eChapters

ABSTRACT

A detailed survey was carried out in all the 19 rural blocks of Birbhum district of West Bengal. Pisciculture is a powerful income generating activity (IGA) by the women Self Help Group (SHG) members related to poverty reductionand employment generation for a vast section of the rural society. Self Help Groups are non-formal cooperatives that are causing a silent revolution in rural India through micro credit and various other economic activities involving women are the major change agents. Nearly, thirty thousand SHGs have been formed in Birbhum district of West Bengal that had made a notable success in micro finance. This study has focused on the functioning of 38 women SHGs of Birbhum district comprising 644 members mainly belonging to Below Poverty Line family. Totally 38 SHGs have been selected for the study. Each group had it unique name and consists of about 10 to 18women members. Information was elicited from all the members of 38 women SHGs, which together formed 644 members, constituting the study sample. The data were collected with the help of semi-structured interview survey schedule. The survey was carried out during the year 2009. Different social class of these fisher women members of the SHGs were assisted under Swarnjayanti Gram SwarojgarYojana. These SHGs were found to save a portion of their meager income and pool that money for their inter-lending among them at an interest decided by the SHG. The survey revealed that cash credit and project loan was used for better sustainability and enhancement of income from pisciculture. Most of the cultural water bodies i.e. ponds were under lease condition. Self Help group members particularly belonged to scheduled caste community actively take part in retail marketing of fish in rural areas. Empowerment of women was undertaken through training and other assistance given by local Panchayat, NGOs and Govt. Officials. The SHG women members increase in self-confidence, leadership qualities, skill to undertake pisciculture and marketing, knowledge of book keeping, enhanced income, linkage with bankand protest against social injustice.

ABSTRACT

Engaging youth in agriculture has been a prominent topic recently and has risen up the development agenda, as there is growing concern worldwide and also in India that young people have become disenchanted with agriculture. Over 60 per cent of the world’s rural population is made of youth, with half of them being young women and girls. Due to their limited access to assets (in particular land), markets, finance and education and skills training, rural youth are often unemployed or work informally – often in unpaid, very low-skilled, insecure and sometimes hazardous jobs. If young people living in rural areas do not find enough incentives, profitable economic opportunities and attractive environments in which to live and work, they will continue to migrate to cities. This trend would not only contribute to the mega urbanization and growing urban unemployment that is already under way, but is expected to affect global food production: who will then feed the global population that is projected to reach 9.2 billion people by 2050. With most young people around 85% living in developing countries, where agriculture is likely to provide the main source of income it is vital that young people are connected with farming. Currently around the world we’re living in an era where rapid urbanisation has led to a decline in rural populations and for the first time ever the majority of the world’s population lives in a city.

The term entrepreneur is derived from the French word entreprendre, which translates to “to undertake. “In the context of business, this refers to the initiation of a business. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, an entrepreneur is defined as an individual who organizes, directs, and takes risks in a business or enterprise. An entrepreneur can be described as “a person who establishes, organizes, and directs any enterprise, particularly a business, typically involving significant initiative and risk. “ Peter F. Drucker (1985) characterizes an entrepreneur as a person who continuously seeks change, responds to it, and leverages it as an opportunity. Innovation serves as a unique tool for entrepreneurs, enabling them to perceive change as an opportunity for launching another business or service. An entrepreneur is often regarded as an innovator – a creator of new ideas and business processes. Essential leadership skills and effective team-building abilities are frequently considered crucial traits for successful entrepreneurs. Economist Robert Reich (2002) regards leadership, management skills, and team building as vital attributes of an entrepreneur. The realm of entrepreneurship is influenced by a variety of combinations of socio-economic, psychological, cultural, and additional factors, including caste/religion, family background, educational level, level of insight, professional experience, migration capabilities, entrepreneurial spirit, nature of the business, investment capacity, and ambition/moderation. Entrepreneurship is often defined as “the ability and desire to develop, organize, and manage business activities and associated risks for profit”.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is an activity which helps the entrepreneur to bring changes in the process of production, innovation in production, new usage of materials, creator of market etc. It is a mental attitude to foresee risk and uncertainty with a view to achieve certain strong motives.
The word entrepreneur derived from French verb ‘Enterprendre’ means “to undertake”.

An entrepreneur should have “creative and innovative ideas”. It refers to successful business men who strive hard not only for gain himself in his economic activities but also to grow in all spheres of life.

According to Joseph A. Schumpeter: Entrepreneur is one who innovates, raises money, assembles inputs, chooses managers and sets the commercial organizations going with his ability to identify them and opportunities which others are not able to identify and is able to fulfil such economic opportunities.

