India is a global agricultural powerhouse. It is the world’s largest producer of milk, pulses, and spices, but in recent times it is facing rapid changes and unprecedented challenges like Covid pandemic. The knowledge intensive nature of the sector is more evident now than ever before. The trends of urban markets, globalization, changing consumption patterns, land and water constraints, climate change are driving development in agriculture. Extension education plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges and developments. There is no gain saying the crucial role of agricultural extension services in promoting agricultural innovation processes. They can play the boundary spanning role and help link farmers to various technical and non-technical services and markets. They are the major conduits for knowledge sharing. In this book recognition has been given to the value of latest technologies in ICTs and communication aspects in particular. This book has achieved its purpose to give you an outlook on communication and rural sociology. It also spells out the areas and aspects which the system can be improved. This has been beautifully illustrated, grippingly readable book is expected to be of much help to the scholars, trainers and scientists in the field of agricultural extension and allied sectors. No doubt it will be of immense use to policy analysts, extension personnel policy-makers, students and the research and development community at large
Chaithra G.J. is presently working as a Senior Research Fellow at ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Under Farmers FIRST project. Previously she worked as a consultant at National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, under Soil Protection and Rehabilitation for Food Security in India (Pro-SOIL) Project. In 2017-18, she worked as a Scientist (Agricultural Extension) at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Babbur Farm, Chitradurga, Karnataka. She did her B.Sc. (Agri.), M.Sc. (Agril. Extension) and Ph.D. from College of Agriculture, GKVK, UAS, Bangalore. She was Awarded Prof. K.M. Jayaramaiah, Gold medal at 52nd convocation of UAS, Bangalore in 2018. She has published 7 research papers in National Journals, few articles, and book chapters.
Letha Devi G. did her graduation in Agriculture from Kerala Agricultural University in 2001 and topped the university. She completed her Master’s in Dairy Extension from National Dairy Research Institute in 2004 and topped the university with Director’s Gold Medal. She completed her doctoral degree from Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi in the discipline of Agricultural Extension in the year 2007. She joined Indian Council of Agricultural Research as a scientist in 2007. She is working as a Senior Scientist under ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore. She did PG Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights from IGNOU, New Delhi in 2013. She has published a number of research papers, and popular articles in various national and international journals of repute. She has published a number of books on various topics related to agriculture and rural development.
P. Adhiguru is presently serving as a Principal Scientist (Agricultural Extension), Agricultural Extension Division, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Pusa, New Delhi-110012, India. His significant research project experience includes coordinating 39 ICAR-extramural research projects in Agricultural Extension. He was visiting fellow in Iowa State University, USA and Centre for Biosafety Assessment Technology and Sustainability (BATS), Switzerland. He is associated with International Collaborative programs Aboutthe Authors v with CGIAR institutes and international universities, including exchange programs. Also involved providing inputs related to drafting MoUs for International organizations and for National and International agricultural policies. Also, associated with projects like Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI)” [ICAR-IFPRI], Sustainable rainfed agriculture-impact assessment of World Bank sponsored Watersheds [ICAR-IFPRI-ICRISAT-ODI-CRIDA-World Bank], also, nodal officer for ICAR-CSISA collaborative project of CIMMYT on Rice-Wheat System productivity. The other projects include Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture dealing with agripreneurship, ICT-mediated Agricultural Extension, Geometry of information flow in agriculture, Agriculturalbased interventions for sustainable nutritional security, The Upcoming of supermarkets in India: implications for smallholders, Perspectives of Agricultural Extension in India. He has also written policy papers, research papers related to Food Security, Nutritional Security, Environmental Sustainability, Institutional Innovation, ICT, etc. He also represented ICAR in International Technical groups meetings of SAARC, ASEAN, etc. and also visited many countries in various capacities.
Dr. Praveen Rapaka was awarded Ph.D. Degree in agricultural extension from ANGRAU, Bapatla. He started his professional career in 2018 as a research fellow at IIRR for the IRRI Green Super Rice Project. He later worked at EEI as a research fellow in NASF project, currently he is working as a consultant in National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management associated with Giz – Prosoil project. His functional expertise includes digital extension, scaling, capacity development, participatory extension, and impact evaluation. He is the recipient of UGC fellowship. He got certified by IBM in data analytics. He has in his credit of 12 research papers in journals of national and international repute.
