Categories Of Farmers Research Articles

Livestock production systems in wetlands of Argentina: assessing transition toward sustainable agroecological systems-

ABSTRACT The magnitude of the current environmental degradation requires an urgent restructuring of food production systems. In this sense, agroecology is considered a sustainable approach, because it provides tools to guide transition toward sustainable production systems and to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Nevertheless, it is imperative to possess evidence regarding the implementation of agroecology and current extent. The goals of this study are to compare two instruments for assessing agroecological transitions, to measure the agroecological performance of extensive livestock systems in slightly disturbed wetlands, identify agroecological elements that differentiate farm categories, and identify relationships among these elements. We evaluated 19 representative extensive livestock production ranches from central-western Argentina. We used the Characterization of Agroecological Transition (CAET) from the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE). Moreover, CAET was modified through interaction with ranchers and technicians (Adapted CAET). The results obtained with both tools revealed that the agroecological performance of extensive livestock systems is currently in transition, with an overall average of 56.9%. This suggests that there is a group of farmers implementing agroecological strategies which have the potential to drive the transition to achieve the SDGs. This research provides valuable knowledge for applying agroecology principles in minimally impacted wetlands.

Production and marketing of aromatic (katarni) rice cultivation in Bihar : an economic analysis

Bihar has been traditionally an aromatic rice growing state of India, where varieties like Katarni, Tulsi, Manjari, Badshahbhog, Br9 etc. are grown since decades. Among these, the most important katarni rice is being cultivated in about 368 ha, area in district of Bhagalpur, Bhanka and Munger. Due to its aromatic and other qualities this variety has also been awarded G.I. Tag in the year 2016. The present study is based on primary data (kharif 2019) collected from a sample of 90 katarni rice growers selected randomly from the Jagadishpur block of Bhagalpur district to analyzecost of cultivation, resource use efficiency, marketable surplus, price-spread and constraints. The findings show that the average cost of cultivating katarni rice was estimated as Rs. 50326 per ha, including 82.84 and 17.16 per cent of variable and fixed cost, respectively. The yield of katarni rice was estimated as 24.52 q ha-1. The resource use efficiency showed that seed, fertilizer, irrigation and labor were underutilized and therefore their quantity is to be increased to increase the yield of katarni rice. The marketable surplus of katarni rice was estimated as13.70 and 37.17 quintals on two categories of farms, respectively. The higher producers' share in consumers' price (71.79 per cent) was found under Channel II and Channel III while it was 68.33 per cent under Channel I. The major production constraints identified were rainfall pattern (Garrett Score: 65.48) followed by quality seed (GS: 54.27), availability of urea (GS: 55.63) and pest & diseases (GS: 62.50). The important marketing constraints included selling produce at village market (GS: 64.44). The area under this variety is found to be declining due to introduction of other high yielding varieties.The study concludes that in spite of low productivity and various constraints, the farmers of area are traditionally & religiously attached with katarni rice and feel proud to cultivate it. Therefore, to protect this premium rice variety there is need for assured availability of quality seed, irrigation and post-harvest processing including marketing with remunerative price.

Optimizing Resource Utilization for Paddy Cultivation in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India: A Study on Efficiency and Sustainability

Agriculture is a cornerstone of the Indian economy, essential for providing food and livelihoods to millions. Efficient resource management of key resources such as land, water, labour, and inputs like fertilizers and pesticides enhance productivity, reduce production costs and environmental sustainability. Rice is a major food source and a vital agricultural commodity in India. This paper examines resource use in paddy cultivation across different farm sizes in Chandauli and Mirzapur districts in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The selected districts are among the highest in the state in terms of productivity. Resource use efficiency was assessed using the well-known Cobb-Douglas, or log-log, production function. The findings reveal a general trend of under-utilization of crucial inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and machinery, with varying levels of efficiency across farm categories. The analysis underscores the need to better utilize these resources to improve profitability and efficiency in paddy farming in the study area. Improving resource management and adopting technological advancements, such as direct-seeded rice, the use of nano fertilizers, and the incorporation of rice straw into fields to enhance soil fertility, can significantly increase production outcomes on farmers' fields while promoting sustainable practices.

