eChapters

Introduction

The productivity of pulses in India has remained stagnant over the past several decades. In the case of pigeonpea, which a major pulse crop in India, it has been hovering around 700 kg ha-1 for the last five decades. Uttar Pradesh (UP) occupies 9.14% (2.16 million ha) of the total area under pigeonpea in the country (23.63 million ha). Poor crop management practices adopted by the farmers, non-availability of quality seed of improved varieties, damage by insect pests and diseases and drought are some of the factors responsible low productivity in pulses. In a recent review, Maruthi Shankar et al. (2004) identified shortage of quality seed as one of the major constraints for increasing pigeonpea production in India. The genetically pure seed alone can increase productivity by 10-15% (Saxena, 2006).

Despite release of several improved varieties of pigeonpea, local landraces dominate the cultivation of pigeonpea in the country. Timely availability of quality seed of improved varieties at affordable price remains one of the major concerns in pigeonpea cultivation. Most of the farmers procure their pigeonpea seed from local traders or rely on their ‘own-saved’ seed.

Introduction

India is blessed with varied agro-climatic conditions. This enables India to grow almost all types of horticultural crops namely fruits, vegetables, potato, tropical tuber crops and mushroom; ornamental crops; medicinal and aromatic plants, spices and plantation crops like coconut, cashew, cocoa, tea, coffee and rubber, in one region or the other throughout the year. India has now a prominent place in world horticulture scenario. Starting from low ebb during first five year, horticulture sector got a boost in 8th plan onwards as a means of diversification to agriculture. Horticulture today, is not merely a means of diversification as envisaged during 80s, but forms an integral part of food, nutrition, economic and employment security. As a result of proper policy initiatives, India is the second largest producer of the fruits and vegetables in the world contributing about 10 per cent to world fruits and 13.8 per cent to vegetable production. Adoption of horticulture crops in production, both by small and marginal farmers, has brought nutritional security and livelihood security in many regions of the country, e.g. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and improved overall socioeconomic conditions of the people e.g. Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It encompasses various fields such as cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and more. The genesis of psychology finds its roots in the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud, widely regarded as the Father of Psychology. Etymologically, the term “psychology” stems from the amalgamation of two Greek words: “psyche,” denoting soul, and “logos,” connoting science or rational discourse. Thus, linguistically dissected, psychology embodies the study or science of the soul.

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It encompasses various fields such as cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and more. The genesis of psychology finds its roots in the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud, widely regarded as the Father of Psychology. Etymologically, the term “psychology” stems from the amalgamation of two Greek words: “psyche,” denoting soul, and “logos,” connoting science or rational discourse. Thus, linguistically dissected, psychology embodies the study or science of the soul.

Introduction

Ever since the civilization of mankind, efforts have been directed towards accumulating and storing foods when they are in plenty in order to meet needs during the days of scarcity. In case of food grains not much problem was faced due to nature’s noble way of reducing the moisture level as the grains mature. However, in case of fruits and vegetables, long-term storage in their fresh form was not possible (until development of modern methods) primarily due to their high degree of perishability owing to high moisture content of these commodities at the time of harvest.

Appropriate Post Harvest Management (PHM) of horticultural crops fruits and vegetables in their fresh form prolongs their usefulness and in some cases improves their quality. It also checks market glut, helps in orderly marketing, increases financial gain to the producers and preserves quality of produce for much longer time. Horticultural produce like fruits, vegetables and cut flowers are living, respiring tissues separated from the parent plant. Therefore, the aim of PHM is to control various physiological processes viz. respiration, transpiration and other metabolic activities to keep produce in maximum usable form.

Abstract
All the technologies are applied from harvesting of fruits to its final consumption is called as post harvest technology. Development of processing industry takes care of surplus produce as well as of those fruits that are of lower quality. With the development of processing industry citrus fruits can be utilized for the production of wide range of commercial products. The large variability in physico-chemical characteristics of citrus fruits provides an opportunity to select desirable types for commercial exploitation. In India citrus fruit is available in large quantity that can be processed in to different processed products very easily. The fresh citrus fruits are not consumed in large quantity as fresh fruit due to high acidic in taste. The post-harvest technology including value addition would provide opportunity for commercial exploitation of the citrus fruits and leads to the marketing and processing in to quality products.
Keywords: Post harvest technology, Processing, Physiological disorders, Squash, Cardial, Marmalade

Abstract
With over one-third of global food lost post-harvest, reducing these losses is critical for food security, resource conservation, and improving farmers' livelihoods, particularly for rice, a staple for 65% of India's population. India, the second-largest rice producer, faces significant post-harvest losses (up to 9% for paddy) due to outdated drying, milling, and storage practices. Effective postharvest management, including timely harvesting at 20-22% moisture content, mechanized threshing, and advanced drying techniques like solar bubble dryers, can minimize losses and enhance grain quality. Innovations such as hermetic storage bags and rubber roller milling further reduce losses and improve market value. These practices open avenues for agripreneurship through custom hiring of machinery and value-added products like rice bran oil and ready-made mixes, fostering rural economic growth and sustainable food systems.
Keywords: Post-Harvest Management, Rice Production, Food Security, Agripreneurship, Post-Harvest Losses, Mechanization, Value Addition, Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development, Food Quality

