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The hot water soluble method is the most common method to estimate available B content in soil

Reagents

1. Azomethine-H: Dissolve 0.45 g azomethine-H and 1.0 g L-ascorbic acid in about 100 ml de-ionized or redistilled water. If solution is not clear, it should be heated gently on water bath at about 30ºC till it dissolves. A fresh solution should be prepared every week and kept in a refrigerator.
2. Buffer solution: Dissolve 250 g ammonium acetate in 500 ml de-ionized or redistilled water. Adjust the pH to about 5.5 by slowly adding approximately 100 ml glacial acetic acid, with constant stirring.
3. EDTA reagent (0.025 M): Dissolve 9.3 g EDTA in de-ionized or redistilled water and makes the volume up to 1 litre.
4. Standard Boron solution: Dissolve 0.571 g boric acid (H₃BO₃) AR grade in a small volume of deionized water and make volume to 1000 ml to obtain a stock solution of 100 mg B/L.

This procedure uses Diethylene Tri-amine Penta Acetic acid (DTPA) as the chelating agent, which combines with free metal ions in soil solution and forms soluble complexes.

Analytical methods for study of soil microbes

The analytical techniques for study of soil microbes are grouped under the following heads :

• Determination of form and arrangement of microorganisms in soil
• Isolation and characterization of soil microorganisms
• Detection of microbial activity in soil
• Determination of microbial biomass.

For the above, the different analytical methods used are described below.

Enumeration of microbial flora present in soil is done by dilution plating technique. The technique is based on the fact of diluting the source inoculums to the extent that after plating the known volume of inoculums on appropriate media, the colonies will appear in countable range and each colony will be assumed to have been derived from a single cell/colony forming unit. Three numerically dominant groups of soil microbes are bacteria, actinobacteria and fungi. The most commonly used culture media for their enumeration include

Nutrient Agar-for heterotrophic bacteria,

Actinomycetes isolation Agar or Kenknight and Munaier’s agar for actinobacteria

Martin’s Rose Bengal Agar for fungi.

Biological activity or index of a soil is the function of number of organisms present in soil and their physiological efficiency. The rate of respiration can be used as an index of the biological activity of soil as it reflects the physiological efficiency of the organisms. Monitoring of dehydrogenase, which are respiratory enzymes and integral part of all soil organisms, will give a measure of biological activity of soil at a given time.

During respiration biological oxidation of reduced compounds occur which is catalyzed by dehydrogenase. In the process TTC gets reduced to a pink coloured compound Triphenyl formazan (TPF) which can be quantitatively extracted by methanol and measured colorimeterically. The soil dehydrogenase activity in the current experiment was measured as per the methods of Cassida, (1977).

Fluorescein diacetate (3’ 6’-diacetyl-fluorescein) is a fluorescein conjugated to two acetate radicals. This colourless compound is hydrolysed by both free (exoenzymes) and membrane bound enzymes, releasing a coloured end product, fluorescein. This end product absorbs strongly in the visible wavelength (490 nm) and can be measured by spectrophotometry. The enzymes responsible for FDA hydrolysis are plentiful in the soil environment. Non-specific esterases, proteases and lipases, have been shown to hydrolyse FDA. The hydrolysis of FDA by soil enzymes can be estimated by methods of Adam and Duncan (2001).

Principle

β-Glucosidase (BG) plays a major role in the degradation of soil organic matter and plant residues. It catalyzes the hydrolysis of β-d-glucopyranosides, the final, rate-limiting step in the degradation of cellulose, the most abundant polysaccharide providing simple sugars for the soil microbial population. BG has been shown to be sensitive to changes in soil and residue management as well as an early indicator of changes in SOC before these changes are reflected in total or organic C analyses. The method is based on colorimetric determination of the p-nirtrophenol released by β-glucosidase when soil is incubated with buffered PNG solution and toluene.

Acid and alkaline phosphatase enzymes are among the extensively studied phosphatases and classified so because of their optimum activities in acid and alkaline pH ranges, respectively. Acid phosphatase is predominant in acid soil while alkaline phosphatase is dominant in alkaline soils. The colorimetric assay of phosphatase is based on release of p-nitrophenol from hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate byaction of phosphatase enzyme in buffered soil solution (buffer pH 6.5 for acid and 11 for alkaline phosphatase assay).

Principle

Different ions migrate at different speed dictated by their size and by the amount of charges they carry. As a result, different ions can be separated from each other by electrophoresis. The magnitude of the electric force F exerted on the charged particle when subjected to electrophoresis is product of the charge q of the particle and the electric field E generated between the two electrodes.

