eChapters

Introduction

India has been advancing excessively in terms of workforce engagement as a lot of women have started seeking space in the business arena. The new age has given way to a new trend of entrepreneurshipwhich is flourishing without the quantification of gender. Needless to say, India has been dealing with a very bad history of patriarchal class arrogance and work division that cannot fully provide all the freedom to women who want to prosper in their professional lives.

The female entrepreneurs have to undergo a lot of obstacles right from the initiation of the idea till the plan operates. Sometimes, the existence as a women itself comes with a baggage of responsibilities. Indian women are bound to fulfill their responsibilities towards their family, community and work, balancing everything equally and in an efficient manner.

The conventionalism, ethnicity, social and cultural principles, parenthood, the tag of feeblest sex and insecurity curb the confidence of women in comparison to their male counterparts. Even though there have been considerable changes found in the women dwelling in urban areas, the rural women still have numerous hindrances blocking their path. The perceptive of the opponent sex is irrational in rural areas due to the lack of education and it becomes hard for the women to resist men in such cases.

The Indian customary draws a thin line between the capability and responsibility allotted to different gendersMohsen B., and Zouari S. (2014). It has even threatened the employment chances of females in the traditional and eccentric sphere of fiscal exercises. The present scenario has not broken the undeterred confidence of women who sought to make a career in business, since the last decade. With the alteration in technology, globalization and rivalry accentuation has made the operation of business more multifaceted and vibrant.

Introduction

Entrepreneurship assimilates a very decisive dynamic dimension in a modified form through the globalisation progression into the Indian economic system. The core strength of economic development and economic growth in all underdeveloped and developing nations around the world is only due to the presence of entrepreneurial activity. A successful entrepreneurial approach plays a crucial role in the progress of industrial, manufacturing and service sectors and the development of agriculture. The government of most developing countries have invested much effort and resources in the past to enrich entrepreneurship (Oni and Daniya, 2012). According to a recent study, Saudi Arabia has been attempting to build a ten-year innovation and efforts entrepreneurship programme starting the year 2010. Similarly, in Malaysia, the government guided to set up of several technologies through the growth of technological know-how in entrepreneurship.

Introduction

ICT in agriculture is an emerging field focusing on the enhancement of agriculture and rural development. It involves applications of innovative ways to use ICT in rural domain. The advancement in ICT can be utilized for providing accurate, timely, relevant information and services to the farmers, thereby facilitating an environment for more remunerative agriculture. (Mahant et. al. 2012). Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in agriculture can act as a driving force in the development process. It facilitates marketing decisions, directs the competitive process and simplifies marketing mechanisms. Accuracy, Availability, Applicability and Analysis are the four ‘A’’s of marketing information; a farmer may decide how much to produce, when and where to sell and a trader may expand trade (Behera, 2015). Social media is the new upcoming area in agricultural marketing that has blogs, microblogs, pages, groups etc. It saves time and cost of the farmers for getting information. Facebook is the most likely social media for pages and profiles.

ABSTRACT

Small holdings in developing countries have long been associated with poor farming practices, intensive labour and low income, which make the sector unattractive to a new generation of farmers. Lack of youth interest and involvement in agriculture affects the sustainability and survival of family farms. This interest in farming is further strengthened by ICT providing access to markets and information to boost production. Researchers found that youngsters easily grasp the ICT applications, acquire information, and jump onto new market opportunities. Considering the above facts the present paper will address the issue of the role that ICT can play in invoking the interest of youth in farming.

Keywords:ICT, youth, farming, sustainability

The transfer of technology keeps the wheels of agriculture development moving. The existing transfer of technology mechanisms and extension programs are either slow or ineffective in bridging the linkages between the research community and the farmers. Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in agriculture is an emerging field focusing on the enhancement of agricultural and rural development. The advancements in ICT can be utilized for providing accurate, timely, relevant information and services to the farmers, thereby facilitating an environment for more remunerative agriculture.

ABSTRACT

With the developing world still depending on agriculture to a great extent and rural people depending on it for their livelihood, it comes as no surprise that family farms have been the focus of development in recent times. Family farms have been legacy for most of the farmers and along with it being principal livelihood option for many, the increasing need of agricultural extension services for these farms become more important. But at the same time, the huge gap between the number of famers or farm households and the extension personnel is a reality. And to bridge this gap, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can play a significant role. Another purpose it serves is making agriculture attractive to the young people engaged in farming, mostly by compulsion. ICTs like web portals, mobile phones and social media are the most popular and most widely used and can enhance the interaction among researchers, extension personnel and farmers. The youth today are hooked to the internet and their 1^st major activity on the web is social networking. Also, mobile phones are the most popular form of ICTs as has been proven by the sheer number of subscribers worldwide. And these tools, used appropriately, can change the whole structure of agricultural communication. ICTs can be an important part of communication strategies, connecting the youth to peers and professionals. It is true that the ‘apps won’t plough the fields’ but they will definitely help the youth do the job better. ICTs can prove to be a great catalyst in engaging agricultural community in family farms making agriculture attractive and sustainable again.

