eBook Chapters

On different occasions I have expressed my views on hunger and food security. Here are some of the views published earlier.

1. Food Security bill: Why it is an opportunity lost

Several years ago I and Dr M S Swaminathan were speaking at a conference on hunger at Rome. Also speaking at one of the sessions was the Brazilian Minister for Zero Hunger Programme, the dream programme of ex-President LuizInácio Lula da Silva. After he had listened to us, he sat down with us to know of how India was battling hunger, specially the way India was managing its food self-sufficiency and the massive food procurement programme.

India has a population of one hundred twenty four crore plus and feeding this large a population calls for a strong FPI. The industry also assumes importance in the national economy due to the immense employment generation opportunities it offers and the export revenue it earns. Food Processing Industry (FPI) in India is a sunrise sector that has gained prominence in the recent years. Easy availability of raw materials, changing lifestyles and favourable fiscal policies has given a considerable push to the industry’s growth. FPI serves as a vital link between the agriculture and manufacturing sectors of the economy. Strengthening this link is critical to reduce wastage of agricultural raw materials, improve the value of agricultural produce by increasing shelf-life as well as by fortifying the nutritive value of the food products and ensure remunerative prices to farmers as well as affordable prices to consumers. The industry has very low processing level i.e., 2.2% for fruits and vegetables, around 35% in milk, 21% in meat and 6% in poultry products, which is significantly lower by international standards. For e.g., processing of agriculture produce is around 40% in China, 30% in Thailand, 70% in Brazil, 78% in the Philippines and 80% in Malaysia. Value addition to agriculture produce in India is just 20% with wastage estimated to be valued at around US $13 billion.

India has the second largest producer of food with arable land of 159.65 million hectares and has the highest acreage under irrigation. Next to China, India ranks second largest food producer in the world and has the potential to immerge the biggest with its food and agricultural sector. India accounts for less than 1.5% of international food trade despite being one of the world’s major food producers, which indicates huge potential for both investors and exporters. Food and food products are the biggest consumption category in India

Despite of pandemic the Indian economy has been growing consistently and Agriculture sector also maintained the momentum. Let us have an overview of investments in India’s agritech startups during 2019-2022:

1. Total investment: $2.5 billion
2. Number of deals: 234
3. Average deal size: $10.7 million
4. Top sectors: Market linkage (52%), Farm management (25%) & Agri- inputs (18%)
5. Key drivers of investment: Growing demand for food and agricultural products, Increasing adoption of technology in the agricultural sector and Government support for the agricultural sector

Abstract

There is an urgent need to – create market driven linkages rather than do it alone by building new infrastructure. A lot needs to be done to improve infrastructure in terms of reducing the logistics cost, eliminating middlemen influence and eliminating the wastage of basic inputs. There is a need to blend technologies based on principle of dovetailing production for masses with the advantage of mass production, particularly in the area of grain processing, packaging and marketing which would help combine livelihood, security with agricultural competitiveness. Risk in crop production is not new to any age and the farmers have been bearing it since times immemorial. The farmers should be allowed to maximize their grain. High performance continuous and batch dryers remove moisture in a way that is predictable and reliable. The problems associated with moisture content may be harmful to international trade in grain and need to be addressed adequately by the standardization institutions.

Abstract

The Arabian camels are well known for their existence and adaptation to the desert geo-climatic situations. Their service to mankind in the difficult terrains of the earth for transport and baggage is also well documented in the literature and has clear reflection in society through art and culture. The existence and adaptation of single humped camels in hilly terrains of India is not very much known, but there exists a population of camel in the hills of erstwhile Mewar state of southern Rajasthan and adjoining area. Based on the locality these camels are known as Mewari camels and are well adapted to travel and carry loads across hills. Phenotypically the Mewari camels are stouter and off-white to light brown in colour. Molecular characterization also distinguishes it from other major breeds of camel. The Mewari camels are mainly reared for milk production. In recent study, it was found that of the total camel population with camel milk producers, about 31% are in-milk female camels. On an average about 2.8 litres of milk per milking female is being sold in the market everyday. Assuming that the camel population in the tract has gone down by 25% of its level of the year 2007 and the current survey figures are utilized for extrapolation, the population of camels in the breeding tract comes to 10408 with 4335 breedable females and 3226 female camels in milk. Accordingly, thousand lactating camels are producing 2800 litres of milk per day or 1022 tonnes per annum and are exclusively meeting the milk requirement of 10,000 persons at present level of per capita availability of milk in the country i.e. 276 gm per day. If the production potential of superior animals of the breed is utilized, the per day production from a female camel can be gradually increased to 6 litres or even more as the the best animals produce an average yield of 10 litres of milk per day during a lactation period of 16 months. Thus with 1000 she camels presently meeting the milk requirement of 10,000 people, may meet the milk requirement of 20,000 people by selecive breeeding. With proper policy support, if more she camels can be covered, the population covered can be increased proportionately. The increase in milk production is expected to increase per capita milk availability in the deficient districts and thus may assist us in ensuring nutritional security of the people of the region. Consequently, the increased milk production may further ensure better returns to the camel owners and thus strengthening the livelihood and conserving the camel populations in situ.

Abstract

The main aim of the article is to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of current IPR system in context to Indian regime and also to understand overall planning as well as important tactics and means to use IP legal protection system to fully safeguard one’s legitimate rights and interests, obtain and maintain competitive edges, restrain competitors and seek optimal economic performance by selection of appropriate IP strategies. This article also proposes ways to select IP strategy based on BCG matrix and product mix.