Mole

A mole is defined as the amount of chemical substance containing exactly 6.022 140 76 × 10₂₃ numbers of constitutive particles such as atoms, ions and molecules. This number is a fundamental constant named Avogadro’s number in honor of Italian scientist Amedeo Avogadro. This constant is properly reported with an explicit unit of “per mole,” and rounded version being 6.022 × 10₂₃/mol.

This definition has been adopted since November, 2018 revising the old definition based on the number of atoms in a sample of pure ₁₂C weighing exactly 12 g. Thus, as per the definition, 1 mole of any element contains the same number of atoms as 1 mole of any other element. However, the mass of 1 mole of a particular element is different from that of another element.

Molar mass

Molar mass of an element (or compound) is the mass in grams of 1 mole of that substance, a property expressed in units of grams per mole (g/mol).

Histology

Cell: Structural and functional unit of an organism

M. Schleiden & Theodor Schwan – proposed cell theory

- All living being made up of cell

Tissue: Group of cell and their extracellular product organized to perform a particular function

M. Malpighii – Father of histology

Partitioning of Energy in Livestock

Energy Partitioning

Partitioning of energy involves loss and distribution of feed energy into different body functions.

Gross energy is calculated from the heat produced when a sample of feed or feces is subjected to complete combustion in a bomb calorimeter under a pressurized oxygen atmosphere.

Apparent digestible energy is the difference between the gross energy of the feed consumed and the gross energy of the feces excreted. Digestion is accompanied by the production of gases in both fore- and hindgut and by the urinary excretion of metabolites.

Metabolizable energy is the difference between digestible energy and energy lost to gases and urine. Metabolic processes and physical activity produce heat (heat of production) which may warm the animal in cold weather. In hot weather, energy may be required to expel excess heat of production, through panting and increased respiratory rate.

Net energy is the remaining energy available for maintenance, reproduction and production. The diagram on the left illustrates energy partitioning for a particular cow near the end of her lactation. Energetic efficiency of this cow is about 29%, expressed as output in the form of milk, gain and fetal growth divided by gross energy input. Although their energy requirements are significantly greater, higher producing cows are also more energetically efficient.

1665 Robert Hooke had successfully invented the microscope. Because of this discovery, Robert Hooke was the first one to have a close look of a cell appears to be. His description of these cells was published in Micrographia. However, the cell walls observed by Hooke gave no indication of the nucleus and other organelles found in most living cells.

1674 Anton van Leeuwenhoek witnessed a live cell (plant) under a microscope.

1775 Antoine Lavoisier first proposed a mechanism for photosynthesis, a process wherein plants plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Lavoisier was also the first to investigate cell respiration in animals.

1777-83 Chemistry became dominated by the phlogiston theory, or the hypothetical principle of fire wherein all the combustible material was part composed. In this principle, burning (oxidation) was caused by liberating phlogiston, with ash as the dephlogistigated substance.

1836 The proponent of the cell theory in Biology, Theodore Schwann, proposed that the process of fermentation is solely limited to living yeast cells in 1836. Liebig did not agree to this and instead, he proposed another alternative theory of fermentation.

1856 Louis Pasteur opposed Liebig’s chemical theory. In his experiment, he showed that fermentation depends highly on the physiological functions that occur in bacteria and in living yeast cells. This work of Pasteur in 1856 received general recognition.

1860s The view on the chemistry of life highly different from the chemistry of nonliving things. During this period, the view is that the gelatinous and homogenous form of matter in organisms or more commonly known as the protoplasm carries out all the intracellular processes. These include respiration, biosynthesis of molecules, and the breakdown of matter.

Animal Biotechnology

Biotechnology is defined as “the application of biological organisms, systems or processes to manufacturing and service industries” (Coombs, 1984).

It is also defined as “the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to produce goods and services” (Coleman, 1986).

Animalbiotechnologyis the application of scientific and engineeringprinciples to the processing or production of materials by animals to provide goods and services to human kind.

Farming System of India

Based on how income is derived from a farming enterprise: Specialized farming, diversified farming and mixed farming.

Based on mode of ownership and organization of farms: Individually owned, co-operative farming and collective farming

Based on scale of operations: Small scale farming and Large scale farming.

Embry Transfer Technology (ETT)

Definition: The process of removing one or more embryos from the reproductive tract of a donor female and transferring them to one or more recipient females.

