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Climate change blues: ‘everyday monsoon’ foxes Mizo farmers

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Climate change blues: ‘everyday monsoon’ foxes Mizo farmers

By Dinesh C Sharma

Changing rainfall pattern, rising temperatures force farmers to switch from traditional farming to growing exotic, heat resistant crops

Aizawl: As the debate continues on connection of climate change with growing intensity of hurricanes like Harvey and Irma, the phenomenon is already becoming a ground reality for scores of farmers in the north eastern hill state of Mizoram. Changing rainfall pattern and rising temperatures are forcing them to move away from traditional farming and to grow exotic crops that are heat-resistant and can survive erratic rains.

This year has been particularly bad. There has not been a single day when it has not rained. “Farmers are completely confused. They don’t know whether it was early monsoon or it is ‘everyday monsoon’. All important dates on the agriculture calendar have been missed,” pointed out Dr James Lalnunzira Hrahsel, a scientist with the Mizoram State Climate Change Cell.

Data of the past thirty years shows a rise in average temperature of Aizawl in the month of January. The lowest maximum was 18.7 degree in 1992 while the highest was 28.2 degree in 2005. This January it was 26.3 degree. On the other hand, minimum temperature in January has dipped. The difference between daily minimum and maximum temperature has been widening. The maximum and minimum temperatures in July also have seen a similar trend.

The rainfall pattern has changed so drastically that farmers are left clueless. The dates for burning jhums (shifting cultivation) had to be shifted twice this year due to rains. While there is an increasing trend in monsoon rainfall, there is decrease in post-monsoon rainfall and winter rainfall. Heavy precipitation events have gone up.

“The rainfall pattern in Mizoram has traditionally been so nuanced that Mizo language has different names for rain during different months, like To ruah (for April-May rains), Ruah Bing (for June-July rains), Ruah var pui (September rains), Ai Ruah (for October rains), Pawl del Ruah (December rains) etc. Even wind patterns have unique names – Vahtlao thli (February winds), Pa-sawntlung thli (March to May) and Pa leng thli (July winds) etc.,” explained Dr Lalrokima Chenkual, a disaster management expert with the Administrative Training Institute.

“But nowadays, it is difficult to distinguish one rain or wind from another,” said Dr Chenkual.

All this is directly affecting farming communities. “Earlier farmers could grow a variety of fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Now they are approaching us to help them with new crops and varieties that can withstand changing climate. That’s why we have introduced dragon fruit from Thailand, new cabbage variety from China and two tomato varieties from Bangalore,” Henry L Varte, horticulture extension officer, told India Science Wire.

Dragon fruit is a cactus that can grow in warm and humid climate, needs less water and its fruits have high commercial value. As dragon fruit is climbing cacti, concrete pillars are erected to train the vine and on the top old tyres are used. “Dragon fruit cultivation is helping famers to adapt to rising temperature and erratic rainfall, while protecting their incomes,” said Varte. Similarly the cabbage variety imported from China is heat-resistant. Two tomato varieties – Araka Smrat and Araka Rakshak – developed by the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Horticulture Institute can withstand high temperatures and are disease-resistant.

“Earlier I used grow oranges from seedlings imported from Israel, but pest attacks started due to heat and the yield dropped. Then I planted area nut. Last year I shifted to dragon fruit and have harvested 20 quintals of fruits this year. The market for this fruit is good, each fruit of about half a kilo sells for about Rs 100 to Rs 150,” said Zoramthanga, a dragon fruit farmer from Viapuanpho village in Mamit district.

Saurabh Sharma, state nodal officer for climate change, said adaptation had become necessary as districts in the state face ‘moderate to high’ vulnerability to climate change in terms of agriculture, forestry and water sector. The National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change is funding a three-year project to augment livelihood of rural communities by building resilience in agriculture in four districts – Aizawl, Mamit, Kolasib, Serchhip.

“The idea is to develop one climate resilient village in each district so that they can serve as model for the rest,” Sharma explained while speaking at a media workshop. Pradeep Chettri from Directorate of Agriculture (Crop Husbandry) said pilot projects were underway in three agro-climatic zones – humid mild tropical zone, humid sub-tropical hill zone and humid temperate sub-alpine zone- to increase tolerance and suitability of crops to climate change.

The media workshop was organized by the Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with Mizoram State Climate Change Cell; Directorate of Science and Technology and Centre for Media Studies.

(This article is from a syndicated feed provided by the India Science Wire)

India News

Zomato introduces Food Rescue feature

“We don’t encourage order cancellation at Zomato, because it leads to a tremendous amount of food wastage,” he said.

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Zomato has introduced a new feature called Food Rescue to minimise food wastage, announced the food delivery platform CEO Deepinder Goyal on Sunday.

Announcing the new feature on X, Goyal said the decision, to introduce the new feature, was taken to prevent the tremendous amount of food wastage due to order cancellation on the platform.

Committed to minimising food wastage, the Zomato boss said: “We don’t encourage order cancellation at Zomato, because it leads to a tremendous amount of food wastage.”

Goyal said despite having stringent policies, and a no-refund policy for cancellations, more than 4 lakh perfectly good orders get cancelled, for various reasons by customers.

He said the top concern for the online food delivery platform, the restaurant industry, and even the customers who cancel these orders, is to somehow save the food from going to waste.

