eChapters

ABSTRACT

Rural youth are the future of the agricultural sector in the country. A rising number of rural youth are migrating to urban areas from villages in search of better employment as well as better life. They are migrating towards cities due to limited resources, weak infrastructure, and unemployment in rural areas. Thus, the number of young people in rural areas is falling and the exodus of rural youth means fewer small-scale farmers for today and tomorrow. Agribusiness may prove important tool to stop the exodus of rural youth from rural to urban areas. Agribusiness provides the various employment opportunities in the areas of agricultural inputs, crop production, agro chemicals, fruit and vegetable cultivation, agricultural marketing and processing of agricultural produce. Agribusiness helps in remunerative farming which increases the level of income, employment and living standard of people in rural India. The present paper will discuss the role and importance of agribusiness in attracting and retaining rural youth in farming.

Introduction

Agriculture provides unique solution to various developmental issues including poverty and hunger. World Development Report (2008) reveals that the agricultural growth has significantly contributed to the decline in poverty world over (as in China and Latin America). Though the non-agriculture sector pays more dividend, and grows steeply, the capital generated, however benefits a few (mostly urban areas) thus leading to uneven distribution of income. Whereas, the development of agriculture, which employs most of the rural population, is expected to benefit a large section of the population simultaneously and uniformly. It is in this context that this report predicts agriculture as a vital development tool for achieving Millennium Development Goal that calls for halving by 2015 the share of people suffering from extreme poverty and hunger.

Agriculture addresses the essential food wellspring of the world, and it has been confronting serious difficulties because of the rising interest for food items, sanitation, and security worries as well as calls for ecological insurance, water conservation, and maintainability. This improvement is anticipated to go on since the total populace is assessed to reach 9.7 billion by 2050. Since farming comprises the most noticeable illustration of water utilization around the world, it is normal that food interest and water utilization will decisively increment within a reasonable timeframe. Moreover, the rising utilization of composts and pesticides combined with the increase of cultivating exercises could prompt future ecological difficulties. Essentially, arable land is restricted, and the quantity of farmers is diminishing around the world. These difficulties highlight the requirement for imaginative and practical cultivating arrangements.
Consolidating novel innovations has been distinguished as a promising answer for address these difficulties. Brilliant cultivating and Precision farming have arisen because of such discussions. The previous is an overall idea for information communication technologies (ICT) and other state of the art developments in cultivating exercises to build productivity and viability. The last option centers around site-explicit administration in which the land is separated into homogeneous parts, and each part gets the specific measure of agricultural contribution for crop yield enhancement through original advances. Unmistakable advances that certainly stand out in this field incorporate Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including machine learning and deep learning.
Notwithstanding the previously mentioned innovations, remote detecting has been viewed as a mechanical device with high potential to work on savvy and Precision farming. Satellites, human-maintained airplane, and robots are well known remote-detecting advances. Drones, popularly known as Unmanned

Introduction

Computerization in education is perpetual need of today. Computers store large quantum of data that can be retrieved and used wherever necessary. They can also be used as an interactive media in transfer of technology system, which aids farmers and extension workers to access in formation of their need and to communicate with each other. Positive advantages in web education over distance learning process are that farming community can access it from any part of the world. Web education has also the added advantage of updating its data base on weather conditions, market situation in hourly basis which is not possible distance education as the process need a long time with regard to the availability of human resource and static course material to be developed for a particular time frame. The distance learning process being conventional in nature and also in place for quite a long years has abundance of resources and infra structural facilities however in web education, the professional resources are less in number and still arm journalism is yet to gain popularity among them. So web based interactive knowledge network system in transfer of technology is a present need which has to be addressed with due attention to improve the quality of existing communication system.

Introduction
Agriculture is an age-old income generation activity in India. It plays a vital role in India’s economy. One in every two Indians relies on agriculture for livelihood. Over 58% of the rural households depend on agriculture as their principal means of livelihood. Over the period of time, the contribution of agriculture and allied sector in Gross Domestic Products (GDP) in India has declined to 14.4% in 2018- 19 from 51.8% in 1950-51. At current prices, the contributions of industry and services sector are 31.5%, and 54.1%, respectively as against the contributions of industry and services sector were 15.1% and 33.1%, respectively in 1950-51. This decline in share of agriculture and allied sector is result of the shift from traditional agricultural economy to industry and service sectors, this performance are very meagre if we consider the size of the employment in this sector. Presently, more than 50% of the total workforce of the country is employed in agricultural sector contributing to only 14.4% of GDP. With production of agriculture activity 26of $375.61 billion, India is 2nd larger producer of agriculture product in the world after China which has contribution of $991 billion in agriculture sector. GDP of industry sector is $560.97 billion and world rank is 6th. In services sector, India’s world rank is 8th and GDP is $1500 billion (FAENI, 2018- 19). Interestingly, contribution of agriculture sector in Indian economy is much higher (7.4%) than world’s average (6.4%), while contribution of industry and services sector is lower than world’s average (30% for industry sector and 63% for services sector).

ABSTRACT

The conventional agricultural extension service in India is mainly provided by extension workers visiting farmers to provide agricultural advisory services. This system of extension service provision faces a number of challenges including the few number of extension workers and limited resources. The effectiveness of an impact-driven, radio-based extension service delivery system that has been introduced in some rural areas of India. The system aims to enable extension workers to reach many farmers with minimum efforts. However little is known about the effectiveness of this new extension service delivery system. In rural areas, farmers have started sharing agricultural related information and best practices. Some farmers have also started to change their farming practices. This brings a new finding that farmers can adopt and practice easily what is aired by their fellow farmers in the community radio stations.