General Terminologies in Livestock Production

Meat is considered as well balanced diet because it is good source of macro and micro nutrients.

Macronutrients-required in large quantity in body i.e proteins, fat and carbohydrates.

Micronutrients-required in lesser quantity by human body i.e vitamins, minerals and fibers.

Organ meat like liver is a good source of glycogen, viatm-A, B1 and nicotinic acid.

Fresh meat is unprocessed.

Raw meat is a fresh meat undergone chilling and freezing.

Refrigeration and rapid cooling can delay the onset of rigor mortis

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Loeffler and Frosch in 1897. Apthovirus of Picornaviridae. Strain O, A, C, Asia-1, SAT-1, 2, 3.

Cattle as Indicator host, Pig as amplifier, Sheep as maintenance host.

Musculature of heart in calves will have striped appearance termed as TIGER HEART.

Panting is common feature or sequel following FMD due to disturb endocrine function.

Preferred cell line for virus isolation in BHK-21.

Our general environment is loaded with tiny invisible living things that influence us consistently. Microbiology is a specialized area of science that deals with living things typicallytoo little to be seen without magnification. Suchmicroscopic life forms are collectively referred to as microorganisms. Microbial kingdom incorporates the study of bacteria, rickettsiae, viruses, fungi, algae and protozo a. Virology the study of viruses, mycology study of fungi and protozoology deals with protozoa.Credit for prologue to microbial world goes to ‘Antony van Leeuwenhoek’ and to vistas of microbial activities to ‘Louis Pasteur’ and ‘Robert Koch’. This period is reffered as the “Golden Era” of microbiology on account of the significant discoveries viz: microbial fermentations, discovery of various disease-causing agents, microbes’ cultivations, differences in metabolic activities, development of attenuated strains and their use as immunoprophylactic agents. The techniques used to study bacteria and different microorganisms embody direct microscopic examination, cultivation, biochemical tests, animal inoculation, serological reactivity and recent molecular biological techniques.Definitive evidence for the cause of a given infection is established by Koch that are still used to this day to definitively prove that a microorganism causes a particular disease. Koch’s four postulates are:

Parasite- The word parasite is derived from the Greek. Para- beside and sitos- food. Parasites are those living organism which reside on or inside the body of some other species of living organism.

Host- Those organisms which provide food shelter and conducive environment to parasite for their growth, development and reproduction. e.g. Tape worm in small intestine of man and animals.

Disease = dis + aise (see + ease) old French word

Transmission- Movement of biological agents (Virus, Bacteria, Rickettsial, Fungi & Parasites) from one place to another place via vector or vehicle/ tools

Vector- Latin word- bearer

Vector is a living organism (usually an arthropod) which transfers infective forms of a parasite from one host to the other.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is branch of pharmacology that deals with study of chemical substance intended to kills or inhibits the growth of invading microorganism or foreign cell without harm to host cells. Paul Ehrlich coined the term chemotherapy and is known as father of chemotherapy. Gerhard Johannes Paul Domagk discovered sulphonamide (sulfonamidochrysoidine). First commercially available sulphonamide marketed in the form of Prontosil dye, for which he received the 1939 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. SelmanAbraham Waksman discover streptomycin and several other antibiotics from soil actinomycetes and actinomycetes is called treasurer house of antibiotics.

α-lactam antibiotics- includes penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, monobectum and beta-lactamase inhibitors. It inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis due to inhibition of transpeptidation reaction thus inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis. Penicillins contain 6-animopenicillanic acid (((lactam ring + thiazolidine ring) eg. natural penicillins, beta-lactamase-resistant agents, aminopenicillins, carboxypenicillins, and ureidopenicillins. Discovery of penicillin was done by Alexender fleming from penicillium mold in 1928 from Penicillium notatum. Now a day’s Penicillium chrysogenum mold is a major source of penicillin production. Benzathine penicillin G is a repository salt of penicillin. Probenicid competitively inhibit renal tubular secretion of penicillin and increase the half- life of penicillin. Procaine penicillin G should not administer by i.v. route due to adversely affect the cardiac conducting system. Beta-lactamses inhibitors are calvulenic acid (Streptomyces clavuligerus), salbactum, tazobactam. They are called suicidal /progressive inhibitors. Main adverse effect associate with penicillin is immediate type of hypersensitivity reaction due to Antigen+ IgE antibody reaction.

