eChapters

Abstract

Extension and Advisory Services (EAS) are delivered by millions of extension professionals representing the public, private and civil society located across the globe and have been helping in addressing farmers’ needs over the years. However, public sector has been a major agency dealing with EAS in India and is facing several challenges and constraints to fulfill the demands of farmers on timely basis. The challenge today is to change the organizational culture to incorporate innovation as a core value and to institutionalize the emerging paradigms. Further, different strategies and measures need to be taken to ensure timely and quality EAS by reorienting extension priorities. This paper has highlighted on strengthening extension and feedback mechanism, improving research- extension linkages, capacity building, public-private partnership (PPP), developing infrastructure, mass media support and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) etc. to improve the efficiency as the time demands. The paper concludes that reorienting extension priorities is very essential with a vast network of various stakeholders by adapting effective approaches like utilization of social media, human resource development, PPP, farmer groups etc. during and post pandemic scenario. Further, empirical efforts are also needed to develop reliable, location-specific, participatory, gender-sensitive and inexpensive extension methodologies and materials to meet the emerging demands. Further, developing countries like India have to invest in terms of various resources like financial, human resource etc. for promoting higher productivity and sustainability through EAS.

Introduction

We, the participants of ITAF 2023 along with Dr. B. R. Chavan and Dr. Prashant Bodake visited Farm Song Nam under the guidance of Asst. Prof. Dr. Naphat Panthukumbol and Dr. Sorawit Powtongsookon 18/10/23 at 01:00 pm. This research station is under NSTDA (National Science and Technology Development Agency). The purpose of the visit was to learn about the latest developments in aquaculture technologies.

Dr. Sorawit explains that this system is able to monitor water quality, floc sedimentation, the current age of shrimp, quantity in the pond, total weight, density, size, total amount of water used, pond volume, and volume of water in the pond at a time. This system is equipped with cloud backup that can store all recorded pieces of information. After monitoring, the available information is automatically uploaded to the cloud and accessible through mobile by simply visiting the website. The key feature of Aqua-IoT is the integration of key data– physical, chemical, and biological water qualities and weather – into one single dashboard that enables users to understand the relationship between the data, analyze the data, and make informed decisions.

1. Aquaculture and Shrimp farming

Considering the current population explosion and the speed of human-centered land encroachment, scientists have expressed concern about the availability and production of food to meet global demand. The agricultural sector alone would not be able to cope with such a huge global demand of 7.6 billion people, which does not seem to be decreasing in any way. Approximately 20% of the global population consumes fish, which originate in the aquaculture sector. On the other hand, it has grown many fold with advancements in science and technologies in fish production and post-harvest, which has become a prominent commercial sector. The fisheries sector is broadly classified into two types: marine and inland. In marine fisheries, fishermen venture into the sea to fish with their fishing vessels and gear to harvest fish, whereas in inland f isheries, fishermen go fishing in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. However, with advancements in technology and growing demand for fish as food sources, people have started growing fish in captivity under controlled and semi controlled conditions in ponds. The history of fish culture tracks back to 2000 BC, which originated in China, where they started growing carp in captivity by providing the required conditions for fish growth. Providing suitable conditions in captivity means providing the required physical and chemical environment in the culture system by keeping the physicochemical parameters at the optimum level as required by the species cultured. Physicochemical parameters of soil and water are key to the successful culture of fish, which is why emphasis has been placed on the scientific study of the physical and chemical parameters of soil and water.

Thermochemical conversion is a process that uses heat to transform biomass and agricultural waste into energy and valuable byproducts. This approach involves the decomposition of organic materials under high temperatures, with or without the presence of oxygen, to produce fuels, chemicals, and thermal energy. The key thermochemical methods include combustion, pyrolysis, gasification, torrefaction, and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). In the pursuit of sustainable energy and environmental protection, biomass has emerged as a vital renewable resource. Thermochemical conversion technologies have gained prominence due to their high efficiency, rapid processing rates, and ability to handle a wide range of feedstocks—including lignocellulosic and low-moisture materials. Unlike biological processes, which depend on microbial activity and require longer processing times, thermochemical methods offer faster and scalable solutions suitable for industrial applications. Each thermochemical pathway offers unique advantages and outputs. Combustion is the most widely used method, involving the burning of biomass in the presence of excess oxygen to generate heat. This heat can be used directly or converted into electricity, making combustion especially common in rural and semi-urban settings. Other methods like pyrolysis and gasification produce intermediate products such as bio-oil, syngas, and biochar, which can be further refined or utilized as fuels and soil amendments. Hydrothermal liquefaction and torrefaction operate under specific conditions to produce high-energy-density products and improve biomass handling and storage characteristics. Overall, thermochemical conversion presents a robust strategy for managing agricultural waste while contributing to renewable energy generation and circular economy goals.
Pyrolysis, Gasification, and Hydrothermal Processing
Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that involves the decomposition of biomass by heating it in the absence of oxygen, typically at temperatures between 300°C and 700°C. This process converts organic material into three main products:
1. Bio-oil (liquid)
2. Syngas (gas)
3. Biochar (solid)

Origin and history: Citrus is the leading fruit crop in the world. In India, citrus ranks second in area sharing 12.8% of the total area under fruit crops with 9.6% share in production. Under citrus group, mandarins are the most important, occupying 50% of the total area under citrus followed by sweet orange and limes. Citrus fruits are grown mainly in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Karnataka and North-Eastern region. 