AN ECONOMICS OF POTATO PRODUCTION IN KANGRA DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

In Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is renowned for its disease-free quality seed potato production, an economic study of 200 growers grouped into small (105) and large (95) farms revealed an overall cost of cultivation at Rs. 94,667 per farm and Rs. 3,08,051 per ha in 2022-23. Among all inputs, potato seed accounted for 29% per hectare, while human labor constituted 27% of costs. The total variable cost was 89%, with fixed costs at 11% per ha. Gross income averaged Rs. 4,67,705 per ha. Efficiency analysis across farm categories showed the cost of potato production at Rs. 250 per quintal (q). Large farms exhibited a slightly higher output-input ratio (1.52) compared to small farms. Production costs ranged from Rs. 1,195 to Rs. 1,270 per q for large and small farms, respectively, with variable costs higher on small farms (Rs. 1,117) than on large ones (Rs. 1,074) per q. The reported benefit-cost ratio stood at 1.88, indicating favorable returns. Potato prices ranged from Rs. 1,860 to Rs. 1,880 per q, with larger farms realizing higher prices. Break-even analysis suggested the need for small, large, and overall farm categories to achieve at least 50.72, 38.02, and 44.14 q of potatoes, respectively, to maintain a no-profit, no-loss condition. The analysis underscores potential profit increase by optimizing human labor, manure, and fertilizer use.

Impact of Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project on the Smallholder Beneficiaries in Mithapukur Upazila, Rangpur District of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, plenty of development projects are assumed, though success of very few is evaluated. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of Integrated Agricultural Productivity Project (IAPP) on the smallholder beneficiaries. The proportionate random sampling technique was used to select 90 smallholder beneficiaries from seven project villages implemented. Data were collected during 2018 to 2019 using a predesigned interview schedule. The perceived advantages of the project and the beneficiaries' annual income change were utilized to assess the impact of the project on the smallholder beneficiaries. Majority (58.8%) of the smallholder project farmers were under young to middle age category, with literacy belonged to moderate family size, small farm category, average annual income of BDT 134989 and 227633 during before and after the project intervention, respectively. They showed moderate contact with the extension source (95.6%) and moderate organizational participation (64.5%). Benefits derived from different components of the project were caused change in the usages of different agricultural improved technologies by the beneficiaries. The technologies implemented were improved fish, crop, livestock and water technology. All technologies had statistically significant contributions to the beneficiaries. The changes were significant for all the cases, viz. improved fish technology (t=13.65), improved crop technology (t=24.36), improved livestock technology (t = 20.43) and improved water technology (t= 22.29). There was also significant change in annual income comparing before and after the project intervention. Major problems faced during the intervention of the project were poor coordination of activities followed by training, poor quality deliverables and inadequate supply of project incentives. It is recommended that the authority needs to consider necessary measures to sustain the tempo and resolve the problems experienced by the beneficiaries in the future interventions.

Statistical analysis of the transformation of agricultural production in various categoriesof farms and forms of management

Agriculture is a complex material process, where the starting point is the presence of certain factors of production, productive forces and a special factor — land resources. The functioning and development of agriculture are associated with numerous threats and risks that require their assessment, monitoring, identification, taking into account the size of the industry, which is important from the point of view of forming directions for further promising development, obtaining maximum profit at the lowest cost. The institutional component also remains extremely important: the optimal form of organization of agricultural production, in which the available resources can be used in the best way. For the most complete and comprehensively in-depth assessment of the quantitative and qualitative transformation of the agricultural sector, the methodology of statistics has been applied. Based on the use of Salai and integral Ryabtsev indicators, the article characterizes the structural differences in agricultural production in the context of business categories and organizational and legal forms over 30 years; substantiates approaches to the optimal selection and use of analytical tools to assess the size of production in order to identify the most effective. Based on the estimated data, the main trends in the development of the industry have been identified, the results of the functioning of the activities of a set of organizations by categories of farms and organizational and legal forms have been summarized. The provisions of the article can be used to model threats, risks and predict the further vector of agricultural development in the formation of directions of state support, adjustment of fiscal policy for different categories of farms.