Veterinary physiology deals with the study of normal functions of animal systems. It includes the study of how animals work and the physical and chemical processes that occur within animals. The examples of various biological processes in animals include gas exchange, blood and circulation, osmoregulation, digestion, nervous and muscle systems, respiration, growth, reproduction, endocrine function and how animals behave and function in different environmental conditions. This also includes the possible manipulation of the reproductive processes by means of hormone manipulation techniques for more efficient livestock and poultry production.

Zoonoses

Zoonoses are those diseases and infections which are transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans under natural conditions. The emergence of a pathogen into a new host species is called disease invasion or “disease emergence”.

Anthrax is a notifiable disease and primarily occurs in herbivores but it is a type of bio-terrorism agent and called as malignant pustule, malignant edema, woolsorters disease, ragpickers disease, maladi charbon, splenic fever etc. Causative agent is Bacillus anthracis contains vegetative spore and lethal dose is 2,500 to 55,000 spores.

Brucellosis is one of the world’s most widespread zoonoses caused by the genus Brucella. In human it is called Malta fever, Undulant fever, Mediterranean fever, Rock Fever of Gibraltar and Gastric Fever while in animals it is called Bang’s disease, Enzootic abortion, Epizootic abortion, Slinking of calves, Ram epididymitis and Contagious abortion etc. it is also called occupational disease.

Leptospirosis is a disease of animal sand humanbeings caused by genus Leptospira and called as Weil’s syndrome, Canicola fever, Canefield fever, 7-day fever, Rat Catcher’s Yellows, Autumn fever, black jaundice). Fletcher’s EMJH media is used to culture the organism.

Pathology is derived from Greek word (Pathos=disease + logos=study). It is study of structure and function of body in disease.

Veterinary Pathology is the study of anatomical, chemical and physiological alterations in comparison to normal due to disease in animals. Pathology has responsibility to forms a vital bridge between preclinical sciences (Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry) and clinical branches of medicine and surgery.

General Pathology deals with the basic alterations of tissues as a result of disease. e.g. fatty changes, thrombosis, amyloidosis, embolism, necrosis etc.

Systemic Pathology is related to the alterations in tissues/organs of a particular system. e.g. respiratory system, genital system etc.

Special Pathology is the application of the basic reactions of gene general pathology to various specific diseases.

Gross or Macroscopic Pathology is the examination of tissue without the help of a microscope.

Veterinary surgery: The surgery which is practiced on animals. It deals with the treatment of deformities, injuries, or disease conditions by manipulation with the hands. The term “Surgery” is derived from a Greek word – Chirurgia (Cheir – Hand, Ergon – work).

The papyri of Egypt contained information on treatment of fractures and superficial wounds.

In Vedic era, Salihotra and Palakapya were the greatest ancient Indian veterinarians. Salihotra treated horses and Palakaya elephants.

“Susruta Samhita’ is the earliest known work dealing with the medical science especially surgery.

Hobday wrote first comprehensive text on surgical diseases of the dog and cat.

The theory and practice of asepsis was introduced by Joseph Lister.

W.S. Halsted introduced the principles of surgery and use of rubber gloves.

History of Genetics

Lamarck (1744-1829): Proposed theory of “Inheritance of acquired characters”.

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882): published his classic book “Origin of Species” in 1859 and proposed theory of evolution and survival of the fittest.

Johann Greger Mendel : Gave laws of heredity in 1866 and is considered as Father of Genetics.

W. Flemming: The term mitosis was first used by Fleming in 1882.

W. Waldeyer: Coined the term “Chromosome” in 1888.

August Weisman: Gave the “Theory of Germplasm” in 1889.

Abstract

Political participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making is essential to achieve the principles of equality, sustainable development, peace and prosperity. Participation is a development approach, which comprises the involvement of disadvantage segments of population in the design and implementation of policies concerning their wellbeing. To achieve gender equality by 2030 requires urgent action to eliminate the many root causes of discrimination that still curtail women’s rights in private and public spheres. Discriminatory laws need to be changed and legislation adopted to proactively advance equality. 49 countries still lack laws protecting women from domestic violence, while 39 bar equal inheritance rights for daughters and sons. Based on data from 87 countries, 1 in 5 women and girls under the age of 50 will have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner within the last 12 months. International efforts through UN are being encouraged throughout the world but are constrained by lack of national policy, cultural factors, social factors, religious factors, economical factors and role of gender base patriarchy. Secular and sustainable democracy prevails only when women experience benefits equally with their male counterparts. Creating adequate space in politics for women participation is essential to sustain real democracy and oblige mothers, wives, daughters and sisters and Gender Responsive Governance is the best strategy for this which embodies measures, attitudes and practices of different stakeholders, both men and women, at different levels of governance with a clear purpose to impact issues that foster women’s empowerment and promote gender equity and social justice. It is a process that promotes and sustains the ability of women to fully participate in the governance and development process, enhances their ability to raise critical questions about inequality and violence against them without fear and pressure.

