eChapters

1.0. Objectives

• To demonstrate meaning, definition, importance, essentials of the précis writing
• To impart the technique how to write the essence of texts
• To make readers develop an objective approach

2.0 Precise

“Precise may be defined as a concise and clear statement embodying in a connected and readable shape the substance of a longer passage.”

The word “Precis” is a French term PRECISE which means summary. Thus it conveys the brief statement of the longer texts.

3.0 How to Write a Precise

Derivation & Meaning-Skills required-Method or procedure-Guidelines; Summarising-Meaning-Steps to write a summary.

Derivation

‘Precis’ is a French word which means to cut off, to be brief.

Meaning

A precise is a summary or the gist of the main ideas of written matter. Thus, precise writing means summarising. It is an exercise in concentration, comprehension and condensation. In order to make a summary of an article, a speech or a story, one has to read it carefully and grasp its meaning. Precise-writing forces one to concentrate on the material which is to be summarised. In summarising a passage, though the length of the precise is not fixed, it is generally expected that the it should be one third the length of the passage. The summary is known as precise and precise writing means summarising. A precise is not a paraphrase. At the same time, the essential points of the main passage must be presented in the precise in such a manner that reader may easily grasp the main ideas of the passage.

A better precise can be written with more and more practice. Before writing a precise, it is important that you take care of a few essential points.

Also, make sure that all the important points of the passage are conveyed in the precise. Focus on language and try and make it as clear, crisp and concise as possible. There is no fixed pattern to write a precise. But we must follow certain rules and procedure so that the precise can be more effective. Follow the right diction and you will be able to write a good precise.

1. Land Degradation- Type, Factors, Distribution, Processes, and Impacts on Soil Productivity

A. Types of Land Degradation

1. Soil Erosion: Soil erosion, a pervasive form of land degradation, manifests through the detachment and transportation of soil particles by various agents like wind and water. Wind erosion is common in arid regions, where dry, loose soil is susceptible to being carried away by the wind. Water erosion, on the other hand, occurs through surface runoff and can lead to gully formation and the loss of fertile topsoil. This loss of topsoil directly impacts agricultural productivity by reducing nutrient availability and water retention capacity.

Introduction

Precision agriculture, also known as precision farming or smart farming, represents a ground breaking approach to agricultural management that integrates cutting-edge technologies and data-driven techniques to optimize crop production. This introduction sets the stage for exploring the transformative potential of precision agriculture in revolutionizing traditional farming practices. By harnessing advancements in sensors, drones, artificial intelligence, and global positioning systems (GPS), precision agriculture empowers farmers to make informed decisions based on real-time data and spatial variability within fields. The overarching goal of precision agriculture is to maximize yields, minimize input costs, and reduce environmental impacts by precisely tailoring farming practices to the specific needs of crops and soil conditions. As global population growth and climate change exert increasing pressure on agricultural systems, the adoption of precision agriculture emerges as a crucial strategy for enhancing food security, promoting sustainability, and ensuring the long-term viability of farming operations. Through this introduction, we embark on a journey to explore the multifaceted dimensions of precision agriculture and its profound implications for the future of agriculture.

The current world population of 7.6 billion is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100, according to United Nations (UN). With roughly 83 million people being added to the world’s population every year, the upward trend in population size is expected to continue, even assuming that fertility levels will continue to decline (UN, 2017). This means there will be an extra billion people to feed within the next decade. Continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 50 years .The future’s food systems need to be resource efficient and sustainable. It is quite clear that the only way to grow more food is to increase the yield while saving the environment from further degradation. It is not just food, it is the four F’s – Food, Feed, Fiber and Fuel. Digitization has increased in importance for the agricultural sector and is described through concepts like Smart Farming (SF), Precision Farming (PF) and Precision Agriculture (PA).The only way to get higher yield from limited resources is by changing agriculture into what we call Precision Agriculture, Climate Smart Agriculture, or as I prefer to call it Water-Smart Agriculture”