The importance of sustainable development in the development of the Agro-Industrial Complex of the Far Eastern Federal District

Significant interest for investors today is the Far Eastern Federal District (hereinafter — DFO) — one of the dynamically developing territories of Russia. For a detailed study, this material considers the dynamics and structure of the gross regional product, indicators of agricultural products of all categories, the structure of crop and livestock products by farm categories of the Far Eastern Federal District. To further increase the competitiveness of regions, industries, and the development of agriculture in the district under consideration, a promising area is the possibility of adapting and introducing the concept of its sustainable development. The components of the sustainable development agenda are three blocks of indicators: environmental, social and economic (management). In order to analyze the sustainability of the ecological block in the Far Eastern Federal District, the volume and structure of emissions of pollutants into the air in the context of regions were studied. The analysis made it possible to generalize, highlight significant facts that should be paid attention to the regions in terms of production, identify their weaknesses and pay attention to the impact on the environment and climate change.

An integral assessment of the impact of diet and manure management on whole-farm greenhouse gas and nitrogen emissions in dairy cattle production systems using process-based models

Feed management decisions are crucial in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) and nitrogen (N) emissions from ruminant farming systems. However, assessing the downstream impact of diet on emissions in dairy production systems is complex, due to the multifunctional relationships between a variety of distinct but interconnected sources such as animals, housing, manure storage, and soil. Therefore, there is a need for an integral assessment of the direct and indirect GHG and N emissions that considers the underlying processes of carbon (C), N and their drivers within the system. Here we show the relevance of using a cascade of process-based (PB) models, such as Dutch Tier 3 and (Manure)-DNDC (Denitrification-Decomposition) models, for capturing the downstream influence of diet on whole-farm emissions in two contrasting case study dairy farms: a confinement system in Germany and a pasture-based system in New Zealand. Considerable variation was found in emissions on a per hectare and per head basis, and across different farm components and categories of animals. Moreover, the confinement system had a farm C emission of 1.01 kg CO2-eq kg−1 fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM), and a farm N emission of 0.0300 kg N kg−1 FPCM. In contrast, the pasture-based system had a lower farm C and N emission averaging 0.82 kg CO2-eq kg−1 FPCM and 0.006 kg N kg−1 FPCM, respectively over the 4-year period. The results demonstrate how inputs and outputs could be made compatible and exchangeable across the PB models for quantifying dietary effects on whole-farm GHG and N emissions.

STATE AND PROSPECTS OF WHITE HEAD CABBAGE PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE. EVALUATION OF TECHNOLOGIES

Purpose: To overview the white head cabbage market in Ukraine, outline major problems, assess production capacity, and determine directions for improving efficiency in the future. Methods. Mathematical/statistical methods, grouping, analysis of time series, abstract-logical and dialectical approaches of cognition. Results. The current state of white head cabbage production in Ukraine is discussed. The shares of this crop in the total sown area and gross vegetable production have been determined; data on the location of white head cabbage production in different natural-climatic zones of Ukraine and farm categories have been summarized. The causes restraining the effective development of this segment of the vegetable market have been elucidated; they include outdated technologies and lack of innovations; few facilities for finishing, packaging, storage, and processing; lack of professional branding and effective infrastructure; weak development of agro-logistics; non-compliance of domestic vegetable products with European standards. The general strategy and priority areas of scientific support for future white head cabbage production in the context of integration processes are outlined. Conclusions. As the material well-being of the population rises, the food basket structure changes towards increased consumption of vegetables, including white cabbage. To justify the future development of vegetable growing in Ukraine, one should be guided by this benchmark, along with the expediency of the maximum use of the available natural and economic potentials for white head cabbage production. The further development of white head cabbage production in Ukraine must be directed towards high-intensity production based on the scientifically sound introduction of new high-yielding cultivars and hybrids with good palatability. At the same time, in the future, technical re-equipment of vegetable growing, development of information support, creation of marketing services, and development of market infrastructure will be required.