1.    Nagpur mandarin was introduced in India in 1894 by Shriji Raja Bhosle. 

2.    Kinnow can be grown in high density planting by using the cultivar  Troyer Citrange'  as a root stock by spacing the plants at 1.8 x 1.8 m2. 

3.    Classification of citrus was given by Tanaka and Swingle. 

4.    Grape fruit is also known as Forbidden fruit, Breakfast food.

A Flame Photometer has long been in use for analysis of elements; however, it is now being gradually replaced by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The reason being, that the former can analyze only a few elements such as sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), barium (Ba) and lithium (Li), whereas the later can be used to analyze almost all the elements known, provided a specific Hollow Cathode Lamp (HC), for a specific element, is available. In addition, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer is more precise and accurate in measurement as compared to Flame Photometer.

In this chapter, we shall deal with the operation techniques, working principles and a brief description of each and every component/constituent unit of a Flame Photometer as well as an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.

Abstract

Agriculture is the backbone of India’s economic development and has experienced immense growth in the past few decades. Agriculture not only involves the participation of male workers but also experiences active participation of all family members, as well. Women, as part of the family, take up agricultural activities as an extension to their household chores. The Government and voluntary agencies have also recognised the need for women in the farming community to become self-reliant and active participants in the agricultural sector. Increasing awareness and educating themselves with the passage of time, farmers have made themselves aware of new techniques of farming and growing and established themselves as agricultural entrepreneurs in the long run. Many initiatives supporting women entrepreneurs and creating a supportive ecosystem for women to become agricultural entrepreneurs have been initiated by the state. The case of Anita Devi popularly known as the Mushroom Lady of Bihar has been taken up in this paper to substantiate with evidence how government initiatives have helped her gain success and grow as an agricultural entrepreneur. This study aims at disseminating how such initiatives help in creating an ecosystem that motivates agricultural entrepreneurs in general and women in particular.

In dryland areas, moisture conservation accounts prime most important concept for maximizing productivity of dryland crops. Varied topographic and agro- climatic conditions ranging from arid to semi-arid climates with high evaporation because of varied temperature regimes permit the cultivation of drought resistance crops. Reducing the cost of cultivation without compromising the socio-economic status of farmers is prime importance. Conservation of moisture by reducing the weed menace is great task performed by the dryland farmers. Under such situations, effective utilization of dryland tools and implements used are of a primitive nature throughout the dryland farmers for higher factor productivity. Traditional farm tools and implements for self-sustenance have been adapted through experience over generations to meet emerging socio- economic and farming challenges.

Relatively small yields consequently larger areas must be farmed for a given return and the successful exploration of dryfarming requires the adoption of methods. The methods which enable farmers to do the maximum effective work with the smallest expenditure of energy. The type of soils and topographic conditions largely influence the type, size and shape of particular tillage tools/ implements among the dryland farmers. The following is a list of local tools/ implements found in the various dryland regions.

18.1 Introduction

Recycling of industrial wastewater is not only environmentally beneficial, but it is typically more cost effective than conventional treatment and discharge. Through application of stream segregation and appropriate treatment technologies, high purity water is produced for continuous reuse where by metals are recovered and solid wastes reduced. Recycling of industrial effluent by chemical treatment includes many separation methods for getting pure waters. It is very essential to discuss about reverse osmosis, filtration, adsorption evaporation etc. This chapter includes the discussion about the methodology of chemical treatments.

18.2 Conventional Treatments

The oldest and most widely applied method of wastewater treatment involves the addition of chemicals and applications of aerators etc. to alter the make-up constituents of a waste. Although generally downsized, the process continues to play an important role in newer systems used today. Automated controls and advanced instrumentation have improved this technology in recent years. (Tomer et.al., 1997)

1. INTRODUCTION

Preservation of foods by drying is perhaps the oldest method known to mankind. Drying is a thermo-physical action and its principles are governed by heat and mass transfer laws inside and outside the product. The weight of the product is reduced to the extent of 1/4^th to 1/9^th of its original fresh weight. Drying of foods and biological products is a widely applied process for different purposes such as increasing the shelf-life, reducing packaging costs, lowering shipping wastes, encapsulating flavours, making food available during off-season, adding value by changing the phase structure of the native material and maintaining nutritional value. Drying or dehydration of fruits and vegetables can be accomplished with low capital while maintaining high quality and obtaining less perishable food products.