Study done in India on various aspects of marine copepods are those of Krishnaswamy (1952), Kartha (1959), Ummerkutty (1960, 1966), Ganapathi et al. (1961), Kasturirangan (1963), Saraswathy (1966), Abraham (1970), Silas and Pillai (1973), Sarladevi (1979), Sarkar et al. (1985), Madhupratap and Haridas (1986), Wells and Rao (1987), Gajbhiye et al. (1991), Madhupratap (1999), Kesarkar and Anil (2010), Ramanibai and Shanthi (2011), Srichandan et al. (2014). Jayabarathi et al. (2015), Nishida et al. (2015), Arunpandi et al. (2017), Loka et al. (2017), Deepika et al. (2019), Kaviyarasan et al. (2019), Khandagale et al. (2022), Nawaz et al. (2023), Thangaraj and Vijayanand (2023).

Copepods are planktonic crustaceans, which occur in marine, fresh as well as brackish waters. They represent about 80% of the zooplankton in the ocean. There are more than 210 families, 2400 genera and 24000 species identified in this group. Planktonic copepods are considered to be the most abundant metazoans on earth.

The name 'copepod' is derived from the Greek words meaning 'animals with oar shaped foot' i.e., ‘kope’ means oar and ‘podos’ means foot (Stottrup,2003). Copepods are important secondary producers and primary consumers and ultimately contribute significantly to the food chain in large ecosystems.

Copepods are very hardly planktonic forms which can withstand most of the unfavourable conditions and can produce diapause eggs and resting eggs to survive in these conditions. Most of the copepods can adjust wide range of salinity and temperature levels. Due to its hardy nature, copepods can be easily introduced into all types of water bodies.

Copepods forms important food for many aquatic animals especially fishes. Certain fishes and fish larvae were evolutionary adapted to feed on copepods. Copepods have been found to be nutritionally superior to almost all other live feeds.

5.1. Origin and distribution

• True or black mustard: Brassica nigra Koch-Self sterile

• White mustard (Yellow mustard) : Brassica compestris, Syn: Sinapsis alba- Self sterile

• Indian or brown mustard: Brassica juncea (L.) Czern

• These three species are commonly used as condiment.

• White mustard is indigenous to Southern Europe, whereas brown mustard is from China introduced to Northern India.

• Black mustard is endemic in Southern Mediterranean region.

• White mustard is widely cultivated in Australia, China, Chili, Denmark, Italy, Japan, UK, Netherlands, North Africa, Canada and USA.

India’s indigenous poultry breeds play a crucial role in rural livelihoods, providing a sustainable source of nutrition and income. These native breeds are well-adapted to the local environmental conditions, demonstrating remarkable resilience and disease resistance. Despite their lower production potential compared to commercial breeds, their economic value and cultural significance make them indispensable in the rural context.

Indigenous Fowls of India

• India has a population of 217.80 million indigenous (Desi) chickens, representing 25.57% of the total poultry population (851.81 million) in India (BAHS, 2023, GOI).

• A total of 20 indigenous chicken breeds, 3 duck breeds, and 1 geese breed have been registered under the ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetics Resources (NBAGR) to date (Table 4.1 & 4.2).

• Indigenous fowls are typically reared under a backyard system, often referred to as “backyard poultry,” with minimal focus on housing and feeding.

Morinda citrifolia L is a unique horticultural plant belonging to Rubiaceae family. It has a tremendous demand because of its high medicinal value. Increase in demand has led to commercial farming of the tree. Noni is an ideal plant for mixed farming with other horticultural plantations. There is concurrent efforts to select early bearing plants with big size and fruits.  Noni can be grown in any type of soil under adverse climatic conditions.  Crop Improvement, nutritional requirement, water requirement, pest and disease management are the research priorities in Morinda citrifolia.

Indian Noni (Morinda citrifolia) is popularly known as Indian mulberry belongs to Rubiaceae family.  It is also called great Morinda, Cheese fruit, Mouse’s Pine Apple, Nono, Jumbie bread fruit, Hog apple. Noni was one of the most widely used medicinal plants in Polynesia prior to European contact, and continues popular among modern population. Noni is commonly known as canary wood in Australia, Kura in Fijii, mora de la India in spanish, nono in Tahiti and Nin in Marshall Island. Medicinal values of Noni were known to man many centuries ago. Uses of Noni were mentioned in Indian ethnopharmacology and ayurvedic medicines. Noni is grown as medicinal plant in most of  South Indian temples as sacred plant like basil (Tulasi). In India, it is called by several names in different  regional languages like nuna, manjanathi, manjanuna in Tamil,  molugu, mogal, bundamaddi in Telugu, kakaiplam, kattapitalavam, mannanatti in Malayalam, tagatemara, haladipavete in Kannada, Ach Al in Hindi, Paphan, Achchhulca in Sanskrit, Aseti, Nagkura, Mundari solidaru in Marathi.

The history of Patent law in India starts from 1911 when the Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911 was enacted. The present Patents Act, 1970 came into force in the year 1972, amending and consolidating the existing law relating to Patents in India. The Patents Act, 1970 was again amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005, wherein product patent was extended to all fields of technology including food, drugs, chemicals and micro organisms. After the amendment, the provisions relating to Exclusive Marketing Rights (EMRs) have been repealed, and a provision for enabling grant of compulsory license has been introduced.

PPVFR act is an effective system for protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders and to encourage the development of new varieties of plants. Stimulate investment for research and development to produce new plant varieties.Facilitate the growth of the seed industry that will ensure the availability of high quality seeds and planting material to the farmers. Registration of a plant variety gives protection only in India. Provides the exclusive right to produce, sell, market, distribute, import, or export the variety.