Spatial genetic patterns of a long-lived tree species: the case of Pinus leiophylla in a human-altered landscape of central Mexico

In long-lived species, deforestation can modify the genetic diversity patterns of recent populations. The spatial-structure genetics of Pinus leiophylla Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham. was investigated in adults and seedlings of remnant populations from central Mexico. Two chloroplast intergenic regions were sequenced of two cohorts (adults and seedlings) of 121 individuals of P. leiophylla from three localities. Higher genetic differentiation was found in adults ( ФST = 0.09) than in seedlings ( ФST = 0.03). The discriminant analysis of principal components detected four genetic clusters and the Mantel test found a weak but significant isolation by distance pattern ( r2 = 0.05, p = 0.002). Sixteen percent of genetic variation was explained by the spatial component according to the genetic neighborhood analysis. And the effect of three landscape features, i.e., elevation, aspect (sine and cosine), and land use, explored with ResistanceGA, detected that land use significantly restricts gene flow between populations, mostly in the farming category. This study emphasizes the critical role of preserving forest cover to maintain connectivity among remnants of P. leiophylla. Insights of this study will contribute to the conservation of conifers in Mexican temperate forests, especially within landscapes heavily altered by human activities.

Practical training of highly qualified personnel is one of the main components of scientifi c support for animal husbandry of Russia

The purpose of the work was to provide an analysis of the practical training of highly qualifi ed personnel as one of the main components of scientific support for animal husbandry in Russia. Some issues of increasing the efficiency of scientific support for the agro-industrial complex of our country, especially animal husbandry have been discussed in the article. The authors note that the productive force of the livestock economy of the Russian Federation is highly qualified personnel selected for training in secondary specialized and higher educational institutions due to their interest in obtaining qualifications in the field of livestock husbandry from school and further improving their practical training in colleges and universities. The main unresolved problem of the present time to improve the quality of training of students to acquire practical skills in working with animals is the lack of educational and experimental farms staff ed with groups of all types and breeds of animals with elements of feed production, feed making, feeding, mechanization, as well as processing of the resulting products. Educational and training farms of universities and experimental farms of research institutes are one of the effective and efficient opportunities not only for practical training of personnel, but also for scientists to carry out experimental research at a high scientific and methodological level. Thus, the targeted selection of future students to colleges and universities from school, under the order of heads of various categories of farms and tireless monitoring of the process of their education, especially practical training and retraining in educational institutions of universities and colleges, timely testing of residual knowledge in the disciplines necessary for further professional the graduate’s activities will contribute to the production of highly professional personnel and their effective work in production, in the educational or research process, as well as the acceleration of scientific support for animal husbandry in the Russian Federation.

Рынок сыра и сырных продуктов на примере регионов-лидеров Центрального федерального округа России

The Russian market of cheeses and cheese products is rapidly developing. Both federal and regional cheese industries demonstrate a systematic increase in production volumes. This article describes the cheese market in the leading cheese-producing regions of the Central Federal District, as well as outlines some prospects for its development. The authors used official data from the Federal State Statistics Service, the Ministry of Agriculture, and regional departments of agriculture, as well as interviews with experts. Cheese production in Russia is mainly concentrated in regions with their own raw materials, i.e., Central, Volga, and Siberian federal districts. The regions of Moscow, Bryansk, and Voronezh proved to be the leading cheese producers in the Central Federal District in 2018–2023 while the Voronezh region is the leader in terms of milk production in all categories of farms. The largest share belongs to semi-hard cheeses, followed by processed cheeses and soft cheeses. Traditional cheeses are in priority demand. The Moscow region is one of the leaders in annual consumption of cheeses and cheese products, i.e., 7 kg per capita. The analyzed regional cheese markets have great potential, given the capabilities of local producers who are actively introducing the latest production technologies and assortment policies.

