This book “Competitive Agriculture” is culmination of tireless effort for the benediction of students, graduates and faculties in the satire of agriculture and allied sectors. It consists of totally around eighteen units which includes Importance of Agriculture, Agronomy and Agrometeorology, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Entomology, Plant Pathology, Agricultural Microbiology, Crop Physiology, Seed Science and Technology, Agricultural Biotechnology, Agricultural Economics, Finance and Agricultural Business, Agricultural Marketing and Intelligence, Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Horticulture, Forestry, Farm Machinery and Renewable energy, Livestock and Poultry rearing. Each unit has different chapters embodied according to the respective course content of ICAR syllabus. This compilation of question bank is highly useful in preparation for Central and State Public Service Commission examinations, Forestry examinations, ARS, ICAR-NET, Post graduate entrance examinations and all other competitive examinations.
Preface “Agriculture was the first occupation of man, and as it embraces the whole earth, it is the foundation of all other industries”. -Edward W. Stewart Agriculture is essentially a way of lifestyle and not a mere economic engine. Generations together, Indian agriculture which is primarily monsoon dependent, has faced tumultuous ups and downs leaving the farmers in lambasting hypocrises. Indian agriculture is ought to undergo a critical surgery to provide panglossian disposition to the plowman. According to NITI Aayog, since 1970-71, trend growth in Indian agriculture has been approximately 3%, above that in population but, well below that in the entire economy consisting of agriculture, industry and services. By implication, while per-capita agricultural output has seen a steady rise, the share of agriculture in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has fallen. The rise in per-capita agricultural production has gone a long way towards easing pressure on meeting food and nutritional security of the country. Agricultural research and development (R&D) in India has made impressive contribution in the past. Today, the agricultural sector has witnessed the infusion of digital intervention. In India, an encouraging sign for the exchanges is the growing popularity among farmers of the e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM). During this era of Industrial revolution 4.0, Agriculture should tap the verdure of avant-garde technologies such as Artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) etc., and use such other spin of technologies thereby, Climate resilient smart agriculture is not a nightmare anymore. To instill fortitude and double the farmer’s income, corralling of agriculture knowledge is need of the hour. To get into service of the billions through competitive examinations, outrageous support by this book “Competitive Agriculture” is guaranteed.
