Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Farm challenges
The relationship between climate and agriculture is closely interconnected with worldwide processes. Even a minor alteration in climate can have detrimental impacts on agricultural productivity and the production of agricultural goods.
he relationship between climate and agriculture is closely interconnected with worldwide processes. Even a minor alteration in climate can have detrimental impacts on agricultural productivity and the production of agricultural goods. While the contribution of agriculture to India’s economy has been decreasing over time, approximately 75 per cent of India’s population relies on rural incomes. Furthermore, India’s ability to ensure adequate food supply depends on the cultivation of cereal crops and the enhanced yield of fruits, vegetables, and milk to satisfy the needs of an expanding population with increasing incomes. Nevertheless, the Indian agricultural sector encounters difficulties due to severe weather phenomena such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, and others, which have severely impacted overall productivity.
Therefore, it is crucial to enact policies that focus on enhancing overall agricultural productivity, expanding diversification, and encouraging sustainable agricultural practices. India’s agriculture sector encounters a multitude of challenges. The adverse consequences of climate change include the occurrence of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, heatwaves, and coastal inundation. These events have resulted in a decrease in crop yield, reduced productivity in livestock, and have caused millions of people to fall into a cycle of poverty and food insecurity. In India, a rise in temperature of 1.5° C and a decrease in precipitation of 2 mm result in a reduction in rice yield ranging from 3 to 15 per cent. Soil fertility is reduced due to the excessive use of fertilisers and chemicals, which leads to soil degradation and erosion. Consequently, the soil becomes more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
The overall productivity has stagnated as a result of insufficient nutrients in the soil. In addition, the implementation of inappropriate land use practices and the burning of crop residues during harvest season have contributed to soil erosion, resulting in significant and lasting impacts on agricultural productivity and sustainability. In India, the lack of adequate agricultural infrastructure, such as storage facilities, pack houses, and efficient supply chains, contributes to higher post-harvest losses. Moreover, the absence of fundamental infrastructure such as road and rail connectivity impedes the farmers’ access to markets and contributes to increased production expenses. The Indian agricultural sector continues to rely on primitive agri-technologies for the production of agricultural goods. The limited availability of modern technologies hampers the ability to widely adopt innovative agricultural practices.
In numerous rural regions, the absence of banking institutions and financial establishments poses challenges for farmers in securing loans and credit facilities. Furthermore, the combination of exorbitant interest rates and restricted availability of formal credit impede the productivity of farmers. This, in turn, prevents them from embracing contemporary farming methods, effectively managing market risks, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. In the Indian context, landholdings are fragmented, meaning that the average size of land owned by individuals is relatively small. This poses challenges in adopting modern farming techniques and achieving economies of scale. Insufficient mechanisation is evident in the agricultural sector, where traditional methods and tools such as sickles and wooden ploughs are still predominantly utilised. There is a need to transition from traditional approaches to contemporary methodologies in order to enhance production on a large scale.
Inadequate agricultural marketing infrastructure results in farmers being dependent on local traders and intermediaries to sell their produce, often at prices that do not reflect true value. As per the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, if adaptation measures are not adopted, rainfed rice yields in India are estimated to decrease by 20 per cent in 2050 and 47 per cent in 2080 scenarios. Similarly, irrigated rice yields are projected to decrease by 3.5 per cent in 2050 and 5 per cent in 2080 scenarios. Climate change diminishes crop yields and decreases the nutritional quality of produce. Moreover, the occurrence of severe events such as droughts and flash floods has a detrimental effect on the consumption of food and nutrients, thereby exacerbating the overall impact on the welfare of farmers.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (2020) report says India still struggles to feed its undernourished population despite producing an estimated 314 million metric tonnes of food in 2021-22, which falls short of achieving food security and meeting the Global Goals for Adaptation. In order to satisfy the increasing need for food due to a growing population and higher income levels, India will have to almost double its food production by the year 2050. In order to surmount these ever-changing obstacles, the Government of India has devised strategies to enhance the adaptability of agriculture to climate change. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is a component of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
Its objective is to develop and execute strategies to enhance the adaptability of agriculture to the impacts of climate change. It is imperative to prioritise the development of adaptation strategies that specifically target climate-resilient agricultural practices. These practices should focus on enhancing agricultural productivity to meet global and food security objectives, enhancing the resilience and adaptability of agricultural systems to climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate risks. India must adopt a multidimensional approach to address challenges related to climate change by implementing a diverse set of adaptation strategies, in addition to adopting climateresilient practices. Technologies for Adaptation refer to the utilisation of technology to decrease susceptibility or improve the ability to withstand the effects of climate change. In the field of agriculture, technologies for adaptation refer to the process of identifying and evaluating agricultural practices and technologies that improve overall productivity, food security, and resilience in specific agro-ecological zones and farming systems.
Multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration are crucial for improving the effectiveness of policies and facilitating the widespread adoption of agricultural adaptation technologies. Cooperation and collaboration among various stakeholders at different levels are necessary for the smooth dissemination of these technologies. Capacity building is crucial for the government to improve its ability to adapt to and address the negative impacts of climate change in any policy. As per the OECD, it is crucial to enhance absorptive capacity, which refers to a system’s capability to effectively handle immediate climate-related consequences. This encompasses strategies like implementing early warning systems to assist farmers in adapting their practices and establishing crop insurance schemes to provide compensation for any incurred losses. Infrastructure capacity development is crucial for enhancing overall productivity, and it is imperative that the infrastructure is designed to be climate resilient.
The government should implement policies aimed at constructing and enhancing current storage facilities in order to mitigate post-harvest losses. Simultaneously, it is crucial to establish basic infrastructure such as road and rail connectivity to enhance farmers’ access to markets, thereby facilitating the connection between farmers and consumers. Soil management is crucial for agriculture to cope with climate change, improve soil durability, and support sustainable farming methods. The government should enforce diverse soil management techniques to achieve these goals. Cover crops are cultivated specifically to provide soil coverage during periods of inactivity, effectively mitigating soil erosion. Furthermore, implementing crop rotation in a methodical manner can enhance the equilibrium of soil nutrients and decrease the need for fertilisers and chemicals, thus augmenting the content of organic matter in the soil and improving its overall health. Water management is crucial in conjunction with agricultural policies and investments to ensure the development of climate-resilient agriculture production systems.
Utilising a blend of regulatory, economic, and collective strategies is necessary to effectively address groundwater sustainability. This is crucial because aquifers are the largest water reservoirs worldwide and play a vital role in supporting irrigated agriculture in important production areas. Water policies encompass water allocation systems that can effectively manage water demand and supply in response to variations in precipitation. Policy formulation involves the development of strategies and guidelines to address adaptation principles at various levels, including local, regional, national, and international. These policies aim to ensure that the factors that contribute to successful adaptation are replicated across different scales. Past experiences with agricultural adaptation technologies have revealed specific requirements for effective policies and recommendations to facilitate the successful implementation of these technologies in adapting agriculture to climate change.
Financial inclusion is essential for addressing the substantial lack of funding for climate adaptation. To bridge this gap, it is crucial to gather financial resources from private sector investments. Inclusive financial systems play a vital role in directing finance to the most vulnerable individuals and last mile workers, including farmers. Establishing Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) can enable farmers to enhance productivity, allocate resources towards farm mechanisation, and take advantage of economies of scale. Moreover, agricultural-focused non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and financial technology (Fintech) can assist farmers in fulfilling their extended credit requirements, thus promoting their income expansion. Although these strategies are in place, the benefits of adapting to climate change also contribute to mitigating its effects through various methods.
These benefits encompass enhanced energy efficiency, decreased urban energy and water usage resulting from greening and recycling initiatives, sustainable farming practices, and the preservation of ecosystems and their associated advantages. To effectively tackle the challenges in India’s agriculture sector, a comprehensive strategy is needed, encompassing technological advancements, optimal utilisation of resources, policy restructuring, and enhancing capabilities. India can bolster agricultural productivity and guarantee food security by implementing these adaptation strategies, thereby making a significant contribution to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
P GARGI RAO
Source: The Statesman, 13/06/24
Why is Father’s Day celebrated on the third Sunday of June?
Father’s Day, as we know it today, largely exists due to the efforts of one American woman. Questioning why a counterpart to Mother’s Day did not exist, she launched a decades-long campaign to honour the memory of her father.