Introduction
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.
UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and
options to decision-makers.
Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutorily backed by the Environment Protection Act, 1986 which contains various provisions on EIA methodology and process.
Evolution & History of EIA
EIA is termed as one of the best policy innovations in the 1900s. The main aim of EIA is to conserve the environment and bring out the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits. Read the below-mentioned points to understand the Environmental Impact Assessment evolution and history:
• The birth of EIA is dated back to the 1970s.

Concept of Environmental Impact Assessment Introduction, what it is, who does it, how it is done?

Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) is the estimation of the environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action.

Introduction to EIA

An EIA may be defined as: a formal process to predict the environmental consequences of human development activities and to plan appropriate techniques to eliminate or reduce adverse effects and to augment positive effects. to enhance positive effects.

ABSTRACT

Coastal aquaculture in India is synonymous with shrimp culture since shrimp has a pronounced presence among the basket of commodities produced in the sector. In coastal aquaculture, maximum area is under shrimp culture due to its high profitability, ready marketability, premium price and unlimited export demand. Since the growth of shrimp has showed significant fluctuations in terms of area, production and productivity over time, this paper aims to seek and use appropriate methodology for computation of growth rates. Accordingly, the present study utilized nonparametric regression method for computation of growth rates. Results indicated that the methodology has been successful in extracting required information from the data set. The analysis revealed that growth of Indian shrimp farming is largely governed by east coast states. Potentiality of west coast states remains grossly underexploited. Broad results also indicate that growth rate is higher in commercial shrimp farming states compared to traditional farming states. Shrimp farming being a livelihood option for small and marginal farmers of the deprived sections of the population of a developing country, like India, consistent yield is more important than substantial growth in yield in shrimp farming.

Introduction

The term 'research ethics' in social science research refers to human values, norms, and society approved arrangements that regulate scientific understanding go for society. It consists of the set of values, standards, and principles that serve as benchmark to determine appropriate and acceptable conduct tall stage soft he research process. It is the implementation of ethical practices that specifies norms and values as well as responsibility towards the academic community and society as a whole. 

Evaluating the Evaluation

To present clarity, representation of components of program, stake holders, senility, needs of target group, sample, data, technical adequacy, data collection methods cost, recommendation the steps have been described below as per syllabus contents prescribed by ICAR.

Evaluating the Evaluation

Evaluation Theory vs Practice

Theory based evaluation is an approach to evaluation (i.e., a conceptual analytical model) and not a specific method or technique. It is a way of structuring and undertaking analysis in an evaluation. A theory of change explains how an intervention is expected to produce its results

What are Evaluation Theories?

Evaluation theories refer to the conceptual frameworks, models, and principles that guide the systematic assessment and analysis of programs, policies, interventions, and other social phenomena. They provide a set of organizing principles and methodologies for evaluating the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, and sustainability of various interventions and initiatives in different domains, including education, healthcare, social services, environmental protection, and public policy. Evaluation theories draw from various disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, economics, statistics, and management, and they may emphasize different aspects of the evaluation process, such as the role of stakeholders, the criteria for success, the methods for data collection and analysis, and the use of evaluation results.
i. Programme theory
Program theory defines as the mechanisms that mediate between the delivery (and receipt) of the program and the emergence of the outcomes of interest. Programme theory, variously referred to as programme theory, programme logic, theory-based evaluation or theory of change, theory-driven evaluation, theory-of-action, intervention logic, impact pathway analysis, and programme theory-driven evaluation science refers to a variety of ways of developing a causal modal linking programme inputs and activities to a chain of intended or observed outcomes, and then using this model to guide the
evaluation. The term ‘logic model’ is used to refer to the summarized theory of how the intervention works (usually in diagrammatic form) and ‘programme theory evaluation’ is used for the process of developing a logic model and using this in some way in an evaluation. Most approaches to building logic models have focused on simple, linear models, but some have explored how non-linear models might be used to better represent programmes and guide their evaluation. In particular, a number of evaluators have incorporated concepts of complexity in their discussion and use of logic models. 

Project evaluation is a systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed project. The aim is to determine the relevance and level of achievement of project objectives, development effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. It is a time bound exercise that attempt to access, systematically and objectively, the relevant / performance and success of a programme / project.

