eChapters

Agriculture is of paramount importance in most developing countries because large proportion of the population involved and the need to maintain national food production. It is generally accepted though not fully proven, that health and productivity are positively correlated. This is of particular  relevance because many agricultural tasks in developing countries demand high level of strenuous activity (Anonymous, 1987). Investment to improve agricultural worker’s health would be justified on both humanitarian and economic grounds. Nearly half of the available human resources in India are women.  It has been roughly estimated that women represent 50% of population and have contributed about 10% of income and own less than 1 % of the world’s property.  The population of farm women are involved in sowing, transplanting, weeding, winnowing, drying, bringing drinking water and firewood, cleaning and dehusking.  Most of the drudgery prone tasks for women in agriculture are cutting uprooting, transplanting, weeding and sowing and post harvest tasks like manual threshing of maize, millets and pulses, sieving and cleaning. For groundnut, after the harvesting, removal of nuts and cleaning of groundnut seeds are also performed  manually. Further, sieving, cleaning are performed by winnowing followed by traditional sieve. (Badiger et al. 2006).  Studies have pointed out that farm activities that are time and labour intensive, monotonous, repetitive and more drudgery prone are generally performed by women.

Introduction

‘Health is wealth’ is a common saying. Every individual should take care of his physical and mental health. During work performance, if an activity leads to any health problem it is referred to as an occupational health hazard, which needs urgent attention. In agriculture, occupational health problems sometimes amount to incurable diseases/disorders.

Meaning of Occupational Health Hazards

Occupational hazard is something that causes harm to a working person, in terms of injury or ill health, damage to property, workplace environment, or a combination of both. In India, farm women contribute as farmers, agricultural workers, and entrepreneurs. As per the 2012 census data, women’s share was 55%, which is projected to be 65% by 2025. They are the backbone of the agricultural rural economy but still are one of the most vulnerable groups. Though nowadays, mechanization is gaining importance due to various reasons, it has yet not reached farm women, who are still not recognized as ‘farmers’, and the machinery is designed to suit the men’s folk. The role of women in farming operations like transplanting, harvesting, post-harvest management, and packaging, which are drudgery-prone, are on the increase. Considering these facts, the tools’ designers should give due thought when designing agricultural tools and equipment, to address farm women’s drudgery.

Abstract

Cattle are reared for milk and dry periods are considered loss to the exchequer of livestock farmers. To avoid it, farmers mostly abandon the cattle to become stray animals. Latest research supports that cow dung and urine are endowed with versatile medicinal, biofertilizer and bio-pesticide properties of socioeconomic importance. This has given the concept of dry cattle farming where focus is utilities of cow dung and urine and their value added products. Cow urine is useful for numerous human ailments like, cancer, osteoarthritis, allergies, kidney failures, skin diseases, healing of wounds etc. Cow dung is main source for vermicompost, FYM and biogas. Many products containing cow dung and urine i.e. soap (23% cow dung content and 7% urine), toothpaste (10% cow dung content and 10% urine, 2% Ghee), floor cleaners (Gaunyle: 11% cow urine), hair oil, incense shaving cream, face wash, talcum powders and dark circle removers are available in the market. The term cowpathy has been coined for diverse uses of cow dung and urine and is now focal area of research and innovative products development. Further, the dry cattle farming offers solution to problems of stray animals and helps in empowering the women farming community to exploit dry farming for more profit, product development and economic strengthening.

The concept of climate-resilient agriculture encompasses a range of approaches, including climate-smart agriculture, conservation agriculture, and agroforestry. These approaches recognize that agricultural development and growth are inextricably linked to climate change, and that farmers, policymakers, and other stakeholders must work together to promote climate-resilient agriculture practices. The dynamics of development and growth engineering in the context of climate-resilient agriculture are complex and multifaceted. They involve understanding the interactions between climate change, agricultural productivity, and rural livelihoods, as well as the role of institutions, policies, and technologies in promoting climate-resilient agriculture practices. Several driving factors are influencing the dynamic development of climate-resilient agriculture (Fig. 7.1). These include:
Increased awareness of climate change impacts on agriculture, leading to growing demand for climate-resilient agriculture practices.
• Advances in climate information and early warning systems, enabling farmers and policymakers to make more informed decisions.
• Growing recognition of the importance of soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services in promoting climate-resilient agriculture.
• Increased investment in climate-resilient agriculture research and development, leading to the development of new technologies and practices.
• Effective governance for growth is critical for promoting climate-resilient agriculture. This requires:
• Strong institutions and policies that support climate-resilient agriculture, including laws, regulations, and incentives.
• Inclusive coordination and collaboration among stakeholders, including farmers, researchers, policymakers, and private sector actors.
• Investment in climate information and early warning systems, as well as climate-resilient agriculture research and development.
• Support for capacity building and extension services, enabling farmers to access and adopt climate-resilient agriculture practices.
• Agricultural insurance and risk management mechanisms, enabling farmers to manage climate-related risks and uncertainties. By understanding the driving factors and governance requirements for climate-resilient agriculture, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners can work together to promote dynamic development and growth in the agricultural sector, enhancing food security, sustainability, and climate resilience.

