The Gist of Kurukshetra: October 2014
New Rural Technologies
Only with mass production being aided by modern technology
and intensive marketing can the agriculturist exploit both the domestic market
as well as the international market to the fullest extent. The volume of
production depends not only on the capital investments and marketing strategies
but also on the technical capacity used during the production and processing
stage. In fact, technology has come to playa very Significant role even in
marketing these days.
Agriculture Technology: It includes wide range of
improved techniques, methods, equipments, processes and products by which
farmers can increase their production, productivity, input profit and overall
quality of life. Generally, technology is used to improve the human condition,
the natural environment or to carry out other socio-economic activities.
Agriculture technology is a complex blend of materials, processes and knowledge.
Classification of Agricultural Technology: Agricultural technology may be
classified into two major categories:
(1) Hardware (Material technology): Where knowledge is embodied into a
technological product such as tools, equipments, agrochemicals, seed materials,
medicines etc.
(2) Software (Knowledge based technology): It includes
technology knowledge, management skills and other processes that farmers and
rural people need for better production in their enterprises. The word
“technology” can also be used to refer to a collection of techniques.
Technology Development: In the conventional or central
source” view of agricultural research and development, technology emanates from
“upstream” activities in the formal research system and is adapted by
“downstream” research until it is ready for dissemination to farmers.
In practice, however, agricultural innovations are derived
not only from the laboratories and research stations of the national and
international centers but from multiple sources. These sources include
research-minded farmers, innovative research practitioners at the local level,
research-minded administrators, non-government organizations (NGOs), private
corporations and extension agencies. in the “multiple sources” model, technology
consists of many old and new components.
New Agricultural Technologies in India
(1) Ploug: Ploughing is the first preparation for
planting. The plough is primarily designed to prepare the ground for cultivation
by turning it over, thus burying the weeds and loosening the earth, it is
generally agreed by historians that the earliest implement used for cultivation
was probably a crude pointed bent stick or tree branch which was used to stir
the soil surface in effect, a hand held hoe was used in which the user scratched
at the earth to form a tilth where corn could be sown. Over a period of time,
these hand held hoes soon developed into simple ploughs. These primitive ploughs
were eventually pulled by animals like oxen, camels and even elephant.
(2) Harrow: After ploughing, other implements were
used. The harrow was necessary to smoothen the soil in areas where the soil
remained rough it consists of a wooden or metal framework bearing metal disks,
teeth or sharp projecting points, called tines, which are dragged over plowed
land to crush the clods of earth and level ‘the soil. Harrows are also used to
uproot weeds, aerate the soil and cover seeds in the beginning the harrows were
as simple as a tree branch but the harrow became more sophisticated after the
industrial Revolution.
(3) Seed Driller: Seed drill is an innovation that
allowed to be easily planted deep into the soil instead of on top where the
majority were washed away or otherwise lost. The machine was pulled by horses
and consisted of rotating drills or runners that planted seeds at a set depth.
(4) Horse Hoe: it is horse-drawn machine which loosened the soil and
killed weeds.
(5) Reaper: The first reapers cut the standing grain
and with a revolving reel, sweeping it onto a platform from which it was raked
off into piles by a man walking alongside. The reaper could thus harvest more
grain than five men using the earlier cradles.
(6) Threshing Machines: Threshing machine is designed
for rapidly removing the husk from grain. With improvements in design and
efficiency, threshing machines became progressively more common and the hand
flail was gradually consigned to history.
(7) Tractor: Tractor is a vehicle particularly crafted
to exert traction at slow speeds, for the purpose of hauling a trailer or
machinery used in agriculture. The versatility of tractor is with respect to its
attachments that it supports. The more the options for connecting attachments to
the tractor, the higher is the cost.
Irrigation Technology: Water is undoubtedly the sine
qua non for all irrigation activities, worldwide. Particularly in India, an
unpredictable monsoon coupled with an increasing demand for food production (at
the self-sustenance as well as commercial levels) has induced an imperative need
for irrigation options other than those that are either extremely laborious and
time consuming or simply too expensive for small and marginal farmers.
Drip Irrigation Technology: Drip irrigation is a water-saving technology which
enables slow and regular application of water directly to the roots of the
plants through a network of economically designed plastic pipes and low
discharge emitters. It maximizes crop productivity through increase in the crop
yield and also the area for cultivation and protects the environment through
conserving soil, water and fertilizer resources, thus increasing the farmer
income.
Technology dissemination: Is a system in which package
of technology and services, which include appropriate technology, relevant media
system, credit, input supply system, prices and marketing and trained manpower
are put into practice to increase agricultural productivity.
