Indian Agriculture: Challenges, Priorities and Solutions

Naveen K. Sharma is a Professor at the Department of Botany, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak (M.P., India). He graduated with a Master’s in Botany from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and a doctorate from Jiwaji University, Gwalior (M.P.), India. With more than 22 years of teaching and research experience, he has published 60 research articles and authored/edited 5 books. He is a recipient of the IUSSTF fellowships (2010) from the DST, New Delhi, and Indo-US Technology Forum, USA. He served as Dean, Faculty of Science & Head, Department of Botany, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, India.Pradeep Kumar Rai is a microbiologist at the IFFCO-nano fertilizer plant in Phulpur, Prayagraj, U.P., India. He did his Ph.D. from the Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, and post-doctoral training from the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi. He has expertise in soil microbial ecology and sustainable agricultural practices. He has published 36 research papers and edited a book. Dinesh Chand Rai is currently the Vice Chancellor at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Before this, he was a senior professor at the Department of Dairy Science and Food Technology, Institute of Agricultural Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He did his M.Sc. (Dairy Science) from BHU (1986) as a Gold Medallist, and Ph.D. in Dairy Technology from the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

• Chapter 1. Climate change and agriculture in India: Impacts, implications, and barriers to adaptation.- Chapter 2. Issues related to storable and non-storable agricultural commodities.- Chapter 3. Impact of globalization and consumer preferences on Indian agriculture.- Chapter 4. Financial issues confronting Indian agriculture: Credit flow & insurance support).- Chapter 5. The dilemma of ecology vs. economy in Indian agriculture, including crop diversity conservation and other related issues.- Chapter 6. Impact of urbanization on peri-urban agriculture.- Chapter 7. Sustainable soil management: Development and adoption of novel fertilizers.- Chapter 8. Empowerment of rural women and retention of youth as drivers of the agricultural economy.- Chapter 9. Ensuring livelihood and employment securities for stakeholders through linking production and producers with the market.- Chapter 10. Changing landscape of the rural labor sector and its impact on Indian Agriculture.- Chapter 11. Policy initiatives to protect and promote the socio-economic conditions of farmers.- Chapter 12. Technological interventions: Mechanization and post-production technologies for the stakeholders.- Chapter 13. Agriculture 5.0: Application of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things.- Chapter 14. Need for integrative research to enhance agricultural productivity.- Chapter 15. Traditional agricultural knowledge for sustainable production.