Introduction

Poverty has been described as a situation of “pronounced deprivation in well being” and being poor as “to be hungry, to lack shelter and clothing, to be sick and not cared for, to be illiterate and not schooled. Poor people are particularly vulnerable to adverse events outside their control. They are often treated badly by institutions of the state and society and excluded from voice and power in those institutions.” Lack of access to resources is a unifying characteristic of poverty in all its manifestations. The poor lack ownership of or access to assets such as land, water, forest, dwelling units, credit, literacy, longevity, voice and capital-both physical and social. Those who are severely below the poverty line are largely involved in subsistence type activities for which they get exploitatively poor returns despite suffering extreme physical hardship and undertaking grave risks so as to earn a meager income. Since earnings are below even the margins of existence, expenditure and survival needs exceed income. This often results in the need to borrow small amounts of money at usurious interest rates of as much as 120 per cent per annum (Mehta, 1996) when borrowing is not possible, hunger is suffered. Their inability to change the power relationships results in scarcely available common resources (such as even drinking water) or public funds meant for poverty alleviation being misappropriated and diverted through manipulation by the locally powerful or corrupt. Since there are no mechanisms for grievance redressal this could result in social tension, despair or a combination thereof.

Introduction

Agriculture denotes as the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, where by farming of domesticated species creates food surpluses that enables people to survive and showing them the way of earning. Thus our country is enhancing agro-based industries. Industrial agriculture based on large scale monoculture, which is dominated by agricultural output. Hence it is the dynamically economic improvement of our country with the help of agriculture basing on modern information technology. Information technology means the latest version of information facilities like computer, mass media and Internet. Information technology (IT) or Information communication technology (ICT) is a broad subject concerned with technology and other aspects of managing and processing information.

Information technology contributes much to agriculture and rural development. It facilitates rural activities and provides more comfortable and also saves the rural life with equivalent services to those in urban areas such as provision of distance education, tele-medicine, remote public services, remote entertainment etc. IT initiates new agricultural and rural business such as e-commerce, real estate business for satellite offices, rural tourism, and virtual corporation of small-scale farms. It also supports policy-making and evaluation on optimal farm production, disaster management, agro-environmental resource management etc using tools such as geographic information systems (GIS). It also helps in improving farm management and farming technologies by efficient farm management, risk effective information or knowledge transfer etc realizing competitive and sustainable farming with safe products.

Introduction Market-led extension is a strategic approach aimed at providing farmers with valuable and high-quality information to enhance their decision-making processes in both production and marketing. This approach acknowledges the global nature of modern markets and encourages farmers to transition from being mere producers in local markets to becoming sellers in broader, potentially international markets. To make this shift successful, it is essential to equip extension workers, those who offer agricultural guidance, with the necessary skills and knowledge about market dynamics (Ahmad and Slathia, 2011). This involves a shift in their approach, moving from solely focusing on increasing productivity to emphasizing profitability. It also involves transitioning from subsistence farming to a more commercial orientation, from single-commodity farming to diversified crop production, and from local markets to global export markets.

Abstract

Entrepreneurship essentially involves economic and dynamic activities, risk- assuming and idea generation that help in developing, organising and managing a business opportunity for profits. Entrepreneurship in agriculture is not merely confined to farm activities but also involves activities interlinked and interdependent with core and peripheral agricultural activities. Impediments in the pathway of agricultural entrepreneurship in West Bengal are characterised by fragmented landholding, low financial resources and thereby debt stickiness & dependence on short-term agricultural loan. Though disbursements of short-term credit have increased substantially, the rate of increase is low. For most farmers, insurance for financial or crop crisis is unheard or have hardly any implication. The paper tries to explain the performance of various agricultural insurance schemes in terms of coverage and the benefits being delivered in India and in West Bengal. The paper analyses whether the recipients consider the schemes as an effective risk mitigation tool or merely a habit of credit-dependence in West Bengal through a diffusion model. The paper concludes with the focus on possible entrepreneurial opportunities that may offer more customised agri-insurance policies, where regional disparities could be considered and individual interests be given little more importance.

Agricultural Journalism

Journalism refers to the production and distribution of reports on recent events. The word journalism applies to the occupation, using methods of gathering information andutilizing literary techniques. Various forms ofjournalistic mediums include: print, television, radio, Internet and in the past: newsreels. The activity or profession of writing for newspapers, magazines, ornews websites or preparing news to be broadcast. The difference between Farm journalism and general journalism.

Definition

Agricultural journalism is a specialized branch of journalism that deals with the techniques of receiving, writing, editing and reporting from information through the media like newspapers, periodicals, radio, TV, advertising etc. and the management processes connected with such production. It is the timely reporting and editing with words and photography of agricultural news and information for newspaper, magazine, radio and television.

It is otherwise known as Farm journalism

Farm journalism is very important for communicating with farm people. More and more of the extension staff’s writing is being read or listened to in newspapers, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, bulletins, circular letters, wall newspapers, and radio scripts. The written work makes working as a consultant with farmers more fascinating.

Principles of Farm/Agricultural journalism

Meaning and Definitions

Agricultural journalism refers to the specialized field of journalism focused on reporting, analyzing, and disseminating information related to agriculture, farming, rural development, and related topics. It plays a crucial role in educating and informing the public, policymakers, and stakeholders about the agricultural sector, its challenges, innovations, and contributions to society.

Here are a few definitions of agricultural journalism.