Abstract

World Economic forum (WEF) which evaluated 149 countries on four parameters including economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment, said that it would take 108 years to close the overall gender gap. That means the economic opportunity gap-based on participation, pay and advancement in the workforce-remains the area that is going to take the longest time to close. Globally, women are paid less than men. Women in most countries earn on average only 60 to 75 per cent of men’s wages. Contributing factors include the fact that women are more likely to be wage workers and unpaid family workers; that women are more likely to engage in low-productivity activities and to work in the informal sector, with less mobility to the formal sector than men. India’s inequality crisis hurts girls and women the most. An Oxfam report on inequality published in January 2019 revealed that in the workplace, women still receive 34% less wages than their male counterparts for the same work. In J&K, incidences of domestic violence, dowry, etc are rampant. State Women Commission J&K receives 1600-1700 domestic violence cases every year, majority cases being from the Kashmir Valley. Men’s silence, insensitivity and indifferences with regards to gender equality practices need to be the focus theme of the time. The fight for gender equality cannot be fought by women alone. Men have a key role to play in demanding and supporting this societal shift by being a part of the movement.

Keywords: Women empowerment, global perspectives, Indian perspectives, way forward.

Abstract

Women empowerment means capacity of womenfolk to participate as equal partners in cultural, social, economic and political systems with much appreciated and gladly accepted by the society. Acceptance of unequal gender norms by women are still persisting in the society. Moreover, ignorance prevails in rural areas and subordination to men is considered as god-will by the womenfolk. Food, health and education are prioritized to boys and girls’ destiny is linked to surplus resource of the family if any, available. Gender inequality exists in every nation on the planet. Women’s disempowerment is all over the world, comprising countries of east and west so empowerment of women has become one of the most important concerns of 21st century’s world. More than one third of the world’s adults, most of them women, have no access to printed knowledge, to new skills or to technologies that would improve the quality of their lives and help them shape and adapt to social and economic change. There are 130 million children who are not enrolled in primary school and 70 per cent of them are girls. Women and girls around the world are more likely to live in poverty due to discriminatory and unjust economic policies, pervasive gender inequality, war and instability and climate change. Human society has to work for sexual and reproductive health and rights, freedom from violence, economic justice, and leadership as these are the critical building blocks for women’s rights. When a woman has these rights, she can be strong, safe, powerful, and heard. Cultural and religious factors are hurdles to women empowerment so the greatest need of the hour is to change the social attitude towards women. There is need to envision a world where all women, girls, and trans people have a voice and choice in the work they do. They are paid equal wages in safe and secure workplaces and they have access to justice and rights. Strengthening women’s leadership should be priority area because it is an integral part of social perception towards women status. The future of women’s human rights depends on a strong pipeline of diverse young women leaders, as well as on creating opportunities for leaders from different generations and movements to learn from each other. Long lists of international and national initiatives are available on the websites of various governments and United Nations but the tangible results are still awaited mainly because of poor/ half heartedly implementation.

Abstract

Beekeeping or modern apiculture is the art and science of rearing, breeding and managing honey bee colonies in artificial hives for economic benefits. Beekeeping has evolved into a farming enterprise that involves the use of sophisticated and artificial techniques to keep honey bees for bee products. It is estimated that beekeeping is practiced in about four lakh villages and provide employment to over 3.50 lakh persons. The existing vegetation wealth of India can sustain six million bee colonies which would produce six lakh metric tonnes of honey besides generating part time employment to more than 15 million rural and tribal households. Rural women have long working hours, spent on food production and processing and/or waged labour, in addition to family care and domestic duties. However, beekeeping represents one opportunity for income generation which need not be time consuming and can fit in well with women’s priority activities. Population, female (% of total) in India was reported at 48.18 % in 2017, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators. Rural population (% of total population) was reported at 66.46 % (83.3 crore) in 2017 as compared to urban population (37.7 crore). There are fewer women than men beekeepers, but women beekeepers are found throughout the developing countries of every continent. Participation of rural women and youth in beekeeping activities provides a unique opportunity to improve rural livelihood and hence poverty reduction. Beekeeping as an agro-industry presents tremendous potential and requires attention on part of planners, policy makers, development agencies and researchers on the one hand and wider publicity about the commercial and scientific uses of beekeeping products on the other. In order to increase income accrued from beekeeping activities, promoting and support of training on processing of secondary bee products to women and youth beekeepers are important. Stakeholder’s involvement in promoting and support beekeeping awareness campaigns is crucial to enhance the contribution of the sector for livelihood improvement and environmental conservation.

