Indian Agriculture Research Articles

Digital Technology: A Game Changer in Vegetable Cultivation

Vegetables are important constituents of Indian agriculture and nutritional security due to their short duration, high yielding capacity, nutritional richness, economic viability and ability to generate on farm and off farm employment. Increasing per capita income, health consciousness, urbanisation, increasing working women, shifting of farmers to high value vegetables are also important ingredients for fuelling vegetable growth in India. But we are still not getting the required /capita vegetables/day.so the answer to increasing the production of various vegetables employing various digital technologies is required. Growing high yielding varieties/hybrids and applying new production methods can significantly increase yield in most vegetables. The application of digital technologies to integrate agricultural output from the paddock to the customer is known as digital agriculture. These technologies can give the agricultural business the tools and data it needs to make better decisions and increase productivity). Information and communication technology (ICTs) and Artificial intelligence (AI) are the two key technologies used in digital agriculture. Information and communication technology (ICT) can be defined as a collection of technologies that aid or support the storage, processing, or distribution of data/information.Despite a big, well-educated, well-trained, and well-organized agricultural extension workforce, over 60% of farmers in the country remain unreached, with no extension organisation serving them. Radio and television are the primary sources of information. e- Extension, Agrisnet, Digital green, e- Sagu, Agmarknet, iKisan, Village Knowledge Centers, Kisan Call Centers, SMS Portal/mKisan portal are some of the e-Agriculture efforts in India. Furthermore, information and communication technology (ICT) aid in the timely completion of decisions, as well as the discovery of the best solutions and efficient systems for water management and irrigation in order to maximise production Artificial intelligence is assisting several agricultural sectors in increasing output and efficiency. In every industry, AI technologies are help in overcoming traditional hurdles. AI intervention in agriculture is assisting farmers in increasing their farming efficiency while reducing harmful environmental impacts. The agriculture business has embraced AI with open arms in order to improve overall results.AI is changing the way food is produced, resulting in a 20% reduction in agriculture sector emissions. Incorporating AI technology into agriculture, aids in the control and management of any unwelcome natural occurrence. It consists of robotic process automation, a machine learning platform, and sensors, among other things. Harvesting, weed management, pest and disease monitoring, irrigation control, and predictive agricultural analytics are all possible with these. Artificial intelligence and information and communication technologies (ICT) have the potential to be a technological revolution and a boom in agriculture, helping to feed the world's growing population.

Fostering a livestock production sector transformation in India: an analysis of credit empowerment and innovations in value chain dynamics"

The dairy business holds significant importance in the Indian economy. This study examines the feasibility of employing value chains to mitigate financing risks and improve the creditworthiness of small and marginal farmers (SMF), with a specific emphasis on the Indian setting. This study thoroughly examines the obstacles encountered by smallholder and medium-scale farmers (SMFs) in obtaining financing. It explores alternate strategies for enhancing financial inclusivity for small-scale dairy producers. This paper suggests adopting and utilising novel financial instruments, such as the Farmers’ Choice Card Loan, Contract as Collateral, and a platform based on Blockchain technology. The aforementioned innovative approaches offer distinct avenues for tackling the financial requirements of dairy farmers in India, making a significant contribution to the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices and the promotion of economic self-sufficiency. This paper highlights the significance of fostering collaboration among financial institutions, dairy cooperatives, government bodies, and agricultural firms to deploy these innovative financial instruments effectively. Implementing these strategies can stimulate the expansion and advancement of the dairy sector, augmenting the socioeconomic circumstances of dairy farmers in India.

Genetically Modified Crops: A Step Forward or Catastrophe?