Introduction

India has made impressive strides on the agricultural front during the past three decades. Much of the credit for this success should go to the several million small farming families that form the backbone of Indian agriculture and Indian economy. Policy support, production strategies, public investment in infrastructure, research and extension for crop, livestock and fisheries have significantly helped in increasing the agricultural productivity, food production and its availability. Notwithstanding these achievements, producing additional food with limited land, and providing economic access to food at the household level for ensuring food security would continue to be a major challenge for the nation. India has experienced considerable changes in the crop mix, yield and production since the inception of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution phase displayed a high yield growth per unit of input. The first post-Green Revolution phase (from late-1960s to mid-1980s) was marked by the continued growth in returns from land through the intensification in use of chemical inputs and machine labour. The second post-Green Revolution phase (beginning the mid-1980s) was characterized by high input-use and decelerating productivity growth. It calls for an examination of the issues related to the trends in agricultural productivity, particularly with reference to individual crops in recent years. In the present paper, the temporal and spatial variations in the productivity status of major crops in India have been analyzed using the TFPG estimates. Some policy measures have also been suggested for sustaining TFP of the crops.

 

Types

• News story

• Feature story

• Success story

• Popular article

• Radio and TV script

• Process or utility feature

• General information feature

• Experience feature

• Personality feature

News story

• Any new information, idea, event, situation or development, that is of interest to a large number of people, is a news.

• Any event when reported becomes a news.

 

SYNOPSIS

Until recently, agriculture was primarily valued for producing staple cereals. Today, there is increasing recognition that agriculture has an important role to play in improving nutrition, human health and environmental health. Helping agriculture successfully forge links with nutrition and health can enable the research, development and policy communities to more effectively address the looming challenges of hunger, malnutrition and agriculture-associated diseases. Already, there is growing momentum around the world to bring these sectors together to improve food and nutrition security of the world’s poorest people.

Keywords : Food security, nutrition, health, agriculture.

1. INTRODUCTION

During the past fifty years, the world has made substantial progress in improving the food security of millions of people. Using science and technology, agricultural extension and appropriate policies and incentives complemented with infrastructure, farmers, researchers and policymakers have worked together to increase the global production of cereals, cutting the proportion of hungry people from approximately one-third to one-sixth of the world population (Spielman and Pandya- Lorch 2010). Yet more needs to be done. Nearly one billion people still suffer from hunger. Micronutrient deficiencies affect billions more today and potentially in the long-term. Malnourishment in children’s first two years of life, for example, causes largely irreversible damage, impeding their physical growth and intellectual development, increasing their susceptibility to diseases such as diabetes and cancer and even drastically reducing their incomes as adults. Undernourished women are more likely to give birth to smaller babies, thereby creating an inter- generational trap of under nutrition and poverty.

While agriculture has traditionally been put to work to raise the productivity and production of staple crops, there is increasing recognition that agriculture is also key to improving nutrition security, individual health and environmental health. This nuanced understanding has come just in time, considering the looming challenges of hunger, malnutrition, climate change and its link to energy and resource scarcity and urbanization. Placing agriculture in this larger context may enable the global community to better address and cope with these challenges, whilst meeting the food and nutrition security needs of the world’s most vulnerable people.

This paper will briefly review the evolving role of agriculture in meeting food and nutrition security. It will identify emerging challenges, describe promising developments and highlight opportunities for leveraging agriculture-nutrition-health links to overcome challenges.

5.1 Introduction

“Women give life and play a vital role in safeguarding the ecosystem. Technology is the Plow that furrows the soil of justice, enabling women farmers to plant the crops of sustainable development.”

Women are half the people in the world, and they have done better than men in many ways in the last 30 years. But they still face more problems than men, because they do not have the same access to things like money, land, and power. Gender equality is not only a good thing by itself but also good for the economy, society, and the environment. If women and men have the same chances to do things and make decisions, we can have a better way of development that considers the needs of both women and men.

Introduction

The emergence of the green revolution highlighted the significance of agricultural communication. Its strategy and attitude were modified to reflect the priorities of contemporary agriculture. Earlier attempts at agricultural journalism drew their power mostly from agricultural extension rather than journalism or mass communication. The primary objective was to provide farmers with a collection of techniques authored by scientists or subject matter experts about a variety of crops. Due to the lack of synergy between journalism and extension, agricultural journalism stalled for many years..

4H: An agricultural club for children that features hands-on learning

Abiota: The nonliving component of an ecosystem, including the soil, water,

and air.

Aborigines: The original or native inhabitants of a country or region.

Absorption Losses: Loss of water from a canal or a reservoir by capillary

action and percolation and in case of canal during the process of delivery.

Absorptive capacity: The maximum amount of waste that can be absorbed

by the environment.

Acclimation: Adaptation to changing or new conditions.

Acid precipitation: Rain, snow, fog, or dew containing sulfuric and nitric acids

produced by fossil fuel combustion.

Acid soil: A soil which is deficient in available bases, particularly Ca and which

give an acid reaction when tested by a standard method.

Acre foot water: The amount of water that would cover an area of land to a

depth of one foot assuming no seepage evaporation and run off.

Acre inch day: Term used principally in irrigated section of united state for

measuring quantity of flow of water. It is equal to a flow which will cover

one acre to a depth of one inch in a 24 hours period or 0.042 cubic feet per

second.

Acre inch: It is a measure of quantity of flow of water and is equal to the flow

which will cover one acre to a depth of one inch.

Acre: (43560 sq. ft) an area of land about 220 feet long and 198 feet wide.

Active solar heating: The use of solar panels to collect and concentrate the

sun’s energy for heating.

Adaptation: Biological modification that allows species to better exist in a

specific environment.

Additives: Chemicals added to food, often con- sidered to represent a threat

to human health.