Frost is a thermodynamic phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere, especially under subtropical and temperate conditions during winter. To understand the horticultural implications of this meteorological event, it is necessary to understand the frost related terms and jargon, first. Some of the common terms used here in this book are described hereunder:

Abstract

In India, women’s economic productivity is rather critical to 60 million households whose family members live below the poverty line. Therefore, the empowerment of poor women is vital for bringing down rural poverty.  The operation of the DWCRA project during the VIII plan of government of India (GOI) had inadequate impact and therefore, failed in organizing cohesion within and among the groups to identify the activities that could generate sustained income.  Considering the importance of women and lacunae in the Rural development programmes, Swarnajayanti Grama Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) was evolved and was launched on 1st April, 1999. With this, the erstwhile programmes viz. IRDP, DWCRA, TRYSEM, SITRA, GKY and MWs ceased operation.  SGSY aims at establishing a large number of micro enterprises in the rural areas. The ‘beneficiary’ families (known as Swarozgaris) may be individuals or groups (Self Help Groups).

Mycotoxins are the secondary metabolites produced by moulds, which grow on food and feedstuffs causing pathological or physiological changes to humans and animals. They are toxic to vertebrates in low concentrations. Symptoms depend on the amount of toxin in the feed, the period for which the infested feed is ingested, the nutritional status of the feed and the susceptibility of the animal species. Toxic effects of chronic consumption of mycotoxins in human are carcinogenicity, hepatotoxicity, oestrogenicity, genotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, immunosuppression, reproductive disorders and dermal irritation (Anfossi et al., 2010). The most extensively studied mycotoxins viz., Aflatoxins, ochratoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON, vomitoxin), T-2 toxin, zearalenone, fumoninsins, mycophenolic acid, cyclopiazonic acid and ergot toxins are produced by the moulds Aspergillus, Fusarium, Pennicillium and Claviceps (Iqbal et al., 2015).

1. Introduction

Agriculture is prime source of living for rural people world wide effective in raising incomes among the poorest compared to other sectors. In Indian economy horticulture has been recognized as one of the most potential agriculture endeavours in terms of exponential growth. The Horticultural crops viz., fruits counting nuts, vegetables with potato, ornamental plants plus cut flowers, spices, plantation crops and medicinal and fragrant plants has developed a prime promoter for monetary growth in numerous of the states in the nation and it pays 30.4% to GDP of agriculture (ICAR website).

Introduction
 
Nanotoxicity is a serious concern to be addressed sooner than later as nano-based processes and products in various fields are being extensively exploited. Nanotoxicology is the science of engineered nanodevices and nanostructures that deals with their effects in living organisms (Oberdorster et al., 2005). The unique property of nanoparticles is in its very large surface area to mass ratio, which is considered to be a boon to create novel products. But this distinctive property also challenges the way we identify, understand and address potential risks caused by nanoparticles (Rajkishore et al., 2011). It is sufficient to alert us to the fact that some engineered nanoparticles do indeed behave differently to their more conventional counterparts and may present new and unusual risks. Kahru and Dubourguier (2010) assessed the existing literature on nanotoxicity to main food chain levels (bacteria, algae, crustaceans, ciliates, fish, yeasts and nematodes) and classified the NPs of Ag and ZnO as “extremely toxic”, C60 fullerenes and CuO NP as “very toxic”, SWCNTs and MWCNTs as “toxic” and TiO₂ NP as “harmful”. 

Evolution of Computer technology and advent of database concept have provided enormous opportunities to the  scientist, researchers and managers of diverse field  to create, manipulate integrate, link and analyse their data in order to generate information and knowledge. The research projects involving exploration, survey and collection of data, generally create database to maintain and analyze the data.  Almost in every sphere of life and industry this database concept/technology is used in one form or other.  Scientists and researchers of life sciences realized the importance of the database and used this technology to develop databases of different types/groups of living organisms. The database technology has eased the difficulty in designing, developing and maintaining the complex information systems.

It is a well known fact that natural disasters strikes countries, both developed and developing, causing enormous destruction and creating human sufferings and producing negative impacts on national economies. Due to diverse geo-climatic conditions prevalent in different parts of the globe, different types of natural disasters like floods, droughts, earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, volcanoes, etc. strikes according to the vulnerability of the area. India is considered as the world’s most disaster prone country. It has witnessed devastating natural disasters in recent past like droughts, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, etc. 

Abstract

India is the second largest food producing country in the world. Food processing is one of the key industries in the country and a sector that has direct linkage between agriculture and industry. Being the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables along with its strategic geographic location and proximity to food importing nations, India is in an advantageous position in terms of exporting processed food. As per estimates, Indian food processing sector stood at USD258 billion in the financial year 2015. The growth and development of this industry have direct impact on the Indian economy. The aim of the present study is to discuss about the growth of the food processing industry, analyse its strengths and weaknesses and generate possibilities of entrepreneurial development towards the expansion of the sector. This study has been a secondary data analysis based on data collected from journals, magazines, web searches and reports from various government and private agencies.

The study has identified the main drivers aiding to the growth of the sector. It includes strong domestic demand, rising export opportunities; supply side advantages for exporters due to rising global demand and strong policy support from the Government. On the other hand, fragmented market, infrastructure support, namely cold chain, innovation and skill development are the major hurdles that have to be overcome. This article makes an attempt to explore entrepreneurial opportunities and few areas where new business could be initiated. The entrepreneurial opportunities highlighted in this paper are based on Drucker’s opportunity construct that entrepreneurs have an eye more for possibilities created by change than the problems.