Abstract

The social and economic development of any state is interlaced with the manner of its natural resource management. The unplanned use and overexploitation of resources are results in various kinds of land degradation, biomass deterioration and siltation of tanks. In addition, the low per capita availability of land, erratic and uneven distribution of rains, undulating topography, improper management, traditional cropping programmes and recurrence of droughts having cumulative effect leading to low productivity and high risk particularly in dryland farming. Further, developing dry land agriculture through sectoral approach did not bring in the desired results, as the efforts were not integrated. However, in nature all the resources are inter-linked and thus, the integrated developmental approach is the best solution for optimal development of any area. Further, development based on administrative units such as district, taluk, block and village have resulted in imbalance and sometimes, no overall development in some areas. Considering this, natural resources management through Geo- informatics tools like, remote sensing, GIS, GPS and other sensor based techniques are the possible ways for making agriculture sustainable. The paper mainly highlights theimportance of application of latest technologies in agriculture along with some field level case studies.

Keywords: Remote sensing, GIS, Watershed, CAPE, Precision agriculture

INTRODUCTION

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the major food crops whichrecorded total globalproduction of 388.1million metrictonnes(mt) in 2017-18. Out of the major staple food crops, potato production (388.1mt) is exceeded only by maize (1077.98 mt), wheat (761.88 mt) and rice (494.88 mt) (FAOSTAT, 2017). According to the three years (2012-2014)averages,globally, India ranks 3^rdin area and 2^ndin terms of production nextto China. Thenutritional quality, high productivity and acquiescence for inclusion in intensive cropping systems of this shortduration crop reflects its great potentialin modern agriculture to feed theexponentiallyrisingpopulationin the developingcountries. But, theintensive cultivation of potato crops urges increased use of fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals leading to high input costs with plateauingyields. Blanket dose of fertilizers as well as imbalance use of nutrientsnot only increases the cost of farm inputs but also degrades soil condition and causes severe environment pollution. Indiscriminate use of insecticide as well as fungicide is verycommon in potato crop which contaminate the environment and deteriorate product quality. Therefore, the chemical inputs need to be optimised based on actual requirement of the crops for sustainable crop production. Furthermore, potato production is associated witha high tillagepractices, number of tillage operation would depend on soiltype, previous crop etc.

Precision agriculture is yet to be popularized for taking its enormous advantages. In laser land levelling and micro irrigation/ fertigation it must have made its prominence but others it is with research institutes where research is focussed on the spatial variability of production environments, development of efficient and suitable data management systems, efficiency of various types of image analyses and optical sensing, efficiency of sensors and related technologies, designs of precision agriculture equipment, optimal inputs and service uses, and their spatial allocations, potentials of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), nanotechnologies and several others.The adoptions of precision-agriculture technologies have, so far, mostly been limited to parts of developed countries. Major contributions to the profitability of precision agriculture is reduced costs of plant protection inputs and higher output revenues.

Abstract
Precision agriculture (PA) represents a transformative approach to farming that leverages advanced technologies to optimize crop production, enhance resource management, and improve overall farm efficiency. At the core of PA  are advancements in GPS, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), drones, and data analysis. These technologies enable farmers to apply inputs with high precision, monitor field conditions in real-time, and make informed decisions based on comprehensive data. This chapter explores the evolution and impact of precision agriculture technologies, examining how GPS, GIS, drones, and data analytics contribute to more sustainable and efficient farming practices. It also discusses the integration of these technologies, their benefits, challenges, and future prospects in advancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Keywords: Precision agriculture, GPS, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), drones, data analysis, crop management, farm efficiency, resource optimization, technology integration.

Precision agriculture represents a paradigm shift in farming, leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics to optimize agricultural practices. This article explores the comprehensive role of precision agriculture in modern farming, tracing its evolution and examining key technologies such as GPS, GIS, remote sensing, and IoT. The applications of these technologies in soil management, crop monitoring, irrigation, pest control, and yield prediction are discussed. Benefits, including increased productivity, resource efficiency, and environmental sustainability, are highlighted alongside challenges such as high costs, data management complexities, and the digital divide. The article concludes by considering future trends in precision agriculture, emphasizing the potential of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain in further revolutionizing farming practices.