Analytical monitoring of milk production in Ukraine

Introduction. The dairy industry is socially oriented, and its products should provide Ukrainian consumers with high-quality and nutritious dairy food products. Together with the products of other processing branches of the agro-industrial complex, these are the basis of ensuring food security. Among the branches of the food industry, the dairy industry ranks fourth in terms of the volume of industrial products sold. The population's well-being depends not only on the effective development of the dairy industry but also on reducing social tensions. The article aims to analyze the state of milk production by category of farms in Ukraine. The research process applied the methods of comparison, analysis, theoretical generalization, and logical generalization. The dialectical research method became the methodological basis. The article analyzes the dynamics of milk production in all categories of farms and finds out that there was a significant decrease in it due to military operations, the deterioration of the state of cattle feeding, the increase in the cost of raw material production due to the increase in prices for electricity, fuel, and logistics services was established. The main problems of the dairy industry are substantiated by the low level of technological equipment of dairies, outdated equipment, underdevelopment of the market infrastructure, low level of supply of raw materials and capacity utilization, low quality of final products of dairy industry enterprises; limitation of the possibility of broad differentiation of the assortment due to the low quality of raw materials; decrease in demand for processing products due to the low purchasing power of the population of the region, in particular rural areas; high level of competition from powerful enterprises equipped with modern equipment and technologies. In the raw materials market, district-scale enterprises face significant competition from leading enterprises in large cities, which can offer higher purchase prices to agricultural producers. Conditions for increasing the volume of milk production in modern conditions are proposed and substantiated. Keywords: production indicators, milk, dairy industry, annual yield, cattle.

Current state, internal reserves and ways to increase the competitiveness of livestock farming in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Relevance - the livestock industry occupies a strategic position in the economy of all countries because it supplies the population with affordable food products, thereby ensuring food security of states and regions. Purpose –livestock products market in Kazakhstan and its impact on the state of agro-industrial production are considered; monitoring of agricultural producers by the number of farm animals; analysis of volumes and comparative advantages of livestock products for various categories of farms; identifying the main problems and prospects for diversification industries. When conducting the research, methods of analysis and synthesis, graphical, economicstatistical, and systems approaches were used. The main sources of information when conducting the study include data from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2019-2023, and the works of scientists on the development of livestock segment. Results - the authors note that the greatest increase in the number of cattle is observed in personal subsidiary plots and peasant (private) farms, which are the main producers and suppliers of livestock products, providing the food market of the republic. The main problems that make it difficult to increase the volume of livestock products are identified: the predominance of small-scale farms; low level of breeding; undeveloped food supply; poor labor motivation among agricultural workers. Conclusions – the expansion of market niche of livestock products as one of the priority areas of agricultural sector of economy depends on the further expansion of the network of production cooperatives – the most acceptable and effective form of farming in rural areas; increasing productivity of farm animals; improvement of food supply; attracting domestic and foreign investments; in the future, the use of information systems for storing data on feed consumption and payment, the physiological state of animals, economic activities and development of livestock development plans.

The State and Development of Peasant Farms on the Example of the Penza Region

Introduction. The development of small forms of farming and their part in the food supply plays a crucial role in the agricultural sector of the economy. Peasant arms, like agricultural organizations, present suppliers of agricultural products on the regional mar-ket. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the directions for the development of peasant farms, as an important source of development and strengthening of rural areas. Materials and methods. We analyzed the state and development of small businesses in the Penza region on the basis of statistical data for 2010, 2019-2021. The theoretical ba-sis was provided by literary sources on the development of small forms of farming in the agro-industrial complex and state support for small agricultural businesses. The follow-ing research methods were used: systematic, monographic, comparison, economic and statistical. Results. The analysis of small agribusiness in the Penza region revealed that the development of peasant farms in the production of crop and livestock products has a positive trend, but at the same time the share of agricultural products of this category of farms in the gross output in the region as a whole decreases. There is a low percentage of peasant farms selling potatoes, vegetables, livestock and poultry, and milk. To solve the problem of marketing manufactured products, it is necessary, in our opinion, to unite peasant farms and create agricultural consumer cooperatives, which is possible with real government support. The main form of support for farmers is grant support. Conclusions. Small business requires human resources to introduce innovative, digital technologies in farm production.