Milestones in Seed Sector

• 1957- First AICRP

• 1963 -NSC established

• 1966 -Seed act passed

• 1968- Operational

• 1971- Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards adopted

• 1975- GSSC established

• 1977- AIC NSP launched

• 1980- GSSCA Established

• 2001- PPVFR Act passed

Plants containing lignans have been utilised as folk medicines in traditional medicine of many different cultures for over 1000 years. Plants high in lignin, such as Kadsura coccinea (Schizandraceae), Fraxinus sp., and Olea europaea, have long been employed in Chinese, Japanese, and Eastern world folk medicine. Lignans are an important family of starting products for the development of new therapeutic agents based on structural modifications of such compounds due to their widespread use in traditional medicine. Podophyllum hexandrum, a plant with a high lignin concentration, has been employed throughout history and in modern times. It has been used extensively in ancient Ayurvedic medicine to treat a variety of disorders such as Condyloma acuminate, Taenia capitis, monocytoid leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, cancer of brain, lung, bladder and venereal warts.

The Himalayan locals have long used Indian Podophyllum, with an aqueous extract of the roots being a frequent cathartic. It has also been used as an ophthalmia treatment. Thomson tested the resin from the Indian plant in 1890 and found 56 percent podophyllotoxin concentration. Podwyssotzki discovered podophyllotoxin as the active principle of podophyllin in 1880 and obtained it in a pure state. Several lignans have been found in the rhizomes of Podophyllum hexandrum, which are dimerization products of phenylpropanoid pathway intermediates linked by the central carbons of their side chains.

The modern commercial poultry production in India is barely 50 years old, although backyard poultry keeping dates back to pre-historic period. In between 1955 to 1965, some Christian Missionaries had imported White Leghorn, Rhode Island Red and White Rock breeds, to upgrade the local chicken, having very high disease resistance power; but highly broody. Later, hybrid broiler (Arbor Acres) and layer (Babcock) strains were brought to India in early seventies, to start modern poultry industry. Among the two, the layer industry took wings early and registered a spectacular growth rate between 1970 and 1985. The broiler industry came to existence five years later and showed 25 -100% annual growth rate initially and 10-20% growth rate subsequently; between 1975 – 2005. The growth indicators of poultry development in India are presented

ABSTRACT

Evolution theory postulates that the collision between the Indian and the Eurasian plates in early Eocene and Miocene epoch leads to formation of the Himalayas, and currently recognized across the globe as repository of life. Some species of this regions is categorized under endangered and endemic category. Rhododendrons placed under family Ericaceae is an important genus of flowering plants. It is one of the multiferous keystone member of plants, mostly endemic to Southeast Asia. Wide distribution of rhododendrons concentrated in Himalayas. The Eastern Himalaya, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim states of India is the main centre of species distribution and provide wide range of habitat for ecological studies. Several species exhibits many nutritional, medicinal and aromatic properties as evident from tribal knowledge and published research sciences. Different parts of plant such as flowers and leaves used in folklore herbal medicine and for preparation of local wines. Chemically, rhododendrons are repository of several bioactive molecules in the form of taraxerol, hyperoside, betulinic acid, quercitin, arbutin, rutin, coumaric acid, and several other fine molecules in minor quantities. In the present communication, Indian rhododendrons species diversity of different regions are revised and updated the current list for India. Besides, its value addition and future prospective is also presented for Indian economy. The checklist, chemistry, traditional knowledge, ecological requirement, keystone taxa, potential value added products for future, threat and future perspectives of rhododendrons for conservation is also discussed and presented in different subheads. First time checklist of all Indian rhododendrons are prepared and provided here in this communication.

Indian river systems, spanning diverse ecosystems and climatic zones, are pivotal for sustaining the country's rich biodiversity, particularly regarding ichthyofaunal diversity. This chapter explores the ecological importance of major river systems such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery in supporting various freshwater fish species essential to environmental balance and local economies. These rivers provide critical habitats and migration routes, facilitating the survival and reproduction of numerous fish species. However, pollution, habitat fragmentation, overfishing, and climate change have led to declines in fish populations and the loss of species diversity. The chapter underscores the importance of integrated conservation strategies that combine river ecosystem restoration, sustainable fisheries, and habitat protection to address these threats. Additionally, it highlights the need for community engagement, policy support, and technological innovations such as environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring to ensure effective conservation of freshwater fish diversity. Through a comprehensive ecological approach, this chapter advocates for urgent measures aimed at preserving fish species within Indian river systems, promoting biodiversity, and supporting the communities reliant on these resources.

Abstract

Medicinal plants are being widely used either as single drug or in combination in health care delivery system. Hemidesmus indicus is a rare and endangered plant of Deccan plateau of India and is a potential source of several active principles of therapeutic value. Its immense medicinal values can bring H. indicus as a royal source of herbal medicine in India. It contains various phytoconstituents belonging to the category glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, sterols and volatile oils. The main pharmacological activity of H. indicus include anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidants, anti cancerous activity, anti acne activity, anti venom activity, antinociceptive, renoprotective, heptoprotective activity, anti arthritis and anti leprotic activity. The root of Hemidesmus indicus was used mainly for the preparation of drink locally called as nannari or sugandhapala. The drink is medicinal, which cools the system, gives good appetite and acts as a blood purifier and roots are used for preparation of chutneys and pickles.

Introduction

The seed industry has witnessed a substantial change in the 20th century, with farmers relying on purchasing seeds from market with better traits rather than relying on seeds from previous season’s harvest. Developments in seed technology have increased the momentum of the industry’s growth, and the introduction of genetically modified crops has further boosted the seed market. The value of global seed market has tripled since 2000 and reached US$ 54 billion in 2014 (Indian Seed Market (pdf), www.icfa.org.in).