Precision agriculture includes information driven administration choices that further develop asset use productivity, bringing about decreased Agriculture expenses while bringing down the natural effects from agriculture. Consequently, information and information assortment frameworks, choice help devices, and information driven hardware and info changes are significant parts of Precision agriculture, participating in three vital farming advances: determination, direction, and performing separately. Before the coordination of shrewd innovations, ICT (data and correspondence innovation) was incorporated into farming devices and mechanical assembly to get certifiable data. Here, remote detecting, mechanized hardware and programming, telemetric, drones, autonomous vehicles, GPSs, and computerized developments were incorporated into cultivating rehearses. For example, the agro-tech association John Deere introduced GPSs for ranch farm haulers, anticipating extended yield and reduced input wastage. The previous status of accuracy agribusiness before brilliant cultivating can be summarized as follows.
Data Collection and Acquisition
Data, data collection, and decision support devices are critical for the distinctive verification and finish of alternate points of view in cultivating. In Accuracy agribusiness, data on individual fields and gathers are collected by seeing, assessing, and distinguishing with different sorts of sensors, yield and soil checking, and remote-detecting mechanical assemblies, such as imaging from drones, groups, airplane, or satellites. As such, “detecting” is a fundamental organization gadget of accuracy agribusiness, which is seeing distinct information and giving data on climatic circumstances, soil conditions, fertilizer necessities, water openness, nuisance and infection stresses, and other field limits. An extent of sensors is used in Accuracy farming. Biomass limits are huge in making decisions to screen the readiness and truly zeroing in on crops. Sensors for mass stream and dampness content are portions of yield screens, along with a differential global positioning system (DGPS) recipient. Appropriately aligned yield screens can produce precise constant

Introduction

Agriculture is a vital sector in the world economy, as it helps to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development, especially in developing countries. However, agriculture also faces challenges such as increasing productivity and reducing environmental impacts. Therefore, new technologies and methods are needed to improve agricultural practices. One of these methods is precision agriculture (PA), which is based on the principle of sustainable agriculture and healthy food production. PA is a science that uses high technology sensors and analysis tools to improve crop yields and support management decisions. PA is a new concept that aims to increase production, reduce labor time, and optimize the management of fertilizers and irrigation processes.

4.1 Introduction

In the modern era, agricultural productivity seems to have reached a maximum production due to the easy availability of fertilizers and pesticides/insecticide, which are used to improve crop productivity. Excess uses of these products and unawareness about field constraints can decrease the crop productivity and endanger the environmental balance in the cultivation area. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve agricultural system and efficient utilization of these resources for profitable and environmentally sustainable agriculture.

Government has also an emphasis on effective and efficient use of available resources and farmers are also adopting more scientific approach during crop production such as remote sensing, global positioning system, and new equipment to make their agricultural operation more precise.

Precision agriculture is one of the many advanced farming approaches that make production more efficient. It is basically an approach of farm management with the help of information technology to confirm that the cultivated crops and soil receive desire input for optimum health and productivity. In other words, precision agriculture utilizes different tools and technologies to identify infield soil and crop variability for improving farming practices and optimizing agronomic inputs. To reduce dependency on excessive use of chemical inputs in agriculture, several technologies have been applied to make agricultural products safer and to lower their adverse impacts on the environment and human beings, a goal that is consistent with sustainable agriculture. Precision agriculture has emerged as a valuable component of the framework to achieve this goal. Further, Pierce and Nowak define the precision farming that, the application of technologies and principles to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production for improving crop performance and environmental quality. Precision agriculture is the combination of many different elements working together in a synchronised way with the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) as shown in Fig 4.1. Precision agriculture is basically an information technology based agricultural management system. In this modern management system, Geography information system (GIS) based analysis is extensively used to get land and crop related data accurately and timely, which help farming community to take correct decision .