Abstract

Gender Budgeting was first introduced in 1985 and is being implemented globally by more than 50 countries to ensure gender equality goals. India took initial steps towards analysing the gender gap through “Towards Equality” a Report of the Committee on the Status of Women by the Government of India in 1974. Gender based resource allocation in the country was seen from 1990s onwards in the Eighth Five Year Plan (1992-97) when for the first time gender perspective and the need to ensure definite flow of funds from general developmental sectors to women was emphasised upon. Women constitute 49% of human population in India so it is extremely important that the untapped gender potential is recognized, reorganised and utilized efficiently & effectively to attain a leading position in S&T sector. India has expanded her R&D base immensely since the turn of the 21^st century. Consequently there has been 10 times enhancement in enrolment of women in S&T disciplines in institutions of higher education since 1989-90. Department of Science and Technology has taken many steps in recent past to strengthen the ecosystem to empower women in S&T domain, particularly by enabling over 4000 of them who had a break in career, primarily due to familial responsibilities, to make a dignified comeback. Several Role Models, who have shown their mettle and made a mark in the chosen field, are emerging and engaging & encouraging the young, Gen Next girls.

Woman is an incarnation of ‘Shakti’the Goddess of Power. If she is bestowed with education, world’s strength will double. Let the campaign of ‘Kanya Kelavni’ be spread in every home; let the lamp of educating daughters be lit up in every heart across the regions and religions of the world.

Abstract

Globalization defines a new process of economic integration which is fuelled by neoliberal ideals claiming that an unregulated market economy maximizes economic efficiency and growth. Concept of equability and women empowerment provides durable strength and sustainable development to the programs aimed at promotion of commerce and trade through globalization. The post 2015 Development Agenda have not done much to address the large inequalities and discrimination against women. Global initiatives designed to benefit the daily lives of women and girls not being implemented effectively. This is especially for decision making and financial systems. The right to women needs to be ensured in order: to participate in the elaboration and implementation of development planning at all levels, to have access to adequate health care facilities, including information, counselling and services in family planning, to benefit directly from social security programmes, to obtain all types of training and education, formal and informal. All forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere must be ended. Out of the seventeen sustainable development goals (SDGs), not even the single one will be achieved without including women and girls as equal partners. All countries hold the same responsibility to ensure the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within their own borders, and to support other countries in achieving the SDGs which includes reaffirming and contributing to the fulfilment of gender equality. Women and girls have to be equal partners in sustainable development.

Abstract

Women in India constitute a larger proportion of total unemployed population and hence it is imperative to find out the entrepreneurial problems faced by them. A study was conducted with the objectives to ascertain the financial, marketing and production problems faced by women in their enterprises and assessment of their health status and work place facilities. Boutiques, beauty parlors, embroidery units, fruit and vegetable preservation units and artificial jewelry making were the enterprises selected for study. The results of the study revealed that women faced problems in areas like finance, marketing, health, work place and production. Some recommendations of the study are a) Women entrepreneurs should keep abreast of knowledge about new techniques, financial institutions, training institutions and marketing linkages. b) Information about site or location, physical facilities, transportation etc. must be collected prior to selection of area for development of an enterprise. c) Self help mutually aided groups must be formulated for overcoming common entrepreneurial problems. d) Women should shift to the non-traditional sectors of entrepreneurship in order to earn more.

