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Strengthening National Agricultural Rural System

he agricultural sector dominates the economies of the majority of the countries in the Near East and North Africa Region, and yet it remains a vulnerable sector. It is basic to food security, as it is the source of livelihood for the majority of the population, and provides income, foreign exchange earnings, savings, and gainful employment. Many factors have contributed to holding back agricultural development in the countries of the Region. Slow agricultural growth, with food production rising more slowly than population growth, is a root cause of the economic and food deficit problems. To meet their development objectives, the countries of the Region must increase their food supply and their exports; develop their human and institutional capacities, technology packages, delivery systems and physical infrastructure. The durable solution for improving agricultural performance in the countries of the Region lies largely in the transformation of its agriculture through effective National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) capable of producing productivity enhancing technologies. Rational use of suitable technologies could increase labour and land output, reduce production costs and improve agricultural productivity. Besides technologies, proper transformation requires production and marketing policy reforms, institutional and infrastructure restructuring, adequate inputs, and sound crop and livestock management. The potential for increasing agricultural output in the countries of the Region is great. Crop and livestock yields under farmers conditions are markedly lower than results obtained from research trials. Agriculture is central to economic development, and agricultural research is needed to increase the productivity of the sector. The importance of agricultural research for sustainable agricultural development has been increasingly realized, together with the need for coherent policies to support and guide national agricultural research institutions (NARIs) as one element of NARS in the Region .Enhancing the research capacities of NARS requires combined, integrated and sustained interaction of all the elements involved in agricultural research planning, technology generation, adaptation and validation, transfer and utilization, including the active collaboration of policy-makers, educators, trainers, extension workers and the clients. Strong and effective NARs require sustained political will, support and commitment, linked with appropriate policies and research management, together with defined priorities, coherent objectives, qualified and motivated research scientists, trained technical support staff, adequate research facilities, sustained adequate funding, effective coordination and intensified on-farm involvement. Almost all NARs in the Region fail to satisfy these essential requirements. The consultation called for establishing and strengthening institutional and functional linkages and procedures for coordination, cooperation and collaboration between universities and NARIs, which would enable universities to become effective partners in agricultural research and thereby contributes to improved capacity of NARS. Recognizing the crucial significance of strong and effective NARS, the productive research potential in the universities and the profitability of the functional complementarity of universities and NARIs, the FAO Regional Office for the Near East Region and the FAO Research and Technology Division (AGR) initiated a project to foster the establishing and strengthening of collaborative research linkages between universities and NARIs. The immediate objective of the project was to make universities effective partners in research. The medium- and longerterm objectives were to improve capacity and productivity of NARS and adapt appropriate technology required for improved and sustainable agricultural growth. The basic hypothesis for the project was that, while universities have a high concentration of highly trained scientists, the resource has not been effectively harnessed for applied agricultural research. Linkages between universities and NARIs have been lacking or poorly functioning, and not sustainable. The sustainable agricultural growth needed for improved economies and food security requires a political will to develop appropriate strategic visions and policies, good planning and firm commitment to additional and sustained funding, physical resources, a conducive environment, and particular strong, effective NARS. Improved capacity and productivity of NARS is vital for sustainable agricultural growth. The need is recognized, and it is accepted that agricultural research can be a very effective means to meet that need. Improved capacity and productivity of NARS can be attained in part by improved research collaboration between universities and NARIs, which will harness the resources of research scientists available in universities but currently under-utilized for research.

Ashima Colvin
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14 20 Agri Solution 26 Perspective

Agriculture Updates

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9 Interview

Dr. G. N. Nagaraja from UAS Bangalore

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News
Patnaik for constant price of fertilizers
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked the central government to maintain a constant price of fertilizers to protect the farmers from exploitation. There has been a sudden spurt in the prices of fertilisers, specifically of de-controlled phosphatic and potassic fertilisers, Patnaik said in a letter to Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister M.K.Alagiri. The prices are also changing very frequently resulting in a chaotic situation in the field, he said in the letter. The farmers are facing difficulty in ascertaining the prices of fertilisers. As a result, unscrupulous dealers are taking advantage of the situation and exploiting the farmers, he said.Patnaik asked the government to take steps to maintain a constant price of fertilisers for at least a particular cropping season instead of leaving it completely to the mercy of the market forces.

Cocoa prices drop despite fall in production

Govt has stock of 76.02 mn tonnes of wheat, rice

The government has a total stock of 76.02 million tonnes of rice and wheat as on August 1 this year, while storage capacity available for central pool is 70.50 million tonnes. To overcome the storage problem, two million tonnes of wheat was exported, Food Minister K V Thomas said in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha. The wheat stock was to the tune of 47.52 million tonnes and rice 28.50 million tonnes as on August 1, 2012.The total storage capacity available with the Food Corporation of India (owned and hired) as on July 31, 2012 was for 36.43 million tonnes. Taking together FCI and state agencies, the capacity available is 70.50 million tonnes, he said. He said the Centre has not written to state governments for creation of storage facilities through rural employment scheme MGNREGA.To increase the covered storage capacity, the government had launched the Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) scheme in 2008, he said.To encourage private sector in creating storage capacity under PEG scheme, various incentives, including a guarantee of 10 years will be provided to the private entrepreneurs for their godowns hired by FCI/nodal agency, regardless of capacity being utilised.

Cotton slides as mills reduce purchases

Weak demand from mills dragged down cotton. Besides, most markets in Gujarat were closed for festivals. According to market analysts, bearish US Department of Agriculture data continued to weigh on the sentiment, although tight supplies are likely to support prices. The new A grade S-6 variety traded at Rs 38,300-38,700 a candy of 356 kg and B grade at Rs 38,000-38,300. The new V-797 was offered at Rs 30,500-31,000 a candy.In Maharashtra, A grade low micronaire (29 mm) quoted at Rs 38,000-38,300 a candy and high micronaire at Rs 38,300-38,700.About 2,000-3,000 bales of 170 kg each arrived in Gujarat, while 5,000-6,000 bales arrived in the rest of the country. The fibre was down in North India on slow demand and weak futures. Ginners were willing to sell at current prices. J-34 RG quoted at Rs 3,865-3,920 a quintal in Punjab, at Rs 3,810-3830 in Haryana and at Rs 3,810-3,820 in Rajasthan.The crop in Gujarat, the largest producer, may plunge by as much as 30 per cent in the harvest starting October 1 from 12 million bales a year earlier, said the Gujarat State Cooperative Cotton Federation. The planted area in the State will probably slump by as much as 25 per cent from 3 million hectares in 2011-2012.
Agri-Times

Some cocoa growers in Kerala have begun to cut down trees and switch over to other crops such as mangosteen and rambutan. This is due to drop in prices this year, despite decline in output due to unfavourable weather conditions and black rot diseases. However, according to official sources, such a situation hasnt emerged at present and if somebody wants to shift that may be for some other reason. The total production of cocoa in the country stood at around 50 per cent of the total requirement of over 30,000 tonnes of dried beans by about 10 processing and manufacturing units. During 2011-12, total output stood at 12,900 tonnes from 63,015 hectares spread over the entire South India against 14,436 tonnes from 56,515 hectares in 2010-11, senior official sources said.The balance requirement is met by imports for long, they said. Prices in the international markets were above the Indian prices last year due to demand-supply mismatch. But, now the situation has changed and world market prices for dried beans are at par with the domestic prices now, they said. Some of the growers in Pathanamthitta district, one of the main cocoa growing areas in Kerala have started cutting down the cocoa trees for replacing them with mangosteen, which, Josua Daniel, a cocoa grower of Konni, claimed is a lucrative crop with high returns. However, it would take seven years to start yielding, he said.

News
Drought-like condition could hit crop output, prices Nabard launches Producers Organization Development Fund

The Government today said drought-like situation in some parts of the country could affect agricultural production and may have its impact on prices of essential commodities.The prevailing drought conditions could affect the crop prospects and may have its impact on the prices of essential commodities, such as shortfall in domestic supplies relative to demand, Food Minister K V Thomas said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), monsoon rain has been 17 per cent lower between June 1 and August 5, he said. Four states - Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra - are facing drought-like situation. Noting that prices of certain essential items have risen in last three months, K V Thomas said the Government, however, has taken steps to tackle food inflation in view of this situation in some parts of the country.According to the data placed before Parliament, retail prices of some pulses, sugar, edible oil and tomato have risen in the last three months. Prices of rice, wheat and atta remained stable.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has created an organisation development fund to comprehensively support producer organisations across the country. It has also set up a dedicated fund, Producers Organisation Development Fund, for the purpose.According to R. Shankar Narayan, Assistant General Manager, Nabard, Madurai, the Bank organised recently a workshop on producer organisations for prospective channel partners in order to give them basic inputs on the emerging concept. S.Natarajan, Deputy General Manager, Nabard, Watershed PMU, Madurai, while inaugurating the programme said that the concept will empower farmers and give them the crucial hold on pricing decisions. Professional functioning will be a key factor when the organisations are assessed for support by Nabard. The fund will have flexible interest rates and give support for capacity building. Shankar Narayan further said that only value-added farming held the key to growth and farmers have to not only adopt latest technology but should have also access to all the resources and should collectively source inputs, own farm equipment and rent them to fellow farmers. He said they should sell their produce collectively so that they commanded the best price. All this requires are unity and mobilisation in the shape of producer organisations. Information about the organisations has been extended to various entities such as Banana Ripening Chambers for the banana growers of Varadarajapuram, Tiruchi, Coffee growers in Dindigul and Drip Irrigation in Tirunelveli Cotton ginning in Ramanathapuram. The participants were guided on the nuances of the formation of organisations and the essential elements that are needed to be taken care of. The programme was attended mainly by NGOs who are implementing watershed projects in partnership with Nabard in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, he added.

