B.R. Nahata Smriti Sansthan Agricultural Extension Journal (AEXTJ)

The Relationship between the Food Nutritional Value and the Absence of Microbial Hazards

Fahim A. Shaltout — 2024-09-15

Meat is a valuable element of the human diet as it contains essential elements such as protein, vitamins, and minerals. However, these foods are also vulnerable to microbial pathogens and spoilage, posing significant risks to human health. Ionizing radiation is used in food irradiation to maintain the safety and quality of the food items, specifically beef. For decades, food irradiation has been used to reduce microbial contamination and extend the storage period. The procedure entails subjecting the food item to a regulated amount of ionizing radiation, usually accomplished by applying gamma rays, electron beams, or X-rays. The radiation disrupts the DNA and other cellular components of microbes, making them unable to reproduce and causing their death. The procedure also breaks down some of the molecules in the food product, which can affect its nutritional quality and sensory properties.

Mutual interactions and Inter-relationships between “Weather” and “Weather Systems”

Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy — 2024-09-15

The study relates to mutual interactions and inter-relationships between weather systems such as the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Equatorial Pacific El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Global General Circulation Patterns (GGCP), Indian South-west Monsoon (ISM), Indian North-east Monsoon (INM), and cyclones/hurricanes which deal with the wind, pressure, temperature, and rainfall. IOD has three phases, namely, positive, negative, and neutral. It relates to India and some parts including East Africa, Southern Australia, Southern China, and Indonesia. ENSO also has three phases within a 3–7-year cycle namely, warm-dry El Nino, cold-wet/rainfall La Nina, and neutral. They relate to global events. Under neutral conditions, this includes both the El Nino and La Nino conditions. In 126 years, the Indian rainfall under El Nino ranged from normal to deficit, and in the case of La Nina, it ranged from normal to surplus, and under neutral, it varied from deficit to surplus. Thus, around 50% of the occasions, it is normal. These are generalized observations, and in real situations, they might be counteracted by other weather systems. IOD and ENSO present interactions positively and negatively based on combination scenarios. GGCP covers not only global impacts but also localized impacts such as Western disturbances (WDs) in North-west India and jet stream in the USA in terms of temperature, primarily–secondarily with rainfall. WDs are a wave from the North-west Mediterranean zone – around this zone, a subtropical jet stream passes over the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. Summer causes heat waves, and winter causes rainfall and cold waves. Cyclonic systems in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal play an important role in WDs south-to-north movements of warm and cold waves in summer and winter, respectively. The jet stream in the USA causes the same way as WDs in India. It stops cold waves moving to the south in summer and allows cold wave movement to the south in winter. The jet stream is influenced by systems in the Pacific Ocean on the north-central west coast of the USA. IOD and ENSO play important roles in ISM both positively and negatively. El Nino plays a role in INM similar to La Nino on ISM. Ocean surface temperatures present cyclic patterns, for example, the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation (AMO) presented a 60-year cycle and a 132-year cycle in the South Atlantic Ocean. The same is the case with the Pacific Ocean – Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) presenting a 60-year cycle in the north and a 132-year cycle in the south Pacific zones. Such cyclic variations are not given much importance while dealing the weather systems. These factors are influenced by cyclic variations in rainfall, temperatures, and cyclones in India/hurricanes in the USA over different parts of the globe, a principal component of climate change, that is beyond human control but we need to adapt to them. The Bay of Bengal cyclones followed the cyclic variation. ENSO and IOD have no systematic consistent variations.

Characterization of Systematic Variations in Met Parameters: Impact of El Nino-Southern Oscillation?

Sazzala Jeevananda Reddy — 2024-09-15

In the word “Climate Change,” the major component is systematic variations in meteorological parameters such as rainfall, temperature, cyclones, and hurricanes. World Meteorological Organization in 1966 released a manual with the caption “Climate Change.” The manual presented methods to analyze the data series such as moving average technique, iterative regression approach, trigonometric approach, and power spectrum method. Studied systematic variations in rainfall (India), temperature (Global, USA, India and Australia), cyclonic storms (India), and hurricanes (USA) and discussed with reference to El Nino Southern-Oscillation (ENSO) factors, Phillippines Typhoons, USA Tornadoes. Indian rainfall at the national level presented 60-year cycle similar to the Telugu Astrological cycle. The river water flows followed this cycle (three rivers, namely, Chinab, Ravi and Bias from North-west India, Bramhaputra River from North-east India and Godavari River from Central-east India). Undivided Andhra Pradesh (AP) rainfall data series and Telangana (TG) Meteorological sub-division rainfall series presented 132-year cycle. TG in addition also presented 58 year cycle. Coastal Andhra (CA) and Rayalaseema meteorological sub-divisions presented in both the Southwest Monsoon (SWM) and Northeast Monsoon seasons 56-year cycle but they presented in opposite phase. The global adjusted average annual temperature data series presented a 60-year cycle with the global warming component of 0.45°C for 1951–2100. However, by replacing the surface data by satellite data, no trend was noted in 2008 by the present author. Later, this satellite data series was deleted from the internet and introduced new data series that showed steep rise in temperature that showed global warming. In fact, satellite data should be lower than the surface data as it accounts oceans that cover around three-forths of global area and rural-cold-island effects part that forms a major part of one-fourth of land surface area; that helped bringing down the temperature and thus the global warming trend must be nearly zero. Indian temperature presented typical patterns. Maximum temperature series presented a depression that followed above the average part of 60-year cycle of All-India average annual rainfall (1927/28–19567/57). However, with the lesser degree, this is also reflected in the mean annual and mean annual minimum temperatures. The Australian surface air and sea surface temperatures presented 120-year cycle with zero trend and thus zero global warming for 1951–2100 with the starting and the ending parts presenting extremes. The Bay of Bengal cyclones followed 56-year cycle of SWM season CA met sub-division with no trend. USA hurricanes presented 60-year cycle but presented an increasing trend unlike Bay of Bengal cyclones. Tornadoes confined to one part of the USA and Typhoons confined to one part of the Philippines. ENSO showed no impact on systematic variations.

