Food Grains Research Articles

Food Security Right and Food Policy in India

India’s food policy evolved in the wake of the Bengal Famine of 1943, which caused deaths of more than one million people. This famine was attributed partly to lack of adequate supplies of food grains and partly to lack of purchasing power of the victims. A Food grains Policy Committee was appointed in 1943 under the chairmanship Sir George Theodore. The Committee recommended rationing of food grains to overcome similar grave situations in future. Since then, successive governments have been trying to (i) increase the level of food grains production in the country through offering minimum support price (MSP) to the farmers and (ii) to create mechanism for supply of grains to consumers. Public Distribution System (PDS) has been evolved to safeguard the interests of the consumers, particularly the weaker and vulnerable sections of society. It is evident that since India’s Independence food and agricultural policies in the country have aimed at reducing hunger, food insecurity and poverty. At the same time attention has also been given to raise food grains production and maintaining adequate stocks of food grains as a measure of food security (Tyagi, 1990). Attainment of food security is, therefore, a big challenge for India. This research paper discusses the food security right and National food policy in India.

IoT Based Smart Agriculture Using Machine Learning

Agriculture is one of the crucial sources of economic growth in the country. Agriculture plays a major role in increasing the overall economy of any country. Many countries are having tremendous growth in the production of crops as the demand for food grains and supply increases. India is one of the leading countries in producing a variety of different crops. However, most parts of India are still using the traditional methods for implementation and cultivation of crops, due to which farmers are facing a loss in their production due to inadequate supply of fertilizers and uncertain climatic conditions. To overcome this, there is a need to develop a system that will look for these soil, temperature, and climatic conditions. IoT-based Smart Agriculture using Machine Learning talks about the use of IoT and Machine Learning techniques that will not only look for sensor data but also recommend the farmers the suitable fertilizers and crops to be grown. Smart sensors will be used to get the values related to soil moisture, temperature, humidity, and pH values. These sensors will check for suitable soil conditions, and how wet or dry the soil is, and will also look for temperature values. The real-time data will be fetched and displayed on the live monitoring webpage and Android applications. We can get timely information about the soil moisture value and suitable temperature and humidity value. With the help of Data Analysis techniques, we can figure out which data to take for further exploration. Historical datasets that are publicly available can be used for training and building Machine Learning models. Farmers can access information about their field data, and machine learning algorithms will help the farmers in making informed decisions about what crops to grow in the specific environment. Keywords— Internet of Things, Sensors, Soil moisture, Temperature, Humidity, Microcontroller, Smart Agriculture, Recommendation Model, Crop Prediction, Fertilizers Prediction, Machine Learning Model.

Efficacy of Eucheuma denticulatum Extract and Azadirachta indica Powder against Maize Weevil (Sitophilus zeamais) Infesting Stored Maize Grains

Storage insect pests destroy food grains in storage. In the present study, the insecticidal activity of red seaweed extract (Eucheuma denticulatum) and neem (Azadirachta indica) was examined against maize weevils (Sitophilus zeamais) and the quality of the stored maize was assessed for a three months storage period. Three rates (0.0, 1.6 and 4.8% w/w) of neem powder and seaweed extract were used as treatments. The collected data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using General Linear Model in SPSS computer software packages (version 25) and mean comparisons were conducted using Turkey’s (HSD) test at the 5% level of significance. Sitophilus zeamais, mortality, grain weight loss, and rate of germination were recorded for each treatment. The 4.8%w/w mixture of seaweed extract and neem seed powder was more toxic, followed by the mixture of the extract and neem leaf powder (84.5% and 73.3% mortality rates, respectively), while in the control, mortality was 20%. In all treatments, Sitophilus zeamais mortality increased with increasing doses. Grain weight loss was high in the control (5.6%), followed by grains treated with 1.6% extracts of Eucheuma denticulatum alone (2.8%). The percentage of damaged maize grains was high in the control (14%) and low in grains treated with 4.8% seaweed extract and neem leaf powder (3.3%). Percentage germination was high in grains treated with 4.8% and 1.6% seaweed extracts alone (96% and 87% respectively) and in control (91%). Additionally, sensory evaluation results in terms of color, odor and overall acceptability showed that maize grains treated with both botanicals could be accepted by the general public for consumption. The results indicate promising potential for seaweed extract and neem powder in controlling maize weevils, offering sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions for stored grain protection.