For thousands of years India has been producing plants with desirable traits by conventional breeding methods. Through controlled cross breeding, several generations of our indigenous farming families have not only identified and selected but have also combined and propagated plants with favorable characteristics. This has been succinctly put by Viva Kermani, the environmentalist, in the following way: ‘Indian farmers have legitimate claims to be scientists, innovators, natural resource stewards, seed savers and hybridization experts.’ It is, therefore, ironical and agonizing that even though non-genetically modified agriculture is inextricably intertwined with Indian culture, history and ethos, and India produces enough to satisfy the hunger of its masses, there has been a push to promote genetically modified crops [GMCs] in India. Mammoth seed MNCs are greedily waiting to prey upon our multi-billion rupee seed market. This will create havoc with the lives of our farming communities; human, animal and plant life; agriculture and food safety and security; environment; and our rich bio-diversity.What are GMCs? Is there a need for such crops in India? Are there any risks related to GMCs? Do case studies support the mythical advantages of GMCs? What is the road ahead for India? This paper raises these questions.

A Review on Organic Farming in India

Organic horticulture is a dynamic and sustainable approach to cultivating plants that prioritizes environmental health, biodiversity, and human well-being. This combination of high-yielding production technology has helped the country develop a food surplus as well as contributing to concerns of soil health, environmental pollution, pesticide toxicity, and sustainability of agricultural production. Alternatives for managing pests and diseases in organic farming mostly focus on preventive methods as opposed to curative therapies, which are founded on ecologically safer management techniques. The priority has been placed on maintaining the ecosystem’s health, allowing plants to become resistant to insect pests and illnesses.

Impact of climate change on Indian agriculture: new evidence from the autoregressive distributed lag approach

Impact of climate change on Indian agriculture: new evidence from the autoregressive distributed lag approach

From subsistence to market-oriented farming: The role of groundwater irrigation in smallholder agriculture in eastern India

Empowering smallholder farmers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) and improving their livelihood is a critical goal for poverty reduction. To achieve this, agricultural commercialization can play an important role. However, a prerequisite to achieving agricultural commercialization is access and control of stable irrigation. This study revisits empirically the relationship between groundwater irrigation and crop commercialization. It also analyses the underlying mechanisms of how groundwater affects crop commercialization through on-farm production diversity. Studying the effects of groundwater irrigation on crop commercialization is essential for comprehending the trade-off between agricultural benefits and the environmental costs of groundwater irrigation. Geospatial and remote sensing information, combined with primary household data from small-scale farmers in eastern India, are employed in conjunction with an instrumental variable technique and a 3SLS simultaneous equation model for the analysis. The results suggest that small-scale farmers in eastern India experience enhanced crop commercialization when they have access to groundwater irrigation. Furthermore, the study suggests that the utilization of groundwater irrigation indirectly promotes crop commercialization by incentivizing farmers to diversify their production system.

"AGRIVIGIL: ENHANCED THEFT DETERRENCE FOR IRRIGATION MACHINERY"

The rampant theft of water pumps in rural India poses a severe challenge to farmers, significantly undermining their irrigation capabilities and, by extension, crop health and productivity—particularly in regions susceptible to unpredictable rainfall and drought. This theft not only inflicts immediate equipment loss but also propels farmers, who typically operate within narrow financial margins, into further economic hardship due to the inability to afford replacements. The consequent delays in planting and irrigation lead to reduced crop yields and heightened financial strain. The vulnerability of these essential tools is amplified by the remote locations of farms and a pronounced lack of security measures, rendering water pumps an easy target for thieves. This dire situation underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive water pump theft deterrence system, which is essential not only for protecting valuable agricultural equipment but also for safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers. By leveraging advanced technology to provide real-time alerts and deter potential thefts, such a system can serve as a critical defence mechanism, enabling farmers to concentrate on their vital work without the looming threat of loss. The implementation of effective theft deterrence measures, supported by community, law enforcement, and policy maker collaboration, is crucial in ensuring the economic well-being and sustainability of rural Indian agriculture.