A Comparative Study of Management Approaches for Khari Goats in Traditional Versus Commercial Farming Systems in the Terai Region of Nepal

Hem Raj Dhakal — 2024-09-15

A survey was conducted in the Nawalpur district of Nepal to compare traditional and commercial goat farming systems. The study encompassed various aspects such as demographic characteristics, housing parameters, and feeding systems. Age distribution in traditional farming showed that 31% were aged 20–35 years, 56% were 36–50 years, and 13% were above 50 years, whereas commercial farming had 25%, 66%, and 9% in these age groups, respectively. Gender analysis revealed that traditional farming involved 29% males and 71% females, while commercial farming was male-dominated with 91% males and only 9% females. Educational levels showed a stark contrast, with 33% of traditional farmers having no formal education and the rest having only primary or secondary education. In contrast, commercial farmers had higher educational attainments, with 49% having higher secondary education and 14% being graduates. Occupation-wise, traditional farmers were mainly landless farmers (32%) and agricultural laborers (46%), while commercial farmers were primarily small business holders (61%) and servicemen (39%). Housing conditions varied significantly; traditional farming houses were mainly earthen-walled (60%) with sack curtains (68%) and non-paved floors (71%), while commercial farming houses had more brick walls (50%), tirpal curtains (66%), and an equal mix of paved and non-paved floors. Traditional farms were typically attached to residences (77%) with a mix of ventilation quality, while commercial farms were separate (100%) and lacked ventilation (100%). Feeding practices highlighted that traditional farmers relied heavily on natural grasses (98%) and used grazing (44%) and tethering (41%) methods, whereas commercial farmers used cultivated grasses (86%) and the cut-and-carry method (82%). Moreover, 83% of commercial farms processed their feed, and 100% provided concentrated mixtures, which were notably absent in traditional farming (76% not supplied). Both systems predominantly used tube well water, but traditional farms also used pond water (24%).

Sustainable Entrepreneurship of Farm Women through Duck Farming in Purba Bardhaman District of West Bengal, India

Sukanta Biswas — 2024-09-15

Duck farming plays a vital role in satisfying daily protein needs and increasing the household income of farm families in the state of West Bengal, India. In this backdrop of fact, the study has been conceptualized to find the sustainable livelihood empowerment potentiality of rural women through duck farming in the Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. A total of 120 number of sample population were collected randomly from 2 blocks, i.e., Katwa-1 and Katwa-2 of Purba Bardhaman district in the state of West Bengal. Data were collected with the help of a pre-tested designed interview schedule, complied, tabulated, and analyzed through statistical tools such as Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis Test, Mean ± SE, and correlation analysis with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences-20.0 statistical software for better interpretive study. The analytical facts indicated that the Entrepreneurial Potentiality of the Katwa-I block is quite better due to their better attitude and adoption of improved duck farming practices, which is indicative for specific interventions to explore entrepreneurial potentiality among the stakeholders. The analytical study also implied that personnel cosmopolite sources, social participation, and knowledge in duck farming are the key variables for sustainable entrepreneurship and livelihood empowerment among the farm women stakeholders in the functional area of study.

From Field to Kitchen: Pre-extension Demonstration of Sweet Potato Variety (Hawassa-09) and Food Preparation in Halaba Zone, Central Ethiopia

Zerihun Dotora — 2024-09-15

Ethiopia holds immense potential for sweet potato production, offering significant benefits for food security, nutritional health, and climate resilience due to its high productivity, rich in carbohydrates, short maturity time, and versatile adaptability. However, farmers face challenges, such as a lack of improved varieties, the prevalence of pests and diseases, insufficient promotion of new varieties, and negative perceptions. Addressing these challenges with improved varieties and agricultural practices can unlock sweet potato’s full potential, enhancing livelihoods and resilience in these regions. Concerning the expected outputs, this study focused on the titled “From Field to Kitchen: Participatory Demonstration of Sweet Potato Variety (Hawassa-09) and Food Preparation in Halaba Zone, Central Ethiopia,”. The primary objectives were to promote this new variety, to gauge its tuber yield performance, to evaluate farmers’ perceptions, and to demonstrate its versatile culinary applications. Using the Hawassa-83 variety as a standard check, the demonstration was conducted with 10 selected farmers and one farmer’s training center in Tachegnawu Arsho Kebele. A participatory approach was employed to actively engage farmers and other concerned bodies, ensuring their involvement in the adoption process and enhancing the project’s sustainability. Based on the result of the demonstration, the mean root yield of Hawassa-09 (improved variety) and Hawassa 83 (Standard check) is 31.35t and 17t, respectively. Field demonstrations highlighted the superior agronomic traits of Hawassa-09, including its adaptability and resistance to pests and diseases. Concurrently, hands-on training sessions showcased various food preparation techniques, emphasizing the sweet potato’s potential to improve local diets and nutrition. Accordingly, the results were promising: Hawassa-09 exhibited significantly higher yield performance compared to the standard check, and farmers expressed high satisfaction with its yield and taste. Moreover, this participatory demonstration not only enhanced farmers’ knowledge and perceptions about the variety but also promoted food security and nutritional benefits in the area. Therefore, variety (Hawassa-09) was recommended for demonstration location and similar agroecological conditions to improve sweet potato production and productivity under smallholder farmers.