Overview

• Two gene-edited rice varieties, Kamala and Pusa DST Rice1, have been released with potential productivity gains of 30% and 20% respectively, along with drought tolerance and reduced methane emissions.
• The government will fund transportation of agricultural produce under the Market Intervention Scheme to ensure farmers receive fair prices.
• Farmers have raised alarms over substandard pesticides and seeds and are pressing for tougher regulations to curb fraud and protect their livelihoods.
• Under the Lab to Land initiative, 2,170 teams of more than 16,000 scientists have reached over 65,000 villages in 723 districts to share region-specific research and gather field feedback.
• After the campaign concludes on June 12, states will appoint nodal officers to compile regional insights and craft a comprehensive roadmap for modernized agriculture.