Agriculture and allied service sector in Karnataka, contributes about one third to the state Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  This sector still continues to be the largest source of employment in the state with about 70% of the population depending on it.  Agriculture plays a key role   in the state’s economy with a net-cropped area of 107.90 lakh ha. of which 23.20 lakh ha. is irrigated and 84.79 lakh ha is rainfed.  In today’s competitive environment, one need to rethink about the sustainability of development, whether it is individual or the area and agriculture or any other field .To develop the rainfed area and the people, the World Bank assisted Sujala Watershed Project is implemented through the Karnataka Watershed Development Department (KWDD).  This has become a boon towards sustainable development of the rainfed area and the people. The first phase of KWDP focuses on poverty alleviation and improvement in agricultural productivity through its multi faceted approach.  That is, the land treatment for improving their agricultural productivity and strengthening Self Help Groups (SHGs) in the selected area to take up viable Income Generating Activities, which paves way for the overall development of the area and the people living there.  The project area covered five districts namely, Kolar, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Haveri and Dharwad in Karnataka state of India.

Cookware is food preparation equipment, such as cooking pots and pans, used in kitchens. There are several different types of pots and pans- nonstick, ceramic, stainless steel, cast-iron and more. If you’re only going to buy one, we suggest a heavy-duty, try-ply or multi-clad stainless steel pan. They’re expensive, but they’ll last a lifetime with proper use.

Introduction

Civilization of mankind began with the process of domestication of livestock and poultry. The Indian Red Jungle fowl is considered as the ancestor of modern day chicken breeds. Chickens were first domesticated in S E Asia (India, Southern China, Burma, Malaya region) between 5000 – 3000 BC and then spread westwards and then Africa, Europe and America. Poultry in India was a leisurely and backyard village venture till sixties. The entire poultry scenario of Indian sub-continent changed only in last 4-5 decades and now India ranks 3rd in egg production (3.9%) after China (45%) & USA (8%) and 5th in broiler production (3.3%) after USA (26.5%), China (17%), Brazil (15.5%) & Mexico (4.3%) with about 54,000 and 1800 million eggs and broilers produced annually. But in terms of per capita availability it ranks amongst the lowest. Poultry production systems of the developing nations including India can be broadly categorized into two distinct classes: one - low external input traditional family poultry production system or free range or backyard poultry in unorganized sector in the villages and the other one is high input industrial or intensive poultry production system in urban and peri-urban areas. The former is highly unorganized and consists of thousands of small holders (5-15 birds) where birds scavenge and forage on house-hold wastes, shrubs, weeds, crop residues, insects and aquatic plants with no or little external inputs.

Abstract

Various studies put the percent of rural women engaged in agriculture and related activities in India around 65-70%. A majority of them are from economically and socially deprived category and qualify as “poor” or below poverty line. In rural India women play the role of agricultural labourer, fuel gatherer, food provider and home maker. Both central and state governments have framed and implemented various programmes to improve the living conditions of rural people. Measures have also been taken to provide employment and alleviate poverty. Generally these programmes fall into the category of wage employment, self-employment, housing and habitat development, and watershed development programmes. The last mentioned focuses on various water supply schemes to the rural poor and socially deprived. These programmes are evaluated in this paper. Although they are intended to benefit all the poor and jobless in rural Karnataka, the benefits reach women too because of their role as homemakers and food providers. Be it wage earned or drinking water or shelter, these programmes, if implemented sincerely, make the life of farm women less laborious and more comfortable.

This chapter translates ergonomic principles into practical strategies for improving work and everyday activities. Applications are organized around physical, cognitive and organizational ergonomics, showing how each domain contributes to human performance and system effectiveness. Examples from manufacturing, offices, healthcare, agriculture and domestic settings illustrate the adaptation of workstations, tools, work schedules and environmental conditions. Anthropometric data, task observation and work-study methods are used to identify mismatches between users and systems. The chapter emphasizes participatory assessment and appropriate interventions for reducing physical strain, mental workload and occupational risk. It demonstrates that practical ergonomics can simultaneously improve worker safety, comfort, productivity, product quality and organizational efficiency.

This chapter introduces practical laboratory exercises for objective evaluation of wool. It provides procedures for measuring fibre diameter and variation, crimp, staple length, moisture regain, clean wool yield and medullation, along with basic grading exercises. Emphasis is placed on representative sampling, accurate measurement, appropriate units, conditioning and careful recording of raw data. The practical work connects the scientific principles of earlier chapters with hands-on wool evaluation and helps students interpret measurements for grading and end-use recommendations.