While conventional agromet advisories have played a crucial role in informing agricultural practices, their inherent broad-scale nature often falls short of addressing the nuanced realities of modern farming. For instance, rainfall predictions at a district level can mask significant variations at the farm or even field level due to local topography, soil types, and microclimatic conditions. Similarly, generic recommendations for irrigation scheduling or fertilizer application may not align with the specific needs of different crop varieties, growth stages, or soil moisture retention capacities within a farm. This lack of granularity can lead to inefficient resource utilization, sub-optimal application of inputs, and increased vulnerability to localized weather events, ultimately impacting productivity and profitability.
9.1. Key Drivers for the Emergence of PAAS
Several converging factors are propelling the shift towards precision in agrometeorology:
• Escalating Climate Variability: The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, coupled with long-term shifts in climate patterns, demand more adaptive and localized strategies. Farmers need precise and timely information to make informed decisions in the face of unpredictable weather.
• The Imperative for Sustainability: Sustainable agricultural practices necessitate the efficient use of resources like water, fertilizers, and pesticides. PAAS can contribute significantly by providing targeted recommendations that minimize waste and environmental impact.
• Technological Advancements: The rapid development and increasing affordability of various technologies are making PAAS a reality. These include:
• Remote Sensing: Satellite and drone-based imagery provide highresolution spatial data on crop health, soil moisture, and other critical parameters.
• Internet of Things (IoT) Sensors: Networks of sensors deployed in fields can continuously monitor local weather conditions, soil properties, and plant physiological parameters.

As per 20th Livestock Census (2019), Punjab has 1.3% share of India’s total livestock. The share of buffaloes was largest (57.4%) in total livestock population, followed by cross-breed cattle and indigenous cattle. The state of Punjab has about 70.60 lakh livestock in total, comprising of 25.41 lakh cattle, 40.16 lakh buffaloes, 3.48 lakh goats, 0.85 lakh sheep, 0.53 lakh pigs, 0.15 lakh horses and ponies, 1644 mules, 471 donkeys and 170 camels. The share of crossbred cattle increased to 29.3% in 2019 compared to 25.4% in 2012 which signifies that the farmers in the state are resorting to high yielding animals for increasing the milk production. These efforts have led to the highest per capita availability of milk in Punjab which stands at 1271 grams per day compared to national average of 444 grams per day (2021-22), although the share of Punjab in country’s milk production is 6.37%. Punjab is sixth largest producer of milk in India, with production of 14.76 million tonnes (t)/year.

Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing global challenges of our time, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems, economies, and societies. This has led to the higher temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, sea level rise and growing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as drought, floods, extreme heat and cyclones resulting in disruption of food supply chains. The most critical domains that impact environmental sustainability includes energy, transport, food, waste and water , although there are disparities in the consumption patten of high-income and low income countries. Apart from the food domain (33% of total GHG emissions), meat from ruminants and dairy products constitute the major proportion of carbon footprint. Although only 18% of calories are obtained from meat and dairy products, but they together account for 60% of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions and occupy 83% of the world’s arable land. With 18% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the livestock sector has been identified as one of the primary causes of climate change and the dairysector accounts for around 3.0- 5.1% of the total GHG emissions globally.

Introduction

Agriculture faces a massive challenge: by 2050, it needs to sustainably feed over 9 billion people while supporting economic growth and protecting the environment. Meeting this demand requires a staggering 70% increase in food production from 2006 levels, mainly by making the most of existing farmland and resources.

Precision agriculture offers a promising way forward. It's about smartly managing soil and crops using technology and information to boost profits while being eco-friendly. This approach involves giving the precise amount of resources—like water, nutrients, and pesticides—at the right time and place to optimise farming. It's all about understanding and using the differences within f ields to improve crop growth and protect the environment. Traditionally, understanding these differences involved collecting tons of soil and plant samples for lab analysis. But this can be costly. So, finding better, more efficient ways to assess these differences in soil and plant growth is crucial.