INTRODUCTION

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005(NREGA) was brought into force by the Union Government in February 2006 which was renamed on 2^nd October 2009 as MGNREGA i.e. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. It is the first nation-wide employment scheme that guarantees employment legally to India’s rural population. According to the Union Rural Development Ministry’s figures, more than 1.36 crore people of the country’s total population have been given jobs under the Act. It guarantees 100 days of unskilled jobs per rural household. This is meant to regenerate the rural natural resource base, which in turn, will result in sustainable livelihoods for residents. It is with this background the present article has been planned with the specific objectives to explore the extent of awareness about NREGA among the target group of the Act. Ray (2008) told that, director, Development, Allahabad University included NREGA in the curriculum of rural sociology and has suggested that seminar; workshops and university publications can be used for awareness generation. UNIFEM Workshop (2009) concluded that, in case of Kerala, Kudumbashree and Panchayat have been very vigilant in spreading awareness about NREGA through radio, poster, television, notice board on gram Sabhas, etc.

INTRODUCTION

It is becoming obvious that the interest of youth in agriculture is declining and this trend is likely to continue if we do not look into this seriously. A large number of young people are migrating to urban centers in the hope of getting employment and for a better life. This is due to lack of jobs and opportunities in rural areas, and a view that working in farming is low status and does not offer good future prospects. Young people play an important role and are required in the agriculture sector. But education or training programs are not always readily available, technologies are not accessible, inputs may be scarce, and other vital services are not accessible. Young people now-a-days are becoming less connected with their food, often making little or no association between the food they eat, who is behind it and it is produced. They may not see beyond the store or market, nor make the connection between the food they are eating and the efforts made by farmers to grow it. This growing disconnection with agriculture implies an uncertain future for sustainable food production to feed the growing population. It is important to make the link between food and agriculture visible. The important role young people play in farming needs to be understood as agriculture is sustainable if it can attract future generation farmers. In fact the young people are the future farmers. Efforts are required to discourage the overwhelming tendency of young people to move out of farming in search of a more comfortable life and better income. It is true that there are major challenges, farming is not an easy or a more glamorous option, but we should be exploring ways of doing agriculture in a sustainable and rewarding manner.

17.1 Introduction

Factor-factor relationship is concerned with the possibility of substituting one input factor (X1 ) for another input/factor (X2 ) for producing a given level of output. It answers the crucial question of finding out the optimum or least cost combination of two or more resources in producing the given amount of output. The two fold objective of factor-factor relationship is:

ABSTRACT

Bangladesh is a land of rivers, wet lands and tributaries across her deltaic plains in which aquaculture is a potential arena to meet dietary needs of protein. The main objective of this study was to bring out the dominating factors on adoption of modern aquaculture technologies by the fish farmers. The study was conducted in Kahaloo and Sherpurupazilas of Bogra district. Respondent fish farmers were selected using proportionate random sampling technique. Quantitative data were collected using predesigned interview schedule during August to September 2011. Socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents viz. ‘use of information sources’ ‘innovativeness’, ‘social participation’, ‘commercialization’ and hindrances of adoption i.e. ‘lack of technical knowledge’, ‘unavailability of credits in time’, ‘lack of quality fish fry’, ‘comparatively low market price’, ‘fish fry price is high’, ‘unavailability of quality fish feed’, ‘adulteration of fertilizers’ were the major dominating factors on adoption of modern aquaculture technologies. ‘formulated feed is costly’, ‘high production cost’

25.1 Introduction

Farmers must be able to take appropriate decisions at appropriate time. Incorrect judgement and decisions will return in failure of execution of farm plan and in turn economic loss. The farm management decisions can be broadly categorised into two ways.

19.1 Introduction

The farm management comprises of two words: ‘farm’ and ‘management’. Literally ‘farm’ means a piece of land where crops and livestock enterprises are taken up under a common management and has a specific boundaries. ‘Management’ means the act or art of managing, the agricultural production or enterprises etc.

22.1 Farm Planning

It refers to setting the objectives and actions to be taken in directing or controlling the organisation of farm business and it precedes all other managerial functions on the farm to achive the desired results. It is deciding in advance to the production management problems viz. what to produce, how to produce, when to produce, financial management problems viz how to borrow, how much to borrow, when to borrow, from where to borrow and marketing management problems viz, where to buy, and sell, when to buy and sell, how to buy and sell ete. Farm planning governs the survival progress and prosperity of farm organisation in a competitive and dynamic environment. It is a continuous and unending process. Farm planning is as old as farming itself but mainly it uses the farmal planning.

Background

Farming system is a complex inter-related matrix of soils, plants, animals, implements, labour and capital, inter-dependent farming enterprises. The farm is viewed in a holistic manner (multi-disciplinary approach). Farming system approach requires commonly homogenous type of farmers. It is an inter-disciplinary, participatory and bottom-up planning approach. It is an approach for developing farm household systems. It is built on the principles of productivity, profitability, stability and sustainability which complement component oriented approach to development.