ABSTRACT

Agriculture is an important sector of economy that ensures food security of the nation. About 58 per cent of the Indian population is engaged in Agriculture and planners are concerned to increase agriculture productivity. The National Knowledge Commission has also looked into various problems of this sector and made some recommendations from the knowledge perspective. This paper includes review of existing plans and programs for improvement of knowledge accessibility to Indian farmers. Article also discusses how the Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications, especially, the hand held devices like mobile phones can improve knowledge accessibility in the agriculture sector and describes how the ongoing programs of mobile telephony are helping Indian farmers.

10.1 Introduction

The incredible technology usage in e-commerce over the last several years has resulted in the fast growth of e-business enterprises. Technological innovation has created new opportunities for online businesses looking to provide value added services. Technology adoption, enhanced customer support, and creative product development have given businesses the necessary competitiveness. Consumers are more demanding than ever and more aware of their rights. E-commerce businesses are pressured to develop and provide value for their customers in novel ways.

e-Governance can be defined as the application of information and communication technology (ICT) for providing government services, exchange of information, transactions and integration of previously existing services and information portals. The "e" in e-Governance stands for 'electronic'.

e-Governance refers to the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), particularly web-based applications, to provide access to and deliver information/service to the public, businesses, other agencies and governmental entities faster, cheaper, easier and more efficiently.

The Council of Europe referred to e-governance as: "The use of electronic technologies in three areas of public action

1. Relations between the public authorities and civil society

e-Learning

It is the concept of learning which is conducted via electronic media. This is usually via the Internet but can also be offline with a CD-Rom or DVD. Examples of e-Learning in icar: e krishi siksha, e-agri diksha web education channel of icar and virtual classroom of icar.

Advantages

• It promotes active and independent learning
• An efficient way of delivering courses as the resources are available from anywhere and at any time
• Students can interact with their peers from all around the world through group discussions and private chats
• The studying material can be accessed an unlimited number of times.

Introduction

e-Literacy as defined by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO) refers to the awareness, skills, understanding and reflective approaches necessary for an individual to operate comfortably in information-rich and IT enabled environments. Most definitions of e-literacy or digital literacy covers three abilities

• The ability to use digital technology, communication tools or networks to locate, evaluate, use and create information

• The ability to understand and use information in multiple formats from a wide range of sources when it is presented via computers

• The ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment

To promote e-literacy, every state in India has initiated a project in their own names. For example, in Kerala the e-literacy is promoted in the name of Project Akshaya. Initially, this project was started with a noble intention of making at least one member in each of 64 lakh families e-literate. The pilot project started in Malappuram, and was inaugurated by His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President of India on 18th November 2002. 100% eLiteracy was achieved in eight districts in Phase 1 and the project has been roaring success. Nowhere has such a feat been attempted or accomplished. The vision and scope of the project is beyond comparison. The operations of Akshaya as unfolded so far consist of three distinct phases. The first phase is that of enabling the masses by imparting basic skill in computer operations and making them familiar with internet. This phase is the period of eLiteracy training. In the initial phase, the Akshaya ecentre imparts basic training that not only familiarizes people with the basics and the scope of IT, but also ensures hands-on-skill in operating a computer, using the Internet etc to at least one person in the 64 lakh families in the state that makes it the largest rural eliteracy training project worldwide. Malappuram is declared as the first eliterate district in India. Malappuram and Kannur districts were already declared 100% eliterate. Kollam, Kozhikode, Thrissur and Kasaragod districts achieved eliteracy above 90%. So far around 33 lakhs beneficiaries were trained.

Introduction

Agriculture forms the backbone of the Indian economy. Although there has been large industrialization in the last 60 years, agriculture still occupies the prominent place of importance (Banarsi Lal, 2019). The agriculture sector contributes about 20 per cent of GDP in India (MoF, 2020-21). Both the agriculture and livestock sectors provide employment to 52 per cent of the work force (Rathod and Dixit, 2019). In India, most of farmers have small average holdings. Agriculture marketing can play important role in increasing income of farmers with same landholding. Agriculture plays a vital role in India’s economy. 54.6 of the total workforces is engaged in agriculture and allied sector activities (Census 2011) and accounts for 18.8% (First Advance Estimates) of country’s Gross Value Added (GVA) for the year 2021-22 (at current prices). Agriculture sector needs structured and functional markets, preferably in the vicinity of farmers, to drive growth, employment, remunerative prices and economic prosperity in rural areas of the country.

Introduction

E-Portal otherwise called as an electronic portal is a webpage that allows business application procedure developed by framework to be easily deployed via internet. Portals are usually created in standard Java format. It utilizes an Extensible Mark- up Language (XML) interface protocol in addition to Java Server Pages (JSP). Portals are given different names based on the field they are created. For example, if the portal is developed to improvise agriculture, then they are termed as agri-por- tals. Similarly, if a portal is developed for academic reasons they are called web portal. Examples of web portals are iGoogle, MSNBC, Netvibes, and Yahoo.