Father’s Day is popularly commemorated on the third Sunday of June every year in many countries. Like other such days, today it bears the distinct mark of commercialisation, with small companies and corporate giants prominently advertising gifting options and discounts.
But the origin of this day is surprisingly personal and primarily relates to one woman’s efforts. What was the intention behind the day first being instituted? Why was this particular day chosen and what was its initial criticism? We explain.
What is the history behind Father’s Day?
Sonora Smart Dodd is a name often associated with the day’s history. The American woman first marked the day in 1910 as a tribute to her widower father William Jackson Smart, who fought in the US Civil War (1861 to 1865) and raised Dodd and her five siblings.
In 1909, Dodd was listening to a church sermon on Mother’s Day, marked annually on the second Sunday of May. Her great-granddaughter Betsy Roddy told the Associated Press in 2017 that the incident “bugged her”. “She thought, ‘Well, why isn’t there a Father’s Day?’”
Interestingly, the origins of Mother’s Day are similar, involving a daughter passionate about preserving their parent’s memory. Activist Anna Jarvis’s mother spent her life working for causes centred around motherhood, such as teaching mothers sanitation to prevent child mortality, and forming a community of mothers from both sides of the Civil War divide to work for peace.
Jarvis decided to campaign for the cause of Mother’s Day and sought to fix a date close to May 9 — the date of her mother’s passing in 1905. She wrote numerous letters to politicians, businessmen, and church leaders to enlist their support for her cause, proposing the second Sunday of May. Following her attempts, some local events were held in 1908. Eventually, US President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill in 1914 to formally recognise Mother’s Day as an official holiday in the country.
Back to Sonora Smart Dodd. Her initial efforts led the local clergy and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) to come on board, and they had their first Father’s Day in Spokane, Washington, in 1910. But it would take a few more decades of lobbying for the day to become more mainstream.
US Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Lyndon B. Johnson also supported such a day of commemoration. In a 1966 proclamation, Johnson wrote: “In the homes of our Nation, we look to the fathers to provide the strength and stability which characterize the successful family. If the father’s responsibilities are many, his rewards are also great— the love, appreciation, and respect of children and spouse. It is the desire to acknowledge publicly these feelings we have for the fathers of our Nation that has inspired the Congress to call for the formal observance of Father’s Day.”
However, this did not accord it the status of an official holiday. That would only happen under President Richard Nixon.
In a proclamation issued on May 1, 1972, Nixon wrote: “Our identity in name and nature, our roots in home and family, our very standard of manhood—all this and more is the heritage our fathers share with us. It is a rich patrimony, one for which adequate thanks can hardly be offered in a lifetime, let alone a single day. Still it has long been our national custom to observe each year one special Sunday in honor of America’s fathers; and from this year forward, by a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, that custom carries the weight of law.”
Why is Father’s Day celebrated on the third Sunday of June?
In Nixon’s presidential proclamation, June 18 was the chosen date of celebration. Back in 1910, Sonora is believed to have brought a petition before the Spokane YMCA, suggesting fathers be recognised during services on June 5 (her father’s birthday). But because there wasn’t enough time to prepare, the event was rescheduled for June 19. This led to an approximate designated day for future celebrations.
According to an article from Reader’s Digest, there was a “national movement” in the US against such days in the 1920s and ’30s, arguing for replacing them with “Parent’s Day”. Many also saw these days as a “commercial gimmick, and as many fathers were the sole breadwinners at the time, they didn’t particularly want their hard-earned cash spent on flowers and chocolates,” it says.
However, the Great Depression and World War II helped the cause of such days when significant sales would help boost economic activity. Today, billions of dollars are spent annually on Father’s Day gifts and events.
The spread of globalisation has brought these days and celebrations to countries like India, too. Another major day, when fathers are honoured in many countries with Catholic populations, is March 19 or Saint Joseph’s Day. A feast is organised on the day for the husband of the Virgin Mary, also believed to be Jesus’s father on earth.
Source: Indian Express, 17/06/24
Thursday, June 06, 2024
Quote of the Day June 6, 2024
“Management is the art of getting things done through other people.”