Banking operations in for big push in Bihar88)

Bihar may soon shed the tag of being one of the most under-banked states in the country with the bankers operating in the state deciding to open 16,238 new units to facilitate expansion of banking activities. This decision was taken at the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) meeting held here on Friday. The bankers shared the state governments concern on low spread of banking activities and the need for financial inclusion of every family in a bid to step up developmental activities.The 16,238 new units to be added to the existing 4,882 brick-and-mortar branches and 2,145 ATMs of various banks include opening of 419 new brick-and-mortar branches of various banks, 1,866 new ATMs, 1,695 ultra-small branches (USBs) covering all the villages having a population of more than 5,000 people besides 12,258 banking units in equal number of villages, each with a population of more than 1,600 people.All the 1,695 USBs will be opened in the next three months. Bankers have agreed to do it. Besides, 12,258 villages would also be saturated with banking facility under business correspondent model (BCM) during the same period, said deputy CM cum states finance minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who reviewed the performance of the bankers at the SLBC meeting.

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News
Barclays Bank draws blank in June credit card sales
Barclays Banks credit cards, Barclaycard, failed to do any business across India in June, according to a recent report of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The UK-headquartered Bank, which had only 2,148 credit card users, drew a blank in terms of both the number and the amount of transactions, according to the RBI statistics on credit cards, dated June 26.Other banks with less active credit cards were Tamil Nadu Mercantile Bank Ltd (5,624 cards) and Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd (1,833 cards) whose businesses amounted to Rs 99.70 lakh and Rs 71 lakh, respectively.Among the nationalised banks, the credit cards of Central Bank of India (59,346) seemed least active, with transaction worth only Rs 2.14 crore, followed by Bank of Maharashtra (27,009 cards, transaction: Rs 3.85 crore) and Indian Overseas Bank (35,542 cards, transaction: Rs 7.58 crore). HDFC Bank continued to be the top credit card provider with 57.98 lakh credit cards in use, followed by ICICI Bank (28.21 lakh) and SBI Cards (23.21 lakh). Among foreign banks, Citibank (23.13 lakh cards, transaction: Rs 1,725.55 crore), American Express (6.20 lakh cards, transaction: Rs 1,162.11 crore) and Standard Chartered Bank (12.65 lakh cards, transaction: Rs 696.97 crore) were active.

Central Bank of India launches new deposit scheme

The state-owned lender, Central

Indias food subsidy grew by 300%

Food subsidies have grown by more than 300 per cent in a period of six years between 2006-07 and 2011-12, says a study by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A).According to the study, food subsidies increased from Rs 2,850 crore in 1991-92 to about Rs 72,823 crore in 2011-12, an increase of over 25 times in 21 years. As a result, its share in total central government subsidies under non-planed expenditure increased from 23.3 per cent to 33.7 per cent.India has one of the largest food subsidy programmes in the world that has created a relatively effective social safety net but is also being increasingly criticized because of its large contribution to government budget deficits, economic inefficiency and poor targeting, says the working paper Food Subsidy in India: Trends, Causes and Policy Reform Options by IIM-A faculty member-Vijay Paul Sharma. According to the study, increase in procurement prices was the main contributor that increased economic cost of foodgrains, which is responsible for rising food subsidy. The proportion of expenditure on food items has declined by about 10 per cent in the rural areas and by about 16 per cent in the urban areas between 1987-88 and 2009-10 but low income class of consumers spend about 65 per cent of their total expenditure on food items in rural areas and about 62 per cent in urban areas, it says. The economic cost of rice has increased from Rs 1,391 per quintal in 200607 to Rs 2,184 in 2011-12, an increase of about 57 per cent. In case of wheat it has increased from Rs 1,178 to Rs 1,652 (40.3% increase). Increase in procurement price (74.2% in rice and 67.1% in wheat) was the main reason for the increase in economic cost of foodgrains.

Bank of India, has launched yet another innovative product Cent SwaShakti RDSScheme, a flexi-recurring deposit scheme, unique feature of the scheme is that the monthly deposits can be varied, depending upon the surplus funds available at the disposal of the depositor, in a particular month. The scheme being most suited to each and every member in the household, we welcome you to open not only your individual account but also that of all other family members, said Umesh Singh field general manager ( Madhya Pradesh) of the bank. The good thing related to the scheme was that one can deposit any amount in the multiples of Rs 100 and therewill be no TDS, added he. Minors 10 years and above singly or minors below 10 years jointly with guardian can avail of the scheme. Interest rate will be as per prevailing term deposit card rate. It will be calculated on daily basis and will be credited every half year in June/Dec. Senior citizens are entitled to an additional interest of 0.50%. Minimum monthly core amount is Rs 100 and maximum is Rs 1,00,000. We are getting very good response of the scheme, added Singh.

Poor monsoon could fuel inflation, says RBI Governor

A deficient monsoon and poor rains in parts of country could go to amplify inflation expectations in the country, according to Reserve Bank Governor D. Subbarao.This can raise inflation expectations as people generally tend to expect inflationary trends to feed into themselves. Neither has the supply response been adequate.On the problems facing the macro-economy, he said that decline in investments was a major area of concern.The historically high current account deficit (CAD) is borne out of the adverse fiscal deficit-revenue combine. Borrowings are used to meet current spending.The government often chooses the soft option to tax rather than control spending. Sustainable gains on this front can only flow from expenditure compression.Here is where quality of fiscal adjustment assumes importance. We cannot avoid spending in must items such as defence, salaries and subsidy, for instance, he added. Agri-Times 5

Villagers demand develop- Mahto inaugurates develop- Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporament plan for Agasaim ment schemes tion draws boos from rural bodies
Under the chairmanship of new sarpanch James Pereira, the first gram sabha of Agasaim village panchayat was held at St Lawrence church hall on Sunday.The locals demanded that a concrete plan be chalked out by the panchayat for sustainable development of the village and a committee be formed in each ward with various representations. Speaking on revenue generation, ex-sarpanch Piedade Fernandes suggested that a certain amount should be collected annually from all the boat owners who anchor their vessels by the banks of the river.With regards to the beautification of the memorial of the seven martyrs, the sarpanch said that the panchayat received 10 lakh for the work, which is estimated to cost at 20 lakh. Instead of leaving it done, we have decided to utilize the funds for a Ganesh immersion site at Malwara at a cost of 5 lakh and to spend another 4 lakh for the beautification of the chapel of Our Lady of Fatima at Mercurim, Pereira said. Tony Fernandes, a local, said that the 10 lakh could be used to beautify the memorial in a small way by replacing the wornout photos of martyrs and erecting lights around the site. He suggested that instead of focusing on individual wards for developmental works, funds should be utilized at places which will benefit the general public.

Deputy chief ministerSudesh Kumar Mahto launched a model village and Sanjivini projects of rural development department at Murgu village, the native village of martyr Telanga Khadia, under Sisai block of the district. He also inaugurated 35 development schemes, including 29 bridges worth around Rs 40 crore online, besides laying the foundation of a Dak Bungalow of the district council to be built at Sisai block headquarters on the occasion .Under MVP, Mahto laid foundation of a Gram Sansad Bhawan and Gram Sanskritik Kendra to be constructed with the cost of Rs 43 lakh and Rs 22 lakh respectively. Speaking to the people, the deputy CM said the historic village of the martyr would be developed into a model village and its selection for the MVP is to pay tribute to the martyrs and freedom fighters. Proposed Gram and Sansad Bhawan would function as a village secretariat to effect gram - Swaraj. Basic infrastructure would also come up at the village soon, he added.He also launched the Sanjivini project with object of bringing women empowerment by linking womenfolk with livelihood projects and building their capacity . Gumlas Sisai block is one among 17 blocks selected under it in the state, he said adding 600 women self groups (SHGs) would be constituted in this block.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporations decision to include 21 gram panchayats (GP) in its jurisdiction has not gone down well with people of five of those GPs. Nearly 40,000 people in 28 villages in Barimunda, Kalyanpur, Dadha, Raghunathpur and Kalarahanga panchayat areas in Bhubaneswar North assembly constituency do not want the BMC to look after them, as they feel the civic body has failed to deliver civic amenities to its existing 60 wards. The BMC, in its recent council meeting, passed a resolution to annex 21 GPs along with two revenue villages to reach the one million-population mark. It will fetch more central aid for different projects.We do not oppose urbanization. But we do not trust the service of BMC, whose performance is very poor in the city. Once included in BMCs jurisdiction, we will have to pay more taxes for different facilities, said zila parishad member Basanti Patra. We have written to the housing and urban development department to scrap the proposal, she said.Our villages are getting ample funds and people here enjoy very good facilities under various rural schemes. It will not benefit us if the villages go under BMC jurisdiction, said Subash Patra, another villager. Bhubaneswar North MLA Bhagirathi Badajena too has thrown his support behind the villagers. I do not see anything wrong in the contention of villagers. Their apprehension is justified as BMC has failed to provide basic amenities to people in many wards in the city. If BMC pledges to provide the best service, then its okay, Badajena told.