Abstract
India, with 70% of its population reliant on agriculture, faces a challenge in rural development due to a modest 3.64% agricultural growth rate against a target of 4%, lagging behind the 7-8% growth in manufacturing and services. This disparity leaves rural communities unable to fully benefit from national economic progress. Promoting agripreneurship is a vital strategy to harness rural resources, enhance livelihoods, and achieve balanced economic development. Opportunities abound in agricultural inputs, farming technologies, output processing, and allied sectors like dairy, poultry, horticulture, and sericulture. However, challenges such as limited awareness, weak entrepreneurial culture, poor infrastructure, and insufficient government focus hinder progress. Strategic interventions in these areas can unlock the potential for sustainable rural growth and economic inclusivity.
Keywords: Agripreneurship, Rural Development, Agriculture, Economic Growth, Farming Technologies, Agricultural Inputs, Dairy Development, Horticulture, Infrastructure Challenges, Sustainable Development
 

Abstract
With India’s population projected to reach 1.7 billion by 2050, increasing food grain production by 5.5 million tonnes annually is critical to meet food demands. Despite agriculture engaging over 60% of India’s workforce, it is often perceived as low-tech and unprofitable, dominated by small family farms. Recent economic liberalization, changing consumer preferences, and stringent regulations have spurred agripreneurship, fostering innovation and market-driven enterprises. Success stories from Maharashtra, such as Shri Arun Wandre’s bamboo cultivation venture, Ms. Kavita Bidwe’s agri-input supply center, Shri Prashant Madghe’s Krishi Doot extension services, AgroStar’s mobile-commerce platform, Dnyaneshwar Bodke’s floriculture group, and the organic farming venture of Satyajeet and Ajinkya, highlight how entrepreneurial approaches can transform agriculture into profitable, sustainable businesses. These cases underscore the potential of agripreneurship to enhance rural livelihoods, strengthen the economy, and address challenges like lack of awareness, poor infrastructure, and inadequate institutional support.
Keywords: Agripreneurship, Organic Farming, Rural Development, Food Security, Innovation, Maharashtra, Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Agriculture, Market Linkages, Demographic Dividend

It sounds like you're interested in agro-animal-based yarns, natural dyes, and weaves. These are fascinating topics that blend traditional craftsmanship with sustainable practices. Here are some insights and examples:

1. Agro-animal-based Yarns

a. Wool: Wool is one of the most common agro-animal-based yarns, sourced from sheep. It's known for its warmth, durability, and natural elasticity.

b. Silk: Silk is produced from silkworms, particularly the mulberry silkworm. It's valued for its smooth texture and luxurious appearance.

c. Mohair and Cashmere: These fibers come from goats (Angora and Cashmere goats, respectively). Mohair is known for its luster and durability, while cashmere is prized for its softness and warmth.

2. Natural Dyes

a. Indigo: Derived from the indigo plant, it produces shades of blue and is one of the oldest natural dyes used globally.

In India, the agricultural research and technology generation are supported in five agro-ecosystems, viz. irrigated agro-ecosystem, arid agro-ecosystem, rain-fed agro-ecosystem, coastal agro-ecosystem and hill & mountainous agro-ecosystem. Each system with its varied socio-economic and agricultural features, demands appropriate technologies to augment the productivity of various enterprises with sustainable development and economic returns. Unfortunately, the conventional development efforts, which often follow “top-down” approaches in planning and implementation, don’t address the constraints and developmental potentials of farm household systems in a comprehensive way. To overcome these shortcomings, reversal of approach, i.e. from “Top down” to “Bottom up” is recommended. This can be achieved through site-specific assessment and refinement of technologies with farmer’s participation where the farmers of different agro-ecosystems have right to plan, implement and own their developmental projects (Johnkutty et al., 2001).

Northwestern Himalayan region is spread between 28°43^'-37°05^'N latitude and 72° 40^'-81°02^' E longitude covering an approximate area of 33 million ha. The major natural resources of western Himalayas are water, forests, floral, and faunal biodiversity. Although there is wide spectrum of farming systems diversity in the region, yet there are quite a few commonalities viz. crop diversity, including mixed cropping as well as crop rotation of subsistence nature rather than commercial nature of agriculture, maintenance of soil fertility through natural processes. The variability in agroclimatic conditions in the hilly regions of India due to geographical location and climatic conditions require micro planning for assuring sustainable agricultural production. Introduction of horticultural crops is more recent phenomenon and it has penetrated the traditional farming systems of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and central Himalayan region for commercial benefits than the local consumption. Climatic conditions are optimal for growth of many food, medicinal and other commercial crops and live stock occur in these hills and the need is to exploit these opportunities for economic upliftment of the region, without degradation of natural resource base, therefore a long term development approach for sustainable farming system in these hills must have an eye on conservation farming for developing various production systems since this is a highly fragile system. The agriculture including livestock continues to be the dominant sector despite the fact that the area is exposed to adverse and harsh geophysical and agri-silviculture conditions. Strategies by planting fodder trees or grasses in the waste/ degraded lands (representing 7.9, 9.8 and 11.5% of the geographical area in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, respectively), is needed for enhancing the fodder production. In addition, farm spaces on terrace risers and improved crop production technology coupled with integration of agroforestry will help in bridging the gap between demand and supply of the fodder. The indigenous agroforestry systems such as homestead (kyaroo), plantation crop combinations, scattered trees on farm lands/field bunds and bamboo grove are practiced by the farming community. The land management operations are predominated by different indigenous agroforestry practices which have proven potential and hold promise in alleviating the poverty among rural masses of this hilly region. The agroforestry systems provide unique opportunity for integration of different components in the farming systems, which help to optimize the ecosystem functioning and better management of land, water, and biological resources. These systems need to be further improved with suitable technological interventions considering the local population need, so that the socioeconomic status of the farming communities uplifted. Experiences gained in managing natural resources through well-tested agroforestry systems have been shared in this chapter.