An overview of chemical fertilizers and their use in crops!

Chemical fertilizers are the essential ingredients in raising crops and increasing food production. Due to environmental changes and increasing food grains demand, chemical fertilizers are becoming one of the critical and scarce factors for assured crop production. The basic level of knowledge about chemical fertilizers needed by agricultural graduates, farmers and other concerned people has not been fulfilled so far although there have been many forays in this direction. The author hopes that this article succeeds in its mission of illustrating the basic information on chemical fertilizers to agriculture students, teachers, researchers, extension workers, farmers and all those related to agriculture.

Reducing the true cost of food-based safety nets: evidence from India’s subsidized food program

Public procurement of food plays a pivotal role in determining the production and consumption of various food items. This is particularly true for staple grains in countries such as India, where the government procures over 40% of rice and wheat. This grain is redistributed to approximately 60% of India’s population through the public distribution system (PDS), the national food-based safety net. Although the PDS plays a critical role in ensuring food security for millions of beneficiaries, there is scope for reducing the hidden costs associated with the production of PDS food grain. As costs such as unsustainable use of groundwater and subsidies for power and fertilizers are not accounted for in the ‘financial’ cost of the program, we use true cost accounting to identify, quantify, and monetize these hidden costs associated with the PDS. In 2021–22, the Indian government and PDS beneficiaries spent US$16.5 billion and US$0.9 billion, respectively, on the PDS. However, accounting for hidden costs associated with the production of PDS food grain reveals that the true cost of the PDS is more than twice its financial cost. Using true cost estimates of distributing rice, wheat, and millets through the PDS, we find that replacing one kg of rice with one kg of millets for a quarter of PDS beneficiaries every month has the potential to reduce the true cost of the PDS by US$1.37 billion annually.

Evaluation of Water Vapour Permeability of Some Food Grain Packaging Materials

The properties of any packaging material are essential parameters to know before storage of any kind of food materials. Physical properties are prerequisites for selecting proper packaging materials to obtain the desired shelf-life during the storage and distribution chain of food commodity. At the village/household level for packaging of food grains and other Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) commodities, generally used packaging materials namely, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), earthen pot (EP), polypropylene woven sack (PPWS), and gunny sack (GS) were evaluated for their physical properties such as strengths (grammage and thickness) and water vapour permeability using the standard gravimetric method. The thickness was determined to be 0.065 mm, 0.056 mm, 0.168 mm, 3.530 mm, and 0.849 mm for LDPE, PP, PPWS, EP, and GS respectively. Similarly, grammage was found to be 6.03 x 10-5 g m-2, 4.94 x 10-5 g m-2, 9.59 x 10-5 g m-2, and 3.70 x 10-4 g m-2 for LDPE, PP, PPWS, and GS respectively. Results revealed a significant difference between the permeability of packing materials. The highest water vapour permeability of 7.26 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1 was obtained for GS, whereas the lowest 1.81 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1 was for LDPE at 40 ± 1°C temperature and 90 ± 1% relative humidity. The water vapour permeability of other packaging materials viz., PP, PPWS, and EP was 2.18 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1, 3.63 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1, and 5.03 x 10-5 kg m-2 day-1 Pa-1 respectively.

Characterization of spring and durum wheat using non-destructive synchrotron phase contrast X-ray microtomography during storage

Post-harvest losses during cereal grain storage are a big concern in both developing and developed countries, where spring and durum wheat are staple food grains. Varieties under these classes behave differently under storage, which affects their end storage life. High resolution imaging data of dry as well as spoiled seed are not available for any class of wheat; therefore, an attempt was made to generate 3D data for better understanding of seed structure and changes due to spoilage. Six wheat varieties (3 varieties for each class of wheat) were stored for 5 week at 17% moisture content (wb) before scanning. Seeds were also stored in a freezer (-18 °C) for further scanning to determine if any changes occur in the structure of seeds due to freezing. Spring varieties of wheat performed better than durum varieties and freezing did not affect seed structure. Data could also help plant breeders to develop varieties that do not easily spoil, adjust grain processing techniques, and develop post-harvest recommendations for other wheat varieties.

