Science, War and Imperialism

Science, War and Imperialism
Author: Jagdish Sinha
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2008-05-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 9047433343

Why could not the Second World War catalyse science in India as it did in the West? This is one of the central questions of this volume on the British policy towards science and technology in India. Its focus is on education, research, innovation and organisation of science in such sectors as industry, agriculture, public health and transport and communications. In the process the author comes across revealing developments where science played a crucial role: an Anglo-American tussle for dominance in the region, the clash between capitalism and socialism, and the entry of neo-colonialism triggering Cold War in Asia. Many faces of humanity and science are on view --- British scientists concerned about India’s development, and Indian scientists planning for national reconstruction. Of interest to all those aiming for a better understanding of the impact of science, war and international influences on the socio-economic progress in India - or other erstwhile colonies.

Agricultural Extension Reforms in South Asia

Agricultural Extension Reforms in South Asia
Author: Suresh Chandra Babu
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 410
Release: 2019-06-27
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0128187530

Agricultural Extension Reforms in South Asia: Status, Challenges, and Policy Options is based on agricultural extension reforms across five South Asian countries, reflecting past experiences, case studies and experiments. Beginning with an overview of historical trends and recent developments, the book then delves into country-wise reform trajectories and presents several cases testing the effectiveness of different types (public and private) and forms (nutrition extension, livestock extension) of extension systems. Further, the book provides a comprehensive overview of challenges and constraints faced in formulating and implementing reforms, tying the results into a concrete set of lessons and highlighting areas that require further research. In addition, the book discusses how a major aspect of agricultural development is the productivity increase from the knowledge base of farmers, and how translating research results into a knowledge base for farmers requires designing and implementing well-functioning extension programs. Presents the current challenges and solutions by region, and provides insights for application in global settings Provides key foundational information for the effective and efficient design of future intervention programs Includes workshops and presentations based on real-world research of specific aspects of extension systems and provision of advisory and consultation services to various governments

Agricultural Informatics

Agricultural Informatics
Author: Amitava Choudhury
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2021-03-02
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 1119769213

Despite the increasing population (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates 70% more food will be needed in 2050 than was produced in 2006), issues related to food production have yet to be completely addressed. In recent years, Internet of Things technology has begun to be used to address different industrial and technical challenges to meet this growing need. These Agro-IoT tools boost productivity and minimize the pitfalls of traditional farming, which is the backbone of the world's economy. Aided by the IoT, continuous monitoring of fields provides useful and critical information to farmers, ushering in a new era in farming. The IoT can be used as a tool to combat climate change through greenhouse automation; monitor and manage water, soil and crops; increase productivity; control insecticides/pesticides; detect plant diseases; increase the rate of crop sales; cattle monitoring etc. Agricultural Informatics: Automation Using the IoT and Machine Learning focuses on all these topics, including a few case studies, and they give a clear indication as to why these techniques should now be widely adopted by the agriculture and farming industries.

Political Economy of Agricultural Development in India

Political Economy of Agricultural Development in India
Author: Akina Venkateswarlu
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 569
Release: 2021-11-17
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000485927

The book covers Indian agricultural development from the colonial to the present period. It examines how ruling class political ideology determined the agricultural policies from colonial rule. It considers both quantitative and qualitative aspects in all periods: colonial period to pre-green revolution phase, post-green revolution phase (early and late stages) and post-globalisation phase after 1991. India has achieved the ability to maintain food security, through enough food grain buffer stocks to meet the enormous public distribution system. But, with India’s entry into WTO in 1994, euphoria has been created among all types of farmers to adopt commercial crops like cotton cost-intensive inputs. Even food grain crops are grown through use of costly irrigation and chemicalised inputs. But they lacked remunerative prices, and so farmers began to commit suicides, which crossed 3.5 lakh. Government of India attributed this agrarian crisis to the technology fatigue and gave scope for second green revolution (GR-II). GR-I was achieved by public sector enterprise, whereas the GR-II as gene revolution is a result of private sector enterprise/MNCs. There is fear that opening up of the sector may lead to handover of the family farms to big agri-multinationals. GOI’s proposal to double farmers’ income by 2022 is feasible only when the problems, being faced by small, marginal and tenant farmers, are addressed in agricultural marketing, credit and extension services. Now, it is time to go for suitable forms of cooperative/collective agriculture, as 85 percent of total cultivators are the small and marginal farmers. This book is co-published with Aakar Books, New Delhi. Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the print versions of this book in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.