1.Agronomy is derived from Greek word.
2.Indigenous plough cuts ‘V-shape furrow’.
3.Indigenous plough is a primary tillage implement.
4.The ploughing depth of chisel plough is 60-70 cm.
5.Hoe is an example of secondary tillage implement.
6.Tillage improves soil aeration.

Student engagement and creativity are essential components of meaningful learning, particularly when education moves beyond passive knowledge transmission toward active participation and experiential learning. Generative AI is enabling educators to create interactive games, dynamic stories, role-playing environments, virtual laboratories, and realistic simulations that respond to individual learners. This chapter explores the potential of AI-generated creative learning environments to increase motivation, participation, imagination, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking. AI-generated educational games can dynamically adjust difficulty, generate new tasks, track student progress, and provide personalized feedback. AI-supported storytelling allows learners to modify narratives, develop characters, create alternative endings, and become active co-creators of educational content. Simulations provide opportunities to experiment with realistic situations without the cost or risk associated with physical environments. Applications include science laboratories, healthcare training, business decision-making, historical role-play, emergency management, environmental planning, and engineering design. The chapter also examines challenges including bias, privacy, infrastructure limitations, overdependence on technology, and changing teacher roles. Overall, AI-generated creative environments can connect theoretical knowledge with authentic practice while supporting deeper engagement and creativity.

Vegetables constitute about 55 per cent of horticultural crop production in the country with a total production of 85 million tonnes which is estimated to cross 100 million tonnes in near future. Successful cultivation of vegetables is hampered due to the incidence of several insect pests. Cultivation of hybrids, improved varieties, intensive agronomic practices, off season cultivation and indiscriminate use of insecticides has changed the pest complex in these crops.

Introduction

In Puducherry, the first KVK was founded in 1974. In the newly constructed districts and several larger districts, 106 additional KVKs will be established, bringing the total number of KVKs to 645. KVKs are approved for use by Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes, associated Government Departments, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) engaged in agriculture. The KVK initiative is fully funded by the Government of India. KVK, which is a crucial component of NARS, aims to evaluate location-specific technology modules in agricultural and related companies through technology assessment, refinement, and demonstrations. As a knowledge and resource centre for agricultural technology, KVKs have supported public, private, and non-profit sector efforts aimed at enhancing the district’s agricultural economy(1).

The KVK’s mandate has changed from vocational training to technology assessment and demonstration for its application and capacity building in a district in preparation for its growing contribution to NARES in India. Though technologies were developed at ICAR Research Centres or State Agricultural Universities, KVK carried out location-specific technology assessments, micro location refinements on farms with genuine problems, and final technology certification for widespread adoption by farmers(2).

Throughout the history of Indian agriculture, the contribution of farmers to agricultural technology development and dissemination has been very significant. Farmers’ practices are useful not only for scientific technology development, but also for sustainable agricultural development. Rural economy will sustain only when it effectively utilise the available local resources. But recent agricultural development witnessed that those modern agricultural practices slowly replacing the farmers’ practices. In this juncture the basic challenge for sustainable agriculture is to make better use of these internal resources. This can be done by minimizing the external inputs used, by regenerating internal resources more effectively or by combinations of both (Rolling and Pretty, 1997).

Introduction

21^st century challenges like climate change, water scarcity, increasing world population, rising food prices, and other socio-economic impacts are expected to generate a great threat to agriculture and food security worldwide, especially for the poorest people who live in arid and sub-arid regions. Millet is one of the oldest foods known to humans and possibly the first cereal grain to be used for domestic purposes. Millet has been used in Africa and India as a staple food for thousands of years. Typical grain texture and hard seed coat of millets increase their keeping quality but make them difficult to process as well as to cook in convenient form. Absence of appropriate primary processing technologies to prepare ready-to-use or ready-to-cook (RTC) products and also the secondary as well as tertiary processing technologies to prepare ready-to-eat value added products from millets are the major limiting factors for their diversified food uses.

Millets have relatively poor digestibility and low bio-availability of minerals due to the presence of inherent anti-nutritional factors. The difficulties in millet grain processing present a challenge but nutritional as well as health benefits and consumer demand for health foods provide opportunities in processing, develop suitable technology for newer products and process mechanization. This change in technology and consumer food preference would help in increasing the area under millets, maintaining ecological balance, ensuring food security, prevent malnutrition and increase the scope for utilization of millet grains on industrial scale.

Introduction 
The evolution of public administration in the digital age has been anything but linear. As governments worldwide grapple with waves of technological advancement, the boundaries between reform phases such as e-government, e-governance, digital government, and digital governance often blur. Transformations occur unevenly across sectors and regions, with older paradigms coexisting with or even outlasting newer innovations. As Dunleavy, Margetts, Bastow, and Tinkler (2006, p. 216) perceptively observe: “Defining periods in the evolution of any complex system, such as public management systems in advanced industrial countries, is tricky. New developments accumulate while older trends are still playing out and flourishing. Relatively established ideas move from leading-edge countries or sectors to implementation in previous laggard areas, even as the same ideas are being repudiated or reversed in the erstwhile pioneering locations. Moreover, a confusing welter of changes goes on simultaneously, amongst which it is difficult to distinguish ephemeral and hyped-up innovations from those that are fundamental and longerlasting”. This observation aptly captures the administrative reforms’ non-linear and layered character in the digital era. The coexistence of multiple reform paradigms ranging from early e-government initiatives focused on service delivery, to broader e-governance aimed at leveraging technologies for participatory governance, and finally to the strategic integration seen in digital governance illustrates how public sector innovation is cumulative and contested. Digital governance, in particular, cannot replace previous phases. Instead, it serves as their expansion and convergence, wherein technology, data, and citizen-centricity are embedded in policymaking, service design, and institutional accountability. To fully understand the rise of digital governance, examining the broader historical trajectory of administrative reforms is important. Since the 1960s and 1970s, such reforms have consistently remained a focal point for both