Income and Borrowing of Farmers in North-Eastern Region: Inferences from NSSO SAS 2013 and NAFIS 2017

Abstract: NAFIS was launched in 2016-17 as a national level survey that offers, after NSSO SAS 2013, a comprehensive overview of the farmer’s behaviour in terms of income, earning sources, borrowing and indebtedness. NSSO 70th round of 2012-13 revealed many aspects of Indian farmers of which many parameters were covered by NAFIS. By employing these two surveys, the paper attempts to answer what are the changes that have taken place from 2013 to 2017 in terms of income and indebtedness of farmers in Northeastern region (NER) of India. Non-farm business income has seen large change in most of the states of the region with all NE states having higher average than the national average in 2017. The comparative analysis of SAS 2012-13 and NAFIS 2016-17 indicates that NER has improved a lot in terms of income and borrowing of agriculture households, however, changing scenario indicates income growing is inadequate, borrowing is low and outstanding debt has expanded rapidly. Large presence of subsistence agriculture, unregulated markets, negligible Agricultural Marketing Committees, lack of implementation of Minimum Support Price (MSP), low credit absorptive capacity, absence of land laws in large areas, poor infrastructure and geographical isolation are some of the major pertinent issues in the region that made agriculture underdeveloped. However, the two reports may not comparable in complete sense, therefore, necessary adjustment in parameters and calculation have been made to have a comparative scenario and to draw inferences.

Sustainable Farming and Soil Health Enhancement through Millet Cultivation: A Review

Historically integral to Indian agriculture, millets are experiencing resurgence, driven by their adaptability to harsh climatic conditions and minimal resource requirements. The article explores the significant benefits of millets in soil nutrient management, demonstrating their ability to thrive in nutrient-poor soils while contributing to soil fertility through organic matter addition and improved soil structure. The integration of millets in crop rotation and intercropping systems is highlighted as a sustainable practice that enhances soil biodiversity and reduces the reliance on chemical inputs. A key environmental benefit of millet cultivation is its low water requirement and drought resistance, crucial in water-scarce regions, making it a strategic crop for adapting to climate change. Also examines the socio-economic impacts of millet cultivation. In rural areas, millets play a vital role in livelihoods by providing a sustainable food source and income generation, particularly in marginal environments. However, challenges in market accessibility and supply chain inefficiencies pose significant hurdles. Increasing consumer awareness and acceptance of millets, once considered traditional or 'poor man’s food', is critical for reviving their cultivation. This is complemented by emerging research and technologies in millet cultivation, focused on developing improved varieties and precision agriculture techniques tailored to the needs of millet farming. The potential for scaling up millet cultivation is immense, particularly in regions facing environmental constraints. The article emphasizes the integration of millets into global sustainable farming strategies, aligning with several Sustainable Development Goals. This integration is supported by international organizations advocating for millets in agricultural policies and programs. In conclusion, the review underscores the importance of millets in the context of global food security and sustainable agriculture. The growing importance of millets backed by research, policy support, and market trends, positions them as a key crop in the quest for a sustainable and resilient agricultural future.

Harvesting perspectives: A comprehensive review of two pivotal works on Indian agrarian transformation

First paragraph: As the Indian agricultural landscape continues to undergo transformative shifts, the need for nuanced literature addressing agrarian change becomes increasingly pronounced. In this review, we delve into two pivotal works—Distress in the Fields: Indian Agriculture after Economic Liberalization, edited by R. Ramakumar, and Agrarian Reform and Farmer Resistance in Punjab: Mobilization and Resilience, edited by Shinder Singh Thandi. As a scholar of agriculture, food systems, and history, I bring to the forefront a critical evaluation of these books, positioning them within the broader context of agrarian evolution in India.