Assocham moots Rs 10k-cr infrastructure fund for West Bengal

Assocham has suggested forming a Rs 10,000-crore infrastructure development fund for West Bengal. It has also offered to prepare a detailed policy framework for realizing the States growth potential. In a strategy paper for the State released, the industry body said that to facilitate private investments and obtaining support from the Central Government for infrastructure development, the State needs to have a separate department. It further said the infrastructure fund be set up jointly by the State and the federal Government. Assocham felt the State urgently required creating clusters for the manufacturing sector. It added that the industry body was for developing infrastructure in West Bengal for reducing the transaction costs of trade.

Agri-Times

Agri StAtiSticS
Deficient Monsoon Sweetens Apple further
Apple is one of the agricultural produce that has gained sharply in the last few weeks. From around Rs 3,000 during mid-July, the fruit was quoted at Rs 4,800 at Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. In retail outlets in the South, apple costs between Rs 120 a kg (for Chinese) to Rs 180 (for US, Australian). The surprising aspect of the rise in price is that it has been gaining despite higher arrivals. So far, some 166 tonnes have arrived at Kullu APMC against 78 tonnes during the same period a year ago. According to reports, though apple production in Himachal Pradesh has been affected by frost and hail storm. Last weeks rain has also affected the crop to some extent. However, production could be a little higher than last year in Himachal Pradesh that accounts for 30 per cent of the total production in the country. The crop has also been affected in Kashmir. The main reason for apple to rise is deficient monsoon in the main growing States of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Apple prices are likely to rule firm this season and could gain further with a slew of festivals coming up.

Agri-Times

Agri-Times

Cover Story

With the advent of globalisation and rapid expansion in Food & agriculture sector, industries across the globe are investing enormously in India. Thus, posing proportionate risk of food safety to the consumers the Government of India has framed more stringent norms which are covered under Food Safety & standards Act of India which had already come into force. With the implementation of FSSA, hygiene control and the food safety policies are becoming more stringent which demands the food processing industries to cope up with the challenging environment. India thus requires ultra modern state of the art laboratories for the analysis of food samples.Indias latest state-of-the-art laboratory for food research and analysis, EFRAC (Edward Food Research and Analysis Centre Limited) is moving ahead to provide a safer tomorrow. It had been equipped with all modern and hi tech instrumentation and well experienced manpower.

Agri-Times

Cover Story
EFRAC, one of the largest & most sophisticated ultra modern Lab in Eastern India has opened its doors to all the consumers, Food majors, Govt & non- Govt organizations to facilitate the state of the art analytical & R&D capabilities to address the increasing Food Safety concerns arising with the advent of globalization and rapid expansion in Food & Agriculture sector. Food safety is a major concern today and its the need of the hour to have facilities like EFRAC to fight against the monstrous food safety issues like Nutrition, Hygiene, Adulteration & Quality of Food products. The company has a vision in line with the Government of Indias initiative towards Food Safety. Indian government has recently enforced much-awaited stringent Food Safety guidelines called Food Safety Standards Act of India, 2006 to ensure the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. EFRAC, set up with an investment of Rs. 35 Crores at Barasat, Kolkata, will offer independent, high Precision, Cost effective Analytical & R&D services to Food & Allied sectors & will strive hard to support & materialize the governments Nobel vision of Food Safety. Increasing population, have raised the demand for Agricultural produce & livestock. To meet this demand & raise productivity, Pesticides, Banned chemicals,

Antibiotics, Hormones etc are used, which then enters the food cycle through vegetables & Meat products. These harmful pesticides & chemicals in-turn enter the human body through the food chain posing a potential health risks to mankind. Food contamination monitoring is thus an essential component of assuring the safety of food supplies and managing health risks.

Laboratories facilities
EFRAC is first of its kind Laboratory in Eastern India having the capability to do multi-parameter & multi-product testing in compliance with national & international standards. With state-of-the art customized equipments, competent manpower, essential accreditations and infrastructural exclusivity, this unique facility offers services as varied as Pesticide Analysis, Heavy Metal Analysis, Chemical Analysis, Microbiological Analysis, GMO testing, Dioxin Analysis, Antibiotic Analysis, Mycotoxins Analysis, Food R&D, Training & Consultation under one roof. The facility will extend its services to sectors like Fruits & Vegetables, Fruit concentrates, Beverages (Alcoholic &Non alcoholic), Spices & Condiments, Pulses & Cereals, Sugar & Confectionery, Meat & Marine Products, Egg & poultry products, Milk & milk products, Potable & Non- Potable Water, Oil etc.

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EFRAC has independent laboratories for following services:Residue Analysis Food and Agro Products Analysis Microbiological Analysis Environmental Testing Water & waste water testing Metals & Minerals Analysis Plastic product testing

Development and validation of novel analytical method for the analysis of organic pollutants in food water and environmental sample. Dissipation study of different pesticides in soil and water in laboratory conditions. Photo degradation of some selected pesticides & herbicides. Heavy metal contamination studies in fruits, vegetables and milk products. Evaluation of Food safety Development of new organic farming methods. Enhancing the shelf life of perishables fruits, vegetables, flowers, product diversification and value addition for better profitability. Environmental impact assessment and bioremediation of stresse aquatic ecosystem Establish mutually beneficial collaborations with academic and biotech companies to increase EFRACs visibility.

Research & Development EFRAC, Eastern Indias most sophisticated and ultramodern facility, is at par with laboratories of international standards. It is an approved project by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, under the 11th Five Year Plan Scheme for setting up / upgradation of Quality control / Food testing Laboratories. An array of food testing and Certification of products will be performed in this facility. Banking on intellectual capital and technological capability, Edward Food Research & Analysis Center is making inroads in the domain of research and development. A competent team of researchers is working towards development of methods, which can be applied for the betterment of society and environment. Major Thrust areas are:-

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Cover Story
Farmers in West Bengal can now take benefit from the EFRACs special package for Soil Bio-remediation & Soil Fertility testing, which will help in increasing the crop productivity by knowing in advance the required amount of minerals to be used in the field. Agricultural and allied food exports have grown 35% in 2010 -11 over previous fiscal year and is expected to grow by 41% by 2011-12. In order to maintain the importers confidence in quality of the product & to meet the stringent Food Safety standards of EU & other Gulf countries, a long term sustainable plan is required which EFRAC can support through its technological advancement & skilled manpower. This project will benefit all stakeholders of Food processing & allied industries, Food product Exporters, Academic & Research Institutions, Regulatory bodies and concerned govt & non- govt organizations. Using our state-of-the-art-facilities and technologies, EFRAC offer an extensive array of quality, risk & safety assessments, commodity testing and inspections, auditing and certification of products, processes and systems to applicable international standards with the sole objective to serve our customers with complete solution, Edward Food Research and Analysis Centre Limited (EFRAC), with an investment of Rs. 35 crore, covers a land area of about 21000sq ft in which utmost care has been taken in each and every aspect. The laboratory is one of the best- equipped testing laboratories in India.

s Food Safety Clinic

d ling, preparation an ty is all about hand rne Food safe at prevent food bo od in many ways th storage of fo ed to avoid w steps to be follow ss. This includes fe ly handled illne hazards. Improper ially severe health potent to person as disease from person food can transmit can cause food m for bacteria that ell as growth mediu w like poisoning. n today .Facilities ty is a major concer Food safe g against the be helpful in fightin EFRAC will surely , hygiene & issues like nutrition strous food safety mon oducts. ality of the food pr adulteration and qu

Food contamination is of grave concern to all the consum ers ever ywhere.
Mixing water in milk, syn thetic milk. Harmful colors in cooking powder and spices. Animal fat in ghee. Arsenic, lead in water, are all ongoing problems faced by the co nsumers.

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Cover Story
Vision of EFRAC Continuously strive to ach ieve the heights of excellence in me eting customers expectations by focusing on quality services and customer confidenti ality. Establish the brand EFR AC as the leader of the analytical an d R&D services. To ensure customer satisfa ction by deploying a comprehensive range of state- of-theart analytical techniques in order to support stringent food safety stand ards. To establish long-term bu siness relationship with customers through cost effective services, accurate and pr ecise test results of outstanding quality.