Consumer Satisfaction with Food Grains Distributed through Public Distribution Systems in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh- An Economic Analysis

The study analyzed consumer satisfaction with food grains distributed through the public distribution system in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. A multi-stage random sampling technique was adopted for the data collection and information was obtained from 240 respondents. Percentages and Likert’s Scale Technique were used to analyze the level of consumer satisfaction. The survey in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh gauges public perceptions and satisfaction with the Public Distribution System (PDS). Key findings revealed that a notable satisfaction rate in both states regarding the quality of food grains, the helpfulness of PDS dealers, and the functioning of local outlets. While uncertainties persist regarding accessibility, regularity, and quantity sufficiency, the majority of the respondents in both states opined that PDS is significantly contributing to household food security. Respondents express contentment with billing systems, with slightly higher satisfaction in Kerala, and commend the E-POS and biometric systems. Security measures, such as biometric authentication, receive positive feedback. Overall, the survey indicates positive sentiments towards the PDS in both states, highlighting its pivotal role in ensuring food security and meeting public expectations.

Efficient Paddy Grain Quality Assessment Approach Utilizing Affordable Sensors

Efficient Paddy Grain Quality Assessment Approach Utilizing Affordable Sensors

Farming system diversification: An insight on strengthening the livelihood in a hilly ecosystem

To make Indian agriculture remunerative, and enhance farmers’ income, the Government of India initiated a mission for doubling the farmers’ income (DFI) by 2022. For DFI under a conventional cropping system, the agriculture sector needs to grow @15% per annum. Therefore, there is a need for reorienting the conventional cropping system with a more productive alternative integrated farming system, combining on and off-farm occupations with high technological support. With this background, the present study was carried out in a cluster of villages where interventions through a research institution (Farmer FIRST project) were made. Such interventions were undertaken in a cluster of 7 villages involving 500 farm families (2016–19). The technological gaps were identified through benchmark surveys using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and extensive farmers' group discussions. During this, farmers’ skills and managerial capabilities were explored, and 16 interventions of various farming modules and sub-modules attributed to higher income were identified and implemented. The farmers were continuously provided technological and partial input support in terms of capacity building and seeds, fertilisers and similar others. The results indicated that mushroom production had high potential for supplementing farm income (117% per farm family). The income from food grains increased by 81% whereas, income from seasonal and off-season vegetable crops increased by more than double. Dairy farming exhibited 52.38% increase in income. In absolute terms, the dairy had maximum contribution in increasing income by ₹24,014 followed by food grains (₹13,251). The intervention modules increased the average per-farm family income by ₹46,979, which was highly significant (P<0.01%). The income of 40% of the farm families increased by more than double, while the income of 1% of the farmers increased by >75% in just 2 years. Overall, when four modules and sub-modules of the model were put together, the total farm income per family increased by 67% from ₹70,290 (2016–17) to ₹1,17,269 (2018–19).

An Analytical Study on Growth Performance of Major Food Grain and Oilseed Crops in Context of Food Security: Rajasthan, India

Background: Productivity, as a source of growth has been a significant premise of analytical investigation in economics all along, however it gained an empirical momentum in the recent years only and has become a necessary index to growth. Present paper estimates growth rate of area, production and productivity of food grain and oilseed crops in Rajasthan. Methods: To analyse growth performance of food grain and oilseed crops Rajasthan time series, data on area, production and yield were collected from 1976-77 to 2018-19. The time-series data were collected on area, production and yield of selected crops from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (DES), Directorate of Agriculture (DOA) and Rajasthan State Agriculture Department. The compound growth rates (CGRs) of area, production and productivity of selected crops in Rajasthan were calculated using the exponential function. Result: The study revealed that production, productivity and area of total food grains was recorded a positive and highly significant annual growth at the rate of 3.18%, 2.19% 0.63% per annum, respectively. The production, productivity and area of total oilseed was observed a positive and highly significant annual growth rate of 7.63%, 2.07% and 4.27% per annum, respectively. The area under barley, gram and sesamum reduced during the study period. Therefore, the technological support through the varietal improvement and extension support is required.