Vegetable and potato growing in Kazakhstan as the main direction of agricultural production

The goal is to assess the development of potato and vegetable growing and their impact on the state of domestic and regional agricultural markets, to formulate proposals for stabilizing and improving the situation in the near future. Methods – comparative analysis, economicstatistical and structural approaches. Results – the authors note that in order to achieve the required level of food security, it is necessary to increase the volume of cultivation of these products in large agricultural enterprises, which will contribute to the growth of commercial production of vegetables and potatoes of proper quality. The state and potential of vegetable and potato farms, their regional characteristics, formation of vegetable market, and state support for vegetable growing industry at the national level are considered. The issues of regulating cultivation and sale of vegetable products are analyzed, the level of its consumption in the constituent entities of the Republic of Kazakhstan and factors determining it are shown. Monitoring of the areas of potatoes grown in open ground, tools and mechanisms for stimulating their expansion, the share of gross potato harvest for all categories of farms in the republic, the dynamics of prices of agricultural producers and consumer prices was carried out. Taking into account the scientific views and opinions of researchers, analysis of the category “sustainable development” is presented. Conclusions – it is necessary to carry out reclamation measures related to the involvement of agricultural land in circulation for vegetable and potato growing, increase in state support for agricultural producers, as well as funds to reimburse part of costs incurred for production of greenhouse vegetables, and technical re-equipment of production facilities. The implementation of investment projects is important, which will make it possible in the medium term to achieve complete food independence for vegetables and potatoes and ensure an acceptable price environment for their producers and consumers.

ОЦЕНКА ВЛИЯНИЯ ФАКТОРОВ НА ДИНАМИКУ РАСПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ ПОГОЛОВЬЯ СКОТА ПО РЕГИОНАМ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

Changes in the number of livestock in the regions of the Russian Federation are uneven; according to Rosstat, in 2021 the number of livestock increased compared to 1991 only in three republics - Dagestan, Tyva and Altai. In the process of studying the dynamics of livestock in the regions of the Russian Federation, an assessment was made of the influence on the region's place in the Russian Federation in terms of livestock in 2021 of various factors such as: the number of livestock in the region in 1991 (starting conditions); livestock growth rate; distribution of livestock by farm categories; ranking of regions by socio-economic status and quality of life. The ranking position of the Russian region in terms of total livestock in 2021 is largely unchanged compared to 1991, with the exception of its position, distributed according to the growth rate of livestock in the region. The distribution of livestock by farm category does not have a significant impact on the total number of livestock in the region. However, the study showed that in such categories of farms as agricultural organizations and households, the growth rate of livestock is higher, the higher the position of the region in terms of livestock in the corresponding category of farms. In the process of studying socio-economic factors on changes in livestock numbers in the region, it was revealed that the development of the livestock industry in the regions is not the basis for the well-being of the territory. When assessing the relationship between the number of livestock and the quality of life of the population, it was revealed that the growth of livestock occurs in regions not with the highest level of economic well-being.

Production Performance, Income and Employment Generation through Broiler Business: Revelations in Morena District of Madhya Pradesh