With the launch of the new feature, Food Rescue, cancelled orders will now pop up for nearby customers, who can grab them at an unbeatable price, in their original untampered packaging, and receive them in just minutes.

According to Zomato, the cancelled order will pop up on the app for customers within a 3 km radius of the delivery partner carrying the order. To ensure freshness, the option to claim will only be available for a few minutes.

The online food delivery platform will not keep any proceeds except the required government taxes and the amount paid by the new customer will be shared with the original customer (if they made payment online) and with the restaurant partner.

Orders containing items sensitive to distances or temperature such as ice creams, shakes, smoothies, and certain perishable items, will not be eligible for Food Rescue.

Restaurant partners will continue to receive compensation for the original cancelled order, plus a portion of the amount paid by the new customer if the order is claimed, the company said. “Most restaurants have opted in for this feature, and can opt of it easily whenever they want, directly from their control panels,” it added.

The delivery partners will be compensated fully for the entire trip, from the initial pickup to the final drop-off at the new customer’s location, it said.

Food Rescue will show up on the customers’ home page automatically if there’s a cancelled order available for them to grab. The Customers have to refresh the home page to check for any newly available orders which need to be rescued.

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Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe at PM Modi over his unity remarks

Earlier during a rally in Maharashtra, PM Modi coined a new slogan, ‘Ek Hain to Safe Hain’ (If we are united, we are safe), to attack the Opposition.

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his ‘Ek hai toh safe hai’ remarks.

Sharing a picture featuring PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Industrialist Gautam Adani, SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on X, Gandhi wrote in Hindi, “’Mann ki baat, ab jubaan pe’ (What is in the heart, now on the tongue).”

Earlier during a rally in Maharashtra, PM Modi coined a new slogan, ‘Ek Hain to Safe Hain’ (If we are united, we are safe), to attack the Opposition.

PM Modi accused the Congress of dividing the society, caste and communities. “During the entire period that Congress ruled over India, Congress has always resorted to divide and rule. It created rifts within the SC-Dalits, ST-Adivasis and OBCs. For a safe and united Maharashtra, choose BJP-led Mahayuti…ek hai toh safe hai,” PM Modi said.

Responding to PM Modi’s remarks, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the PM for the ‘ek hai to safe hai’ narrative. Kharge stressed that many big Congress have laid down their lives to unite the country and attacked the BJP, saying, “You only divide but blame others. You say ‘batenge toh katenge’. Those who want the country to remain united will never pass such divisive slogans.” “The truth is that you are the ones who divide and you are the ones who cut, but you blame others. You are involved in baatna and kaatna,” he said.

Addressing Samvidhan Bachao Sammelan in Mumbai on Sunday, Kharge said: “BJP is giving new slogans these days. I just want to ask is there any danger in the country? If the country is in danger, it is from BJP-RSS. Because these are the people who talk about division and killing from morning to evening. We have always tried to keep the country united. Indira Gandhi ji was martyred for keeping the country united.”

Earlier in the day, Kharge lashed out at PM Modi for his remarks on the blank Constitution book also, saying it is necessary to enroll Modi in a primary school again for his remarks on the red book of the Constitution.

During a press conference after launching the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi ‘s (MVA) manifesto for Maharashtra Assembly elections, Kharge displayed a red book of the Constitution and said it was not blank as was being projected by PM Modi and his party BJP.

On the Prime Minister and BJP equating a red book of the Constitution with urban Naxalism, Kharge said Modi gave a similar copy in 2017 to then President Ram Nath Kovind.


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In Jharkhand, PM Modi says people are hankering for a handful of sand, Congress-JMM smuggling it

JMM-Congress have nothing to do with the issue of the people, they are filling their coffers, Modi said.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lashed out at the Congress-JMM coalition over its corruption and said when the people of Jharkhand are hankering for a handful of sand, the alliance is busy selling rivers, streams, and mountains in the state, adding their leaders have even built luxurious houses by smuggling sand. PM Modi alleged that they are taking bribes even for birth and death certificates.

Addressing the rally in Jharkhand’s Gumala, the Prime Minister said: “This is your money, you are its owner and Modi will not let your money be looted.” He added that “those who have looted will have to return it and spend their lives in jail” once his party comes to power in the state.

JMM-Congress have nothing to do with the issue of the people, they are filling their coffers, Modi said.

Hitting out at the alliance, PM Modi said: “You have seen the mountains of notes of the JMM and Congress leaders and ministers. I have been a Chief Minister and even become a Prime Minister, but I have never seen such huge mountains of notes in my life. I saw such mountains for the first time on TV. So many notes came out that the machines got tired of counting them.”

“If you divide into castes then the strength of the tribals will diminish. That’s why I say – if we stay united, we will be safe,” he reiterated his statement targeting the Congress party.

Till there was no unity between OBCs, tribals and Dalits, the Congress kept forming governments at the Centre, claimed Modi.

“Beware of Congress-JMM’s evil designs and conspiracies. They can go to any extent to snatch power. Congress has been an opponent of SC, ST, and OBC unity since Independence,” Modi said.

“More than 125 sub-castes are considered OBCs in the Chotanagpur region. Congress-JMM wants to break the OBC unity by pitting sub-castes against each other. I warn you ‘ek rahoge toh safe rahoge’,” he added. He said a BJP-led government was needed in Jharkhand to drive out infiltrators and eradicate corruption.

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