Mary Parker Follett
“प्रबंधन अन्य लोगों के माध्यम से काम करवाने की कला है।”
मैरी पार्कर फोल्ले
Indian Universities Climb in QS 2025 Global Rankings
The most recent QS World University scores for 2025 show that Indian universities have made big strides forward. 61% of those universities saw their scores go up. For the 13th year in a row, the Massachusetts School of Technology (MIT) has been ranked as the best school in the world.
Performance of Indian Institutes
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) is now ranked 118th in the world, 31 spots higher than it was before. The second and third places in India go to IIT Delhi and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, which are very close behind. Amazingly, IIT Delhi moved up 47 spots and IIT Madras jumped 58 spots, showing big gains. Even with these improvements, IIT Indore went down, falling 23 places.
| 2025 RANK | 2024 RANK | Institution |
| 118 | 149 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) |
| 150 | 197 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) |
| 211 | 225 | Indian Institute of Science |
| 222 | 271 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) |
| 227 | 285 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) |
| 263 | 278 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) |
| 328 | 407 | University of Delhi |
| 335 | 369 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) |
| 344 | 364 | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) |
| 383 | 427 | Anna University |
| 477 | 454 | Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IIT Indore) |
| 531 | 571 | Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi |
| 580 | 601-610 | Jawaharlal Nehru University |
| 587 | 771-780 | Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences |
| 631-640 | 711-720 | Savitribai Phule Pune University |
| 641-650 | – | Symbiosis International (Deemed University) |
| 681-690 | 691-700 | Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad |
| 691-700 | 771-780 | Chandigarh University |
| 701-710 | 781-790 | National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli |
| 711-720 | 751-760 | University of Mumbai |
Global Standings
Globally, MIT is followed by Imperial College London and Harvard University, with the latter sharing the third position with the University of Oxford. Notably, the University of Cambridge dropped from second to fifth place. The rankings also acclaimed ETH Zurich as Continental Europe’s top institution for the seventeenth consecutive year.
Methodology and Measurement
The scores come from a careful study of 176 million citations and 17 million research papers. QS looked at data from 5,600 schools around the world and polled over 175,798 academics and 105,276 employers. Rankings are highly based on key factors like academic reputation, employer reputation, and study impact.
India’s Improvements and Global Representation
India has done very well, with big gains in study and working with other countries. This is shown by the fact that its Citations per Faculty score of 37.8 is higher than the global average. India is the seventh most represented country in the world and the third most represented country in Asia, after Japan and China. It has 46 universities mentioned. Some schools, like the University of Delhi, which moved up 79 spots, really stand out in the new ranks. The QS scores show how competitive higher education is around the world and how India is becoming more important in this field.
Why AI chatbot of your older self won’t stop you from making stupid decisions
If I only knew then, what I know now…” It is a lament the young do not understand, for they do not know that they do not know. But as time passes — sometimes in days, sometimes in years — many people have wanted to go back and counsel, scold and guide themselves to better decisions. Some may wish to go back only a day, and caution their past selves against that fifth drink, or the late-night binge eating.
For others, regrets can span years and even a lifetime. It may be that, after slaving away at a job for decades, someone may want to go back and quit, when time and opportunity allowed them to. Now, AI is trying to allow people to talk to younger versions of themselves.
According to a report in The Guardian, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have built an AI-powered chatbot that simulates a user’s older self and dishes out advice. The profile picture is aged — wrinkles, grey hair and perhaps a bit of wisdom in the eyes — to make the faux time travel feel more authentic.
It gives career advice, tells people to cherish their parents, and shares any number of other pearls of wisdom. If the advice sounds a little corny, users have only themselves to blame — the chatbot is based on their behaviour and inputs. Unfortunately, though, it’s unlikely to alter the course of lives.
The problem with the “I wish I’d known then what I know now” aspiration is, as Terry Pratchett pointed out, “when you got older you found out that you wasn’t you then. You then was a twerp.” It takes a life filled with regrets and what-ifs to gain the wisdom to give advice. Ignoring the advice of elders is what being young is often about. A chatbot won’t change that. If kids were so keen on perspective, they would just listen to their parents.
Source: Indian Express, 6/06/24
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)