Portal concept has opened new possibilities to address some of the issues concern- ing the personal management of academic information and knowledge through internet. Some of the main issues are the lack of integration, personalisation and customisation of existing academic information sources and systems. A Web por- tal can be defined as a Web site that aggregates an array of content and provides a variety of services including search engines, directories, news, e-mail and chat rooms. Portals have evolved to provide a customised gateway to Web information. A high level of personalisation and customisation is possible (Melzer 1999; Boye 1999). It was felt that the portal concept could be further developed to function as a sophisticated Web interface that can support the task performance (teaching and research) of academics.

ABSTRACT

Information is basic element in any development activity. It is useful only if it is available, if the users have access to it, in the appropriate form and language. Information in the field of agriculture, to benefit farmers, has to be tailored to local agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions backed up by relevant input supply services and public policies. The impact of information revolution with its powerful information and communication technologies are making the whole universe into a small global village enabling easy access and faster sharing of knowledge among the world communities. Information Communication Technologies have great prospect and wide scope for disseminating information to the people in remote areas with great accuracy and with no loss or distortion of any information. ICTs can empower rural communities and give them ‘a voice’ that permits them to contribute to the development process.

e-SAP is one of the important emerging and efficient dissemination tool for agricultural pest management. e-SAP refers to electronic solution for  agricultural pest management. e-SAP is a ground – breaking application built on the backdrop of agricultural pest management. Its foundation lies on a unique platform that facilitates the storage access and transfer information between all stakeholders in agriculture. It enables rapid and delivery of farm data in various forms including multimedia to researchers, policymakers and other users in real time.

ABSTRACT

India’s North-East is predominantly hill agriculture based and endowed with rich natural resources for the development. The average rainfall in the region is the highest in the country. However, low agricultural productivity and food in-security are largely prevalent in the North- East India. Lack of adequate information on advanced farm technologies, market intelligence and rural development schemes led to the income poverty in the region. The limited technical manpower, lack of transport and communication facilities, inadequate financial support to the technology transfer and less infrastructure facility creates huge technological gap among  rural tribal farming community.

Economy consideration: Economy consideration suggests that some tradeoff which is needed between the ideal research project and that which the budget can afford. The length of measuring tool is an important area where economic pressures are quickly felt. Even though more items give superior reliability, but in the interest of limiting the interview or observation time, the research worker is to take only a few items for his study purpose.

Plant diseases significantly reduce crop productivity, quality, and economic returns, making early and accurate detection essential for effective crop protection. This chapter examines the application of machine learning and computer vision for identifying diseases at an early stage. It discusses agricultural image acquisition using RGB, hyperspectral, and sensor-based technologies, followed by image preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction, and classification. Machine learning algorithms such as support vector machines, random forests, and convolutional neural networks are considered for disease recognition. The chapter also explores the integration of AI with IoT and mobile technologies and presents practical applications while addressing challenges involving datasets, environmental variability, model generalization, and computational requirements.

Abstract

Extreme weather conditions often cause considerable damage. Much of this damage can be mitigated if people are better prepared for impending disasters. Therefore, public authorities and private enterprises have been investing in Early Warning Systems (EWS). Environmental degradation and destruction of natural resources has been faced by humans and other organisms for hundreds of years. Some of these incidences have been caused by natural climatic and geologic processes and others by human activities. These natural disasters have been increasing over time due to factors such as urbanization, population growth, destruction of natural environment and climatic change. Biogenic and anthropogenic related environmental and natural resources degradation has direct economic and health impacts on affected regions. Land and water degradation as well as disasters such as floods and droughts have led to famine, hunger, disease, death and created many other problems. It is necessary, therefore, to keep focused on the ultimate goal of reducing disasters by all possible means. India must invest generously on infrastructure and resources for preparation of early warning systems and disaster preparedness.

Early Warning Systems (EWS) have evolved from simple, rudimentary alert mechanisms into complex, multi-hazard, data-driven networks that play a critical role in disaster risk management and climate adaptation. In today’s rapidly changing climate, timely and accurate information is essential not only for saving lives but also for protecting livelihoods, reducing economic losses, and enhancing community resilience. The application of EWS varies significantly by region, geography, type of disaster, and across diverse sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and allied sciences. Global initiatives - led by organizations such as the United Nations - aim to ensure that every person, particularly the most vulnerable, is equipped with lifesaving early warnings by 2027 (Fig.11.1). Complementary partnerships, such as that between the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), further strengthen these systems by integrating cutting edge forecasting with actionable advisories for critical sectors. A particularly groundbreaking effort is the United Nations’ Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) initiative, launched in 2022 by UN Secretary General António Guterres, which seeks to provide comprehensive early warning coverage for hazardous weather, water, and climate events to every person on Earth. Underpinning these global efforts is Weather Intelligence - a transformative approach that harnesses advanced data analytics, real time monitoring, and machine learning techniques to refine forecasts and deliver precise, context specific alerts. By integrating diverse data streams and tailoring

Earth’s atmosphere is a dynamic and complex system that plays a crucial role in supporting life as we know it. This chapter explores into the fascinating world of this gaseous envelope that surrounds our planet, exploring its composition, structure, and the processes that drive both our daily weather and long-term climate. It includes:
• Composition and Structure: It will begin by examining the unique blend of gases that make up the atmosphere, including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and trace amounts of others. It will also be explored how the atmosphere is structured into distinct layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere), each with its own characteristics and role.
• Weather: Weather refers to the short-term conditions of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. We’ll discuss the key elements of weather, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation, and how they interact to create the ever-changing weather patterns we experience.
• Climate: In contrast to weather, climate describes the long-term average of atmospheric conditions in a particular region. We’ll investigate the factors that influence climate, including latitude, altitude, proximity to oceans, and atmospheric circulation patterns. We’ll also explore the different climate zones found across the globe.
• Interconnectedness: A key focus of this chapter understands how weather and climate are interconnected. Daily weather patterns are influenced by the same fundamental atmospheric processes that shape long-term climate. For example, the way the sun’s energy interacts with the atmosphere drives both daily temperature variations and global climate patterns.

Introduction

During the last four decade, spectacular progress has been achieved in agricultural production in the country. Compared with 51 million tones of food grain production in 1950-51, India achieved food grain production of 211.17 million tones during 2001-02, making it not only self sufficient in food production but also in a buffer stock of over 30 million tones. This achievement was because of high intensity cropping and cultivation of high yielding varieties that were highly input responsive. Farmers used chemicals and synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and growth promoters above the level of recommended dose with a motive to get higher yields. In this process the soil, water and environment got polluted besides degradation of natural resources. Paddy is the principle food crop and ranks second in the consumption of pesticides in Tamil Nadu. In order to protect our environment, the state department of agriculture had started advocating eco-friendly agricultural practices in paddy cultivation. In addition to the government efforts, number of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) also taking intensive efforts to make the farmers to adopt eco friendly agricultural practices. Among the several NGO’s in Tamil Nadu, Agricultural Man Ecology Foundation (AMEF) is a Netherland based NGO found to have taken strenuous efforts to advocate and popularize eco -friendly agricultural practices. It has network with other NGO’s situated all over Tamil Nadu and rendered technical and financial support to them for the promotion of eco-friendly agricultural practices. Keeping this in view, a study was conducted to assess the impact of eco-friendly agricultural practices among the paddy farmers who have trained by the AMEF network NGO’s.

INTRODUCTION

Farming acts as the primary occupation of majority of the population in India. According to National Sample Survey Estimate, about 49% of the Indian population is dependent on agriculture and allied industries (GOI, 2014, CIA, 2012) making it the largest source of employment to the people of India. Although, being a second largest food producing country in the world (Sarkar, 2009), the contribution of agriculture to the GDP has been declining. The contribution of agriculture to Indian GDP has declined from 30% in 1991 to 15% in 2011-2012 to 13.7% in 2013 (Economic Survey. 2013-2014). This decline is also accompanied by a decline in the participation of people in Indian farming sector. In fact between 2001 and 2011 about 9 million people have quit farming, which is about 2 million more than the decline noted in the previous decade (GOI, 2011). This figure equates to about 2035 farmers quitting farming per day. The recent census (GOI, 2011) also highlighted that for the first time in four decades an absolute decline (about 7%) in the cultivators has been noted.

During the last visit of Barak Obama in the year 2011, he pointed out that India is fortunate to have a youth population with a half of the total population being under the age of 30-35 years. Out of 600 million young people, over 60% live in villages and majority of them are educated. Mahatma Gandhi considered that migration of rural youth from villages to town and cities as the most serious form of brain drain affecting adversely rural India’s development. The National Commission on Farmers stressed the need for attracting and retaining rural youth in farming. Recently, National Sample Survey has indicated that over 45% people want to quit farming under these condition there is need to persuade educated youth including farm graduates to stay in villages and take up agriculture as a profession. There are various economic opportunities for farm graduates which are discussed below:

Introduction
The economic transformation through information technology (IT) has emerged as one of the most influential drivers of modern economic development across the globe. In the 21st century, IT has catalyzed sweeping changes in industrial processes, global markets, and the overall economic structure, impacting everything from productivity to business models, labor markets, and governmental policy. The proliferation of IT has led to profound shifts in economic paradigms, influencing sectors ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to services and finance. The integration of IT into these various domains has spurred growth by fostering innovation, reducing inefficiencies, improving resource management, and creating new opportunities for economic development.

ABSTRACT

India is one of the leading coconuts producing country in the world. Yet, it does not figure in the list of leading exporting countries of desiccated coconut. The study makes an attempt to examine the Economics of production and marketing of desiccated coconut. The study was conducted in Tiptur taluk of Tumkur district. The primary data was collected from the 10 desiccated coconut entrepreneurs from Tipturtaluk of Tumkur district of Karnataka. The study reveals that desiccated coconut units were utilizing 78.9 per cent of their installed capacity. The net return per tonne of coconut processed by desiccated coconut units was lakh Rs. 32.1, lakh Rs.81.1, and lakh Rs. 114.5 in case of small, medium, and large sized units respectively. On an average Rs. 144.01 lakhs was needed for the establishment of desiccated coconut unit. Out of which the investment on land (53.64%) was a major cost followed by machinery (26.15%), building (15.11%), and power installation (5.11%). The break even analysis showed that all categories of units had processed more than breakeven level. The investment made on desiccated coconut units was realized back within 2 to 3 years. The major constraints faced by desiccated coconut units were lack of skilled labor, limited market for desiccated coconut, higher requirement of working capital, and use of obsolete machines. Motivating the entrepreneurs to improve the quality standards, and modernization of desiccated coconut units need to be considered to improve the performance of desiccated coconut sector.

Outdoor programming, whether for documentary films, nature shows, travel vlogs, or live-event broadcasts, presents unique challenges and opportunities for video editors. Unlike studio-based productions, outdoor recordings are subject to unpredictable variables like lighting, sound quality, and environmental factors. However, the beauty of non-linear editing (NLE) is that it allows editors to manage these challenges creatively and efficiently. This chapter will delve into the process of editing a recorded outdoor programme using NLE tools, providing an in-depth look at the techniques and considerations that can
help shape the final product.
1. The Nature of Outdoor Programmes
Outdoor programmes, by their very nature, capture content in dynamic and uncontrolled environments. This could mean shooting in vast natural landscapes, bustling cities, or remote locations with limited access to professional sound and lighting equipment. As a result, outdoor footage often contains elements that require careful editing to ensure the final product is visually and audibly appealing to the audience.

Editing

Editing is the process of refining the content, structure, grammar, and presentation of a written work. Editing is done to make sure that your thoughts are communicated to the reader as clearly as possible.

It takes more than just changing a word, adding a comma here and there, and fixing spelling errors to edit a tale. The procedures below must be followed in order to edit effectively.

1. Read the story from beginning to end first. The writer’s intent will become clearer to you at this point. Then check to see if it addresses the following queries: what? Why? Where? When? Who? and how - regarding the topic.

2. Make your notes in the margin while keeping these inquiries in mind.

3. Next, consider the general level of education and comprehension of your magazine or letter’s readers. Make a note of every word you believe they won’t comprehend.

4. Next, determine how long the story should be. What room in your magazine can you offer it? It is preferable to rewrite the story rather than attempt to condense it by omitting some details if you need a very brief copy.

5. Verify that the information is logically ordered and, if a process story, that the directions are comprehensive and given in the right sequence.

Education has continuously evolved in response to technological, economic, and social change. Education 5.0 represents a further transformation toward human-centered, personalized, inclusive, creative, sustainable, and collaborative learning environments supported by intelligent technologies. This chapter examines the evolution from Education 1.0 through Education 4.0 and explains how Generative Intelligence contributes to the emerging Education 5.0 paradigm. Earlier models progressed from teacher-centered knowledge transmission to standardized education, digitally connected learning, and technology-enabled competency development. Education 5.0 extends this evolution by emphasizing meaningful collaboration between humans and intelligent systems rather than simple technology adoption. Generative AI can support personalized content, automated assessment, intelligent tutoring, adaptive learning pathways, multimodal resources, and immersive educational experiences. The chapter also considers the role of AI, IoT, AR/VR, robotics, big data, cloud technologies, and other digital systems in shaping future learning ecosystems. Importantly, Education 5.0 must address data privacy, algorithmic fairness, academic integrity, digital inequality, sustainability, and human control. The chapter presents Education 5.0 as a human-centered transformation in which technology supports creativity, inclusivity, lifelong learning, social responsibility, and sustainable development.

Almost half of the population in the world comprises women, indicating that women are at par with men, but the issue is ‘Is she really at par with men in the status too?’ Numerous studies have drawn attention to the fact that women are half marginalised in every society; they have not yet got their share. The concern over women’s problems started with the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, which led to the declaration of 1975 as ‘International Women’s Year’ and the years between 1975- 1985 as the UN Decade for Women. For the first time, the attention was focused on the unnoticed and forgotten halves, who by birth were women, performing 2/3^rd of the world’s work, receiving 1/10th of the world’s income and owning less than 1/100^th of the world’s property (Rath, 1996). 

“Educational Technology is the application of scientific knowledge about learning and the conditions of learning to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching and training. In the absence of scientifically established principles, educational technology implements techniques of empirical testing to improve learning situation”.

National Centre for Programmed Learning, UK
“Educational Technology is a complex, integrated process involving people. procedures, ideas, devices and organization for analyzing problems and devising. implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems, involved in all aspects of learning”.

Association for Educational Communications and technology (AECT), 1977
The most recent definition of the field (which uses the term, instructional technology) has been published by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT). It defines Instructional Technology as “the theory and practice of design,

Feedback

Feedback’s influence on learning is indisputable and undeniable and feedback’s varying roles in instruction are heavily researched concepts (Mory, 1992). Understanding how feedback facilitates, and, in some cases, hinders transfer of knowledge is essential to creating effective instruction.

Researchers have focused on the many aspects and roles of feedback in hopes of developing some synthesis that will increase learner performance and improve instruction. Researchers such as Bangert - Drowns, Kulik, Kulik and Morgan (1991), Brinko (1993), Clariana, R.B. and Lee, D. (2001), Clariana, R.B., Wagner, D. and Rohrer-Murphy, L.C. (2000), Kulhavy (1976), Kulhavy and Stock (1989), Kulik and Kulik (1988) and Mory (1992) to name only a very few, have sought to discern the complex role feedback plays in learning. While many studies have been convincingly conducted trying to ascertain how feedback best works in certain circumstances, a consensus has yet to be reached in most, if not all, areas and as Clariana (2000) writes, “There are a number of unanswered questions and perhaps even more unquestioned answers”.

Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation and Water Bodies Restoration and Management project (TN IAMWARM) is a multidisciplinary project funded by World Bank. It is being implemented by WRO, PWD as nodal agency in 63 sub basins along with line departments and TNAU as coordinating agency since 2007. TNAU is concentrating on up scaling water saving technologies including Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) under Precision farming in sugarcane. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Virinjipuram is implementing TN IAMWARM project in Cheyyar & Kiliyar sub basin since 2007. Cheyyar  and  Killiyar Sub - Basin are the tributaries  of the Palar Basin that rises in KolarDistrict of  Karnataka enters through Vaniyambadi  and drains an area of about 13,470 Sq. K.M. of which 10,880 Sq. K.M. is in Tamil Nadu. The command area of this sub basin comes under the Cheyyar and Vandavasi Taluk in Thiruvannamalai and Uttermerur, Maduranthagam, and Seyyur Taluk in Kancheepuram Districts  which covers 458 tanks in 12 blocks with a registered ayakut area of 36746 ha. The major crops grown in the sub basin area are paddy, sugarcane, groundnut and pulses.

The Effective Climate Guidance (ECG) refers to information, tools, and frameworks designed to help individuals, organizations, and governments make informed and effective decisions and take appropriate actions to address climate change (Fig.7.1). It aims to provide practical, relevant, and actionable insights to navigate the risks and opportunities presented by a changing climate. Fig.7.1: Effective Climate Guidance (ECG)
7.1. Key Aspects of Effective Climate Guidance Include
• Materiality: Focusing on the most significant climate-related issues for the specific context (e.g., for a business, these would be the climate risks and opportunities that could impact its financial performance).
• Actionability: Providing clear steps or strategies that can be implemented.
• Decision-Usefulness: Ensuring the information is relevant and presented in a way that supports informed decision-making.
• Authority and Reliability: Based on credible scientific information and data.

Objective: Equip participants with the skills to communicate clearly, confidently, and empathetically in verbal, non-verbal, and written forms to foster collaboration, reduce misunderstandings, and build stronger workplace relationships.
Why It Matters
Effective communication is the cornerstone of professional success. It ensures ideas are conveyed clearly, builds trust, and prevents conflicts. Poor communication can lead to misaligned expectations, decreased productivity, and strained relationships. For example, a vague email can cause project delays, or a misunderstood tone in a meeting can create tension. This module empowers participants to master communication in diverse workplace scenarios.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of this module, participants will:
1. Understand the components of effective communication (verbal, nonverbal, written).
2. Practice active listening and empathetic responses to enhance interpersonal connections.
3. Craft clear, professional written messages tailored to their audience.
4. Apply communication strategies in real-world scenarios through interactive exercises.

The ICT enabled extension systems act as a key agent for changing current agrarian situation by improving access to information, sharing knowledge, providing incredible opportunities and enabling the empowerment of farming communities. In order to extend the benefits of ICT’s to the disorganized and disadvantaged farming sector, one of the road maps to achieve them are access of ICT’s to villagers through Mobile telephony.

ABSTRACT

The study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of ICT-Enabled Village Information Centres (VICs) with special reference to dairy farming in Tamil Nadu. Ex-post-facto research design was followed, wherein 180 users and 90 non-users of VICs constituting 270 dairy farmers covering three ICT-VIC initiatives viz., Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and n-Logue communication in Tamil Nadu were selected using random sampling technique. Data collected through personal interviews were analysed using appropriate statistical tools.

ABSTRACT

Agricultural growth is a catalyst for broad based economic development in most of the low-income countries. Over the last few decades, the share of agriculture in GDP has steadily declined in India from over 50 per cent in the 1950s to 18.5 per cent in 2006-07. The role of extension personnel in this juncture has become immense and there is a mammoth task ahead in the era of contract farming, organized retailing and market led extension. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an umbrella that includes all technologies for the communication of information.  It caters for individualized instruction and the contents could be easily updated and expanded.

Cassava is one of the leading staple food crop which is consumed as food and rest is used in industries and as feed to animal. Cassava has the potential to increase farm income, reduce rural and urban poverty and help to close the food gap (Nweke et al., 2001). It is used in many sectors like food processing, textile industries, glucose production etc. Salem stands first in area and has about 650 sago and starch industries acting as a prime reason for the intensive area under the cassava cultivation in Salem also 60 per cent of the starch produced in India comes from Salem District alone. Nearly 200 products can be made from cassava which leads to implementation of several interventions in the district which helped in imparting knowledge on cassava value addition techniques and improve adoption. Present study was undertaken to analyse the perceived impact by focusing on the effect of interventions of CTCRI and TNAU among the women growers in enhancing group approaches and empowerment through entrepreneurship activities.