Preparing for the Future in the Shadow of the Pandemic—The Goat Trust Emerges Digitally

The founder of a charitable organization dedicated to small livestock management for livelihood generation now confronts the additional challenge of supporting returnee migrant workers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Simultaneously, addressing the need to navigate the economy during and after the COVID era became imperative. India’s diverse economic landscape, marked by substantial regional disparities, compels thousands of labourers to migrate annually for a better life. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the plight of these migrant labourers. Faced with joblessness and unable to sustain themselves in large cities, they began returning to their homes. The Goat Trust, actively promoting livelihood development in resource-deprived areas, is exploring avenues to reshape the value network of goat farming in India. The urgency of the situation demands immediate action. This scenario underscores the potential for social enterprises to play a pivotal role in building the new post-pandemic economy. Organizations like the Goat Trust can seize opportunities presented by this social crisis by upgrading and digitising local economies. This approach is pertinent to India and relevant to the global economy. Focusing on local economic development emerges as a key strategy for alleviating the profound economic depression induced by the pandemic.

Farmers’ perception of climate change and livelihood vulnerability: a comparative study of Bundelkhand and Central regions of Uttar Pradesh, India

Indian farmers are vulnerable to changing climate with unpredictable rainfall distribution, rising temperature, and complex socioeconomic conditions. The present study aims to assess livelihood vulnerability of farmers in two regions of the most populous State of Uttar Pradesh namely Bundelkhand and Central region. By using multistage random sampling technique, a total of 480 samples from 16 villages, 8 development blocks, 4 districts, and 2 regions were selected to elicit grass-root information on farmers’ perception of climate change, their sensitivity and adaptive capacity to changing climate, and determinants of livelihood vulnerability. Further, this study has adopted methodology mentioned in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s fourth Assessment Report for the development of climate vulnerability index. The results show that farmers in Jhansi district were highly vulnerable to changing climate, while farmers in Barabanki district were relatively less vulnerable. The elevated degree of vulnerability to livelihood in Jhansi district attributed to its comparatively higher exposure and sensitivity to climatic change. The Binary Logistic Regression results show that illiterate farmers are relatively more vulnerable than literate farmers. On the contrary, higher income, assured irrigation, the use of certified seeds, and crop insurance are negatively associated with the LVI. In other words, farmers who have income from non-farm sources, use certified and recommended seed varieties, and avail themselves of crop insurance are relatively less vulnerable to climate change than those who do not have the aforesaid facilities. Hence, the present study suggests that farmers, must adapt to climate change to reduce its negative impact and reap the benefits of adaptation which can be achieved through capacity building, skill development (i.e., use of ultra-modern techniques), and capacity to strengthen the farmers’ ability to adapt. Further, there is also a need to sensitize government officials on the dangers of climate change and to provide appropriate technical support to farmers for their adaptation.

Impact of Agriculture Corporate Farm Increase Productivity Widespread Destructive Activity on Earth Democracy in India

Agricultural productivity in India can be improved by investing in agricultural research and development, improving irrigation infrastructure, promoting farm mechanization, and strengthening agricultural extension services. Agriculture is the foundation of the civilization, culture and heritage of India. It most commonly refers to corporations that are large-scale farms, market agricultural technologies in particular pesticides, fertilizers, and GMO's, have significant economic and political influence, or some combination of the three. The large-scale corporate agriculture is more efficient than peasant farming in the country. It leads to better allocative efficiency, induces higher private investment in agriculture, and results in higher output, income and exports. During 2021-22, in the countries total exports agricultural exports contributed of to the tune of US $ 50.2 billion with a 20% increase from US $ 41.3 billion in 2020-21. In FY 2023, it is projected that the Indian agriculture sector will grow at the rate 3.5%. Agriculture in India is a complex mosaic of distinct agro-ecosystems, differentiated by climatic, soil, vegetation and other natural features. About half of the Indians derive their livelihood from agriculture and allied activities. Technology and Research Corporate farming enterprises usually invest in research and development of new agricultural technologies, seeds, and farming practices. Farmers who are part of these systems can benefit from access to cutting-edge technology and knowledge that can improve productivity and efficiency. It is one of the oldest systems of the world characterized by its diversity and heterogeneity, unorganized and stressed on account of natural and anthropogenic vagaries from ‘seed to market’. Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy, contributing to around 16.5% of India's GDP and employing over 50% of the workforce. The Indian agriculture market is valued at USD 435.9 billion as of 2022 and is expected to reach USD 580.82 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of around 4.9% between 2023 and 2028. Historically, stressed natural resources due to unfavourable weather, monsoon and natural calamities resulted in crop failures leading to food shortage that made serious impacts on the civilization. Post-Independence, the Indian agriculture transformed from a food-scarce to food-exporting country primarily due to science led innovations that caused multi-fold increase in the agricultural production from 135 million tons in 1950/51 to over 1300 million tons in 2021/22 in spite of increasing abiotic and biotic stresses and depleting along with deteriorating natural resources. Agriculture is one amongst the few sectors that made progressive growth after independence and marched well with the need of the country. Success in agriculture since Independence has been the backbone of India’s success.