9.1. INTRODUCTION

A data are generally voluminous, so they need to be put in a compact and presentable form. This chapter deals with presentation of data precisely so that the voluminous data collected could be made usable readily and are easily comprehended. There are generally three forms of presentation of data:

Textual or Descriptive presentation

Tabular presentation

Diagrammatic presentation

Pressure cookers are pans made of Aluminum or stainless steel. They are available in different sizes. The pressure cooker was invented in the seventeenth century by the physicist Denis Papin, and works by expelling air from the vessel, and trapping the steam produced from the boiling liquid inside. This raises the internal pressures and permits higher cooking temperatures. This, together with high thermal heat transfer from the steam, cooks food far more quickly, often cooking in between half and a quarter the time for conventional boiling. After cooking, the steam pressure is lowered back to ambient atmospheric pressure, so that the vessel can be opened safely.

The level of motivation of an individual has a definite relation to the fatigue experienced while doing any work. When a person dislikes a task, motivation to do is low and fatigue sets in faster. Interest in job produces high motivation and prevents fatigue. Besides the way of carrying a task is of great concern if we want to maintain our right posture, in order that we do not have to face any musculoskeletal disorders.

There are 8 fundamental Ergonomic Principles for better work performance which help you identify ergonomic risk factors and maintain your stellar safety record.
• Maintain neutral posture
• Work in power zone
• Allow for movement and stretching
• Reduce excessive force
• Reduce excessive motion
• Minimize contact stress
• Reduce excessive vibration
• Provide adequate lighting

The purpose of technological advancement these days is to make our lives comfortable. But many of the new inventions have added more stress to our lives and have made our lives increasingly more complex and complicated. Even more needs and demands seem to be built into our daily lives. These demands have affected the mental health, wellness, and psychological well-being of people living in our society.

These days, many advances have been made in eradicating disease, poverty, and other problems that have plagued our society, with the strains of modern living. Insecurity, worry, unhappiness, etc., have increased and have made mental illness our number one health problem. Anxiety and tension have increased so much that one out of every ten persons in our society has started taking tranquilizing drugs in one form or another.

The cases of mental illnesses have also increased these days, as shown by the admission records of the mental hospitals. These conditions have given birth to many psychological problems that are related to mental health. In this chapter, we are going to study those problems.

It is agony of the situation that even after attaining food security after a wonderful revolution, we are at a verge of complex combination of several crisis. This notably includes lack of nutritional security, deteriorating genetic base, loss of biological-diversity etc. Therefore at the 66^th session of general assembly of the United Nation 2014 was formally declared to be the “International Year of Family Farming” to reposition family farming at the centre of discussion to address multiple problems existing in agriculture (www.fao.org/family-farming-214/home/what-is-famly-farming/en/).

Family is the basic unit of the society. A self reliant and prosperous society needs self sustaining families which in turn require equitable and creative participation by all members of the family. Family farming is the backbone of agriculture where a rural youth effuse and rejuvenate this backbone through effective participation and obeisance of the tradition through which indigenous technical knowledge is transferred.

Introduction

Having decided to become an agri-preneur, the next task is to decide what business to venture into, the product or range of products that shall be taken up for manufacture and in what quantity. This may sound simple, it is the hardest and the single most important decision one will take in this whole business of setting up a small-scale enterprise. As the old saying goes “well begun is half done”, and if the decision to select a product is right, basically enterprise will do well, if not there are likely to be troubles ahead. One of the reasons why many small scale units become “sick” is that no serious thought is given by the entrepreneur before starting the unit on whether there is reasonable chance of succeeding in the product selected.

Even after one has taken a correct decision, all sorts of things can happen and upset the plans, but in such cases, one can retrieve the situation, provided the product selected is intrinsically sound. There could be factors beyond control and one must be prepared to face them.

Abstract

India is one among the major fruit producing countries of the world and offers opportunities of women empowerment through quality fruit production, planting material generation and production of value added products. There is a great opportunity to increase and improve the production of tropical, subtropical, and temperate fruits. Underutilized fruits also have a huge potential waiting to be exploited. This will only be possible with a concerted effort by researchers and growers, especially women to improve quality and increase production based on consumer demand and export potential. Women play significant role in fruit production activities. Unfortunately their access to knowledge, technology, finance, information, and training is minimal which hampers productivity of fruit crops. The mode of female participation in agricultural production varies with the land owning status of farm households. Their roles range from managers to landless labourers. In all farm production, women’s average contribution is estimated at 55 percent to 66 percent of the total labour with percentages much higher in certain regions. About 48 percent of India’s self-employed farmers are women. Thus, rural India is witnessing a process of transition which could be described as feminization of agriculture particularly fruit crop cultivation and their post harvest management. Women play an active role in various production and postproduction activities of horticultural crops. The number of women engaged in horticulture has increased continuously in the past two-three decades due to various factors such as migration of men to urban areas in search of non-farm income, increase in the demand of labour force in construction and other sectors. The data on the women involved in horticulture sector are scanty however the involvement of women in various operations of cultivation and post harvest handling and storage is very high because of entrepreneurial nature of horticulture. There is need to adopt collective and SHG approach to take women contributions to socio-economic significance. Thus horticulture, especially the pre-harvest and post harvest management of fruit crops have considerable employment avenues for women and make horticulture an effective subject of women empowerment.