Abstract

India is known as hub of medicinal plants in recent years due to availability of variety of species in different regions which is used in treatment of frequently occurred local diseases. Family a pocynaceae is one of frequently used angiosperm members as medicine in different Indian system of medicine. At present, the genus Rauvolfia is represented by 77 species distributed across the globe, known to contains various unique active phytochemicals in the form of flavonoids, phytosterols, oleoresins, steroids, tannins and alkaloids. R. serpentina (also known as Indian snake root or sarpaghandha) and R. tetraphylla (also known as devil root or barachandrika) are two very important distinctive medicinal shrubs growing in India having wide application in traditional system of medicine for curing human disease and various herbal formulations available in market using these plants. In the present communication, we have discussed the biology, chemistry, pharmacology, cultivation practices and future perspectives of R. serpentina and R. tetraphylla for conservation and as a potential plants for future application in herbal medicine discovery.

Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent. (family Bignoniaceae Juss.) also known as Broken bones tree, Indian trumpet flower, Midnight horror, Shivnak, Sonapatha and Shyonaka. O. indicum is being used as medicinal herb for thousands of years without any known adverse effects. The tree is named as ^”Tree of Damocles^” after an incident depicted in an ancient story by Cicero. O. indicum Vent is a small or medium sized deciduous tree growing throughout Asia continent. It has been used traditionally for a wide diversity of ailments such as cancer, diarrhea, fever, ulcer, jaundice and arthritis. Destructive and non-sustainable collection methods coupled with low regeneration and habitat destruction have posed serious threats to the survival and availability of this highly useful tree. The existence of O. indicum in natural population is highly threatened and it has been categorized as endangered and vulnerable by the Government of India. There have been number of scientific studies conducted to evaluate the toxic effects of the plant. Almost all the studies have shown that O. indicum is not toxic to humans even up to high doses.

Morphological characteristics

O. indicum is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with soft light brown or greyish brown bark and corky lenticels that grows up to 12 metres tall. The leaves are big, 90-180 cm long, 2-3 pinnate with 5 or more pairs of primary pinnae, rachis is fast, cylindrical, swelling at branch junctions, leaflets are 2-4 pairs, oblong or elliptic, acuminate, glabrous. The enormous leaf stalks wither and fall off the tree, accumulating towards the trunk’s base and resembling a jumble of broken limb bones.

Abstract

The major subduction of the Indian plate and the related high magnitude earthquake (>9M) occurred in Sumatra region, triggered a major tsunami on 26, Dec 2004 which caused massive disasters in many coastal regions of South Asian countries including India, killing tens of thousands of life and causing property loss of several million rupees. Duly realizing the credentials of Geospatial / Geomatics technology and the expertise of NRDMS, an all India coordinated programme was conceived by NRDMS on tsunami disaster assessment and got it executed through six specialized institutions working on geomatics technology in the country. In the programme, the tsunami disaster in terms of natural, physical and human resources were assessed using geomatics technology and village wise digital databases were generated which will form a potential baseline information in coastal area.

Keywords: Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004, DST Initiatives, Disaster Assessment, Mitigation.

Introduction

A downer cow is an animal In sternal recumbency and isn’t showing obvious clinical sign of hypocalcemia,hypomagnesmia or any limb or spinal Injury. Most causes are related to parturition, occurring in few days before or upto a week after calving.

Causes for Making an Animal Downer

Animals Inability to stand may be caused by illness or injury. Following may be the reasons

Introduction

Spatial datasets always exhibit two common features (i) the occurrence of a few very large concentrations (hot-spots) and (ii) the presence of data below the detection limit (black spots). Extreme values can strongly affect the characterization of spatial patterns, and subsequently the prediction. Several approaches exist to handle strongly positively skewed histograms (Saito and Goovaerts 2000). One common approach is to first transform the data (e.g. normal, Box Cox or lognormal), perform the analysis in the transformed space, and back-transform the resulting estimates. Such transform, however, does not solve problems created by the presence of numerous black spot data, since either it yields a spike of similar transformed values or, in the case of the normal-score transform, it requires a necessarily subjective ordering of all equally-valued observations. Moreover, except for the normal score transform (Deutsch and Journel 1998), it does not guarantee the normality of the transformed histogram, which is required to compute confidence intervals for the estimates. Last, the back-transform of estimated moments is not straightforward and can introduce bias if not done properly (Saito and Goovaerts 2000); for example, lognormal kriging estimates cannot simply be exponentiated. Another way to attenuate the impact of extreme values is to use more robust statistics and estimators. The non-parametric approach of indicator kriging (IK) falls within that category (Journel 1983, Goovaerts 2001). The basic idea is to discretize the range of variation of the environmental attribute by a set of thresholds (e.g. deciles of sample histogram, detection limit, regulatory threshold) and to transform each observation into a vector of indicators of non-exceedence of each threshold. Kriging is then applied to the set of indicators and estimated values are assembled to form a conditional cumulative distribution function (ccdf). The mean or median of the probability distribution can be used as an estimate of the concentration of the material in question (Barabas et al. 2001, Cattle et al. 2002, Goovaerts et al. 2005).

Technology adoption is mounting every day in the field of agriculture. The greatest need of the day is to effectively communicate the information related to farm technologies to the millions of farmers to educate and to adopt them in order to modernise their agriculture. Inspite of our best efforts, only 25 to 30 per cent of the modern agricultural technologies have reached farmers. This modern technology however has been restricted to favourable farming situation only.

Indicators of agricultural sustainability are a composite set of attributes or measures that embody a particular aspect of agriculture. These are quantified information, which help to explain how things are changing over time. Smyth and Dumanski (1993) define indicators as environmental attributes that measure or reflect environmental status or condition of change.

