Voice of Farmers: Ground Report wins top honor at IIMCAA Awards 2025

Ground Report has achieved a significant milestone at the prestigious IIMCAA Awards 2025, with co-founder Pallav Jain receiving the "Voice of Farmers - Agriculture Reporter of the Year" award. The ceremony, held on February 23, 2025, in New Delhi, showcases excellence in media and communication across India through the annual awards organised by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication Alumni Association. 

A voice for farmers! The IIMCAA 2024 Agriculture Reporter of the Year Award goes to Pallav Jain. Congratulations! @pallavvjain #IIMCAA #IIMCAAAwards2025 #Connections2025 pic.twitter.com/71CaTdWvwY

— IIMC Alumni Association (@IIMCAA) February 23, 2025

The recognition comes for three groundbreaking investigative reports that highlight critical issues in India's agricultural sector. The first investigation delves into Madhya Pradesh's innovative approach to controlling stray cattle populations through sorted sex semen technology in artificial insemination. The report comprehensively examines how this technology ensures female offspring in cattle, addressing the growing challenge of abandoned male calves—a consequence of declining bull usage in modern farming. Through on-ground reporting, the story presents a balanced analysis of both the technology's potential benefits and its limitations. Here is the report link.

The second award-winning report exposes the devastating impact of counterfeit agrochemicals in India's farming sector. The investigation, jointly conducted by Pallav Jain and Chandrapratap Tiwari, documents the plight of Sehore district farmers who lost wheat crops across 300 acres due to fake fungicides. The report meticulously details the growing menace of counterfeit agricultural products and highlights the challenges farmers face when seeking compensation from private companies. Report link.

The third story focuses on the economic disparities affecting Madhya Pradesh's paddy farmers. Through comprehensive ground reporting during the harvest season, the investigation reveals why local farmers receive lower prices for their paddy compared to their counterparts in other states, bringing attention to this crucial pricing issue. Report Link. 

This recognition by IIMCAA validates Ground Report's commitment to in-depth agricultural journalism and its focus on bringing rural issues to the forefront. The award not only acknowledges the team's dedication to quality journalism but also reinforces their resolve to continue delivering impactful stories on climate change and agricultural challenges.

Ground Report extends its sincere gratitude to the jury members and its loyal readers for their continued support. The team pledges to maintain its high standards of investigative journalism and remains committed to amplifying rural voices through thorough ground reporting. We invite our readers to continue supporting our mission by sharing these important stories and helping us reach a wider audience. 

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