Tank irrigation is passing through a critical juncture in India today. Tank irrigation contributes significantly to agricultural production in India in general, and in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, in particular. The tank irrigation system is one of the vast networks of thousands of water bodies that constituted a distinctive landscape which was medieval in origin but still the basis of livelihood in the dry Southern plains(Mosse, 2003, P-4). Tank is a small reservoir constructed across the slope of the valley to catch and store water during rainy season. Water is controlled by sluices attached to the tank bank and is delivered to paddy field by distributing channels. Tank is considered as a common property resource. The National Sample Survey Organization defines common property resources as the resources that are accessible to and collectively owned, managed by identifiable community and on which no individual has exclusive property rights (NSSO, 1999).

Abstract

Women play a critical and potentially transformative role in agricultural growth in developing countries but they face persistent obstacles and economic constraints limiting their potential inclusion in agriculture. The feminization of agriculture is determined by two major factors, first compared to men, women have much poorer access to and control over productive resources and they have inadequate access to public services, such as training, extension and credit. Women farmers often lack the know-how and the confidence to use the improved technology and most of the new technologies. The reason being most of these advancements are aimed at male specific end users. Giving support to rural women is a way of breaking the vicious cycle that leads to rural poverty so there is need to cut the drudgery of women farmers and make their efforts worthwhile and economical. Development strategies should consider rural women as the epicenter, paying special attention to their social skills both within and without agriculture sector. In terms of equity, women overall have lower awareness of AAS than men do, indicating the importance of targeting women in communications efforts. More trainings are required to generate interest and motivate farm women to learn about the AAS and use it. Closing the gender productivity gap could increase agricultural output in by a significant amount. Increased production would also imply increased food availability and reductions in undernourishment. Integrating Gender and Agriculture within Agricultural Extension System empowers families, helps women to contribute to household incomes, increases productivity & reduces gender gaps in agriculture.

ABSTRACT

The future of any country depends on how the youth are moulded. Employment is the key to economic and social development and providing youths with job opportunities is a major issue for all countries irrespective of their level of development. Villages have become a source of cheap labour for growing cities. Meanwhile, rural communities are deprived off the services of rural youth. Increasing pressure on land is compelling youth to get out of farming. In India, there are 639 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) located in every district and also known as the AKC (Agriculture Knowledge Centre). One of the mandate of KVKs is to impart vocational trainings to rural unemployed youth, landless laborer, school dropout boys and girls. The Hisar Districthas been divided into nine blocks and three sub divisions covering 274 villages, with average annual rainfall about 400 mm and the soil type issandy to sandy loam. Sh. Joginder Singh s/o Sh. Mahender Singh, 10+2 passed, 26 yrs. old youth was engaged in traditional cultivation of agricultural crops on his farm at village Saharwa (Hisar). In 2010, he came in contact with KVK, Hisar and got trainings from this centre. He was motivated to diversify his traditional system of agriculture with integrated farming system of vegetable production+ dairy farming+ horticulture+ boundary plantation of agro-forestry multipurpose tree species. With this diversified farming system, his income increased many folds i.e. Rs. 35000/acre to Rs. 4.40 lac/acre/year.

Methodology

In the present study, the researcher has tried to present a broad picture of the role of media with his empirical observations on news in some selected print media and TV channels. The content analysis of news along with comparative method between print and electronic, news related to problems in rural governance and other news were taken into consideration.