Background: In most developing countries poultry farming is owned by small business owners, farmers and their families. The broiler industry has fewer climate restrictions and more adaptability and in this sector entrepreneurial activities are still unexplored in India. The purpose of this study was to look into the production performance, income and employment generation of broiler production in Morena district of M.P. Methods: The broiler farms of the Morena district were identified with the help of Veterinary department personnel, commercial hatchery persons and poultry feed manufacturers and a list of 50 farms, was prepared. The list was arranged in the ascending order of the number of birds kept on a farm. From this list, 30 such farms were selected that were continuously in production for at least one year and where proper records were maintained. The list was divided into three categories based upon the number of birds viz. small farm group (below 1999 birds), medium farm group (2000 to 4999 birds) and large farm group (5000 and above birds). 5 farms were selected randomly from each farm category. Information was gathered by visiting selected chicken farms and interviewing the owners using a prepared questionnaire. The research study was conducted under the Department of A.H. and Dairying, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P.). The data were collected for the duration 2019-20. Results: The present study documented the mean feed conversion ratio, mean Livability percent, mean weight and age at marketing of broilers as 1.83, 95.82 percent, 2.38 kg and 43.8 days respectively for sample as a whole. The average total cost per bird was Rs 161.35. The gross return and net return per bird is found as Rs 185.27 and Rs 23.92 respectively. The benefit-cost ratio is worked out to be 1.15 for the sample as a whole. Rs 6.84 is spent on labour per bird in one production cycle of 56 days. Thus Rs 65664 per farm is spent on employment of labour in 56 days. On the basis of 8 hours working, 3.43 persons have been employed per farm. The statistical analysis using ANOVA found that there is a significant relationship between income and farm size, BCR and farm size.

Supply-demand Gap of Formal Seeds for Fodder and Green Manure Crops in the Eastern Plain Zone of U.P.

Background: Formal seed is the most critical input to enhance the productivity of fodder and green manure crops. Better accessibility of formal seeds of fodder and green manure can ensure twin effects- productivity and sustainability. The present study throws the light in respect of the supply-demand gap of formal seeds, causes and seed replacement rates of fodder and green manure crops. Methods: The study was based on a survey conducted on a well-structured schedule during 2022 and 2023. Three stages of random sampling were adopted to select the Blocks, Villages and farmers. One bock with 06 villages and 60 farmers (10 farmers from each village) was selected randomly from each district for the study. So that study was comprised of a total of 05 blocks, 30 Villages and 300 farmers. Result: The study found that there was a gap in the supply-demand of formal seeds of fodder and green manure crops. The study further reported an inverse relationship between farm size and use of the formal seeds for fodder and green manure crops. The seed replacement rate (SRR) was less for all categories of farms. Farm size is negatively associated with seed replacement rate. Low SRR signifying the need to strengthen the seed supply systems. It was further observed the seeds from the informal sector were given less preference by formers, in terms of quality, over to formal seeds provided by public and private sectors. Despite this, the reason for the gap was that the formal seeds belonging to the public sector were not available in proper time and quantity. The availability of seeds of desired varieties through the public sector was also an issue of concern. Whereas, access to formal seeds belonging to the private sector was limited due to higher prices in comparison to the farmers’ saved seeds and formal seeds of the public sector causing a supply-demand gap for the fodder and green manure crops.

The state of horse breeding in the Stavropol Territory

The information on the current state of the horse population in the Russian Federation, its distribution by farm category over the past three years has been provided in the article. Between 2020 and 2022, the number of horses in agricultural organizations in Russia decreased by 21 thousand. On the contrary, in privet households there was an increase in the number of horses by 16 thousand heads, and in peasant (farm) farms by 13 thousand heads. The material on pedigree horse breeding in the Stavropol Territory has been also provided in the work. The founders of horse breeding in the region are the Stavropol and Terek stud farms, which were organized in 1921. On their basis a new promising breed of horses was established as Terek breed, which today is on the verge of extinction. It is bred only by private owners and then in small quantities. Targeted work is needed to preserve the gene pool and restore the population of this horse breed. Information is presented on existing stud farms and multiplication farms, which are located in the Stavropol region. Under the conditions of four stud farms, two multiplication farms located in 5 districts of the region. There the following breeds of horses are bred such as Akhal-Teke, Thoroughbred riding, Arabian and Karachay. The total number of breeding horses in the Stavropol Territory at the beginning of 2023 was 862 heads, including 302 mares and 36 stud stallions. Training and systematic testing of horses take place at the Pyatigorsk Racetrack. Horse racing takes place every Sunday from May to October. In general, the dynamics of the horse population in Russia indicates that horse breeding continues to be an important sector of the economy and can be an attractive area for investors and businessmen.