Ways to Technology Dissemination: [1] Government:
Extension workers, KVKs, Agri-clinics & plant-clinics, Extension programme like
ATMA, NATP, NAIP, NAEP etc. [2] Private: NGOs, Input Agencies, Private Agri-clinics,
Kisaan call center, E-choupal, Farmers Organization etc.
Transfer of Agricultural Technology Government Programme in
India: First’ line extension systems: Realizing the scope and importance of
integrated working of interrelationship between research, education and
extension functions, the ICAR established a section of extension education in
its headquarters in 1971, which was later on strengthened and renamed as
division of agricultural extension. It was intended to enforce this functional
relationship down the line in the research institutes, agricultural universities
and allied institutions. There were four main transfers of technology projects
of ICAR, namely the: All India Coordinated Projects on National Demonstrations {AICPND},
Operational Research Project {ORP}, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) and Lab to Land
Project (LLP). All the projects were of mobile type, except the KVKs, which are
vocational training institutions.
1. All India Coordinated Projects on National Demonstrations
(AICPND): A nationwide programme of demonstrations, known as National
Demonstrations (NO) on major food crops was launched in 1964. The rationale
behind the schemes was that unless the scientists could demonstrate what they
advocated, their advice might not be heeded by the farmers. It was a nationwide
project with a uniform design and pattern.
2. Operational Research Project (ORP): ORP were initiated in
1974-75, aimed at disseminating the proven technology in a discipline/area among
farmers or a watershed basis, covering the whole village or a cluster of
villages and concurrently studying constraints (technological, extension or
administrative) as barriers to rapid spread of improved technical know-how.
3. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) is designed to impart
need-based and skill-oriented vocational training to the practicing farmers, in
service field level extension workers and to those who wish to go in for
self-employment.
4. Lab to land Project (LLP) was launched by the ICAR in 1979
as a part of its Golden Jubilee Celebration. The overall objective of the
programme was to improve the economic condition of the small and marginal
farmers and landless agricultural labourers, scheduled cast and scheduled
tribes, by the transfer of improved technology developed by the agricultural
universities, research institutes etc.
5. Lab to Market: The National Development Council envisaged
an overall growth rate of 10 percent during the 11th Five Year Plan. But, the
fact remains that the agricultural sector has lagged behind pace with other
sectors of the economy. To achieve the targeted 10 percent growth, agriculture
has to gear up to attain a growth rate of 4.1 per cent as against 1.7 per cent
of the 10th plan.
Information of Agricultural Technologies through Mobile
Phone: Farmers all across the nation need not worry about pests and crop
diseases as they will soon be able to get all this information on their mobile
phones. The pilot project will be implemented in a few villages of Punjab and
Uttar Pradesh initially. Agricultural experts in some of the villages are
already gathering information from a wireless sensor network spread across the
farms, wherein based on soil, weather, rainfall and other parameters diseases in
crops are being detected. The new application, known as “mKrishi”, to detect the
crop diseases has been developed by Tata Consultancy services.
Kisaan SMS Portal: Kisaan SMS Portal was launched on July 16, 2013 for Farmers.
SMSs to be sent to the farmers can be broadly classified into three categories,
viz. information, services and advisories. The content may include information
about the schemes, advisories from the experts. Market have been grouped based
on the State, District, Block and the Crops/Activities selected by a farmer.
Officers can send SMS to the farmers belonging to the entire area of their
jurisdiction or a part of it. Grouping of farmers based on their location and
their preferred crop/activity will help sending relevant messages to the
farmers. The system is capable of sending messages in regional languages also.
The farmers can register to this service by calling Kisaan Call Center on the
toll free number 1800-180-1551 or through the web portal. SMS based registration
is also being introduced shortly. Farmers can give upto 8 choices for their
preferred crops/activities.
Timely receipt of relevant expert advice/information/market information can
help the farmers in following ways.
1. Information on Schemes and Programs of Government of India can help every
farmer to reap benefits out of these schemes thus widening the footprint of
these schemes.
2. Weather forecast can help the farmer in planning farm operation effectively
on the onset of any adverse weather conditions; advice can be provided to the
farmers on effective recourse to be adopted.
3. Outbreak of disease/pests can be controlled as advisories can be provided
immediately to the farmers in and around the area of initial report of the
disease/ pest.
4. Crop advisory will lead to the adoption of more appropriate technologies
suited to local situations.
5. Selection of suitable and better variety/breed by the farmer based on the
information/advisory can be provided to him/her.
6. Timely market information will give better bargaining power to the farmer.
7. Soil test results in his mobile will help in selecting the right fertilizer
and the dosage.
Ministry of Minority Affairs invites application for
financial assistance from candidates belonging to notified minority communities
viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis who have cleared
Preliminary examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC),
Staff Selection Commission recruitme (SSC) & State Public Service Commissions
etc. (PSCs) in the year 2014 fornt to Civil Services Group 'A' & 'B' posts. 