Introduction

As Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of Nation, rightly pointed out that “The true India is to be found not in its few cities, but in its seven hundred thousand villages. If the villages perish, India will perish too”. (GoI website) Primarily India is an agrarian society, where more than 70% people lives in countryside. As majority of our population reside in rural hinterland and their livelihood depends on agricultural and economic activities related to it. People from rural areas migrating to mega cities or urban areas or industrial townships to seek jobs in service sectors. The seasonal migration of laborers to big cities has become a regular feature in our economy. These uprooted people feel lucky to get something to earn for near and dear ones. 58 per cent of these rural households are employed in farming sector i.e. cultivation, livestock rearing and other agricultural activity, which in turn contributes less than 60 per cent to their average monthly income. These were the findings of the ‘Situation Assessment Survey of Agriculture Households’ for the 2012-2013 crop years, from July to June. A brief overview of Indian economy reveals that agriculture contributes 16.5 per cent of the GDP contribution, compared to Industry’s 29.8 per cent and service sector’s 54.4, as per the census of 2015. It is also worth to recall that despite the big claim of booming Indian economy, the share of informal employment in total employment has remained above 90 per cent throughout the period 2004-05 to 2011-12, the Economic Survey 2014-15 revealed.

Role of Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises

Engage in promotion & development of MSME’S in the country through framing proper policies and schemes.
Implementing policies and schemes through its attached office DC, MSME, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi. 

Abstract

Nanotechnology deals with understanding and control of matter at 1-100 nm dimensions. Nano-sized materials have been part of everyday life in the form of biological entities and processes. Many of the structural building elements in foods are colloids in nature and are built up as a result of self assembly of nano-sized molecules in particles or at interfaces. The most important food raw materials-proteins, starches and fats undergo structural changes at the nanometer and micrometer scales during normal food processing. Unique phenomena occurring at this length scale are being exploited for novel food applications. Functional foods are products, in food or drink form, which influence specific functions in the body and thereby offer benefits for health, well-being, or performance beyond their regular nutritional value. Nanotechnology promises to provide means of altering and manipulating food products to efficiently deliver nutrients like proteins and antioxidants for precisely targeted nutritional and health benefits. Nanotechnology applications for functional food ingredients and additives offer range of benefits to the consumer in terms of innovative, tasteful and healthy food products. Nanoencapsulation systems aid smart protection and delivery of bioactives so as to ensure their stability, taste, colour, safety and bioavailability. The advent of nanotechnology has opened up innovations in food packaging with improved stability and barrier properties. However, need exists to develop regulatory systems for managing any risks associated with functional nanofoods and the use of nanotechnologies in the food industry.

INTRODUCTION

Natural resources are the untamed natural essence of the environment which contain a significant amount of material as well as aesthetic values. Natural resources are broadly categorized into renewable, flow and non-renewable sources. While renewable natural resources primarily involve living sources such as forests, crops fish, reindeer, coffee, etc. and non-living sources like water and soil. Natural resource management refers to the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations. Natural resource management is congruent with the concept of sustainable development. It is a scientific principle that forms a basis for sustainable global land management and environmental governance to conserve and preserve natural resources (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2009). Though forest, water, agriculture land and crops, minerals, livestocks and many more constitute natural resources in India but forest represents the second-largest land use in India after agriculture, covering about 641,130 square kilometers, or 22 percent of the total land base (FAO 2005). Forestry is the second largest land use after agriculture and accounts for about 1.5 % of the nation’s GDP (World Bank, 2006) in India. On one hand, forests support the livelihood of the poor, especially the tribals, and on the other hand, it is remarkable to see that the poorest people of our country live in the rich forest and natural resource base (Narain, 2008).

Positivism emerged out of the modernist era, which experienced its fullest expression during the Enlightenment of the 18th century, but which had been stimulated through the earlier writings of philosophers such as August Comte, John Stuart Mill, and David Hume. Modernists believed that through the systematic application of logical mental process, ignorance and superstition could be replaced by progress, justice, and beauty. The tremendous optimism of the modernistic era was accompanied by an unrelenting faith in both the epistemology and methodology of positivism.

The foundation of positivism was grounded in a mechanistic worldview based on the assumption of predictable cause-and-effect patterns of relationships. Furthermore, positivism was grounded in the belief that there exist some laws in the natural and social worlds that are unaffected by one’s perspective and that can best be understood through reliance on objective scientific. Positivism led to positive thinking, positive attitude, and positive actions. Positive thinking leads to good mental and emotional health. So, there is a strong relationship between mental health and the role of positive thinking.

Introduction

Women constitute half of the Indian population. Around 80 % of the total female population lives in rural and out of 31 million women work force of the country, 20 million are living in rural areas. The role played by women in agriculture is more enormous and fully recognized. Women accounted for more than 76 per cent of the marginal workers and about 16 per cent of them are main workers. Among main workers as well as marginal workers more women belong to the category of agricultural labourers. The role of women and their involvement is more in production, processing and storage of grains. In general, 60-70 per cent of labour input is provided by womenfolk which increases upto 80 per cent in rice. Women formed part of a highly valuable human resources which with appropriate training and education, can bring about phenomenal changes in the desirable direction. By keeping this view, the main focus of this paper was, to find out the role played by the farm women in farming, allied and off-farm activities.