Mission of EFRAC To devote our services to i mprove the quality and safety sta ndards of food in our country by connecting EFRACs expertise at all stages from far m to fork. To emerge as one of the m ost renowed food safety solut ion provider on global platforms.

EFRAC is also setting up Food clinics initiating from West Bengal with a wide expansion of all over India.
As a solution to this problem, we have at EFRAC have taken it upon ourselves to set up food clinics in districts and cities, all over India, starting from eastern India, where everyone can come to learn more about the food safety, food testing and research. Efrac is also trying to ensure quality testing kits to be available at all upcoming food safety clinics through which the consumers can do the screening of few major contaminants at their home itself. EFRAC, which has been scrutinized by the Ministry of Food processing Industries, GOI, offers independent, efficient and cost effective research and analytical services that will expedite reduced business risk to all the Food Processing Industries across the Country.
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agriCulture updateS

now Hows on K

Agriculture
Agricultural prices panel to hold talks on copra pricing
The Agricultural Prices Commission of India will be visiting the Coconut Development Board to convene discussions on formulating a price policy for copra for the 2013 season. The Commission will be headed by Ashok Gulati, Chairman, CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) and members A.K. Vishandass, Adviser, A.K. Jena and Anandi Subramanian, CACP advises the Government on the price policy of major agricultural commodities with a view to evolving a balanced and integrated price structure in keeping with the overall needs of the economy and the interests of the producer and the consumer. The team will discuss with officials of the CDB, State Government, State Agricultural Prices Board and farmers representatives. The Coconut Development Board has submitted a draft price policy for the 2013 season to CACP. In order to formulate a price policy for copra in the 2012 -13 seasons, the commission will also hold discussions with coconut growers representatives at Pollachi, an area with potential area in Tamil Nadu . son coming to an end and rains lashing parts of the country, egg prices are set for a spike on hopes of a rebound in consumption. Egg price rose by 5 paise to Rs 3.09 a piece, crossing the Rs 3 mark for the third time in 2012. The National Egg Coordination Committee of Namakkal zone has decided to hike the floor price steadily. Egg prices have already been hiked in Delhi, Barwala and Kolkata major consuming markets in the North. Moreover, soaring feed costs, too, are prompting the industry to raise prices. Prices of soyameal, a key ingredient in poultry feed, has more than doubled this year to Rs 41,000-41,500 a tonne from last year. Maize prices, too, are up 2 per cent at Rs 1,500 a quintal. Oil and oilmeal prices, too, are way high, making feed an expensive commodity for poultry industry. The broiler price has been hiked by Rs 7 a kg to Rs 58 owing to pick-up in demand. Layer birds are ruling flat at Rs 45 as farmers stopped selling birds, since the egg rate has been increasing pushing up bird rates. Farmers are not ready to sell their chicken as they expect egg to climb further, said an NECC spokesperson.

Madhya Pradesh clocks 18 % agriculture growth

Madhya Pradesh stood first in the country by achieving about 18 percent agriculture growth rate during year 2011-12 and also stood at second position among states in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), an official spokesman said. With state achieving 11.98 % economic growth rate during 2011-12, MP has become the only state in the country which finds it place in first four in all the components of GSDP in the 11th Five year plan. Pointing out that the per capita income at current prices has also increased by 19.89 % to touch Rs 38,699 in2011-12 as compared to previous fiscal, the spokesman said states economic growth rate during the 11th Five-Year Plan from 2007-08 to 2011-12 was 10.20 % whereas the All India average was just 7.67 %. During 2011-12, states economic growth rate stood at 11.98 % against the all-India average of 6.48 %. He said the state achieved 9.04 % agriculture growth rate during 11th Five-Year Plan against national level average of 2.48 %. Growth rate in construction sector was 13.03 % during 11th Five-Year Plan against national average of 6.81 %/.

SLBC, Karnataka directs Consumption to push up banks to restructure farm egg loans
With the austere Shravan/Aadi seaState Level Bankers Committee

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(SLBC)-Karnataka has directed lead district mangers (LDMs) to hold special meetings immediately to draw up drought action plan.LDMs in the affected districts have been told to convene district-level coordination committee (DLCC) meeting to assess the ground situation before taking up relief works, K.P. Muralidharan, SLBC convenor, told. Due to below normal monsoon rains this year, the State government has declared 142 taluks in 26 districts as drought-hit. Last year (2011-12) also, due to erratic rains, 123 taluks were affected. Last week, SLBC has also issued directions to all banks including regional rural banks (RRBs), district co-operative banks to follow the guidelines issued by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take up relief measures in the affected districts. As per SLBC statistics, commercial and public sector banks, regional rural banks (RRBs) and cooperative banks have a total outstanding under agriculture (farm loans) of around Rs 54,764 crore. According to agriculture department statistics, sowing has taken place only in 39.27 lakh hectares as against a target of 74.70 lakh hectares. Crops sown in about three lakh hectares have been lost due to deficit rains. To tide over the crisis, the State government has sought Rs 11,480-crore relief from the Centre. The formal request was made by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar when to two Union Ministers, Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh, visited the State recently to assess the drought situation.

agriCulture updateS

date in Rajasthan is about 1.5 times more than last year and will touch 4.5 million hectares, said B.D. Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Vikas WSP Ltd, an exporter in Sri Ganganagar. Planting is still going on and will continue at least till August 20, he said.Despite delayed monsoon, the situation is quite comfortable and we expect a good harvest, Agarwal said. The shares of Vikas WSP were trading closer to the yearly-high level at around Rs 73.15 on the BSE . The pick-up in rain has reduced the countrys overall deficit to around 15 per cent.

Foodgrains output likely to be better than 2009 drought year

Rebound in futures lifts spot rubber

More area seen under guar this year as sowing picks up

Planting of guar has picked up in the key State of Rajasthan, with the growing areas receiving good showers in recent weeks. Trade sources expect the guar acreage to be higher than last years 3 million hectares as farmers, lured by high returns, are expected to plant more.The acreage till
Agri-Times

The market regained strength following the sharp recovery on the National Multi Commodity Exchange (NMCE). The trend was partially mixed. Meanwhile, domestic rubber futures bounced back mainly on fresh buying and short covering at lower levels. Sheet rubber improved to Rs 170 (168) a kg, according to traders. The grade finished steady at Rs 169 a kg at Kottayam and Kochi, as reported by the Rubber Board. In futures, the September series flared up Rs 169.80 (163.44), October to Rs 167.84 (161.39), November to Rs 166.94 (160.52) and December to Rs 167.50 (161.14) a kg on the NMCE. Tokyo rubber futures edged higher, as the better than expected US economic data boosted investor confidence. But gains were limited owing to weak oil prices. According to reports, worlds top three rubber producers Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia were expected to come up with measures to support farmers.

Despite deficient monsoon rains, the countrys foodgrains output this year is likely to surpass that of the 2009 drought year, the Government said. Monsoon rains have been 15 per cent deficient between June 1 and August 1, and four states Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra are facing drought-like situation.Despite weak monsoon, total foodgrains production is expected to be better than 2009, Minister of State for Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat said at the Golden Jubilee celebration of state-run National Seeds Corporation (NSC).The total foodgrains output (rice, wheat, coarse cereals and pulses) is likely to be higher than 2009 level because the number of drought-hit areas is less this time and the Centre is better prepared to tackle the drought situation, he said on the sidelines of the event. There may not be much impact on the production of rice the key kharif crop, he said, adding that the contingency plans prepared for 320 districts are being implemented.

Coconut Board seeks ban on palm oil import

The Coconut Development Board has sought a ban on palm oil import in view of the steep fall in coconut oil prices. The Board asked the State Government to impress upon on the Union Commerce Ministry to restrict or introduce a total ban on the import of palm oil through south Indian ports. The CDB also urged the Union Government to provide incentives for the export of coconut oil. Senior officials said that palm oil
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is the major competitor for coconut oil in the State. Coconut oil is used as edible oil in Kerala and neighbouring regions of Tamil Nadu. Therefore, a ban on the import of palm oil through the southern ports will lead to an increased demand for coconut oil. The CDB also urged the Chief Minister to put pressure on the Union Government to lift the quantity restriction on the export of coconut oil and to allow bulk packing in south Indian ports. According to statistics available with the CDB, import of refined oil (RBD palmolein) during NovemberMay increased by 97 per cent and touched 10,84,033 tonnes compared with 5,51,327 tonnes in the previous year. During the same period, crude palm kernel oil import increased by 82 per cent, and crude palm oil by 14 per cent. However, coconut oil export is limited to a maximum of 10,000 tonnes. Such a restricted quantity can only be exported in branded consumer packs up to 5 kg each. Since domestic as well as international prices are almost at a par with each other, the export market is competitive for coconut oil. The huge ethnic population of south Indian people in the West Asian countries is another advantage. Currently, they are catered by coconut oil from Sri Lanka and the Philippines, the officials added. The branch would be housed in a Tamil Nadu based boats also employ building, whose construction at a cost Malayalee labourers in their boats. of Rs. 17 crore was nearing completion. Crores for mechanizing opera-