Introduction

Cashew is an important horticultural crop. It has gained status of commercial crop from that of a forest component through technological advancements with respect to propagation, production and management. This has been possible as a result of increasing demand for raw cashew nuts and enhanced interest for its commercialization. The demand is mainly due to its good quality protein, unsaturated free fatty acids, rich blend of minerals and water-soluble vitamins, which altogether contribute an excellent dietary supplement. It is being cultivated by as many as 28 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America

6.1. Introduction

This chapter deals with the sample survey conducted on cotton, turmeric and castor seed farmers and recorded various benefits observed by them by using Futures market as a platform for price information. Further, it tries to examine the price discovery efficiency of commodity futures market with the help of secondary data.

It is often believed that future price is a forecast of the price of a commodity during the maturity month of its futures contracts. It is far from true. The futures price of a commodity traded at an exchange market is not so much determined by the anticipated supply of and demand for that commodity in the maturity month of its futures contracts as by the cost of carrying the commodity till the maturity of such contract. That means the spot and future prices of any commodity are always determined by the same basic forces of the present and prospective demand and supply. The difference between the two prices represents merely the cost of carrying the commodity from the present to the future. Such cost may be positive or negative depending on whether the current (not the future) supplies are abundant or scarce respectively when the price of futures contracts of any commodity is in reality relied upon by the physical market functionaries in that commodity as a “reference” price for executing their forward transactions in either the domestic or export market, that price may deem to be “discovered” in the true sense. The application of such reference price for transacting a forward transaction in the physical market in that commodity, in fact facilitates the use of the same future contract for managing price risk for such forward transaction. Hence, the price discovery and price risk management are the two sides of the same coin and efficiency of price discovery is directly related to the price risk management. A commodity exchange or a derivative market is not a mechanism for controlling prices. An efficient futures market is one that discovers prices and provides effective mechanism for managing price risk arising from unavoidable price variations owing to shifts in demand and supply schedule. Prices are determined by the basic demand and supply forces and not the market. Markets reflect the supply and demand conditions from time to time through variation in prices.

ABSTRACT

Women are vital human resources and play a significant role in agricultural and allied sectors undertaking both on-farm and off- farm activities. Yet their contribution has not been recognized and they are considered as invisible workers. Considering this, the present study has been conducted to analysis the constraints faced by farm women in agriculture and allied sectors. A total of 100 farm women were selected as respondents through proportionate random sampling. The selected respondents were interviewed personally using pre-tested well structured interview schedule. The finding showed that the major constraints that farm women faced were limited access to productive resources like land, credit, input, extension services, storage and technical assistance, their absence from decision-making process, less wages and their illiteracy also hindered their progress. Women perform all un-mechanized agricultural tasks and perform multiple tasks, which add more burden to them.

This chapter reports the analysis of the data collected from Phase One and Phase Two of the research .The chapter is organized in three sections. The first section presents the analysis of the data collected in the first phase through the administration of the survey questionnaire (Appendix-I). It deals with a study of the potential of Internet as a communication tool through an account of the Internet usage habits of the two cities followed by a presentation of their perception, attitudes and internet adoption among the people.

Groundnut is one of the main oilseed crop of India.Unlike many oilseeds, Groundnut can be consumed directly in various farms and hence now it is also being considered a supplementary food crops. In india groundnut is grown in an area of about 6.5 hectares with a production of  about 7 million tones of pods per annum (2007). It is one of the few crops that can be cultivated even on marginal lands under low input conditions. Unfortunately average productivity of groundnut in india is quite low (1000kg) compared to (USA-3000 kg/ha, China- 2600 kg/ha, Argentina-2100 kg/ha  and  Indonesia-1550 kg/ha).

The effectiveness of community mobilization efforts depends significantly on the quality of analysis and understanding that guides strategic planning and decision-making processes, requiring sophisticated tools and frameworks that can capture the complexity of community circumstances while providing actionable insights for collective action. The integration of systematic analysis tools with deep understanding of value systems creates powerful foundations for community mobilization that can navigate both technical challenges and cultural dynamics that influence success and sustainability of development initiatives. Analysis tools provide structured approaches to understanding community conditions, opportunities, and constraints while helping communities develop strategic perspectives that can inform effective action planning and resource allocation decisions. These tools transform complex information into accessible formats that can facilitate community dialogue and consensus-building while building local capacity

Statistics is a branch of science which deals with the collection, classification, description and interpretation of data obtained by conducting surveys and experiments. The essential purpose of it is to describe and draw valid inferences about numerical properties of populations” (Ferguson 1966). The experience in statistics application indicates that a single statistical method can be used in different research areas for dealing with different types of problems. Various possibilities which application of a statistical method provides in certain research areas should be considered as an adequate way of dealing with a problem of the research. However, it should be noted that statistics is not a method by which it is possible to solve all the problems in a research. Nachmias and Nachmias (2009) stated that there are basically two types of statistics which include descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics enable the researcher to summarize and organize data in an effective and meaningful way. It involves the use of tables, charts, graphs, mean, modes, median, standard scores and correlation to treat collected data. Inferential statistics is concerned with making inferences from a unit of a population. Inferential statistics is concerned with making inferences from a unit of a population. Inferential statistics allow the researcher to make decisions or inferences by interpreting data patterns. Researchers use inferential statistics to determine whether an expected pattern designated by the theory and hypotheses is actually found in the observations. To decide whether this hypothesis is true, researchers might survey the respondents and then use descriptive statistics to make comparison between these groups and would employ inferential statistics to determine whether the differences between the groups are significant or not.