The backwardness and underdevelopment of our rural areas have drawn the attention of not only the planners but also those who are interested in the overall development of the India. The numerous schemes have not appreciably raised the living standard of the rural masses. Adoption of traditional agricultural technologies, lack of knowledge of improved practices, in sanitary conditions, inadequate housing and educational facilities are serious challenges faced by the rural masses. Unless we devote our efforts towards this cause, the chances of improvement of rural areas are remote in the near future.  The youth, who are the citizens of tomorrow have a vital role to play.  Youth reflect the national potentiality and represent the life blood of a nation.  Development of youth determines the future of the community and the country as a whole. As psychologists say, youth possess dynamic energy, creative activity and adventurous spirit and undergo physiological and psychological changes as they grow. In agriculture, due to small holdings, erratic rainfall, unrealistic market and price for the produce and meager income from crops, youth farmers are taking up dairying and sericulture as subsidiary enterprises which provide additional income and gainful employment to them as members of farm families throughout the year.  Young members of farm families play an important role in managing these enterprises. A study was  undertaken to know the role of youth in milk and silk farming.

Women empowerment refers to the process of enabling women to increase their control over their lives, resources, and decision-making power. It involves promoting gender equality, challenging gender stereotypes, and addressing the social, economic, and political barriers that prevent women from reaching their full potential.

The Government of India declared 2001 as the ‘Year of Women’s Empowerment and the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women came into force from 2001. The policy approaches that were underlined in this policy concerned gender equality. The policy proposed that the legal system be made responsive and gender sensitive to women’s needs. It stated that women should be economically and socially empowered through focused efforts.

Women Empowerment has Several Dimensions

1. Economic Empowerment: Access to education, employment, credit, and other economic resources.

2. Political Empowerment: Participation in decision-making processes, leadership positions, and political representation.

3. Social Empowerment: Challenging gender stereotypes, promoting gender equality, and addressing social norms that limit women’s potential.

4. Legal Empowerment: Access to justice, legal rights, and protection from discrimination and violence.

5. Psychological Empowerment: Building self-esteem, confidence, and self-reliance.

Establishment of databases and data warehouse; knowledge discovery from database/data warehouse (KDD) and development of the mechanism of dissemination of knowledge on information networks as per requirements of user groups is gaining importance now a days. Since there is a large number of data collection agencies and equally diverse resources for which the information is collected, it is easy to visualize the heterogeneity of information. The problem is compounded by the fact that there are no common standards that are applied in data collection. Designing data warehouses to integrate the collected information poses a formidable challenge to any data warehouses architect. In order to use the information for planning and decision-making level, data have to be integrated and aggregated properly.

Abstract

In the present horticultural scenario of India, this is the burning issue as how best the underutilized horticultural crops can be exploited. There is tremendous potential for these crops especially for diversification. These plants can generate employment for millions especially to the natives ofdeveloping counties besides nutritional security. Traditional wisdom of Indian farmers if used properly can pave the path for transforming the economy of developing nations. There are great opportunities for the people to identify crops, explore their market, standardize their cultivation and processing techniques, document them and provide jobs to millions. This will salvage the people from exploitation by multinational companies of developed nations and can give a new direction to sustainable agriculture.

Introduction

The Integrated Watershed Development has come to be recognized internationally as an important holistic approach to natural resources management and poverty reduction, wherein promoting the concept of sustainable development. In the Indian context, watershed development has come to be acknowledged as key and discrete units in rural development which forms an important vehicle for achieving the objectives of increased production and availability of food, fodder and fuel restoration of agro ecological balance and in improving the livelihood status of the village communities.

In line with the above, the conceptualization of Integrated Watershed Development Project Hills-II (initiated in September 1999) has been built up on the success of IWDP Hills-I project with a laudable vision to arrest environmental decline, boost agricultural growth, and ensure better management of scarce land and water resources and reducing poverty dimensions in the Siwalik & Karewas regions, which are one of the most environmentally degraded areas in India. The project area encompasses two sub-watersheds in sub-tropical belt of Siwaliks of Jammu region and two in temperate Karewas of Kashmir valley, covering an area of 1,11,080 ha. Ramnagar and Akhnoor sub-watersheds are located in Siwalik range of Jammu region whereas the sub-watersheds of Rajwar and Rambiara are located in Karewas belt of Kashmir valley.