INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE- PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

WHAT IS AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE ALSO CALLED FARMING OR HUSBANDRY IS THE CULTIVATION OF ANIMALS, PLANTS, FUNGI AND OTHER LIFE FORMS FOR FOOD, FIBRE, BIOFUEL,MEDICINALS AND OTHER PRODUCTS.

IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IS THE BACKBONE OF ANY ECONOMY. THE ECONOMIC SURVEY FOR 2013-14 POINTS OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHOULD AIM AT NATIONAL POLICIES AND PRPGRAMMES FOR ACHIEVING AGRICULTURAL GROWTH.

AGRICULTURE IN INDIA AN INTRODUCTION
Agriculture in India has a significant history. Today, India ranks second worldwide in farm output.  Still, agriculture is demographically the broadest economic sector and plays a significant role. India is known as the ‘Land of Agriculture’ which has many traditions and even a large variety of cultures. Approximately 75% of the Indian population are connected with agriculture and its related activities. India ranks first in the production of sugar cane and second in the production of rice in the world. Apart from these, many other cereals, tea, coffee etc. add to the agricultural output from India. Spices are also well known worldwide from the incredible India. significant role in the overall socio-economic fabric of India.

INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE
THE MEASURES ADOPTED IN GREEN REVOLUTION MARKED A TURNING POINT IN AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS. USE OF HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES OF SEED, IRRIGATIONAL PROJECTS, USE OF INSECTICIDES AND PESTICIDES, CONSOLIDATION OF HOLDINGS, LAND REFORMS ETC. HELPED TO REMOVE THE FLAWS OF AGRICULTURE AND IMPROVED RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

CHALLENGES
LACK OF PROPER MARKETING FACILITIES
FLUCTUATION IN PRICES
LACK OF AVAILABILITY OF QUALITY PLANTING MATERIALS
LACK OF AWARENESS ON HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES
LACK OF AWARENESS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC WAYS OF MANURING
PRESENCE OF INTERMEDIATORS
LOW IRRIGATION FACILITIES
LACK OF FINANCE
FREQUENT OCCURANCE OF FAMINE
LOW LEVEL OF PRODUCTION
LACK OF TRANSPORTATIONAL FACILITIES
LACK OF SELF SUFFICIENCY AND SELF RELIABILITY
PROSPECTS
AGRICULTURE CAN BE MADE PROFITABLE BY UTILISING THE FARMLANDS TO the MAXIMUM AND BY ADOPTING WAYS OF LOWERING THE COST OF PRODUCTION. TO GET BETTER CROPS, HYBRIDISATION CAN BE ADOPTED AND THERE BY BETTER QUALITY PLANTS ARE PRODUCED. A NUMBER OF HYBRID VARIETIES HAVING FEATURES LIKE HIGH YIELD, DISEASE RESISTANCE, ABILITY TO GIVE HIGH YIELD WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD ARE WIDELY USED.

NEW METHODS IN AGRICULTURE
TISSUE CULTURE: THE TECHNIQUE USED TO DEVELOP PLANTS WITH THE SIMILAR QUALITIES OF THE PARENT PLANT HAS BECOME WIESPREAD. A LARGE NUMBER OF PLANTS CAN BE PRODUCED FROM A SINGLE PLANT TISSUE. (TO BE CONTINUED...)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Return to the Art of Letter Writing

Image
A Return to the Art of Letter Writing It was 9.30 in the morning and I was nearing the front gate of St. Berchmans College. As I saw the arch in front of the college, I felt I had forgotten something. I scratched my hair in hesitation. Thank God! I found it. I took an inland letter out of my pocket. I checked the receiver’s address below the stamp imprinted with Smt. Indira Gandhi’s smiling face. It was my first letter. Till then, I had only written letters in my answer sheets of language papers. And this was the first time I ever wrote a letter in real life. The letter was addressed to my friend who was undergoing priestly formation in Indore. As seminarians, they had restriction in using mobile phones. So, I decided to express my feelings through this piece of paper. I put the letter in the letter box in front of the office room. When I entered my classroom, my friend Ajin asked me what I was doing at the letter box. I told him that I was posting a letter to one of my ...
Read more

What a Friend we Have in Jesus

Image
What a Friend we Have in Jesus       Most of us often blame God and stops praying if things do not happen as we wish. But have you ever felt that God is not far away from you and He has prepared something better in our life? “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28) If you can praise the good Lord in the midst of your difficulties, it is the true love. Let me share with you an anecdote about finding the will of God in our difficulties. Last year, I was attending Salesian vocation camp for 2 weeks in Don Bosco Mannuthy, Thrissur. The camp mainly dealt with a variety of subjects like Vocation, Salesian Congregation and lives of Don Bosco and Dominic Savio. Also there were music classes led by the brothers. One evening we were summoned to the chapel and Bro. Jude began to teach us an English hymn which was recited during Holy Communion. Bro. Jose, who was an expert in ...
Read more

The Little Librarian

Image
A.M.D.G May 14, 2017 I still remember the evening when I revealed to my father, my desire to become a Catechism teacher in our Sunday School. My father, appreciated my desire and he insisted to ask our vicar about this. With much anxiety and nervousness, I waited outside Fr. Philip’s room. It was not very easy to be appointed as a Catechist in such a large Sunday School which consisted about 700 students and about 35 teachers. The staff consisted of well qualified and well experienced personalities. There were about 6 college professors, 15 or more school teachers, government employees and many others. I was only 17 years old and just completed Plus Two. Will he accept my request? Fr. Philip who was very friendly to all welcomed me into his room and I told him my desire to become a Catechist. To my surprise, he too encouraged me and asked me to join next month, in which the Sunday school reopened. But, I was not so much happy when I was assigned to the post of libraria...
Read more