A polyphasic characterisation of Aspergillus section Flavi isolated from Malaysian and Nigerian food grains and poultry feeds by phenotypic, chemotypic, and molecular methods

The taxonomy and toxigenicity of Aspergillus section Flavi (ASF) in various regions are still under-reported, as many potentially toxic species are continuously discovered. This study aims to determine the aflatoxigenicity and identify 74 isolates of ASF from Malaysian and Nigerian food grains and feeds using phenotypic, chemotypic, and molecular methods. Isolates were screened for sclerotium morphotype and aspergillic acid production phenotypically, while an ultra-fast reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was optimised to quantify the cyclopiazonic acid and aflatoxins produced by the isolated ASF, based on which, they were characterised into phenotypes L-strains, S-strains, and NS-strains, and chemotypes I to VI. Chemotypic data and nucleotide sequences of β-tubulin and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes were utilised to identify the isolates’ species and determine their phylogenetic relationships. Aflatoxigenesis on solid media and multiplex polymerase chain reactions of four essential genes (aflR, aflM, aflD, and aflP) of aflatoxin biosynthesis were used to confirm the aflatoxigenicity of each isolate. All the six chemotypes of ASF were present among the isolated strains, with the aflatoxigenic chemotypes (55.41%) and CPA-positive isolates (68.92%) being significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the non-aflatoxigenic and CPA negative chemotypes. Aflatoxins and CPA were produced in the 0.25–19.58 ng/g range and 29.89–46.55 ng/g, respectively. Chemotypic data accurately differentiate toxigenic from atoxigenic species but only identify 90% of species names. Molecular data accurately resolved species but not toxigenicity. The results highlight the need for robust regulatory measures in the concerned regions to mitigate the risk of aflatoxicosis.

Benefits of new generation farmers’ collectives: case reflection from an eastern state of India

ABSTRACT The current study uses field survey data from members of five farmer producer companies in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal and assesses the benefits of membership. The real income of member farmers increased by more than 30 per cent after joining farmer producer companies. The access to inputs like seeds, farm chemicals, and farm machines; to weather advisory and storage services; and also, to output markets, improved after joining farmer producer companies. The members were found to market 100 per cent of their produced food grains through farmer producer companies at minimum support prices. Member farmers were found to have stronger networks and greater temporal and informational efficiency. With nearly 40 per cent of members women, these farmer producer companies have emerged as instrumental in empowering them, improving their livelihood and incomes in the patriarchal and rural societal setup. However, even though these collectives are benefitting the rural economy, it was also found that more investment is needed to create local infrastructure.

Exploring various natural and organic approaches for storage and preservation of food grains

Exploring various natural and organic approaches for storage and preservation of food grains

A Season-wise Analysis of the Extent of Adoption of Popular Rice Varieties in Telangana, India

A Season-wise Analysis of the Extent of Adoption of Popular Rice Varieties in Telangana, India

Exploring the potentialities of industrial hemp for sustainable rural development

This literature review paper explores the potential sustainable applications of industrial hemp, contextualizing it within the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hemp is a dioecious, herbaceous, anemophilous (wind-pollinated) annual crop that grows from one to five meters in height. However, monoecious varieties have been developed through breeding and selection. Historically versatile, Cannabis sativa L. has faced stigmatization and unfounded prohibitions, having played crucial roles in different civilizations, including during World War I. A member of the Cannabaceae family, it is a versatile non-psychoactive crop, with low concentrations of THC. Recently, the global market for hemp has grown. It is an eco-friendly option in the food, textile, pharmaceutical, and energy sectors. This study is based on bibliographic research covering primary and secondary sources, including technical reports, academic journals, and scientific repositories. The origin, characteristics and cultivation methods of industrial hemp are discussed, besides its practical applications, including the production of fibers, health food grains, medicinal phytocannabinoids, biofuels, sustainable biomass energy, and carbon offsetting. Its potential to contribute to sustainable agriculture and achieve SDG targets stands out, considering environmental benefits, product diversification, resistance, and integration into agroforestry systems. Regenerative agriculture is explored as a promising approach, aligned with the principles of sustainable agriculture and the SDGs, aiming to restore agricultural ecosystems, promote soil health, and improve climate resilience. The research highlights the importance of reforming cannabis-related policies to achieve goals relating to health, justice, and global partnerships, emphasizing the need for sustainable approaches to exploiting this natural resource.