Indicators are the natural or synthetic chemical compounds that are used to detect the equivalence point in a volumetric analysis where unknown compound in a solution form is quantitatively estimated with the help of a known standard solution. The equivalence point, also known as the stoichiometric end point, is the point or stage of a titration reaction where the equivalent amount of the reacting substances are mixed together, and this point is identified by monitoring the rate of change in pH, conductivity, flow of current, adsorption, fluorescence, changing of solution colour, occurrence or disappearance of turbidity, flocculation or deflocculation, etc.

Introduction

Throughout their existence on this planet, human beings have adapted to the diverse environments they inhabit. Depending on the topography and prevailing natural conditions, individuals have successfully navigated the challenges posed by nature and their surroundings. As life has progressed, humans have gained insights into nature, its resources, and the prudent utilisation thereof. This understanding encompasses various natural phenomena, the associated challenges, and the methods to mitigate them. Over time, humans have evolved into repositories of such knowledge, collectively known as 'indigenous knowledge' or 'traditional wisdom,' passed down from one generation to the next. Each specific region possesses its unique set of indigenous knowledge reflecting the harmonious coexistence of humans with their environment.

Indigenous agricultural knowledge (IAK) stands as a crucial force in the realm of agricultural development. It represents a systematic and collective body of knowledge, practices, and beliefs that evolve through adaptation processes and are transmitted across generations through cultural channels, elucidating the intricate relationship between living beings and their environment. With this collective wisdom, farmers have adeptly cultivated food crops in diverse environmental conditions and seasonal variations, relying on indigenous techniques in the absence of external inputs, resources, and scientific knowledge. This includes refraining from the use of synthetic agrochemicals and instead embracing practices like crop rotations and soil fertility restoration through closed nutrient cycles (Melash et al., 2023).

India boasts a long-standing heritage of indigenous and ethnoveterinary knowledge in livestock care, developed over generations through careful observation, experience, and adaptation to local conditions. These practices emphasize sustainability and affordability, making them particularly valuable for small-scale and marginal farmers. By relying on readily available, seasonal, and natural resources, they align closely with ecological principles and traditional wisdom.
Feeding methods rooted in indigenous systems often utilize locally sourced tree leaves, grasses, agricultural residues, and customized herbal or homemade concentrates. Fodder options such as neem, babul, ber, subabul, moringa, and arhar leaves are commonly used, appreciated both for their nutritional content and medicinal properties. In several rural communities, animal diets are enhanced with supplements like bran, oilseed cakes, fermented grains, and by-products such as buttermilk residue, all aimed at improving digestion, health, and milk production.
Ethnoveterinary approaches focus on disease prevention and treatment through natural substances. Ingredients like turmeric, garlic, fenugreek, ashwagandha, and shatavari are frequently added to fodder or water to promote immunity, reproductive efficiency, and general vitality. A common post-calving practice involves feeding a mix of jaggery, wheat bran, and ajwain to lactating cows to aid in uterine cleansing and boost milk secretion.
These traditional methods offer a viable alternative to commercial feeds, synthetic additives, and antibiotics. Deeply rooted in regional customs and passed down through generations, they represent a rich repository of community knowledge. Documenting and validating these practices through scientific inquiry and participatory research can reinforce the resilience of rural livestock systems.

Abstract

About 20 percent of the world’s total population is residing in the mountains and this proportion is likely to increase in the present century as environmental degradation and pollution are driving the human population for settlement in the clean and serene environment of the mountains. Himalayan region has sizeable area in countries like India, China/Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, etc. Remarkable progress has been made in greenhouse research and development in many countries. However, Himalayan regions which reserve unique flora and fauna have attracted little attention so far. Changing climate, fast increasing population and shrinking land and water resources are the major challenges before us to meet the food and nutritional security of the population at global level. Improvement in the production and productivity of crops are the immediate need to boost the availability of food and improve the economic conditions of the farmers.

Greenhouse technology has tremendous potential to improve production and productivity of crops even under uncongenial soil and climatic conditions. The farmers having very small farm holdings in countries like Japan and South Korea have improved their income and living standards by adopting protected cultivation technologies. Similarly, Israel has demonstrated successful crop production under desert and uncongenial climatic conditions by improved water management practices and using greenhouse technology. However, India is yet to trap the potentials of the technology. Modern greenhouses require uninterrupted huge electric power for control of environment (heating/cooling/air circulation etc), which is considered one of the major causes for global warming. High installation and running (energy) cost, high cost of production; poor government support and lack of farmer friendly /cost effective greenhouse technology are some other challenges. Appropriate modifications suiting to our requirements, as per the need of crop, climate and farmers may lead to popularization of greenhouses in the country, especially among the small and marginal farmers. Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully demonstrated the innovative approach to popularize low cost zero energy based solar greenhouse technology in higher Himalayan regions of the country. Such greenhouses are specifically designed using local resources and also trap natural solar radiation/ heat and maintain it for longer period. Similarly, other approaches like using mud/ unbaked bricks, double wall approach, making hot beds, blackening of walls, using water bottles, greenhouse-cum-animal shed, etc. effective to reduce the adverse effects of the environment on crops with little inputs in hilly regions. Need of the hour is to review our approach for the greenhouse technology in farmers’ prospective and device simple and cost effective innovations for fast propagation of greenhouses in the country. This will not only improve the economic status of the farmers but also provide nutritive food to their families and enhance production and productivity of various crops in the country without deteriorating the environment.

Dairy farming has been the backbone of the agriculture and rearing of livestock for milk/milk products and draft power has been the tradition of ancient rural India. Whenever the crops have failed miserably attributed to natural calamities, the livestock has emerged the savior of farmers providing livelihood security in rural India. India is a country of villages (640930 villages) and 68.84% population of India is living in villages as per the All India Census, 2011. Further, 41.8% rural population is below poverty line as compared to 25.7% urban population (Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics, 2012). The marginal and small farmers are rearing 71.7% of total livestock revealing that livestock has been the source of sustainable livelihood security for rural poor majority of which falling under the category of population below poverty line.

