the USDA <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2020/sa-07/seeds-china">said it was investigating</a> the seeds and <a href="https://www.insider.com/residents-across-the-country-report-mystery-seed-packages-in-mailboxes-2020-7">advised people who received them</a> to contact their local agricultural officials.But Doyle Crenshaw <a href="https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/arkansas-man-plants-seeds-from-china/527-2e9862ef-4b4e-4dc2-8d90-53e0c1fd0a24">told the local CBS affiliate 5News</a> that he planted the seeds two months ago."We brought them down here and planted the seeds just to see what would happen," Crenshaw said. "Every two weeks I'd come by and put Miracle Grow on it and they just started growing like crazy."The seeds grew into a squash-like plant with white fruit and orange flowers, the 5News report said. Crenshaw told the outlet that the seeds came in a package that appeared to be from China and was labeled as "'studded earrings."Scott Bray of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture told 5News that the seeds "could introduce an invasive weed, or an invasive insect pest or a plant disease."The report said the local agriculture department planned to remove the mysterious plant from Crenshaw's garden.On July 29, Osama El-Lissy, a deputy administrator for the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/usda-official-identifies-some-seeds-sent-around-us-from-china-2020-8">said the agency had identified 14 species of seeds</a>, including common herbs such as rosemary and sage, in the unsolicited packages.On Monday, the USDA issued <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/plant_health/fs-unsolicited-seeds-public-package-shipping-destinations.pdf">instructions</a> for mailing the seeds to specific state locations for further evaluation.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/packages-of-jewelry-from-china-contain-mysterious-seeds-2020-7">People in the US have reported receiving packages marked as jewelry that actually contain mysterious seeds from China</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/louisiana-woman-planted-mysterious-packet-of-seeds-shipped-to-her-2020-7">A woman in Louisiana says she planted seeds that arrived in the mail before the USDA put a warning out about the mysterious packages of seeds</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/residents-across-the-country-report-mystery-seed-packages-in-mailboxes-2020-7">People receiving mysterious seeds from China are being told not to throw them away, but that advice might be a little too late</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/usda-official-identifies-some-seeds-sent-around-us-from-china-2020-8">The USDA has identified some of the mystery seeds sent unsolicited from China as herbs like rosemary and sage</a></li></ul>

You Searched For "Agriculture" and got 10 results

Exploring agricultural drones: The future of farming is precision agriculture, mapping, and spraying

Andrew Meola

Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture Practices

Biden is expected to nominate Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture

John L. Dorman

Tripura to introduce drones for agriculture purposes, says Minister

ANI

People in the US have reported receiving packages marked as jewelry that actually contain mysterious seeds from China

Inyoung Choi

Three points about the Indian Agricultural Sector

Amit Kapoor

Budget allocation for agriculture in India through the years

BI India Bureau

Agricultural Development And Food Security: The Challenges Ahead

Anant Mishra

An Arkansas man said he grew the 'mystery seeds' from China in his garden before agriculture officials warned against planting them

Taylor Ardrey

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides