eChapters

2.1 Audio-Visual Aids Classification

Audio-visual aids are tools that combine auditory and visual stimuli to facilitate learning and improve comprehension. They can make abstract ideas more concrete and understandable. Here's a classification of some commonly used audio-visual aids:

• Audio Aids

• Tape recorders: are tools for teaching that playback sound or music.
• Radio: Programmes can serve as educational resources and audio learning aids.
• Podcasts are digital audio programs or episodes with a focus on learning.

Introduction Papaya fruit is listed under the family Caricaceae. This family has total four genera all over the world. There are about four species found in India under the Carica L. genus. Carica papaya L. is one of the species among them and it is most widely cultivated and very well-known species in India (Kumar and Devi, 2017). It has a thin, little shiny, and green-colored peel which turns into orange colored after ripening. The size of the fruit varies from 5.5 to 5.9 cm in terms of diameter. Papaya has several industrial applications in food processing, pharmaceutical as well as cosmetic industries. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2013), India, Indonesia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Nigeria, and Mexico are the countries that produce the largest number of papayas in the world, India being the largest producer (4457.1 tonnes) followed by Brazil (1859.3 tonnes) in the year 2011.

Abstract

The natural color of foods is due primarily to carotenoids, anthocyanins, betanin and chlorophylls, either as inherent food constituents or as food or feed additives. These compounds have drawn considerable attention in recent years, not because of their coloring properties, but due to their potential health-promoting effects. Their occurrence and levels in foods, along with the factors that influence the composition, have been widely investigated. Processing effects have been actively studied. In spite of the intense search for plant and microbial sources and efforts to increase yield, few natural food color additives have reached the market. Developing new colors for the food industry is challenging, as colorants need to be compatible with a food flavors, safety, and nutritional value, and which ultimately have a minimal impact on the price of the product. In addition, food colorants should preferably be natural rather than synthetic compounds. Micro-organisms already produce industrially useful natural colorants such as carotenoids and anthocyanins. Microbial food colorants can be produced at scale at relatively low costs. This chapter highlights the significance of color in the food industry, why there is a need to shift to natural food colors compared to synthetic ones and how using microbial pigments as food colorants, instead of colors from other natural sources, is a preferable option.

1 Analysis of Cream

 Sample Preparation

Warm the cream sample to 40 - 50oC if the sample is very viscous. Then pour from one vessel to another 3 to 4 times to mix well. Sample should be tested daily and always within three days after collection since enzymatic deterioration of the cream will cause low tests.

1.1 Determination of Fat Content in Cream

 1.1.1 Gerber Method

 Introduction

Sulphuric acid is added to cream in order to dissolve the protein and other solids and create heat which liquefy and de-emulsify the fat. Iso-amyl alcohol is added to aid the separation of fat. Upon centrifugation, fat being lighter will be separated on top of solution in the cream butyrometer.

Abstract

In biocatalysis, isolated enzymes, enzyme mixtures, immobilized enzymes or microbes (enzymes that are still present within the living cells) are used to perform chemical transformation of organic compounds into novel compounds. Both in academia and across chemical and pharmaceutical industry, biocatalysts are used as isolated preparations or in whole cell format or as recombinant proteins produced in alternate host cells. Biocatalysts catalyze novel small molecule transformations that are usually difficult or impossible using traditional synthetic organic chemistry. Biocatalysts exhibit high chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity towards their substrates. As a result, the use of biocatalysts during chemoenzymatic synthesis minimizes the issues of unwanted side-reactions such as decomposition, isomerization, racemization and rearrangement. The process of biocatalysis has become an important tool in the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and enantiopure compounds. Biocatalysis offers a more sustainable, efficient, and less polluting methods for the production of APIs and advanced pharmaceutical intermediates. Biocatalysts have received tremendous attention in pharmaceutical industry because they typically catalyze reactions under mild conditions, so they do not consume much energy or emit much greenhouse gas. Biocatalysts are currently employed for the development of products in different fields, such as pharmaceuticals or intermediates of their production (e.g., antibiotics, statins, and enantiopure building blocks), fine chemicals (e.g., amino acids and vitamins), and food ingredients (e.g., sweeteners, lipids, and nutraceuticals). However, it would be helpful for the pharmaceutical industry to take advantage of developments in biochemistry, molecular cloning, random and site-directed mutagenesis, advanced tools for enzyme discovery, enzyme-directed evolution, high-throughput laboratory evolution techniques for biocatalyst optimization, immobilization, and fermentation technology to gain access to a new class of biocatalysts (enzymes), cells and other microbes.

Abstract

Fruits like orange (citrus sinensis), mango (mangifera indica), banana (musa paradisiaca), guava (psidium guajava) and pomegranate (punica granatum) contain numerous vitamins, minerals, fibre. These fruits also contain phytochemicals, antioxidant and bioactive compounds including alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponin, terpenoids, which enhance the nutritional value and reduce the free radicals and oxidative stress in human body. These fruits also show the anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-obesity, anti- diabetic, anti-proliferative, anti-hypertensive properties and are very effective against the pathogenic bacteria, which causes the harmful disease in human body. The chapter provides the production data of these fruits in different countries, their bioactive compounds and their utilization in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries.

Abstract

Water is very essential nutrient and total of only 3% pure water is present on earth. Some natural, anthropogenic and human activities discharge wastes, containing heavy metals into the different water resources and ultimately destroying the ecosystem. Numbers of methods are used for water purification like conventional (includes physical and chemical) and biological. Conventional methods are expensive, generate large quantities of sludge and inefficient at low concentrations of metal. Biological method includes biosorption and bioaccumulation, are ecofriendly and economic and have advantages over conventional methods. Biosorbent material includes microbial biomass, agro-wastes, and industrial by-products are used to treat heavy metal from liquid samples. Actually these biosorbent have number of functional groups on their surfaces which help in binding of metal from aqueous solution. In this article, biosorption of zinc, arsenic and copper are described through lactic acid bacteria that are not harmful, nonsporulating, fastidious, fermentative and generally regarded as safe. Many of these species are probiotic and producing exopolysaccharides and biofilms. It has great resistance to survive in gut environment and efficiency to biosorb metal from gut. It has some significant characteristics that represent a useful tool for decontamination of food and beverages from heavy metals. Biosorption mechanism and factors behind the process make these strains competent of removing these heavy metals.

Business Plan

A business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the goals, strategies, and operational details of a business. It serves as a roadmap for the entrepreneur and communicates the business’s value proposition to potential investors, partners, and stakeholders. A well-structured business plan includes sections on executive summary, company description, market analysis, competitive analysis, marketing and sales strategies, organizational structure, product/service description, financial projections, and funding requirements. Creating a business plan not only helps entrepreneurs clarify their vision and goals but also demonstrates a solid understanding of the market and a clear plan for achieving success.

Challenge: High Initial Investment

1. Solution: Government subsidies and financial assistance prograAms can be introduced to incentivize farmers to adopt drone technology. Additionally, academia and researchers can collaborate with drone manufacturers to develop affordable and cost-effective drone solutions tailored to the needs of small-scale farmers.
2. Contribution:
   1. Government: Implement subsidy programs and financial incentives.
   2. Academia and Researchers: Conduct studies to identify cost-effective drone technologies.
   3. Industry and Startups: Develop budget-friendly drone models suitable for agricultural applications.

In the broadest sense, a network is any interconnected group of people or things capable of sharing meaningful information with one another. In a technology context, the network is usually short for "computer network" or "data network" and implies that computers are the things sharing meaningful information. At a conceptual level, all data networks consist of nodes, which refers to any computer or digital device using the network and links, the physical connections (either wired or wireless) that carry messages between nodes.

Definition

Entrepreneurship refers to the process of identifying, creating, and pursuing opportunities to develop new products, services, or processes, often involving innovation and risk-taking. It involves the willingness to take calculated risks in order to capitalize on these opportunities. Entrepreneurs are individuals who exhibit a unique mindset, combining creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience to bring their ideas to fruition. Entrepreneurship can manifest in various forms, including starting a new business, introducing novel products to the market, or even implementing innovative strategies within an existing organization. It is a dynamic and evolving concept that plays a vital role in driving economic progress and societal development.

Abstract

Starch is an important plant-based product and an abundant biomaterial, used worldwide for different purposes in many industrial sectors including food, health, chemical and engineering sector. Starch versatility in industrial applications is largely defined by its physicochemical properties and functionality. Starch in its native form has limited functionality and application but advancements in technological processing have led to the wide-range modification of starch for different purposes. It can be easily degraded by microorganisms hence is a natural source of bioenergy in the form of bioethanol and biohydrogen as well as in the development of biodegradable packaging materials. Various technological interventions can significantly improve the characteristics of native starch and be tailor-made to the specific needs of the packaging and food industry. Native starch can be treated by various methods to modify its characteristics. Modification improves starch paste clarity, viscosity, syneresis and freeze-thaw stability leading to a wide range of food applications. Esterification lowers gelatinization temperature and retrogradation lowers the tendency to form gel and higher paste clarity which shows applications in refrigerated and frozen foods, as emulsion stabilizers and for encapsulation. Cross-linking increases the stability of granules towards swelling, high temperature, high shear, and acidic conditions. Starch-based nano-composite polymers have their application in coating and packaging of food as well as non food commodities. Techniques involving extrusion, casting, spinning, and nanotechnology can be used in the production of films, foams, and nanocomposite materials. Due to the unique characteristics of resistant starch, it is being used as a valuable supplement in the formulation of drugs, pharmaceuticals, various functional foods and in the microencapsulation of probiotics and bioactive compounds.

Abstract

Dietary fibre concentrates (DFC) are the major component of fruit by-products generated during the processing at commercial level. These are the blessings for human gut health along with many other positive health benefits. Fruit by-products are the so-called nuisance for the environment that enfolds numerous positive signs inside. Lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin, waxes, mucilage’s, oligosaccharide, gums and many other associated compounds are the part of DFCs. These DFCs when taken in the form of functional ingredient reaches to the colonic microbiota and consequently provides them a healthy growth medium that promotes the cell metabolism upto 67%, enhances the growth of good gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. This article enlightens the content of DFCs in various fruit by-products that shows their prebiotic potential.

Fundamentals of Entrepreneurial Success

Entrepreneurship is a complex journey that requires diverse skills and perspectives. A well-structured team brings together individuals with complementary strengths, fostering innovation and problem-solving. A cohesive team can withstand challenges, provide emotional support, and share the burden of both successes and failures. Furthermore, a united team can attract investors, partners, and customers, as the synergy among team members reflects the potential of the business.

Abstract

Enzyme is a highly efficient catalyst that is produced by active cells. When compared to chemical catalysts; enzymes have a number of benefits, including high specificity, high catalytic efficiency and flexible activity, all of which greatly help to promote their use in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food sectors. The majority of enzymes such as protease, amylase, lipase and cellulase are relatively unstable and industrial uses are frequently restricted by a lack of long-term operational stability as well as the technically challenging recovery process and ruse of the enzyme. Enzyme immobilization provides an excellent base for increasing enzyme availability to the substrate with higher turnover over a long period of time. Enzyme immobilization are done by several methods and their performance are influenced by many factors. Physical and chemical based immobilization are the most commonly used methods. The matrix immobilizes the enzyme by holding it permanently or temporarily for a short stretch of time. The generally used matrixes for immobilizations includes natural, synthetic polymers and inorganic compounds.Currently, synergistic interactions of biotechnology and nanotechnology are useful for the development of immobilized enzymes. Enzyme immobilization is a commonly used technology in a variety of industries including food, pharmaceuticals, bioremediation, detergents, and textiles due to technical and economical advantages. This chapter focuses on most commonly used immobilized techniques in industry with many recent applications of immobilized enzymes.

Government Schemes and Incentives

Learning Objectives

1. Overview of Government schemes and incentives for promotion of entrepreneurship.
2. Overview of Schemes Applicable for Agriculture Startups
3. Focus on Agriculture in G20 countries under India’s Presidency in 2023
4. Role of Venture Capital Investments

Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in driving economic growth, and its significance in the agriculture and allied industry cannot be overlooked. As the backbone of many economies, agriculture and its allied sectors provide employment to a significant portion of the global population. We shall highlight the benefits of being an entrepreneur in this sector, discuss the different types of entrepreneurs, provide relevant statistics and case studies, and touch upon the factors affecting entrepreneurial behaviour. Additionally, we will examine the current trends and forecast for the next three years in the agricultural entrepreneurship landscape and examine relevant statistics and case studies and shed light on the government’s role in promoting entrepreneurship in the Indian startup ecosystem.

Following are the reasons why must understand topic indepth.

1. Agritech startups have raised over $1 billion in funding in the past 5 years.
2. The Indian agritech market is expected to reach $15 billion by 2025.
3. There are over 1,000 agritech startups in India.
4. The top three agritech sectors in India are precision agriculture, farm management, and farm equipment rental.

Kisan Call Centre (1551)

The department of agriculture and cooperation (DAC) Ministry of agriculture, Government of India launched kisan call centres on January 21, 2004 across the country to deliver extension services to the farming community. It provides information in all major languages through toll-free telephone no 1551 and 1800180 1551 from 6 a.m. to 10.p.m. on all 7 days of a week. on BSNL routes. With a view to monitor the KCC activities a state level monitoring committee (SLMC) has been constituted in each KCC. Presently there are — kccs in the country.

The kisan call centers consists of three levels

Management of information system

A management information system (MIS) is an information system used for decision-making, coordination, control, analysis, and visualization of information in an organization. The study of management information systems involves people, processes and technology in an organizational context. MIS professionals help firms realize maximum benefit from investment in personnel, equipment and business processes. MIS is a people-oriented field with an emphasis on service through technology. MIS is a system that aids management in making, carrying out, and controlling decisions.

Abstract

The waste utilization as derivative from different food processing sector has been emerged as the main challengeable problem around the world due to the generation of by-products at large quantities consisting seeds, peels, rags, unused flesh, bran, husk, germ, stalk etc. during various processing chain steps. Though these food by-products are potentially rich source of natural compounds which finds its wide utilization in different industries as affordable, cost-effective, novel ingredient comprising dietary fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants, pectin, enzymes, organic acids, food additives, essential oils etc. subsequently after extractions, purified fractionation and fermentations methods. These food byproducts also have pharmaceutical and nutraceutical activity. A nutraceutical is like a medicine or food grade product, which not only provides physical benefits and nutritional supplements but also protects against various chronic diseases. This food processing waste utilization should be a topic of interest, by means of two ways, i.e., through waste quantity reduction and increased value-added food products production and also as renewable energy source. The purpose of this study is to highlight the opportunities to utilize food by-products from various food processing industries and to encourage the vital exploitation of the by-products containing large number of bio-active compounds having nutraceutical potential.

Abstract

Bioprocessing is much greener than chemical methods, since biocatalysts (enzymes or cells) involved are extremely selective, producing higher product yield with less or no by products, which are basically difficult to separate. Biotechnology can offer both economic and environmental benefits to the chemical industry and thus has great potential to achieve the sustainable production of existing and new products from renewable feedstocks. Fuel and energy production from biomass are major market sector for bioprocessing. They are considered in the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, food, food additives, chemicals, and several other products. Generally, a bioprocess involves feedstock pretreatment, fermentation or biocatalysis, and downstream processing for obtaining product and its purification. It is explored for the production of xylitol, fatty alcohol, butanol and biorefinery. Deep understanding of the process is required to create robust control strategy. Based on the requirements, sophisticated instrumentation and complex control laws or simple control law having intricate monitoring system can be selected. Supercritical fluids (SCFs) are advantageous for bioprocessing due to its transport properties, high diffusivity and low viscosity facilitate mass transfer phenomena, variation of pressure and/or temperature are adjusted providing high flexibility in the extraction of metabolites from cells. Microfluidic devices in which small amounts of fluids (10^-9 and 10^-18) are manipulated have emerged for high throughput applications. Automation of the optimization processes is enabled through microtiter plates with simplicity and operate with very small volumes. Therefore, more research is necessary to develop integrated processes that will allow combining one or more techniques to enhance bioprocessing at lower costs.

Abstract

Fermentation technology holds immense promise in diverse fields. It offers opportunities for sustainable biofuel production, allowing us to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and promote a greener energy sector. In the pharmaceutical industry, fermentation plays a vital role in manufacturing antibiotics, enzymes, vaccines, and therapeutic proteins, paving the way for more efficient and cost-effective production processes. Furthermore, fermentation can be harnessed for waste management and environmental remediation, enabling the transformation of organic waste into valuable biogas. With ongoing advancements, fermentation technology continues to open new avenues for innovation and contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future. The present chapter compares types of fermentation process as well as gives an insight into various industrial prospects of fermentation technology.

Abstract

Fermentation in food processing is the process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids using microorganisms; yeasts or bacteria under anaerobic conditions. Fermentation usually defines the desirable action of microorganism to enhance food safety by inhibition of pathogens, modify their sensory properties, improve their nutritional value by removing anti-nutritive compounds and by enhancing bioavailability of components. Pulses and Legumes are the major source of dietary nutrients all over the world. Fermentation can be the most simple and economical way of improving their nutritional value, sensory properties and functional qualities. Pulses and legume based fermented food products offer opportunities to include probiotics, prebiotics and fibers in the human diet. In the Indian subcontinent, making use of fermented food and beverages using local food crops and other biological resources is very common, although the nature of the products and the base material varies in different regions. This chapter focuses on some of the indigenous fermented foods produced in the country that have not received the scientific attention they deserve in the last decades. Products produced from different pulses and legumes substrates fermented by lactic acid bacteria, yeast and/or fungi are included.

Abstract

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field which plays a major role in various disciplines including drug discovery, pharmacogenomics, proteomics, comparative genomics, microbial genome applications in biotechnology. Food plays a vital role in various processes in body and also helps in controlling various chronic diseases. Food safety and food processing are very crucial factor for human lives. Bioinformatics has been successfully applied in food industry for improving various factors of food such as flavor, taste, allergenicity, probiotics, optimizing the quantitative and compositional parameters for food processing and assessing the food safety. In this chapter, we have given an overview about the role of bioinformatics in food industry.

Introduction

Blockchain technology has emerged as a revolutionary solution in various industries, and agriculture is no exception. By providing a secure and transparent system for recording and verifying transactions, blockchain has the potential to transform the agricultural sector. In this chapter, we will explore the role of blockchain in agriculture, its benefits, and various use cases that demonstrate its potential. Additionally, we will present key statistics and real-world examples to illustrate the impact of blockchain in agriculture.

Introduction

The use of drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in the agriculture sector has ushered in a new era of precision farming. These versatile flying machines equipped with advanced sensors and cameras have the potential to transform various agricultural activities, resulting in increased productivity, reduced costs, and more sustainable practices.

This chapter explores the history of drones, their components and functioning, the numerous agriculture activities where drones can be employed, the benefits they offer, real-world use cases, challenges in adoption, and possible solutions to fully realize their potential in the agriculture sector.

When embarking on the entrepreneurial journey, it’s essential to craft a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) that sets your business apart in a crowded market. Your UVP should succinctly convey the distinctive benefits your product or service brings to customers, solving their pain points in ways competitors can’t. To develop a compelling UVP, start by delving into your target audience’s challenges and desires. Understand their needs deeply and determine how your offering can address those needs uniquely and effectively. Whether it’s through innovative features, exceptional quality, or a unique approach, your UVP should highlight what makes your solution stand out. Distill this essence into a clear and memorable statement that resonates with your audience.

Use Case 1: Supply Chain Traceability

1. Description: Blockchain can enable end-to-end traceability of agricultural products, ensuring transparency and authenticity. It allows tracking the journey of a product from farm to fork, providing consumers with detailed information about its origin, processing, and storage conditions.
2. Current Scenario: The lack of transparency in supply chains often leads to food fraud and safety concerns. Consumers are increasingly demanding more information about the products they consume.
3. How Blockchain Adds Value: Blockchain technology can securely record and store data about each step of the supply chain, including details about farming practices, transportation, and storage conditions. This transparency builds trust and ensures food safety.
4. Statistics: According to a survey conducted by Label Insight, 94% of consumers are likely to be loyal to a brand that offers transparency, including detailed information about product origin and quality.
5. Startups: Provenance, a UK-based startup, uses blockchain to trace the journey of seafood products, promoting sustainability and ethical sourcing.

Artificial intelligence is a computational science concerned with smart computer machines capable of performing tasks similar to the human intelligence. The term AI is widely used for the projects involved in the developing the intellectual processes of human intelligence such as reasoning ability, meaning discovery, generalization, learning from the past. AI technology mainly analyses the huge amount of data based on the set of instructions or commands known as algorithms to do a specific function or task. The mathematician Alan Turing with a simple question “Can machines think?” revolutionised the history. His paper “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” in 1950 and Turing test has favour the development of goal and the vision of AI.

The research in AI are mainly focussed on the following intelligence components namely:

1. Learning
2. Reasoning
3. Problem solving
4. Perception
5. Language use

Introduction

Everyone is familiar with the term start-up or entrepreneurship which refers to a process by which individuals start and manage their businesses and industrial enterprises. Entrepreneurs are people who take risks and invest their capital in businesses and industrial enterprises. Entrepreneurial in terms of personal development in terms of self-determination create take risks Therefore, anyone who exhibits the characteristics of self-development, creativity, personal decision-making, and risk-taking can be called a person with entrepreneurial characteristics. When these characteristics are exhibited by someone who is running a business, they can be called an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is the ability and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business enterprise, with all its uncertainties, in order to make a profit. The most prominent example of entrepreneurship is starting a new business. In economics, business activities involving land, labor, natural resources, and capital can generate profits.

Entrepreneurship opportunities in veterinary sciences have expanded significantly with the integration of technology. The convergence of veterinary expertise and innovative technological solutions has opened up new avenues for entrepreneurs to create impactful businesses in the field. This field offers a wide range of opportunities for persons passionate about animal health and welfare. In the recent years, the demand for high-quality veterinary services and products has increased tremendously, creating an enriching environment for aspiring entrepreneurs. There are various avenues available in the veterinary industry for individuals thinking about establishing their own businesses.

Entrepreneurship involves seeking and exploiting opportunities available for the benefit of the society. The changing agro-economic conditions in our country have offered a prospective context for developing entrepreneurship in agri-business in the country. Agri-entrepreneurship has the prospect of social and economic development, for example, employment generation, poverty reduction, improvements in nutrition, health and overall food security in the national economy especially in rural areas. The task of promoting entrepreneurship was earlier given to different departments and government agencies. In 2014, the Prime Minister decided to dedicate an entire ministry to build this sector as he felt that skill development required greater push from the government’s side. The idea is to reach maximum people and startups through funding and skill development initiatives.

Current scenario of Startups in India

India, currently is being evolved as a hub for Revolution, innovation and Startups as it holds 3^rd rank in global startup ecosystem worldwide after US and China. The flagship initiative of Government, Startup India, is intended to construct arobust eco-system for fostering innovations and startups in the country. Through this initiative, the Government aims to empower the growth of startups through new innovations and strategies. As per the reports of Startup India, the startup sector is expected to mark steady annual growth of 12-15% (startupindia.gov.in). By the year 2018, India already had a list of about 50,000 startups. As per the data, more than 800 technology startups are being established every year (NASSCOM, 2015). The annual growth has increased to 15% and the number of female entrepreneurs has also increased to 14% (startupindia.gov.in). As of December 2021, the country is home to 81 unicorns which has a total estimate of $ 274.17 Bn. Out of these unicorns, 44 unicorns came into existence in 2021 itself, which was a record year for the country. These Figures show that startups have exploded in the country in recent years.

India is the fastest-growing pet care market in the world and the pet population is of an estimate of 28-29 million, with dogs making up the bulk of pet ownership. The rising pet ownership has led to the growth of the pet care ecosystem comprising retail chains, pet nutrition pharmaceuticals, grooming, toys, clothing, diagnostics, and clinical practice. The pandemic of Covid-19 has a significant impact on the Indian economy; and the pet industry has seen a steep growth during the pandemic period. Isolation and anxiety during the lockdown led to many restorations to adopt furry companions. The veterinary graduate has a lot of opportunities, and it depends upon the individual as to what sector the student wants to pursue. Employment opportunities include diverse areas such as clinical practice, teaching, and research, regulatory medicines, public health, wildlife specialist, or lab animals. Depending upon the interest, one can start exploring options to work for the pet industry and join the Veterinary pet practice clinical.

India is an agrarian country and the agriculture and allied sector is the largest employer of workforce as it accounted for a sizeable 18.8 per cent in 2021-22 in Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country (Economic Survey 2021-22).Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population and only the food processing industry employs about 1.77 million people (Indian Agriculture and Allied Industries Industry Report, November 2021). In the year 2019-20, gross value added by agriculture, forestry, and fishing was estimated at Rs. 19.48 lakh crore (US$ 276.37 billion). But still farming community has to face lot of hardships. The farmers are still applying chemical fertilizers on the basis of their own experiences as they don’t possess the soil heath cards. Although central government has initiated Soil Health Management (SHM) scheme to assist State Governments to set up new static Soil Testing Laboratories (STLs) and Mini Soil testing Labs (MSTLs). But it is time consuming and cumbersome process. There is great opportunity for Agri-business entrepreneurs with a commercially viable solution to farmers by development of simplified, sensor based and quick soil testing methods to test the nutrients and micronutrients.

Agribusiness is a term used to describe the sector that encompasses all economic activities that are related to farming, i.e., breeding, crop production/farming, farm machinery, distribution, marketing etc. It relates to industries that are engaged in farming or that produce farm inputs. Examples of agribusiness include farm machinery manufacturing, seed supply, and agrichemicals. It also is used to describe businesses that are involved in the marketing and distribution of farm products. These businesses include warehouses, wholesalers, processors, retailers, and more. Any company that participates in the production, marketing, safety, and distribution of food is involved in agribusiness. More precisely it is defined as a sector that supports the growth of the agricultural industry, which is pivotal to economic growth. It also continues to play a crucial role in the growth of developing countries. Agribusinesses can potentially improve agricultural productivity, which is why governments often offer subsidies to agricultural businesses. Agricultural activities also contribute to an improved system of food security and sustainable food production, as well as income for a majority of the poor in developing countries. However, the activities increase the emission of greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming – which is why innovation is important in the sector to address such problems.

An entrepreneur is an individual who creates a new business, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards. The process of setting up a business is known as entrepreneurship. The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedures.

Entrepreneurship is an act of being an entrepreneur, or “the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits”. Entrepreneurs act as managers and oversee the launch and growth of an enterprise. Entrepreneurship is the process by which either an individual or a team identifies a business opportunity and acquires and deploys the necessary resources required for its exploitation.

An entrepreneur uses their time, energy, and resources into creating value for others. They are rewarded for this effort monetarily and therefore both the consumer of the value created and the entrepreneur are benefitted.

Unemployment is a big challenge in every sector. In Jammu and Kashmir unemployment rate is 22.2 percent as per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) figures, and the rate is even higher than the National level unemployment rate of 7.1 percent recorded across India. Livestock sector plays an important role in rural livelihood, employment and income generation. There is a huge opportunity in this sector for developing start-up at their own and generation of employment. This is all possible if the skilled graduate of animal husbandry can be motivated for fostering new idea of startup which is market driven. Major livestock products like milk and milk products, meat and eggs contribute around one-sixth of the calories and one-third of the proteins in the per capita food supplies of the world. Animal husbandry is the second largest economic activity of rural India. Animal husbandry is a growth engine and annual growth rate in dairying is 5 % and in poultry it is 10% and will alleviate rural poverty and uplift the rural farmer. The availability of per capita animal protein is 10.8g whereas the requirement as per world average is 25g. National sample survey reports that 70-75% of their food budget is for milk and milk products. The need of the hour is increase in production, productivity and improvement through value addition in the marketing channel. Commercialization of cow dung and urine will also encourage people to not discard cows which have stopped milk production. By-products like urine and dung can be used for medicinal and agriculture purposes. It has been reported that startups would receive upto 60 per cent initial investment from Government for by-products like cow dung and urine. Eco friendly products can be prepared from dung and urine like Bio CNG, vermicompost, incense sticks, flowerpots, dung log etc.

ountains occupy twenty-four per cent of the global land surface area (about 25 million km²) and are home to twelve per cent of the world’s population (GTOS, 2008). Water is present in snow, glaciers, wetlands, and rivers in the mountains. They supply watersheds by providing groundwater recharge to hill communities and communities living in vast basin areas (Hua, 2009). Whatever happens in these mountains affect nearly 1.2 billion people, one-fifth of the world’s population living in the river basins, and up to three billion indirectly in food and energy production. Despite harbouring some of nature’s richest natural resources, mountains are home to some of the world’s poorest people, many of whom are marginalized subsistence farmers. These communities living in the mountain region have hardly benefited from the ‘green revolution’ and global economic growth.

Introduction

Agricultural extension has been developing from past more than 100 years. The term was first used by Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, in the year 1867. Chinese people have been following extension approximately from past 2000 years. There are four generations of agricultural extension in Asia: colonial, diverse top-down, unified top-down and diverse bottom-up extension. Communication takes place mainly in two ways in extension system: paternalism versus participation and persuasion versus education, which aims to change behaviour of rural people. Many approaches have emerged in extension which includes ICT based extension.

Education: Education is the production of desirable changes in the behaviour of the people. It is the production of desirable changes in human behaviour in knowledge (things known), attitudes (things felt) and skills (things done), in all of them or in one or more of them.

Behaviour: Includes three components viz., knowledge, attitude and skill

Knowledge (Cognitive): It includes facts, concepts, principles and relationship.

Attitude (Affective): An attitude can be loosely defined as a feeling towards some object, person and situation or idea.

Introduction

In the midst of the rapid speed of global change and in a highly competitive and risky business situation, the knowledgeable consumer gains power, and the market shift towards quick product creation. Innovation has emerged as a crucial component of success, particularly for new businesses, involving the development of economic productivity and operational and working producers (Baron and Tang, 2011). The systematic and planned transformation of a person into an entrepreneur is known as entrepreneurial development. The process of making an entrepreneur involves teaching everyday people how to be business owners, as well as imparting the necessary information, management, technical, financial, and marketing abilities. The definition of the entrepreneurial developmentprograme is a course created to assist a person in enhancing their entrepreneurial drive and obtaining the knowledge and talents required to carry out their position as an entrepreneur successfully (Kumari, 2014).

Our country today is considered independent. We have the freedom to live by our choices, and there is no discrimination between women and men. Nowadays, women and men get equal opportunities to earn their livelihoods. Women’s work is restricted to the households and jobs outside the home to contribute to the family’s economy. As industrialization occurs, the demand for labour and employees is also increasing. This has created opportunities for both women and men to work equally.

Extended Summary

Kiwifruit is recent crop introduction tohorticulture practices in Mid-Himalayan statesin India such as, Himachal Pradesh and J&K in the North-West and Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland in the North-Eastern Himalayas.Over past few years this fruit has attainedimmense popularity and among consumers due to its nutritional value, while also it has gained appeal among small and marginal farmers owing to its high benefit-cost ratio,particularly through Hi-Tech cultivation techniques.

Kiwifruit,also known as Chinese gooseberry (Actinidia chinensis Patch) is believed to have originated in China,although it gained popularity in New Zealand. In India, Kiwi was first introduced in Lal Bagh at Bengaluru,however,it was soon observed that the fruit could be cultivated well only inthe semi-temperate climate of Himachal Pradesh, around1963.