ABSTRACT

The main function of extension is to bring a desirable change in human behavior. The extension workers, thus are essentially educators and their most important job is to communicate useful and practical research findings to the farmers in such a way that they understand, accept and adopt. In order to achieve this objective, the extension agencies are disseminating new technologies through different means including mass media like radio, T. V, and print media. Considering the wide areas of coverage, exposure and frequent use by people, the mass media such as television, newspaper and radio play an important role in the transfer of technology. Mass media are increasingly becoming a veritable instrument and tool for transforming agriculture. Hence, mass media play a vital role in agricultural extension. There is a gap between the agricultural researchers and the farmers. A lot of findings from the research institutions and laboratories are not used by the farmers, either because of the information did not reach them, or the received information was not implemented by them. To overcome this problem, mass media play a vital role in diffusing scientific knowledge among the mass. This is used to link researchers and extension workers and collecting the feedback from farming communities. Further, agricultural technology information acquired by farmers through mass media. Generally, the agricultural technology information includes techniques of applying fertilizer, insecticides and fungicides to crops, improved methods of cultivation and conservation techniques of planting, maintenance, harvesting and storage of crops. There are also new technologies of animal husbandry as well as processing and marketing various agricultural products. Hence, mass media is the most effective means of reaching people with new ideas and persuading them to utilize these innovations. The appropriate use can create knowledge and catalyze behavioral change among farming communities for better family farming.

Abstract

The groundwater targeting in hard rock aquifer systems is complex, because of the heterogeneity of the aquifer systems. The ground water mobility and stability in such aquifer systems varies because of the lithology, folded structures, fracture density, geomorphology, slope etc., These occur in various permutations and combinations and control the overall water holding and conducting capacity in different parts of the aquifer systems. Hence, one needs to analyse all the data so as to understand and bring out precise spatial models on the groundwater probability in hard rock aquifer systems. In the present study, the authors have carried out GIS based appraisals to understand the relation between the lithology and groundwater movement in hard rock aquifer systems of parts of Central Tamil Nadu covering 1300 sq.km. In the said study, GIS images were generated on the maxima zones of various aquifer parameters such as water level, width of aquifer depletion, transmissivity, permeability, specific capacity, storage co-efficient, optimum yield and recovery rate. These were overlaid with the lithology GIS image. Such an analysis has shown that, in general, the fissile hornblende biotite gneiss appears to have some control over the groundwater systems.

13.1. Types

Lamps: Head lamp, plough lamp, indicators

Switches: Safety switch, starter switch, etc

13.2. Components

Battery: A battery provides power to electrical or electronic circuits. The voltage rating of a battery tells how much electrical “pressure” the battery can provide. Battery energy is used to operate starter motor and to provide current to the ignition system during cranking. The electrolyte should always be maintained just below the maximum level, but should not go down below the 1/4^th level.

Alternator: Alternators are electromechanical devices used to convert mechanical energy to alternating current electrical energy. While some of the alternators use rotating magnetic field, some use linear. The functioning of alternators is similar to that of direct current generators. As the magnetic field around a conductor changes, a current is induced in the conductor. The rotating magnet or the rotor turns and cuts the field across the conductors. Thus, an electrical current is produced which causes the rotor to turn. This rotating magnetic field causes an AC voltage in the stator windings. In tractors, alternators are used to charge the battery and to power the electric system when its engine is running. An alternator is superior to a dynamo as it provides more precise output control, requires lesser maintenance, is more compact and requires no cut-out.

BSTRACT

This paper discusses the various issues and concerns about the electronic information resources, which includes mainly such as e-journals, e-books and e-databases etc. In this digital era, the library should be well equipped with trendy facilities & resources within the sort of books, manuscripts, technical journals, standards, conference proceedings, theses, reports, databases, and all the electronic versions of information resources. Various issues and concerns, which are related with the electronic resources and their management is discussed in detailed in this paper.

Keywords: ICT, Electronic resources, e-journals, Electronic resource management.

1. Introduction

Libraries serve as global repositories of knowledge, like to giant treasure boxes. But librarians are faced with a lot of work as more and more things become digital. Electronic Resource Management Systems (ERMS) can help with that (Prajapati, 2016). These are incredibly useful tools that have completely transformed the way libraries handle digital content. The main goal of ERMS is to simplify librarians' lives. They support the acquisition of fresh digital materials, manage subscriptions and licenses, and even provide online resource locators (Anbu et al., 2013). They essentially act as librarians' superhero sidekicks, ensuring that everything works seamlessly in the digital realm. ERMS play a major role in keeping everything organized. They support librarians in maintaining inventory, determining who can use what, and determining when to update it (Mangrum & Ellen Pozzebon, 2012). Libraries are able to ensure that everyone has access to what they need while adhering to all access regulations in this way. However, ERMS aren't limited to library use. They're also excellent for any library user. By making it simple to locate what you're looking for in the library's digital collection, ERMS addresses that. They keep everything organized so you can quickly get to the essentials (Prajapati, 2016).The key component that keeps contemporary libraries running well is ERMS. They make it easier for librarians to handle electronic resources and for users like you and me to find what we're looking for. Thus, keep in mind that ERMS are the unsung heroes who make it all happen the next time you're navigating your library's digital world.