Abstract

Women make up almost half of the agricultural labour force in developing countries (43 per cent according to UN Women data). Empowerment of women is central to achieving the objective of inclusive, equitable and sustainable development. Between the period 2007-08 and 2009-10, the share of person-days in casual employment in MANREGS to the total person-days in all economic activities has also increased. The increase was marginal for male workers but significant for female workers. This again confirms that female workers have been the largest beneficiaries of MANREGS projects. The share of female participation in these public works is more than the share of their male counterparts. The survey shows that women comprise only 13.76% of the total entrepreneurs, i.e., 8.05 million out of the 58.5 million entrepreneurs. Among the states, the largest share in number of establishments under women entrepreneurship is of Tamil Nadu (13.51%) followed by Kerala (11.35%), Andhra Pradesh (10.56%), West Bengal (10.33%) and Maharashtra (8.25%). Average employment per establishment for women owned establishments is 1.67. The main challenges that women face in business are educational and work background, balancing their time share between work and family, problems of raising start-up capital, difficulty in borrowing fund, thought-cut completions endangered existence of small companies, problems of availing raw- materials access to export market without intermediaries, as well as an overall psychological barrier on the part of banks, suppliers, and clients alike. Govt of India and different bodies such as NGOs, voluntary organizations, self-help groups, institutions and individual enterprises from rural and urban areas are active to help the women entrepreneurs in their ventures.

Abstract

Participation of rural women and youth in beekeeping activities provides a unique opportunity to improve rural livelihood and poverty reduction. Women have explored their own niche in beekeeping industry by actively engaging in post harvesting of bee products. Income generation is one of the major reasons for participating in beekeeping activities and beekeeping was ranked number one at the same level as agriculture as major source of income. Post harvesting beekeeping, however, needs liquid capital investment which, limit women and youth to fully participate in the business. Cultural practices are also one of the main hindrances for adult women and youth to participate in beekeeping activities. Nonetheless, presence of beekeeping groups and associations, community banks, forest reserves and beekeeping awareness campaigns in the areas provided opportunities for women and youth to participate in beekeeping. Beekeeping represents one opportunity for income generation which need not be time consuming and can fit in well with women’s priority activities. women be given the opportunity to start beekeeping, it is important that all beekeeping development programs ensure from the outset that extension messages reach rural women, and that they are able to take full advantage of training and credit facilities.

Abstract

Gender equity is more pronounced in livestock sector where more than 70% participation is from women side as compared to 33% in agricultural farming. About 75 million women are engaged in livestock sector. In India, livestock production is largely in the hands of women. In fact animal husbandry is becoming feminized. At present about 22% of milk and 2% percent of meat is processed into value-added products for trade while in developed countries it is above 90% and 60%, respectively. Traditional dairy products not only have established market in India but also great export potential because of strong presence of Indian diaspora in many part of the world. Value addition to dairy foods would provide health benefits to the consumers and improve the scale of economy in the dairy industry. Nearly half of the milk produced in India (50-55%) is utilized for the manufacture of value-added milk products but only 22% of the total milk produced is processed by the organized dairy sector. Conversion of surplus milk into indigenous milk products in and around production areas is least expensive and more profitable. Most of the animal farming activities such as cleaning of barn, washing of animals and hygienic maintenance, fodder collection, feeding, watering, and health care, management, milking, collection of dung for fertilizer and fuel, care of sick, pregnant and lactating animals, milking, household-level processing and value addition (ghee, curd, khoa, lassi and desi butter-making) are undertaken by women. However adoption of value-added livestock products as an entrepreneurship is scarce activity because of lack of training and financial liberties.

Abstract

India is one among the major fruit producing countries of the world and offers opportunities of women empowerment through quality fruit production, planting material generation and production of value added products. There is a great opportunity to increase and improve the production of tropical, subtropical, and temperate fruits. Underutilized fruits also have a huge potential waiting to be exploited. This will only be possible with a concerted effort by researchers and growers, especially women to improve quality and increase production based on consumer demand and export potential. Women play significant role in fruit production activities. Unfortunately their access to knowledge, technology, finance, information, and training is minimal which hampers productivity of fruit crops. The mode of female participation in agricultural production varies with the land owning status of farm households. Their roles range from managers to landless labourers. In all farm production, women’s average contribution is estimated at 55 percent to 66 percent of the total labour with percentages much higher in certain regions. About 48 percent of India’s self-employed farmers are women. Thus, rural India is witnessing a process of transition which could be described as feminization of agriculture particularly fruit crop cultivation and their post harvest management. Women play an active role in various production and postproduction activities of horticultural crops. The number of women engaged in horticulture has increased continuously in the past two-three decades due to various factors such as migration of men to urban areas in search of non-farm income, increase in the demand of labour force in construction and other sectors. The data on the women involved in horticulture sector are scanty however the involvement of women in various operations of cultivation and post harvest handling and storage is very high because of entrepreneurial nature of horticulture. There is need to adopt collective and SHG approach to take women contributions to socio-economic significance. Thus horticulture, especially the pre-harvest and post harvest management of fruit crops have considerable employment avenues for women and make horticulture an effective subject of women empowerment.