INTRODUCTION

The enemies of plants have been harming the organized agriculture ever since man started depending on plants for food. Fossil evidence indicates that plants were affected by disease since 250 million years ago. Conditions of food shortage and famines have been created by these enemies of plants. Naturally, the man had been obvious of their presence and proposed explanations and methods of combating them according to the knowledge available at that time all over the world. It is not true that attention to plant diseases was first given in the western countries. In the ancient Indian literature many plant diseases and their remedies were mentioned.

Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is one type of indigenous poultry species, reared traditionally by the poor farmers for their livelihood. Maximum numbers of duck flocks concentrate in the paddy (Oryza sativa) growing and watershed areas of the state like Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, and Tripura. Ducks rise on the free-range system with readily available fallen grains in paddy fields, insects, snails, earthworms, small fishes, and other aquatic materials. 

Abstract

The hilly regions of western Himalayas comprise of three states namely Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal which are divided into High Altitude Temperate, High Hill Temperate and Valley Temperate zones. Through observations, trial and error, man has developed skills related to cultivation, utilization and livelihood. These were transmitted through generations and in this way, a system of traditional knowledge developed and moved forward for the benefit of the society. Food is the basic necessity for the survival of human beings. Since ancient times, various methods have been used to process and preserve foods especially in the Himalayan regions. The food habits and preparation of various dishes depend upon the availability of crops and surrounding vegetation. On the basis of the substrate used, traditional foods and beverages of Himalayan region are broadly classified as Cereal and Legume based, Milk based, Fruits and Vegetables, and others. Some of the popular traditional foods of Himalayan region are Aenkadu/Askalu, Bagpinni/ pinni, Chhangpa, Chaulai ka bhat, Kutu ki roti, Lesuwa roti, Tilkuta, Kaddu ke khwaire, Mooli ke khwaire, Sarson ki dhusi, Arbi ke sukhe danthal, Chaulai ki kheer, Ogal ka halwa. Traditional fermented foods and beverages are very popular in the tribal and rural areas of western Himalayas. Besides being source of nutrition, these fermented foods constitute staple food (Bhaturu) in larger part of western Himalayas while others are consumed during local festivals, marriages and special occasions. A variety of indigenous fermented foods and beverages available are; Kinema, Marcha, Phab, Bekanthu, Gundruk, Sinki, Soibun, Sura, Chhang, Daru, Angoori/ Kinnauri etc.Due to lack of proper scientific technology the quality of such foods especially beverages (many- a- times) is uncertain and their consumption leads to a higher incidence of fatal diseases among the consumers. This chapter briefly reviews the preparation, significance and quality of indigenous foods of Western Himalayas which offer tremendous opportunity for sustaining livelihood of the people of Himalayan region and stimulating agro-industrial development even in the developing countries, after upgrading and sustaining their quality.

The word indigenous, originates from the Latin work, indigena, implies that the individual and its ancestors originated from a specified country or continent. Presently, certain synonymous words used for indigenous chicken are: ‘native’, ‘local’ or ‘village chicken’. The indigenous fowls are well adapted to the local climate, need less input and produce tasty egg and meat at the least possible cost through scavenging. The birds require no scientific feeding, health care, housing and management and thus make the indigenous birds suitable for backyard poultry farming. Indigenous birds are normally handled by women, can significantly contribute to farmers’ livelihoods through increased food security and cash income. These breeds are self-propagating; contribute to poultry diversity and cultural heritage. Because of their local origin they are less prone to disease or predator attacks, and their cultural and sporting values secure additional income. The prices of egg and meat of local birds are 100- 150 percent higher than that of commercial counterpart. Some of these fowls are described in brief, as below.

Introduction

Indian subcontinent is one of the twelve mega diversity centres for cultivated plants and their wild relatives. More than 15000 species of flowering plants are indigenous to this region, which include 160 species of economic importance, 320 species of wild ancestral forms and approximately 800 species of ethnobotanical origin. Global diversity in vegetable crops is estimated around 400, of which 80 originated in India. These indigenous vegetables have immense potential in meeting the vegetable requirement of the country. They are rich in nutritional value especially in proteins, minerals and vitamins. Many of these vegetables have medicinal uses. Most of them are not used to their potential and their popularisation is needed in meeting the vegetable requirement of the country in coming days.

Ash gourd (Benincasa hispida Cong.)

Ash gourd also known as Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida Cong.) belonging to family Cucurbitaceae, is cultivated for its immature and mature fruits used as vegetable and in confectionery and ayurvedic medicines. A small fruited medicinal ash gourd is also grown in Kerala which is good for people suffering from nervousness. In areas where winter is mild, the crop can be grown throughout the year. The released varieties are KAU Local, Indu, Co.1, Co.2, APAU Shakthi, Karikumbala, Boodikumbala and IVAG -502. In addition, MAH-1 and MAH-2 are F1 hybrids released from private sector. The crop is raised by sowing seeds in pits at a spacing of 2.5 × 2.0 m in Tamil Nadu, 3.4 × 1.8-2.5 m in West Bengal and 4.5 × 2.0 m in Kerala. The seeds can also be sown in channels at a spacing of 2 × 0.5m. The crop is trailed on branches and twigs spread on the ground. The fruits are harvested at immature or fully ripe stage depending on demand. Immature fruits can be harvested 21 days after anthesis. Mature fruits for storage, long distance transport and seed extraction are harvested after full development of waxy coating on fruit surface. The average yield are 30-35 t/ha.