Introduction

Due to the advent of new technologies now-a-days e-resources became more popular and essential. The information technology has made it possible the availability and accessibility of e-resources. The e-resources are made available both online and offline. Further some are free and some are paid. The free e-resources can be accessed anywhere and anytime on the discretion of the user. But for the paid e-resources to get comprehensive access by using best possible tools and techniques is the library. Multiple resources in the present electronic environment can be seamlessly integrated with a single login gateway which makes is user friendly. Further the explosive growth in network connectivity and rapid advances in computing power systems have altered the speed of communications. Recent advances in the information world have transformed the role of libraries in disseminating information to users. Increase in the number of users and their different needs have made modern libraries apply new communication technology. As a result of this there is a worldwide need and trend to collect, organize, manage, protect and distribute information in digital form.

Introduction 
Building on our extensive exploration of how individual weather parameters intricately influence every facet of crop life and the diverse methodologies employed to evaluate these responses, we now embark on a journey into the mathematical heart of crop science. This chapter, Elementary Crop Growth Models,” will introduce you to the foundational concepts and simpler mathematical frameworks used to quantify, simulate, and ultimately predict how crops grow under varying environmental conditions. In the upcoming sections, we’ll delve into the fundamental building blocks of crop modeling. You’ll discover how these elementary models simplify the complex biological processes occurring within a plant to create manageable, yet insightful, representations. Unlike highly detailed mechanistic models, which require vast amounts of data and computational power, elementary models focus on capturing the most essential relationships between environmental drivers (like solar radiation, temperature, and water) and key aspects of crop growth, such as biomass accumulation or phenological progression. These simpler models serve as a crucial stepping stone. They allow us to grasp core principles of crop-weather interaction in a quantifiable way, providing practical tools for initial assessments, quick predictions, and conceptual understanding, without getting lost in the overwhelming complexity of every single physiological pathway. By understanding these foundational models, you’ll gain a clearer perspective on how agricultural scientists begin to predict the future performance of our food crops, even as the climate around them continues to evolve

Introduction

Electronic resources represent an increasingly important component of the library collection building. “Electronic resources” refer to those materials that require computer access, whether through a personal computer, mainframe, or handheld mobile device. They may either be accessed remotely via the Internet or locally. Some of the most frequently encountered types are:

Technology Scouting and Innovations in Technology Incubation
Technology scouting and innovations in technology incubation have a symbiotic relationship, fuelling each other for the benefit of budding startups and the broader technology ecosystem. Let’s dive deeper into their individual roles and how they interact:
Technology Scouting
Technology Scouting is the process of discovering, analyzing and evaluating new or existing technologies that will help them with their innovation process. In simple terms, it is a process for companies to find the necessary technology outside the company.
Hunting for promising technologies: Scouts actively search for emerging technologies, patents, research advancements, and market trends across various sectors.
Evaluating potential and fit: They assess the technical feasibility, market potential, and compatibility with the needs of incubators and their supported startups.
Connecting innovators and ventures: Scouts bridge the gap between technology creators (researchers, inventors, startups) and potential users (incubators, established companies).
Fuelling innovation pipelines: Technology scouting helps incubators access a wider range of technologies and ideas, enriching their portfolio and diversifying the innovations supported.

Introduction

Pedagogy in higher education is often referred to as activities of educating, instructing or teaching to impart knowledge and skills (Diaz, 2013). With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020, instructors worldwide faced a challenge in maintaining the teaching pedagogy suited to the online teaching environments. Many instructors with no prior experience teaching online started developing new approaches to solve the challenges in a changing landscape. The main challenges to solve was concerning creating favourable learning experiences, creating engaging classroom experiences, and meeting the expectations of all the students in the online environment (Teachonline, 2020). The internet has provided a wide range of opportunities, leading to uninterrupted education through various conferencing platforms. Since the year 2000, the proliferation of Web 2.0 was tested in the field of education with several tools such as blogs, wiki articles and use of social media channels. Web 2.0 provided increasing scope to the teachers and students to create, edit and share content which is appealing to the learners. Currently, we have entered the Web 3.0 era in which the technologies can be customized to enhance the learning environment for better facilitation of learning needs.

1.1 Introduction Rural women worldwide grapple with many challenges, ranging from restricted access to essential resources and limited educational opportunities to constrained pathways for economic advancement. Extensive research conducted by the World Bank has illuminated the persistent struggles faced by rural women, emphasizing disparities in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities (World Bank, 2019). Simultaneously, UN Women underscores the systemic hurdles perpetuating gender inequalities, necessitating urgent and comprehensive solutions (UN Women, 2020).

Amidst these challenges, emerging technologies stand as a transformative force with the potential to reshape the trajectories of rural women. Recognizing this potential, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) emphasizes the capacity of technological interventions to ameliorate challenges faced by women in rural areas.

Intelligent healthcare is advancing through the integration of multimodal data, trustworthy AI, federated learning, digital twins, IoT devices and real-time decision-support systems. This chapter reviews the evolution of healthcare-data analysis and examines emerging methods for intelligent diagnosis and predictive care. It discusses explainability, privacy-preserving analytics, interoperability, data governance and ethical frameworks necessary for responsible implementation. Wearable technologies and connected sensors support continuous monitoring, while human–AI collaboration improves clinical decision-making. Case studies illustrate practical healthcare applications and implementation strategies. The chapter also considers global-health requirements, particularly in developing countries, and identifies future opportunities for scalable, equitable, secure and clinically effective intelligent healthcare systems.