Abstract

Women entrepreneurship means the process in which women initiate a business, gather all resources, undertake risks, face challenges, provides employment to others and manage the business independently. Where women population hovers around 50% of the total human population in the world so entrepreneurship by them plays a key role in the development of economy of both developed and developing nations. The problems faced by women entrepreneurs are heavy work load, irregular payment, lack of work guarantee and no maternity benefits, health problems, marketing, financial liberty and being away from home. A different culture is required to promote, motivate and develop sustainable infrastructure for fostering women entrepreneurship. Often, an entrepreneur has to go through a complex set of procedures and formalities to start a business, which not only create irritations and delays but frustrate her efforts until she is exhausted. An urgent need, therefore, is to simplify procedures and formalities. Part of the problem is one of attitudes, which are built on regulatory roles rather than developmental roles. All training and financial agencies need to be gender sensitive. The time has come for an effort to inculcate a spirit of enterprise, self-dependence, creativity, and high goals among women in developing nations. Hence, entrepreneurship must be made part and parcel of the education curriculum.

Abstract

Women work two-third of the world’s working hours, produce half of the world’s food yet 60% of the world’s hungry are women. They earn only 10% of the world’s income and own less than one per cent of the world’s property. It reveals deep-rooted gender disparity in human society. But I perceive the secondary agriculture an emerging area with vast opportunities for socio-economic transformation and women empowerment across the globe in a way that conventional agriculture doesn’t have. Secondary agriculture is less affected by climatic factors, relatively stable and more amenable to feminization because of off-field nature. If properly supported it could be an effective tool to promote women empowerment and narrow down gender disparity in rural areas. Secondary Agriculture is not a Secondary Sector economic activity and it broadly embraces to product development through agro-processing (food and nonfood), within the all enterprise classes of small or medium or large scale industry. Being entrepreneurial in nature it assures better remuneration and socio-economic security than primary agriculture. An orientation from production agriculture to product development is an essential pathway to sustainable women empowerment as it will lead to shift from subsistence farming to business farming. Later has the potential to contribute to a range of social and economic developments such as employment generation, income generation, poverty reduction and improvements in family nutrition, health and overall food security to the persons engaged in agri-business farming.

Abstract

84 per cent of the Indian rural women livelihood depends on agriculture. It is estimated that 52-75 per cent of the Indian women engaged in agriculture are illiterate. Prevalence of anaemia among pregnant women ranges between 50%-90%. From these facts it infers that ghost of food and nutritional security haunts the rural women health and prosperity. Female participation in the economic activities also determines the sex ratio because the work determines the worth in the society. It has been observed that in those families where women participate in economic activities, this problem is not severe as compared to those families which do not participate in economic activities. Diverse areas of entrepreneurship exists in rural India for women empowerment. This potential can be realized through policy and infrastructure support from the government and by strengthening proactive synergies among various farm and non-farm sectors activities. Although we are proud of the Indian women in the global arena yet we have peer into the atrocities against them in the name of female foeticide, gender inequality, sexual harassment, dowry system and many more evils with promotion of involvement in socio-economic enterprises, if rural transformation is to be achieved.

Abstract

Women play a critical and potentially transformative role in agricultural growth in developing countries but they face persistent obstacles and economic constraints limiting their potential inclusion in agriculture. The feminization of agriculture is determined by two major factors, first compared to men, women have much poorer access to and control over productive resources and they have inadequate access to public services, such as training, extension and credit. Women farmers often lack the know-how and the confidence to use the improved technology and most of the new technologies. The reason being most of these advancements are aimed at male specific end users. Giving support to rural women is a way of breaking the vicious cycle that leads to rural poverty so there is need to cut the drudgery of women farmers and make their efforts worthwhile and economical. Development strategies should consider rural women as the epicenter, paying special attention to their social skills both within and without agriculture sector. In terms of equity, women overall have lower awareness of AAS than men do, indicating the importance of targeting women in communications efforts. More trainings are required to generate interest and motivate farm women to learn about the AAS and use it. Closing the gender productivity gap could increase agricultural output in by a significant amount. Increased production would also imply increased food availability and reductions in undernourishment. Integrating Gender and Agriculture within Agricultural Extension System empowers families, helps women to contribute to household incomes, increases productivity & reduces gender gaps in agriculture.