Introduction

The arid region of India, constituting 12 m ha area  which occurs dominantly in the northwestern part of the country. The state of Rajasthan accounts for highest area (61%) followed by Gujarat (19.6%) Punjab (5%) and Haryana (4%) of the total geographical area of hot arid ecosystem. These areas experience an annual rainfall between 100-500 mm with the coefficient of variation 40-70 per cent. The mean annual rainfall in the western Rajasthan varies from less than 100mm in extreme western part of the Jaisalmer district to more than 400 mm in eastern part of the region. The high temperature during summers as high as 48^ºC and low in winters up to –3^ºC. High wind velocity  (10-13 km /hr) and high annual  evapo- transpiration  (1527 mm /year)  again gives a great threatening to the arable cropping in this region. The vagaries of monsoon in terms of its occurrence and distribution during the season has a wide variability >48 per cent with 30-35 days of average rainy days per year.

Abstracts

About 60-70% of total food grain production is retained and stored by farmers for household consumption, use as seed, feed for cattle and payment of wages to labours etc. in our country. Yet the quality of grains stored is not so good, and hence, preserving the harvested crops without loss or damage has always been a problem of national importance. This study was conducted in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh state. A tribal block namely Kundam was selected for study purpose. The responses of 120 women were recorded in pre-tested structural schedule through interview. Rural women are an important source of information on the use of indigenous practices for grain storage. The data reveals that the majority of respondents are using dry leaves of Neem, dry onion bulb, wheat straw, Nirgudi leaves, roots of bach etc. for storage of grain at household level. In our country, indigenous practices of grain storage have always been and are still followed, because it is supposed that these practices are useful in control of grain loss.

Indigenous knowledge plays a pivotal role in the sustainable management and conservation of fish populations. Rooted in centuries-old traditions and practices, these systems offer unique insights into local ecosystems, seasonal patterns, and species behavior that are often overlooked by conventional scientific approaches. Indigenous knowledge can acknowledge fish conservation, emphasizing its value in fostering biodiversity, maintaining ecological balance, and supporting livelihoods in fishing communities. Traditional fishing practices, community-based resource management, and cultural norms contribute to the sustainable use of aquatic resources. There are so many challenges such as the erosion of indigenous knowledge due to climate change, environmental degradation, and policy neglect. By integrating indigenous practices with modern conservation strategies, for a collaborative approach that respects and harnesses traditional wisdom to ensure the long-term sustainability of fish populations and aquatic ecosystems.

No society can ever desire to achieve a long-term goal of sustainable development unless it builds upon its own knowledge, traditions, ethical foundations and technological endowments. The knowledge of the people particularly in drought and flood prone regions, hill areas, tribal areas and other high risk environments, has to become a building block of new technological improvements. Knowledge happens when our expectations are belied, modified and sometimes confirmed. Because the asymmetry in our expectations is influenced by our access to resources, institutions, technology and cultural platforms, we get different kinds of knowledge, even when we confront similar situations Gupta (2005). In any community living close to nature, asymmetry in knowledge generation and its utilization is inevitable. The experts exist not just in our profession, but in every profession.

What is Indigenous Knowledge?

Indigenous knowledge (IK) is the local knowledge which is considered as the social capital of the poor. It is their main asset to invest in the struggle for survival, to produce food, to provide for shelter and to achieve control of their own lives. Indigenous knowledge is a cumulative body of knowledge, practices and manifestations maintained and developed by people with long histories of interaction with their natural environment. It forms the basis for local-level decision-making in agriculture, health, natural resource management and other activities, especially for the poor, and provides problem-solving strategies for communities (World Bank, 1998). IK is a tacit knowledge that is not easily codifiable and unique to a particular culture and society.

1. Abrus precatorices

Scientific name     :     Abrus precatorices Linn.
Common name      :     Indian Liquorices
Family      :     Fabaceae
English      :     Indian liquorices
Hindi      :     Gunj
Kannada      :     Gulaganji

Plant habitat and description : It is found in South China, the pacific island, tropical Africa, the West Indies and almost all tropical countries in moist places. In India, it occurs commonly near the ravines of miscellaneous forests, waysides, grass of localities up to 1000 m altitude and throughout warmer regions of country. It is propagated by seeds and can also be propagated by cuttings of firm shoots in sand under glass.
A much branched, perennial climber with woody stem. Leaves are paripinnate leaflets opposite, deciduous, oblong, ligulate, membranous, and glabrous or thincy silky beneath.

The Indian region is one of the world’s eight centres of crop plant origin and diversity, distinguished by Russian Scientist N.I. Vavilov. The region is home to a rich endemic assemblage of plants. Scrub jungles, grasslands, dry and moist deciduous forests, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests are the variety of vegetations along the Ghats. The complex terrain and heavy rainfall have helped to preserve flora and fauna in this region. The Western Ghats are an area of exceptional biological diversity and conservation interest, and are “one of the major Tropical Evergreen Forest Regions in India”.  This region is extremely rich in floristic diversity and most of the species are not exploited so far. There are many underutilized endemic flowering plants found in Western Ghats having ornamental value. 

Flora of Western Ghats
 The Western Ghats cover only 5% of India’s total geographical area but contains more than 27% (4000 species) of  country’s total plant species (Nayar, 1996). The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadris, extend about 1600 km. starting in North from Tapti river and going down to Kannyakumari in the South. These ranges run parallel to West coast hardly 40 kilometres away on an average from shoreline. The Western Ghats run through states of Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Elevation of Western Ghats is in  900 – 1500 m and in some places goes beyond 2000 m. The Western Ghats form major watershed in Peninsular India and  58 major Peninsular Indian rivers originate from them.