tions in coffee plantations Kerala to charge fishing boats The Centre has approved an outlay of from other states, Tamil Nadu Rs. 100 crore in the 12th Five Year Plan for implementing the scheme Supfishermen upset
In a move that may have far reaching consequences and even put dents in inter-state relations, the Kerala government has decided to collect user fee from fishing boats from neighbouring states for fishing in waters close to its coast .According to a government order dated August 9, 2012, issued by state fishing and ports department, all fishing boats from neighbouring states engaged in fishing in Kerala coast should pay Rs 15,000 as user fee to the state government every three months. In Tamil Nadu, fishermen from the Western Coast of Kanyakumari district expressed concern over the new user fee proposed by the Kerala government for using their harbours. Most of the boats from the region use Kerala coast for fishing and a good number of boats use Kollam, Munambam and Cochin fishing harbours. When contacted, the fishermen association leaders said that they were not aware of this new rule but still felt that it will affect the fishing boats from Tamil Nadu as well as the mutual relationship between fishermen from the two states. Sources in the fishing sector say that its the first time that any state has introduced such a user fee system for boats from other states. Moreover, the government order might also prompt other states to initiate such restrictions against boats from Kerala. A large chunk of fishing boats from the state also explores the coast of neighbouring and far away states in search of good catch. Many

Comprehensive cover for farmers

insurance

port for mechanisation of farm operations in coffee estates. Officials in the Coffee Board told The Hindu that the Centre would soon issue an order for implementing the scheme from the current year. The amount would be utilised for providing subsidy to coffee growers to purchase machinery. A sum of Rs. 20 crore would be utilised each year in the Plan period between 2012 and 2017.While small growers owning less than 25 acres of plantation are eligible to get 50 per cent subsidy (up to Rs. 2 lakh) for purchase of machinery, large farmers are eligible to obtain 25 subsidy (up to Rs. 4.5 lakh). Self-help groups are eligible to get 50 per cent subsidy (up to Rs. five lakh). Nearly 97 per cent of coffee planters own less than 25 acres of estates in Karnataka.Officials said acute shortage of labour and rise in wages in traditional coffee growing States such as Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu is impeding expansion of area under coffee. The Board has decided to push for more mechanisation of farm activities in plantations to address the problem of absence of skilled labour.

Beneficiaries of the Chief Ministers Farmers Security Scheme will be covered under the Chief Ministers Comprehensive Insurance Scheme. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa sanctioned about Rs. 2.61 crore towards installation of new components in cobalt therapy equipment at cancer wards of government hospitals in Thanjavur, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli. At the proposed super specialty branch for cancer at the Royapettah hospital here, a sum of around Rs. 9.93 crore had been set apart towards the purchase of equipment and recruitment of 83 medical and non-medical staff.
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iNterview

With the drastic modifications in choices opt for career by the youth of the country, it has become indispensable to attract & retain Agriculture as an option to achieve the next revolution and to give a sustainable environment for the future. In this regard, Dr. G. N. Nagaraja from UAS Bangalore highlights the main feature of Agricultural Education. tion. Agricultural education in India is in an era of transformation
What are the Major challenges before Agricultural Education?
India is an agrarian economy and agriculture is considered as the backbone of our economy. India also has enormous potential as an exporter of agricultural commodities. Agricultural education is considered as one of important priority sector in our country. The formal agricultural education started in India in late 60s when agricultural colleges and university were assigned to disseminate scientific knowledge and skills to the farming community and to use the skills for better output. Agricultural education has been slow to respond to the changing needs of food and other farm based requirements of changing demand patterns of consumpAgri-Times

from the conventional system to the modern e learning technologies. There is a greater need for integrated efforts to promote and facilitate agricultural education for sustainable development. Innovative approaches should be adopted to strengthen agricultural research and education in India. State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) can play an important role in this direction by providing research based projects with the help of the industry.

What are the new initiatives and support provided for Agribusiness Education?

In Agricultural education system, management field is very recent origin and gaining rapid popularity among students. Agribusiness education is intensely practical since it owes its origins to actual working business requirements and needs. Agribusiness education is driven by the needs to create more farm value. The benefits of value impact each link of the full stake holder chain from farm to fork. Value creation (at the farm), value addition (at the processing) and value capture (at the retail) make up a continuous chain. Agribusiness education needs to be supported by way of creating separate colleges at different SAUs rather than the departments. What Improvement should be done for improving quality education in Agriculture and Agribusiness
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The agribusiness sector encompasses many activities of agricultural sector under one umbrella like integration of agricultural inputs, agricultural production, agro-processing and agricultural marketing and trade which add value to the farm produce. The managerial skills of meritorious agricultural graduates can be developed by SAUs, so that they can prove as effective agribusiness education, research and capacity building. Management education surely helps in developing trained personnel to cater to the agriculture industry and by creating such dynamic workforce to become the leader in agricultural sector. Faculty as well as student exchange programmes including sandwich and dual degree programmes must be incorporated as essential component to broaden the base of this stream of education. The students are at least exposed to real farm situations and the courage to face these. Major bottlenecks in choosing career in agribusiness sector that the students are not exposed to the opportunities in this sector. Lack of awareness regarding the growth prospect in agriculture and agri processing industry is a major deterrent among the students in making agri education as their career choice. Most of the students consider agriculture to be more traditional profession. Moreover, the parents of most of the students believe that their wards will work in the field if they opt for agriculture. Careers are driven by future needs and the opportunities they create. Agribusiness can be considered as the science and practice of activities with backward and forward linkages related to production, processing, marketing and trade distribution of raw and processed food, feed and fiber including supply of inputs and services witnessed tremendous growth in recent times especially that of food retailing and microfinance sector. This trend opened a new era of career opportunities for candidates with a management degree in agriculture. What are the growth phenomenon of agribusiness management in India Agribusiness management programme is planned to develop management workforce to cater to the needs of the agricultural industry which serves as a good option for the students willing to perform in the corporate sector. All major agribusiness companies are strengthening their base in India by committing large investment. The progressive growth of Indian economy is most likely to be controlled by the agribusiness

iNterview

sector. Last few years have witnessed a radical shift in the nature of agribusiness and as a result the demand for competent and dynamic professentails has grown manifold. New initiatives in agribusiness management to help knowledge edge generation as well as its application and agri entrepreneurship management will make it more value added education. Interactive sessions to enhance communication and knowledge skills, negotiation skills, building leadership qualities, confidence building, presentation competence etc, should be incorporated in agribusiness studies to make it relevant to the needs by capable personnel.

What are the major bottlenecks and prospects in India has a very string agricultural education choosing career in Agribusiness sector system consisting of one, central agricultural univer-

What major Steps should be taken for attracting and retaining the quality students in agricultural education system
sity, 25 state agricultural universities (SAUs) and four National Institutes of Indian council agricultural research (ICAR) having the status of deemed to be university. Stagnation in agricultures productivity is required to be addressed through intensification of development activities devising suitable technologies helping to minimize input costs, increasing margins of profit, thus make agriculture a more acceptable profession and resultantly turning agricultural education more attractive. Introduction of a practical course providing exposure to the real business like experimental learning / hands on training which providing opportunity by placing students in agribusiness companies, agricultural financial institutions, agricultural marketing institutions and agricultural co-operative institutions, job opening in agro processing industries, banking sector, and input industries. Any Suggestions to make agricultural education more professional with respect to other technical courses Participation of the private sector in the curriculum of agricultural education, including the involvement of agribusiness experts as trainers will contribute to a more professional way of education. Agribusiness education is exhibits display of farm business skills that are diverse, multi dimensional and potentially value remunerative. At the same time, agricultural education

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has to be redefined so as to equip the graduates with confident technical expertise, self motivation, positive attitude and agripreneurship skills. Frontier specializations have to come in the course curriculum like climate change, disaster management, IPR, precision faring, organic farming, protected cultivation, micro irrigation, fertigation, hydroponics, market led extension, international trade, post harvest technology, market intelligence, GIS, project management, remote sensing, bio informatics etc are essential to give agricultural education, a status on par with other professential disciplines. Agribusiness management has wide scope in developing the trained manpower different areas of operation viz., management personnel to cater to co-operatives, agro based processing industries, financial institutions public or private companies and

policy makers for trained teaching staff to cater for academic sector and technically sound team to serve research area from career prospect in agribusiness vary from farming to commodity broker, commodity buyer, supply planner, supply manager, purchase officer, procurement officer, agribusiness officer, agricultural marketing researcher / specialist, business analyst, agro processing manager, supply chain manager and retail manager. Agribusiness management as a career is promising as well as challenging. Dr. G. N. Nagaraja Professor & Head and Principal Coordinator - MBA (Agribusiness Management) Dept. of Agricultural Marketing, Co-operation & Business Management University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK Campus, Bangalore