Implementation of Technological Upgradation in Public Distribution System in India for Ensuring Availability, Accessibility and Affordability

The largest initiative to reduce poverty in India is the public distribution system (PDS), which uses a network of fair-pricing shops to supply highly subsidised food grains in order to fulfil necessities of households living below poverty line. PDS's primary objective is to buy food grains from farmers. This is to ensure that grain is distributed, stored, and transported so that people in need have access to food. The Indian government has thus upgraded the PDS's technology in an attempt to increase its transparency. To close this gap between technology and citizen benefits, e-government makes use of technical intermediaries like ration Integrated Weight Management System (IWMS), Management Information System (MIS), Inventory management system, etc. The focus of the government is to enact a number of administrative and technological changes under the centralised online real-time electronic public distribution system in order to empower end users of the PDS supply. In this context this paper deals with the number of difficulties when distribution system switches from manual to automated transactions, dealer of fair price shop, who employs the technologies. Based on secondary literature, the objective of this paper is to understand the challenges associated with implementing technology at the point of sale during distribution, as well as study the status of the implementation technological based distribution system. Int. J. Soc. Sc. Manage. Vol. 11, Issue-(1-2): 1-6.

Improving Technological Properties of Food Grain Through the Use of Modern Technologies: Scoping Review

Improving Technological Properties of Food Grain Through the Use of Modern Technologies: Scoping Review

Problems Encountered by Farmers on Procuring Agricultural Inputs in Bangarapet

The importance of agricultural inputs in getting a robust harvest of Ragi, paddy, groundnuts, horsegram, cowpea, sunflower, Toordal, Avarekallu all food grains, pulses and oilseeds cannot be underestimated. But for these crops to give a bountiful harvest adequate use of inputs such as water, high quality seeds, tractors, finance, other inputs such as balanced use of chemical fertilizers and other necessary safe pesticides were essential. In Bangarapet five villages were taken for study and 150 farmers were sampled. They cultivated a mix of ragi paddy, horsegram and avarekallu falling into seasonal categories of Karif and rabi crops. The research gap revealed that these farmers wanted to revert to mechanization of agriculture. They welcomed modern means of agricultural implements. They wanted to depart from the traditional methods of agriculture. So, they felt the need and importance of procuring agricultural inputs necessary to make this changeover. Research Methodology consisted of both primary and secondary data and simple random sampling was the sampling technique used. Data analysis was done by means of percentage method. Findings show that they were partially successful in their endeavor.

Phule Satwik (NIAW 3170): A soft bread wheat variety for North Western Plains and Peninsular Zone of India

Wheat is an important crop that plays major role in a food grain production in the country.It is a lone source for industries involved in the manufacturing of bread, biscuits, flakes, cakes etc. These industries rely on quality parameters viz.,grain hardness index, biscuit spread factor, bread quality score, and bread loaf volume. Bread wheat variety Phule Satwik (NIAW 3170) is developed at Agricultural Research Station, Niphad has been released and notified by Central Sub Committee on Crop Standards, India for cultivation in North Western Plains Zone and Peninsular Zone under restricted irrigation conditions vide notification number S.O. 3482 (E) dated 7th October, 2020. The variety has high yield potential under restricted irrigation conditions along with disease resistance and superior grain quality parameters. It was the softest grain variety among all the genotypes having a biscuit spread factor of more than 10. With good nutritional and quality parameters, it will be a promising variety for bakery industries.