INTRODUCTION

North East India is a rich storehouse of indigenous agricultural practices and local varieties of crops. The region comprising of the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim can be physiographically categorized into the Eastern Himalayas, Northeast hills (Patkai-Naga Hills and Lushai Hills) and the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley plains. At the confluence of the Indo-Malayan, Indo-Chinese and Indian biogeographically realms, the NE region is unique in providing a profusion of habitats, which features diverse biota with a high level of endemism (Chatterjee et al., 2006). The northeastern region is rich in biological diversity and contains more than one-third of the country’s total biodiversity. This biodiversity and variability of the ecosystem are used and conserved by traditional communities through various informal institutions and using traditional ecological knowledge systems. Ethnic communities of the region practice their traditional cultivation practices of diverse crop suitable in different ecosystems solely on organic conditions without any external inputs to the system; and value the land and the environment for the sustainability of the system for future generations. There is no systematic record to describe what they are, what they do and how they do, how they can be changed, their operations, their boundaries and their applications.

There has been a paradigm shift in the poultry sector regarding its structure and operations. Over five decades, backyard farming has transformed into a dynamic commercial agri-business. The poultry raised commercially is more enterprise-oriented, whereas poultry raised in backyards and small farms has proven to provide nutritional security worldwide. Although backyard poultry contributes more than 12% to national egg production, it is often neglected. There is a high concentration of commercial poultry egg and meat production in urban and semi-urban areas.

Warren (1987) defined indigenous knowledge as local knowledge, knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. This knowledge is the information base for the society, which facilitates communication and decision making. Indigenous knowledge is passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
 
Carter (1988) while describing the nature of indigenous knowledge indicated that IK is highly localised and restricted. Local environmental factors and cultural conditions govern the revolution of IK these vary between countries, regions and even farm to farm.

12.1. General Practices for Storage

• Lime juice is mixed with grains and then sun dried before storage to prevent insect pests (Farmers in Nigeria).
• Seeds are safely stored in earthern pots after mixing with the leaves of neem and Vitex negundo (Farmers in Gujarat, India).
• Drying seeds and grains of all the crops on the new moon day before storing to avoid pest attack.
• Store seed materials in earthen pots which are kept on the ‘Paran’ directly above the furnace in kitchen. The smoke acts as a repellent.
• Grains, trees etc. harvested on full moon day are raqre prone to storage pest attack.
• Mixing the dried leaves of neem with seeds while storing them.

Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) based inputs (Most of the ITK’s needs scientific validation before large scale adoption)

Is the systematic body of knowledge acquired by local people through the accumulation of experiences, informal experiments, and intimate understanding of the environment in a given culture (Rajasekaran, 1993). Learning from ITK can improve understanding of local condition and provide a productive context for activities designed to help the communities. In addition, the use of ITK’s assures that the end user of specific agricultural development projects are involved in developing technologies appropriate to their needs’. Yet, ITK is still an underutilized resource in the development activities. It needs to be intensively and extensively studied, and incorporated into formal research and extension practices to make agriculture and rural development strategies more sustainable.

Many of our indigenous practices in agriculture and allied fields have been replaced by the so-called modern technologies and they have become obsolete, especially among the younger generations. Now these indigenous practices are endangered ones and these are a possibility for them to become extinct particularly during this era of globalization, liberalization and commercialization. Now the need has come to re-examine and then gradually re-introduce the effective traditional technologies of crop production.

Therefore, there is a need to systematically document the ITK as they are the unwritten body of knowledge. There is no systematic record to describe what is, what it does, how it does, means of changing it, its operations, it boundaries and its applications. It is held in different brains, languages and skills in as many groups, cultures and environments. Tamil Nadu is also a treasure land of indigenous practices in agriculture. However, only a few attempts have been undertaken by social scientists to document the available indigenous agricultural practices but none has evaluated scientifically. The documented ITK practices are given below.

INTRODUCTION

In the emerging global knowledge economy, a country’s ability to build and mobilize knowledge capital is equally important for sustainable development like the physical and financial capital (World Bank, 1997). The basic component of any country’s knowledge capital is its indigenous technical knowledge (ITK). ITK is the social capital of the local people, their main asset to invest in the struggle for survival, to produce food, to provide for shelter or to achieve control of their own lives. It is the unique, traditional, local knowledge existing within and developed around specific condition of men and women indigenous to a particular geographical area (Ghosh and Sahoo, 2011). It helps to increase the sustainability of development efforts because of its integration process with mutual learning and adaptation, which in turn contributes to the empowerment of local communities.

The domestication of animals started during Neolithic period. Initially goats and sheep, subsequently cattle and pigs, and lastly draft animals such as horses and asses were domesticated. Thus, goats and sheep were the earliest domesticated animals and rearing of these animals has been centred on food, religion, culture and economy from the ancient times. India’s ruminant biodiversity is enriched with 34 breeds of goats (ICAR-NBAGR-2023). At the world level, India ranks second in the goat population and third in sheep population. Even with such impressive genetic resource availability, goat rearing still continues to be a backward profession, primarily in the hands of poor, landless or small and marginal farmers who own either an uneconomical land holding or no land at all. Goats are a source of meat, milk and fibre. The ability of goats to utilize minimal forage, and survive under harsh conditions, makes them a very valuable asset for subsistence farmers. Morbidity and mortality are the two important factors resulting in heavy losses in goat production and improvement programmes. Diseases in goats result in mortality which ranges from 5-25% in adults and 10-40% in kids. In addition, losses due to morbidity result in low productivity. Prevention of disease is always better than cure as it is a lot cheaper. Goat farming is still traditionally oriented and the traditional management systems still hold the key in small ruminant production. Ample information regarding Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) still exists in the farming communities, which helps them in practicing successful goat farming. Even though considerable literature pertaining to treatment of animals using indigenous medicines/herbals is available, references on indigenous husbandry practices in sheep and goat farming are lacking.