SYNOPSIS

Animal source foods (ASF) include any food item that comes from an animal source such as meat, milk, fish, eggs, cheese and yogurt. Many individuals do not consume ASF or consume little ASF by either personal choice or necessity as ASF may not be accessible or available to these people. Animals are used as food either directly or indirectly by the products they produce. Animal source foods (ASF) include any food item that comes from an animal source such as meat, milk, fish, eggs, cheese and yogurt.

Beekeeping symbolizes the biological interdependence between insects, pollination and production of seed. Honey bees have been tirelessly rendering this yeoman service to benefit human-kind since time immemorial. Beekeeping is defined as “the science and art of rearing honey bees for man’s economic benefits”. Since, honey producing bees are restricted to the genus Apis beekeeping is also called ‘Apiculture’. A suitable place selected for housing honey bee hives, equipments and related accessories is referred to as an “apiary”. The invention of movable hive with separable frames in 1851 by L.L. Langstroth gave beekeeping the impetus to flourish. Further fine-tuning of scientific rearing techniques in these movable hives helped in spreading beekeeping to the newer areas.

Honey Producing Species of Bee

About 20,000 bee species are found worldwide. However, only four species viz. the European honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus), the oriental bee (A. cerana Fabricius), the dwarf bee (A. florae Fabricius), and the giant or rock bee (A. dorsata Fabricius) are commonly recognized as honey producing. Amongst these two, only A. cerana and A. mellifera are hived because these build multiple-combs in dark cavities. The other two build single comb nests in the open (Akratnakul 1987a, Ruttner 1987).

The researcher desires to make a study on the socio-cultural aspects of cyber spatial interactions. As you are aware, cyber space or Internet has emerged as a powerful medium of communication. The survey is meant purely for academic purpose and therefore, shall not be passed on to any one and the data obtained from the respondents shall be kept confidential for all practical purposes. The researcher sincerely requests your honest responses. The questions are of people in general, and that there is no right or wrong answers.

Smart Farming is a hi-tech and effective system of doing agriculture and growing food in a sustainable way. It is an application of implementing connected devices and innovative technologies together into agriculture. Smart Farming majorly depends on IoT thus eliminating the need of physical work of farmers and growers and thus increasing the productivity in every possible manner.

With the recent agriculture trends dependent on agriculture, Internet of Things has brought huge benefits like efficient use of water, optimization of inputs and many more. 

ABSTRACT

Dairy Development plays a vital role in bringing out significant changes in socio-economic structure of rural economy. The main objectives of Dairy Developments in India is to increase production and availability of milk through integrated policy of cattle cum Dairy Development, eliminating the middlemen, through formation of co-operatives and self supporting dairy enterprise. The advent of Geographical Information System (GIS) has added new vistas in the field of Dairy Farm and Management. It also helps in integrating the whole Dairy Farm in a more precise way to get correct information about the various factors related with the whole dairy farm.

Introduction

The farm of Sarasa Green Projects around Chapabandi, Bansgora and Hetedoba Mouzas near Durgapur in Burdwan District of West-Bengal. Dairy Development plays a vital roll in brining about significant changes in socio-economic structure of rural economy. The main objectives of Dairy development in West-Bengal is to increase production and availability of milk through integrated policy of cattle cum Dairy Development eliminating the middlemen through formation of co-operatives and self supporting dairy enterprise. (Fig.1)

ABSTRACT

The concept of the Kissan Call Centres-KCCs (Farmers’ Call Centres-FCCs)) was a logical outcome of the Government of India’s (GOI’s) commitment to leverage the ICT for overcoming the constraints of distance and time in providing new generation extension services to the farmers of the country by facilitating their direct virtual contact with the agricultural extension and expert personnel. The study on KCC has shown that farmers in the age group of 29 to 48 years are the biggest user group of KCC helpline. In terms of academic background, farmers with a minimum exposure of six to seven years to formal schooling (86%) seek to utilize the KCC support and relatively inexperienced farmers with less than 10 years of experience are more likely (47.5%) to call the KCC. The scope to enhance awareness and access among women farmers to the KCC helpline is huge as their current levels of participation are negligible. As regards the performance of KCCs, 84% of the farmers who called the KCCs expressed overall satisfaction from the advice provided through the helpline.

Black Pepper and Pearl Millet Flour for Disease Control in Chickens: To treat a disease in chickens characterized by frothing at the mouth, frequent cackling, restlessness, and reduced food intake, 10-15 black pepper corns are ground and mixed with pearl millet flour and water to form small pellets. These pellets are fed to the chickens to increase body heat and help eliminate the disease (Sabarkantha, Gujarat) (Parmar, 1992a).

Use of Garlic Against Pulorum in Poultry Birds: To cure chicks affected by Salmonella pulorum, one or two peeled cloves of garlic (Allium sativa) are soaked in a cup of water for 12 hours. The water is then given to the chicks to drink, curing them in two days (Dahod, Gujarat) (Khant, 1999).