How far is the growth in career opportunities in Agribusiness sector

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crop news agri SolutioN

A Practical Solution Ahead

There is hunger and under- nourishment even in countries where there is enough food to meet the needs of its population. Economic access to food happens only when households generate sufficient income to produce or purchase food. Hence, food security is linked with poverty and it in turn with rural development. Fish is the cheapest animal protein available in most of the developing countries and is considered as Rich Food for Poor. Fish provides over 20% of animal protein to 2.6 billion people globally; while on average it is around 13% in developed countries and it is about 30% in developing countries. Fish is the major source of animal protein in regions where animal protein in diets is below world average. Fish has been providing at least half of animal protein intake for 400 million poor in S. Asia and Africa. Fisheries sector has been playing an important role in providing healthy, wholesome and nutritious food and also employment generation in the
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Fisheries Education & Fisheries Business Management :

Introduction
country. There is an increase in fish production of the country from 752 thousand tones (1950-51) to 7,132 thousand tones (2008-09). The growth of Indian fisheries sector has been tremendous and showed about tenfold increase in production levels during this period. Livestock and Fisheries production is a livelihood securing activity for more than 70% of the rural population and plays an important role in the Socio-economic structure of our country. Amongst various sectors the dairy, meat and fishery have helped to improve our national economy. Nothing is more urgent in our villages today than to increase agricultural, livestock and fishery production. This is a key to a better life. Even though extension workers are engaged in different activities first priority must be given to producing more food. Indian agricultural education, training and research system is globally recognized for its quality. Professional education in fisheries in India started at the State Agri-

cultural/veterinary Universities in 1969 with the establishment of first Fisheries College at Mangalore under the auspices of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. At present, there are about 19 Fisheries Colleges under 18 State Agricultural Universities in India, out of which the College of Fisheries, Kochi, formerly under the Kerala Agricultural University has been now affiliated to the full-fledged Fisheries University of the Country, established in 2011, the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) with its headquarters at Kochi, Tamilnadu Fisheries University (2011). The Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi occupies a unique place in Fisheries Education as the only Deemed Fisheries University in the country. Besides the fisheries colleges, number of institutions like

agri SolutioN
IIT, Kharagpur & IIT Chennai; the Karnataka Regional Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Suratkal etc. and Universities such as Agra (Uttar Pradesh), Annamalai (Tamil Nadu), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Burdwan (West Bengal), Kolkata (West Bengal), Kerala (Kerala), Madras (Tamil Nadu), Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), Viswa Bharati (West Bengal), Waltair (Andhra Pradesh) and Barakatulla University (Madhya Pradesh) etc. offer fisheries related courses for Masters and Ph. D. programmes (Ref: Handbook of Fisheries and Aquaculture published by ICAR, New Delhi). The national level fisheries research institutes include CIFA (Central Institute of Fresh Water Aquaculture, Bhubaneshwar), CIBA, (Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture, Chennai), CIFE (Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai), CMFRI (Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin), NBFGR (National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow), CIFNET (Central Institute of Fisheries nautical and Engineering Training, Cochin) and DCFR (Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research, Bhimtal), NIPHAT, National Institute of Post Harvest Tech. and Training, Cochin etc. According to S.K. Sinha (1999) the present structure, function and objective of agricultural universities are not in conformity with the concept of rural universities of the Radhakrishnan University Education Commission. Consequently, the agricultural universities have not been able to make any significant impact on rural development. An excessive emphasis on variety in the early stages of green revolution did help in improvement food grain production, but also became the cause of unsustainable agriculture in the absence of adequate science and knowledge base. Since agriculture is a vital sector in India, the end of isolation of agriculture and agriculture universities is the need of the time to make it interactive with multi faculty universities. There are around 40 universities level institutions and about 200 colleges offering various courses in Agriculture. The Universities in India offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Agriculture and under an apex national body, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) which is responsible for coordinating Agriculture and Allied sciences in the country. The major agriculture institutes include. n Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad n Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai n Ch. Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural,University, Hissar n Dr. B.S. Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidhyapeeth, Dapoli n Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidhyapeeth, Akola n Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan
n n

G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pant Nagar Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Raipur Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur Kerala Agricultural University, Trissur Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Narendra Dev University of Agriculture & Technology, Faizabad Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneshwar Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore Tamilnadu Fisheries University (2011). West Bengal University of Animal and Fisheries Sciences, Kolkata

Some of the academic programmes available in India are : Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Food Science & Technology, Agricultural Marketing, Forestry, Home Science, Banking and Cooperation, Horticulture, Dairy Technology, Sericulture, Veterinary Science, Fishery Science and Fisheries Engineering. Focus of Fisheries Education : Fisheries education provides opportunities to learn basic Fisheries skills and knowledge, occupation training and retraining, and professional growth and development. Fisheries education beyond knowledge and skills development in students to make them develop an understanding of :

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1) The significance of fisheries in a global society, through the application of scientific and business principles and problem solving strategies; and 2) The interdependency and relationships between the fisheries industry and other significant business interwoven with the entire economic and social structure of the community, state, nation and world. This programme places an emphasis on food systems, environmental issues and development of life skills. Therefore, it is directly related to industry, commerce and trade. Industry is concerned with the production of commodities and materials while commerce and trade are concerned with their distribution. The fast changing global dynamics, post WTO, have catalyzed metamorphic growth in food and agriculture sector. This phenomenon is clearly evident in India, which is witnessing rapid developments in this growth sector with the liberalization of Government policies fostering of public private partnerships in different fisheries operations and the entry of large corporate both national and international in the value of chain, from production to consumption. These developments are transforming the fisheries sector and in turn have created unprecedented demand for qualified fisheries business professionals to competently manage the operations and drive the growth. There are new emerging areas in management like fish retailing, supply chain, rural malls, fish business centers, business research, commodity trading, logistics, knowledge management, besides traditional areas of management like fisheries inputs and rural marketing. Responding to the market demand the subject fisheries extension resources management and statistics came into existence in both U.G and P.G level. The subject focuses on creating manpower with domain knowledge of fisheries science and concepts of business management to serve as professionals in fisheries, food and rural business.

Fisheries Business Management

What is Fisheries Business? The word Fisheries indicates pond, river and traditional methods of nurturing the fish. Until recently, this was a fairly accurate picture. But todays fisheries sector is radically different. Fisheries professionals has developed several Fish production rang under different culture systems i.e. Composite fish culture, Intensive pond culture, Air breathing fish culture, Sewage-fed fish culture, Integrated fish farming with livestock, Weed based fish culture, Pen culture, freshwater prawn culture, Carp with prawn culture, Raceway culture and cage culture etc. which has elevated the fisheries production. The fisheries have evolved in to fisheries business and have become a vast and complex system that reaches for beyond the farm to include all those who are involved in bringing protein oriented food to consumers. Fisheries business include not only pond, farm and the land but also the people and firms that provide the inputs (for example fish seed, fertilizers for pond, fisheries accessories and credit etc), process the output (for ex. Fish yield, Fish processing, Preservation etc), manufacture the food products (For ex. various fish products), and transport and sale the fish products to consumers (For ex. restaurants, supermarkets). In earlier ages fisheries being a major venture it was easy to become a fish farmer, but productivity was low. Average fish farmer produced enough food to feed just the family people and the fish farmers basic requirements were minimal and most fish farmers were totally self-sufficient. They produced and arranged most of the inputs they needed for production such as ponds, lake, and simple equipment. Fisher Farmers families processed the commodities they acquired from various reservoirs to make their own food and clothing. They consumed or used just about everything they produced. The small amount of output not consumed on the fish farm was sold for cash. These items were used to feed and clothe the minor portion of the countrys population that lived near the various reservoirs. A few fisheries products made their way into the export market and were sold to buyers in other countries. Fish farmers and farmers found it increasingly profitable to concentrate on production and began to purchase inputs they formerly made themselves. This trend enabled other to build business that focused on meeting the need for inputs used in production such as fish seed, fisheries related machinery and equipment, fencing and so on. These fish farms involved into the industries those make up the Fisheries inputs sector and managing the business of fisheries to be more profitable, quality and quantity wise excellence and generate the employment, food security in a better manner is nothing but Fisheries business management.

Current Status

Scope of Fisheries Business

Fisheries Business is a complex, system of input sector, production sector and processing manufacturing sector, transport and marketing sector.