Attitude of Rural Youth towards Agriculture as a Source of Livelihood in Rajasthan, India

The research paper spotlights the attitude of rural youth towards agriculture as a source of livelihood. Agriculture forms the crux of the socio-economic development of the country and source of livelihood to majority of the rural life. The youth are the ideal catalyst to change the status of persons involved in farming, especially in the rural communities given their greater possibility to adapt new ideas, concept and technology which are important to change the way farming is practiced and perceived. Despite this, migration of rural youth to other sectors in search of other lucrative jobs has resulted in decreasing participation of rural youth in agriculture. This has several implications for the future of Indian agriculture and India’s food security. It is imperative to find out the reasons for growing disinterest of youth to be involved in agriculture. The present study was carried out in 300 rural youth respondents in Jaipur and Alwar districts of Rajasthan using purposive sampling mehod.. The data were collected by using a well-structured interview schedule. Results revealed that majority of rural youth had neutral attitude (66.67%) followed by 17.67 per cent had highly unfavourable attitude and 15.67 per cent had highly favourable attitude towards agriculture. This, in turn, to attract and retain young people in rural areas, positive attitude toward agriculture among rural youth needs to be developed.

Developing a composite weighted indicator-based index for monitoring and evaluating climate-smart agriculture in India

Developing a composite weighted indicator-based index for monitoring and evaluating climate-smart agriculture in India

Development and testing of automatic seedling extractor in robotic transplanter using mechatronics for nursery seedlings

Vegetable seedling transplanting is a time-consuming and laborious process. Utilizing cutting-edge technologies, and automation of transplanting will ensure efficient operations. A robotic transplanter featuring a single jaw-type gripper has been created and tested for the extraction of seedlings from nursery protrays. This system employs computer-based programming for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), to execute the seedling extraction using a gripper-type end-effector. The gripper removes each seedling separately from the first row of the nursery tray and releases them to the delivery pipe. Then the designed robot propels itself forward using DC motors and a PLC-based directional control unit. The PLC allows users to input the desired seedlings extraction through an LCD screen. The developed system was tested with vegetable seedlings including chilli and tomato, and resulting the seedling extraction rate of 3 seedlings/min. The results showed that for nursery-grown seedlings, the success rate, leakage rate as well as successful transplanting ranged from 91 to 95%, 7.6 to 13.9%, and 86.8 to 90.3%, respectively. Due to a lack of manual manpower for field operations, robotic transplanters could be the future of Indian agriculture.