Women have been seen as necessary as a man. The status of the women and the work progress of the women have been seen as a nation’s overall progress. Without the penetration of women in socio-economic and political activities, the country is considered to stagnate. Still, the devaluation of women commences at birth with the preference for male offspring. This continues through childhood conditioning to the submissive and, later on, the subservient role required of them in the marital home.

Introduction

Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a popular concept among the organizations. Work is an essential part of everyday human life. Work influences the overall quality of life. Human resources are one of the main assets of any organization. Quality of work life (QWL) is one of the important subsystems of human resource management. There are economic, social, psychological and organizational aspects of work life. Many new subsystems are being added to human resource management with employees’ changing needs, culture, expectations, and work environment.

Abstract

This chapter presents the principle of fluidisation and its use in drying of food materials. Being a convective drying process, capacity and kinetics are limited by process conditions and material properties. The influences are discussed as well as presenting the main equations that describe drying in fluidised beds. The main focus lies on hot gas drying, additionally superheated steam drying as well as atmospheric fluidised bed freeze drying and microwave-assisted fluidised bed drying are presented and discussed.

Abstract

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi, a group of organism that is different from fruits and vegetables. They are a rich source of good quality protein having more essential amino acids and vitamins with low calories. There are about six commonly known edible mushrooms throughout the world with button mushroom (Agaricus bisporous) being the most familiar and commercially important variety. Mushroom is a highly perishable product with a shelf life limiting to a few days. Soon after harvest, it starts to undergo physiological disorders like shriveling, wilting, liquefaction, browning, textural as well as weight losses and flavour changes. The main responsible factors for the quality deterioration after harvest are respiration rate, browning, bacterial spoilage of mushrooms, temperature and relative humidity. Because of its limited shelf life under ambient conditions of temperature and humidity, the preservation of mushrooms is a matter of concern. Various techniques have been involved in the extension of shelf life of mushrooms including chemical treatments, cooling, modified and controlled atmospheric storage, radiation, drying etc. Drying is one of the most accepted and effective methods for the long term storage of mushrooms. Mushrooms preserved by drying have a pleasant flavour and are used as an important ingredient in several food formulations including salads, instant soups, meats and rice dishes. Various drying processes like sun drying, hot air drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying etc. can be used for the long term storage of mushrooms. As mushrooms are sensitive to temperature, determining the right drying method is the key for the successful and effective operation of the system. The different operating conditions involved in various methods of drying affect product quality considerably. The effect of drying methods on the process and the quality of the dried mushroom is explained in detail in this chapter.

Abstract

Vitamin C is one of the most important phytochemicals and can be found in almost all fruits and vegetables. Since it covers almost all eventualities, being water solute and prone to leaching from cells, thermally labile (one of the most labile vitamins), pH-, metal ion-, light-sensitive, as well as readily oxidizable by ascorbic acid oxidase, vitamin C is selected as the most frequently measured nutrient to evaluate the nutrients loss during thermal processing. It is generally accepted that if vitamin C is well preserved, the other nutrients are also well retained. Higher retention of vitamin C in processed products is highly desired. Herein this chapter reviews the degradation mechanism and kinetics of vitamin C of fruits and vegetables during thermal processing, such as blanching, drying, cooking and frying. It starts with an overview of the functions of vitamin C in human’s health. Then the current status for understanding of the degradation kinetics of vitamin C during thermal processing was outlined, followed by the discussion of its degradation mechanism. At last, potential strategies or alternatives to keep vitamin C are identified and discussed.

Introduction

Thar Desert is unique both from floristic and climatic parameters. Biodiversity in this region survives on a very/ fragile ecosysytem under a highly hostile environment. Major area consists of dry undulating mass of loose sand, thus, leading to shifting sand dunes. The sandy plain is full of sand-hills with serve as low depressions where salt and soda are deposited after drying. The whole area is inhospitable and sterile. Trees are rather a few and far between (Bhandari, 2005).

The Thar Desert of western India is known for its rich and ancient culture system and traditions. The communities have long been part of the Thar Desert ecosystem and have evolved specific strategies to live in harmony with its hostile environment. Orans have remained mainstay in balancing this arid ecosystem. Man of this region has never been greedy as he is today. Orans were repositories of ancient system of gene pool conservation. But, there are unregulated encroachment on the marginal lands and over-exploitation of groundwater resources. Orans has been part and parcel of the lifestyle of the Thar Desert inhabitants. Orans are used to provide vital grazing land for livestock, water, minor forest produce, medicinal plants and green cover for the villages. They were worshipped as devbhumi. Orans preserve the endemic, endangered or threatened species, medicinal plants and wild variety of cultivars found.