Most Fisheries colleges and Institutes are offering U.G., P.G and Ph.D programmes in fisheries economics and fisheries extension. The present course is designed to facilitate the students to imbibe the knowledge about Fisheries Marketing Manage-

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ment and Fisheries Business Management. Besides this Open University like Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is also offering small diploma course to foster the entrepreneurship and get the unemployed youth tempted towards the fisheries. The Fisheries Development Programme mainly intends to cater to the emerging needs in the fisheries-food sector. In general, it should aim at producing following categories of trained manpower. i. Management personnel for the fish-food firms, entrepreneurs and cooperateives. ii. Policy makers for government, financial and parastatal agencies, iii. Teachers and research workers iv. Fisheries business consultants and self-employed persons. The B.F.Sc programme is mainly designed for graduates coming out of the Fisheries College and Institute comprising of Fisheries Biology, Fisheries Engineering, Fisheries Hydrography, Fish Processing Technology and Microbiology, Fisheries Resources Management, Extension and Statistic, Fisheries Aquaculture. The above courses aims to provide students with an understanding of : i. The public policy framework within which business operate ii. The business and marketing management techniques necessary for graduates to operate and manages the various fish processing plants and aquaculture feed marketing. iii. The theoretical framework together with analytical techniques for decision making iv. Conduct of research on a subject of topical interest.

grated approach to benefit the farm sector to achieve better production and productivity. This activity is suggested to be undertaken under three components to benefit the fishfarmers, agrarian, landless laborers and activity through self help groups. The appropriate networking with the state agriculture universities, various fisheries institutes, fisheries and other development department with industry participation through adoption of public private partnership approach may bring desirable change in fisheries scenario. 1) Self Help Group- bank linkage and microfinance 2) Entrepreneurship development among rural women and youth. 3) Extension strategies to promote entrepreneurship among rural fish farmers 4) Marketing strategies for microenterprise development 5) Implementation through constituents colleges of Agri., Vet., Fishery and KVKs.

Programme for Landholders

1.

2. 3.

Fish Farming- Fish seed, prawn seed and fish culture in farm ponds, village ponds, integrated fish farming, reservoir fisheries development, coastal aquaculture etc. Prawn farming (Fresh Water/ Brackish water) Brackish water fin fish culture and crab farming Ornamental Fish Farming and Marketing Development of value added fish products and marketing Fish Farm Mechanics

Programme for Landless

1. 2. 3.

Strategy for Fisheries Development and Promotion :

To achieve appropriate growth there is need to have integration of agriculture/horticulture/ animal husbandry / fishery all together by utilizing resources judiciously and sustainably for the overall development of the sector. It has been felt to develop a programme for the fisheries sector with the involvement of animal husbandry and agricultural activities in an inte-

Programmes for self help group

1. 2.

Fish Processing and value addition HRD in Fish farming, value addition and marketing

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3. 4.

Ornamental Fish Farming and Marketing Development of value added fish products and marketing

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farmers for imbibing the technical knowledge of fish farming. Export Promotion Cell : To promote the fish farmers willing to export the farm produce fetching good prices in the global market need the guidance regarding the rules and regulation for fish farm produce export.

Promotional Aspect

Fish Farmers rely on the input industries to provide the products and service they need to produce fisheries commodities. They also rely on commodity processors, fish food manufactures, and ultimately distributors and retailers to purchase their raw fisheries commodities and to process and deliver them to the consumer for final sale. The result is the fisheries food system. Consumer Goods Processing Units : Proper labeling and packaging for value added fish products. Farm Fresh Sale Counters : FFSC should be established at Taluka places where the farm produce comprising of fish and fish products etc, should be available for sale, so that the fish farmers/producers will fetch good market price. Training programmes can be easily designed for the rural

Role of Information Technology in Fisheries Business

The information has a commercial value. The Computers and electronic resources play a central role not only in teaching, research and extension activities of fisheries but also in fish marketing. The various IT based services like Current Awareness Service, CD Rom Data base Service, On-line Database Service, OPAC, Internet, E-Book, E-Journal, various search engines can help the fisheries professional to carry forward the work like research work, preparation of teaching, Lecture notes, Thesis / Project work, Writing research papers, subject in-

formation, Guiding researchers etc. In present era of information explosion and competency in acquiring it, it is on the part of IT workers and Library and Information Experts to create more awareness about the eresources availability among the users. There is long way to go, to conclude with, can say fisheries in its broadest sense remains the most important sector of the society even though its contribution to economy might have declined. Fisheries remains and will remain the source of food supply in the world. But it is very sure that there is tremendous scope for fisheries business development. Therefore, improvement of fisheries means the improvement of rural society, environment and quality of life. Telvekar P.A, P.W. Naik, S.A. Joshi & M.R. Burande College of Fishery Science, Nagpur Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur

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preSS releaSe

RICE Bran Oil the Wonder heath oil that lowers the risk of Cholesterol and Intestinal Cancer

- Suitable for Indian Cooking

an we set the tone for manifold health benefits, by changing a single cooking ingredient in our meals? Yes!, this stands true today, as a unique wonder oilRICE BRAN OIL with its anti-oxident properties helps in lowering Cholesterol and reducing the risk of intestinal cancer and osteoporosis as per the scientific studies conducted by National Institute of Nutrition Hyderabad. RICE Bran Oil known and accepted globally as the Worlds Healthiest heart Oil is all set to make its entry in every Indian household. Japanese call it Heart Oil. In USA, it is being sold as Worlds Healthiest Oil. In Europe it has acquired the status of Functional Food. It is also accepted as Premium Cooking Oil in Thailand and many advanced countries. In the bid to create awareness about the steps that one can take to lower the chances of Heart Attack and cancer. Rice Bran oil with its ideal SFA/ MUFA/ PUFA ratio and EFA ratios that most ideally match the prescribed levels suggested by WHO. The oil contains oryzanol, which increases HDL or good cholesterol in the body, while lowering LDL or bad cholesterol and triglycerides. Rice bran oil is the only oil which contains (natural vitamin E) with over 10,000 ppm (parts per million) of this precious nutrient. Mr. O.P. Goenka, Chairman, RBO Seminar informed that Japanese call it Heart Oil, while in the USA it is being sold as Worlds Healthiest Oil. In Europe, rice bran oil has acquired the status of a functional food, while it is accepted as the premium cooking oil in many countries. Scientific studies conducted in leading universities of the United States have proved that rice bran oil has much better cholesterol-balancing properties than olive oil and canola oil due to the presence of unique nutaceuticals viz. oryzanol and tocotrienols. says Dr. A.R. Sharma, Chairman, SEA RBO Promotion Council. Dr. Meena Mehta, Associate Professor, Food Science & Nutrition at Dr. B.M. Nanavati College of Home Science affiliated to S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai, mentioned that Even after heating at temperatures up to 180 degrees C, rice bran oil does not exhibit mutagenic activity. Thus, preparations made in rice bran oil are safe for human consumption. Its consumption is 1520% less due to lower retention of oil in foods. A positive state of health must be maintained otherwise illness results when smooth flow of energy is disrupted. The knowledge of five pyramidal food groups and awareness about the micronutrients and nutraceutical

is essential for every individual to maintain their optimal health, she added. Dr. B.V. Mehta, Executive Director, The Solvent Extractors Association of India said Since 1998 SEA, jointly with TMOP and CSIR launched a campaign to encourage production and use of rice bran oil as a Healthy Cooking Medium. Seminars and other activities of SEA created a lot of awareness among industry, researchers, consumers and Government circles.

Advantages of Wonder Oil, Rice Bran Oil

Rice bran oil contains squalene, an anti-oxidant which improves skin tone and delays wrinkle-formation. It also helps prevent dandruff and itching. The wonder oil also stimulates hormonal secretion and revitalizes health, making it a tangible boon for the health conscious. Consumption of a high daily dose of stabilized rice bran that rice bran could reduce the risk of intestinal cancer. It has Tocopherol (Vitamin E), an anti-oxidant present, which reduces the incidence of stroke, reduces coronary blockage and helps in balancing the nervous system. The lipoic Acid in Rice Bran stabilizes blood sugar levels and reduces the damage in body caused by excess sugar. It also helps in diabetic complications. It is also used to treat nerve imbalance and disorders of menopause India is increasingly becoming prey to an array of lifestyle diseases. Until now, the countrys health-conscious populace preferred olive and canola oil in their meals, but these are incidentally unsuitable for cooking. Nutritionally, rice bran oil is superior to olive, canola and several other edible oils used today. It not only has more micro-nutrients and anti-viral capabilities to ensure good health, but given its low absorption, it is an economical choice among cooking oils. Promoted as a health food in global markets, rice bran oil and supplements have witnessed tremendous demand owing to their highly beneficial properties for health and well-being.