CLIMATE CHANGE, ADAPTATION AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES: EVIDENCE FROM AGRICULTURE IN INDIA

Agriculture is strongly affected by climate change (CC). However, its vulnerability is also determined by how farmers adapt to these long-run changes. Using an innovative approach recently proposed in the literature, this study investigates whether it is possible to find evidence of long-run adaptation in the climate-yield relationship of India’s agriculture and what the implications for future scenarios may be. District-level time series data on rice and chickpea yield are combined with weather data on cumulative growing season precipitation and growing degree days, and a quadratic regression with fixed effects augmented with climate penalty terms to account for climate adaptation is used. The estimates are utilized to extrapolate future scenarios. The estimation results suggest that rice might have some potential adaptation to precipitation, although adaptation to temperature appears to be dependent on irrigation. Chickpeas, on the other hand, adapt to temperature whereas adaptation to precipitation is limited. The findings also reveal that crop yields in projected climate scenarios are expected to respond differently depending on whether adaptation measures are implemented or not. Adaptation measures are likely to mitigate CC and reduce crop yield losses while also increasing productivity in some crops.

Upland Rice: A Water-Efficient Rice Production System in India

The rainfed upland ecosystem, although often overlooked, plays a crucial role in sustaining India's impoverished population with its limited resources. This ecosystem spans across most states in the country, covering approximately 7 million hectares, with Eastern India having the highest coverage (>90%). In the typical upland ecosystem, rice is cultivated using direct seeding, employing minimal inputs such as fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. Upland rice farming is widely recognized for its crucial role in sustaining subsistence agriculture, catering to the nutritional needs of rainfed farming communities during the period of scarcity, particularly towards the end of September. Among all rice ecosystems, the upland environment stands out as the most diverse. Upland rice is cultivated through various methods, including permanent cultivation, block rotations, slash-and-burn (Jhum cultivation) and is established through broadcasting, seeding behind plough, or drilling seeds in small holes. It is grown both as a single crop and in combination with other cereals, oilseeds, or pulses. In specific regions like eastern Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, short-duration upland rice is grown under transplanted conditions. The harvest from upland rice not only serves as a crucial food source for impoverished farmers but also fulfills the feed requirements for cattle during times of scarcity. The majority of upland rice cultivation is concentrated in the Eastern Plateau and Hills Region, emphasizing subsistence farming. Addressing such challenges is crucial for maximizing the potential of upland rice cultivation and its role in sustaining rainfed agriculture in India.

HEMATOLOGICAL CHANGES INDUCED BY IMIDACLOPRID IN CLARIAS BATRACHUS (MAGUR)

Imidacloprid is a Neonicotinoid pesticide extensively utilized in Indian agriculture to manage insect pests.Its water solubility and systemic nature are widely acknowledged to present a risk of contaminating adjacent water bodies.The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Imidacloprid pesticide on the hematological parameters of Clarias batracus. In a controlled experimental setting, various sub-lethal concentrations (3, and 4 ppm) of Imidacloprid were administered at different time intervals. The impact of the pesticide was more pronounced in the short-term experiments. Hematological alterations were observed in the fish blood, where the hemoglobin (Hb), Red blood cells (RBCs), Packed cell volume (PCV), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin(MCH) declined with increasing concentrations, while the white blood cells (WBCs) increased under the same conditions.The results demonstrate statistical significance at the P < 0.05 level. These findings demonstrate that Imidacloprid can lead to significant variations in the hematological characteristics and induce a certain level of stress in fish. Therefore, the hematological factors of fish could serve as a sensitive tool for assessing their health status.

Sustaining agricultural productivity by increasing seed replacement rate: Current challenges and the way forward

India is an agriculture-based Nation with a majority of the workforce involved in it. Agriculture in India contributes about 19% to the gross value added to the Indian economy. Seeds are considered to be the heart of agriculture and play about 15-20% role in determining productivity. In order to sustain productivity to feed the growing population, the use of certified seeds determined by the seed replacement rate can give good yields in the current scenario of climate change. The current constraints affecting the seed replacement rate and strategies that may be implemented for tackling them, have been discussed. In the Indian context, an integrated solution through digital intervention is of utmost importance and a platform as such has been proposed. Improved agricultural extension, reachability, inclusive policies and a competitive seed market are the key highlights of such a platform. A balanced and coordinated approach between private and public sectors is key to improving seed replacement rates and sustaining productivity to feed the huge Indian population.