Poultry Disease Management: For treating an unidentified disease in poultry birds that kills them within a few days, tribals use various plant-based remedies:

1. Bark of ‘beda’

2. Small pieces of onion

3. Grains of paddy smeared with kerosene

4. Tuber of ‘dev-alad’ (Curcuma spp)

11.1 Control of Diarrhea in Animals Using Traditional Remedies

1. Strychnos potatorum Leaves: In Dahod, Gujarat, approximately 100g of kantas (Strychnos potatorum) leaves are crushed and soaked in water. This mixture is given to the ailing animals for three days (Sitaram, 1997).

2. Ventilago denticulata and Syzygium cumini Mixture: In Bori, Shahera, a mixture of asul (Ventilago denticulata) roots and jamun (Syzygium cumini) bark is crushed and administered with water to the suffering animal. This treatment typically cures diarrhea within 2-3 days. Asul is a creeper found year-round in hedgerows, and jamun is a common tree (Dalsukhbhai, 1993).

3. Decoction of Soymida febrifuga: In Shahera, Gujarat, fresh leaves of royan (Soymida febrifuga) are crushed and soaked in water for one hour. A 100-150 ml dose of this concoction is given to the animal, which usually brings relief within 24 hours. This remedy has a long history in the region (Dalsukhbhai, 1993).

4. Ficus hispida: In Panchmahal, Gujarat, roots of dedhumari (Ficus hispida) are washed, crushed, and soaked in water for one hour. The mixture is then filtered through cloth, and 100-200g of the filtrate is administered to the animal. The treatment typically takes effect within a day and completely cures the animal in about 2-3 days. Many farmers use this method, although they may also consult veterinary experts (Baria, 1993).

5. Umra Bark and Banana Plant: During the monsoon, diarrhea in animals is treated using umra bark and banana (Musa Paradisiaca) plant sap. About 500g of umra bark is pounded and mixed with 500ml of banana stem juice. The mixture is filtered, and the filtrate is given to the affected animal. One hour later, the animal is fed 250ml of groundnut oil, resulting in a cure within a day or two (Valsad, Gujarat) (Patel, 1996).

1. Use of banana pseudostem in fish pond to enhance productivity of f ish: Pseudostems of banana, after harvesting the bunch, are added to the pond by cutting longitudinally, which increases the pH and oxygenation of pond water. This practice increases the fish yield. As it involves low cost, it is being followed by 80% of the farmers in Bastar village of Balasore district in Odisha.

2. ITKs on Craft and Gear Making / Maintenance (Vipinkumar et al., 2013): The major ITKs of scientific rationale identified in the craft and gear making and maintenance were ‘Sardine oil smearing on craft wood for improving the durability’, ‘Smearing cashew kernel oil on craft wood for durability’. Similarly, the durability of cotton nets was believed to be improved by dipping in banpu bark decoction. In the same way, beating nets with thalampu plant for ensuring strength was another one identified in craft and gear maintenance. The scientific validity assessment indicated that the boats of about 6.5 ft size length and 4.5 ft width require 3.5 to 4 litres of oil of sardine. The oil coasts about Rs 70/- per litre. Three cosequitive coatings followed by natural drying under sun are required for good results. Cashew smearing: The boats of about 6.5 ft size length and 4.5 ft width require 3.5 to 4 litres of cashew nut oil and the oil costs about Rs 40 -50/- per litre. Here also three cosequitive coatings followed by natural drying under sun are required for good results. Smearing Cashew kernel oil on craft wood for durability in Karwar of Karnataka is shown in photograph 1. For improving durability of nets, dipping nets in banpu bark decoction was practiced. The thalambu beating is nowadays not practiced due to the non-availability of those items. Instead, fisherfolk use a powder available in the market especially in the net shops. 1 kg of the colour powder (red/ blue) is required for 1 kg of net. The advantage is that the wastage due to mud coating and dirt can be rectified to a great extent.

Introduction
Open-source software has revolutionized the way individuals and industries approach digital content creation, offering high-quality, community-driven solutions without the cost of proprietary software. Among the most popular open-source tools for graphics and 3D modeling are GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Blender. Both programs provide powerful capabilities for creating, editing, and enhancing visual content. This chapter delves into the application of GIMP and Blender, exploring their key features, workflows, and how they can be utilized across various fields of digital production. This chapter explores the capabilities and applications of two prominent open-source software tools: GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and Blender. These software tools are transformative in the fields of digital design, animation, and media production. The chapter provides an overview of their features, real-world applications, and advantages over proprietary alternatives. Through practical case studies, the chapter
demonstrates how GIMP and Blender empower professionals, educators, and hobbyists to create high-quality visual content without incurring significant financial costs.
What is Open-Source Software?
Open-source software is freely available for use, modification, and distribution. It fosters collaboration among developers and users, resulting in cost-effective, versatile, and frequently updated tools.

4.1 Introduction

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major food security crop in South Asia, with 42% of the wheat in this region grown following rice (Oryza sativa L.) on 13.5 million hectares of land. Resource-conserving technologies offer considerable potential for improving the sustainability and productivity of wheat in the rice-wheat system of South Asia. These include raising input use efficiency, cutting costs, providing various environmental benefits, and ultimately improving farmer livelihoods and helping to reduce poverty.

Introduction

A population is the set of all objects we wish to study. A sample is part of the population we study to learn about the population. A census may be defined as an enumeration or evaluation of every member of a population. A parameter is any measurement that describes an entire population. A statistic is any measurement computed from a sample of the individual observations made. As per Best (1977), "Research is considered to be more formal, systematic, and intensive process of carrying on a scientific method of analysis."