Precision agriculture relies on high-tech tools like GPS, GIS, yield monitors, and remote sensing to measure differences in soil and crop growth across f ields. By integrating these technologies with tools that adjust resource usage based on these differences (called variable rate technologies), farmers can apply fertilisers and water precisely where they're needed, optimising crop yields (Ranjan et al., 2022a). This method has three main parts: collecting data, understanding that data, and then making smart decisions based on it, all tailored to specific areas and timings. New technologies like yield monitors, satellites, and handheld sensors have made data collection faster and easier. But the real challenge is making sense of all this information and using it effectively for better farming. This review delves into how these technologies can enhance agricultural production and the hurdles they bring.

Introduction

The global aquaculture and fishery industry is a substantial business, valued at USD 281.5 billion, yielding an impressive 122.6 million tons of aquatic products in 2020 (FAO, 2022). Asia is the largest aquaculture producer, contributing to almost 91.6% of the world's total production (FAO, 2022). Forecasts indicate that aquatic animal production is poised to grow by an additional 14% by 2030 (FAO, 2022). Despite this growth, there remains a pressing need for technological advancements to address critical challenges like water pollution, disease outbreaks, the quality of breeding stock and juvenile fish, and inadequate management practices (Fearghal, 2019; Michael, 2019).

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The share of agriculture in GDP is sharp declining. Its share which was 55.1 per cent in 1950-51 came down to 21.6 per cent in 2003-04 and it further reduced down standing barely at 14.6 per cent in 2009-10. Horticulture acconts for 29 per cent share in gross GDP obtained from agriculture sector from about 13.08 per cent area put forth under horticultural plantations (Anon., 2010). To achieve the targetted growth rate of 4 per cent in agriculture, horticulture has to grow at the accelerated growth rate above 7 per cent. As a result of R&D initiatives made, there has been considerable increase in horticultural produce which is acclaimed as golden revoution. Horticulture sector has emerged as the frontier area in dealing with the situation of livelihood security and the employment generation. However, looking to the pressure arising from rising population and erratic climatic variation, more attention is required towards the development of technology driven horticulture. Precision farming is being viewed as a promise in this regard.

Precision farming is the process by which exact or accurate results of farming can be obtained. It is a management strategy that relies upon detailed, site specific information to precisely manage production inputs.

Maximisation of quality yield by managing site variable specific management practices is the basic of precision farming. More emphasis needs to be given to make the farming sustainable. In order to make precision farming a reality the following area needs due consideration.

Precision farming manages spatial and temporal variability within fields through targeted, data-driven interventions. Onion is particularly suited to precision management because its productivity and quality are sensitive to moisture, nutrients, environmental stress, pests and diseases. This chapter describes applications of GIS, GPS, variable-rate technology, IoT, cloud platforms, drones, remote sensing, multispectral imaging, smart sensors, artificial intelligence, automated systems and crop-response models. These technologies support soil assessment, field preparation, irrigation, fertilization, crop monitoring, stress detection, protection, yield estimation, harvesting and storage. Their potential to reduce input waste and improve profitability is considered alongside constraints involving investment costs, technical knowledge, connectivity, accessibility and data privacy.

Introduction

• Agriculture with its allied activities is the largest sector in India with 70% dependency of its rural households for their livelihood and 82% of farmers in the country are small and marginal.
• Agriculture sector alone contributes about 14.5% towards gross domestic product (GDP) of India.
• Food grain production has experienced a considerable jump from about 51 million tonne during 1950 to 291.95 million tonne in 2019-20 as per second advance estimates. The production of horticulture products has doubled over the past quarter century and the value of global trade in horticulture crops now exceeds that of cereals. For the first time, horticulture production surpassed food production in India during 2013-14 and continues to excel currently.
• India is characteristically a country of small agricultural farms, where approximately 80% of total land holdings in the country are less than 2 ha (5 acres) with 30% irrigated land only.
• India produces wide variety of agricultural products because of its varied agro-climatic regions but low farm productivity is major concern, which is around 33% of the best agricultural farms world over. Indian farmers can get more remuneration from the same piece of land with fewer inputs, once the productivity gets increased.