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Problems and Awareness Levels of Rural Women Entrepreneurs of an All Women Market in Assam
Introduction
The contribution of women to national development is crucial. Emancipation of women is an essential pre-requisite for economic development and social progress of the nation. The Government of India has defined women entrepreneurs as a woman who owns and controls an enterprise having a minimum financial interest of 51% of the capital and giving at least 51% of employment generated in the enterprise to women. Like male entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs have many functions. They explore the prospects of starting some new enterprise; undertake risks, introduce new innovations besides the coordination administration and control of business and providing effective leadership in all aspects of the business. During the last two decades, Indian women have entered the field of entrepreneurship in increasing numbers. With the emergence and growth of their businesses, they have contributed greatly to the global economy as well as to their surrounding communities. Most women business owners have come through obstacles and challenges in establishing and managing their businesses. The dynamic growth and expansion of women-owned enterprises is one of the defining trends of the past decade, and all indications are that it will continue unabated. Women have also contributed significantly to the running of family businesses mostly in the form of unpaid effort and skills, yet the value of their effort is underestimated and taken for granted by both families and in academic studies. In recent years, women have shown an inclination toward taking self oriented jobs and professions with the support of their family and financial assistance from various sources. Women are the vital human resource in the society and their empowerment will accelerate the pace of economic development.
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A very important role is being played by the women of Assam in the economy of the state. Everywhere they have been making their presence felt, whether in the organized or unorganized sector. Woven handicrafts and handloom items from this market are popular even outside the state. Even though women work together with their male partners in the agricultural activities, their contribution is considered more, right from sowing the paddy seeds, transplanting, weeding, husking and winnowing etc. Marketing of paddy and its products is exclusively their responsibility. In Assam, weaving is a very important activity and is a year round pursuit for almost all the younger women. Women are also found to involve in a number of other occupations apart from agricultural work and weaving activities like, silk worm rearing, yarn making, mat and basket making, embroi-

dery work, fishing, running eateries / tea stalls, pot making, vegetable and cloth selling, making indigenous food, handloom/handicrafts, preparation of different sweet items, fruit and vegetable preservation etc., thus contributing to the financial backup of the family. One can also find many women engaged in construction work and as domestic helpers which is seen increasing in the state. The number of women entrepreneurs is rising rapidly too. The present study was taken up in the all women daily market located at Suklai in the Baksa district of Assam. Situated about 50 kms away from the state capital of Guwahati, about 80 women entrepreneurs regularly conduct business activities in the market. Mostly dominated by tribal women, the Suklai market is supposed to be the biggest market in lower Assam dominated entirely by women traders and entrepreneurs. The entire stalls are run and managed by women alone.

perSpeCtive
Objectives of the study
Keeping in view the prospects of women entrepreneurs and their problems, the present study was undertaken with the following specific objectives : a) To study the problems faced by the women entrepreneurs in establishing and running their enterprises. b) To study the level of awareness of developmental programmes and policies among the women entrepreneurs. centage and ranks of problems perceived and expressed by the women entrepreneurs. The findings highlight that the most pressing problem, as expressed by 70.83 per cent of the respondents, was lack of govt. support in terms of finance, technology, transportation, capacity building, infrastructure and facilities. This was closely followed by complicated procedure of availing benefits from government schemes with 66.66 per cent respondents expressing the same. As much as 62.50 per cent of the respondents were found to face problems relating to little or no help from local society/ NGOs. About 58.33 per cent of the women entrepreneurs perceived lack of capital in establishing and running their enterprise. An equal proportion of 54.16 per cent respondents faced problems owing to difficulty in transportation of goods from Table 1: Problems faced in establishing and running enterprise Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.
Problems Lack of Govt. support Complicated procedure of availing benefits from govt. scheme No help from local society / NGOs Lack of capital Problems in transportation of goods Lack of guidance Low income Feeling of discrimination due to illiteracy or lack of education Frequency 17 16 Percentage 70.83 66.66 Rank I II

Research Methodology

The present study was confined to the study of women entrepreneurs who engage in petty trades and marketing of vegetables, fish, fruits, indigenously processed foods, handlooms and textiles, seedlings and planting materials, agricultural implements etc. The Suklai market in the Baksa District of Assam was selected purposively for the present study as the entire market consisting of approximately 80 small and petty establishments were solely managed by women. For the present study, only marketing of agro-based products or agricultural related enterprises were selected. The selected agro-enterprises consisted of fish, indigenously processed foods, vegetables and fruits, handlooms and textiles, seedlings and planting materials, agricultural implement and inputs. In order to fulfill the purpose of the study, the respondents were selected randomly. Four respondents each from the six categories of selected enterprises were selected following the random numbers table after enlisting them. Thereby, a total of 24 respondents were selected for the study. An interview schedule was utilized for collection of data.

15 14 13 13 13 12

62.50 58.33 54.16 54.16 54.16 50.00

III IV V VI VII VIII

Lack of knowledge about legal 11 formalities (e.g. acquiring trade license) No assistance for re-establishing entrepreneurship Lack of time due to family burden Lack of timely information Exploitation from middlemen Lack of prior experience Unavailability of labour Unhealthy competition from male entrepreneurs Lack of knowledge about entrepreneurship / skills Lack of support from family 11 10 10 10 09 08 07 05 02

45.83

IX

45.83 41.66 41.66 41.66 37.50 33.33 29.16 20.83 8.33

X XI XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII

Findings & discussion

Problems faced in establishing and running enterprise Table 1 depicts the frequency, perAgri-Times

their residence to the market, lack of guidance and low incomes. Half of the respondents (50%) perceived a feeling of discrimination due to illiteracy or lack of education. 45.83 per cent respondents expressed lack of knowledge
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about legal formalities (e.g. acquiring trade license) which is a hindrance in establishing and running the enterprise as well as no assistance for re-establishing entrepreneurship. Identical proportions of 41.66 per cent respondents and faced the problem of lack of time due to family burden, lack of timely information and exploitation from middlemen. About 37.50 per cent of respondents expressed lacked of prior experience in the field of entrepreneurship as a problem, while 33.33 per cent expressed unavailability of labour as a problem. Unhealthy competition from male entrepreneurs was a problem for 29.16 per cent of the respondents, followed by 20.83 per cent expressing lack of knowledge about entrepreneurship/ skills. A small percentage of 8.33 complained of lack of family support. well as Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). Only a negligible percentage knew of SGSY. None of the women were aware about Rashtriya Gramin Swarojgar Yojana (RGSY), Horticulture Mission for North Eastern and Himalayan States (HMNEH), Minority and Other Backward Classes (MOBC) programmes, Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY), IIE (Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship)s Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme, Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA). Most of the women claimed that whatever little they were aware of, they got them through the means of various mass media such as newspaper, radio and TV. Table 2: Level of awareness of developmental programmes and policies among the women entrepreneurs
Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Particulars SHGs (Self Help Group) NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) Preference to women for various scheme ST/SC reservation / preference 33.3 per cent reservation of scheme for women from govt. KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) IAY (Indira Awas Yojana) TRYSEM (Training of Rural Youth for Self Employment) Entrepreneurship development programmes for women ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) SGSY (Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana) RGSY (Rashtriya Gramin Swarojgar Yojana) Horticulture Mission for North Eastern and Himalayan States (HMNEH) MOBC (Minority and Other Backward Classes)/ MSDP (Multi Sector Development Project) Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) IIE (Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship)s Entrepreneurship Development Training Programme BRGF (Backward Region Grant Fund) ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) Frequency 17 13 07 06 05 05 05 04 03 03 02 0 0 Percentage 70.83 54.16 29.16 25.00 20.83 20.83 20.83 16.66 12.50 12.50 8.33 0.00 0.00 Rank I II III IV V V V VI VII VII VIII IX IX

Level of awareness of developmental programmes and policies

Data relating to level of awareness of women entrepreneurs regarding development programmes, policies and initiatives is presented in Table 2. The data reveals that maximum number of the respondents (70.83%) were aware about SHGs. About 54.16 per cent respondents were found to be aware about NREGS as the scheme covers almost all the districts of Assam which involves constructing community assets. Respectively 29.16 and 25 per cent were found to be aware of preference to women in various govt. schemes and reservation preference for SC/ST members. About 20.83 per cent respondents were aware about 33% reservation for women, existence of KVKs and the Indira Awas Yojana scheme. About 16.66% respondents were aware about TRYSEM while 12.50% were aware about entrepreneurship development programmes for women as

14.

0.00

IX

15. 16.

0 0

0.00 0.00

IX IX

17. 18.

0 0

0.00 0.00

IX IX

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Study implications In so far as problems faced by the respondents were concerned, the most important problems faced by the respondents in establishing and running their enterprise were lack of govt. support, complicated procedure of availing benefits from govt. scheme, no help from local societies/NGOs and lack of capital.. The government needs to devise programmes and facilities to reduce the identified problems of the women entrepreneurs and provide much needed support so that they can strongly contribute in a bigger way to the states economy. Creation of adequate and appropriate marketing infrastructure and incentives, simplifying official formalities especially in matters of extending loans etc. can go a long way in helping the women entrepreneurs. Financial institutions should extend soft loans for the promotion of women entrepreneurship. Local NGOs should also come forward to help the women entrepreneurs, especially in the matter of their capacity building through strategic training interventions. The findings on the level of awareness of developmental programmes and policies revealed that most of the respondents were aware only about SHGs and NREGS while the awareness about other programmes/policies leaves much to be desired. Perhaps this is one crucial area where NGOs can come in to

sensitize the women entrepreneurs and make this area an important dimension of their development agenda. Organising periodic interfaces of women entrepreneurs with different development agencies would also go a long way in addressing this gap. *** Jayant Kumar Sharma *********************************

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