Theme Groups and Learning Objectives
Agriculture in Developing Nations I and II
IARD 402/602, Section 2
Fall 2006 and Spring 2007
Group 1 - Agricultural Systems
Faculty Mentors: Peter Hobbs and Elizabeth Earle
- Understand the various agro-ecosystems of Southern India including dry land, irrigated and agro-forestry systems (this would include some plantation crops like rubber). Be able to discuss these systems as they relate to subsistence versus commercial production and between mixed cropping and mono-cropping.
- Become familiar with the different crops grown in the various agro-ecosystems, how they are grown and used by Indian farmers. This would include cereals, legumes, oilseeds, fodders, vegetables, fruits, spices, beverages, timbers, trees and plantation crops.
- Become familiar with how various inputs are obtained by farmers for the above crops including seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, credit, water, and labor.
- Become familiar with how the various crops are harvested, processed (post harvest), stored and marketed?
- Understand the present and future use of GMO crops in India from a farmer, private company, the public and the anti-GMO perspective.
- Become acquainted with ways farmers handle pest management issues (insects, diseases, weeds and rodents).
- Understand farmer organic matter/residue management (composts, vermiculture, feed for animals) and how these impact soil fertility and health.
- Understand the major soils found in southern India, their properties, ways to manage and susceptibility to degradation.
- Become acquainted with the issues related to water (green, blue and grey; rain, irrigation and waste water) availability and use in India; the growing competition for this natural resource from urban domestic and industrial sources.
- Understand the various agricultural research systems present in India and how they contribute to agricultural development including public, private, and International systems. This would also include the research and development done by land grant State Agricultural Universities.
- Understand how farmers obtain information, knowledge and recommendations for their farming practices – public and private sources.
- Relate the issues of human nutrition and deficiencies with agricultural production. How are the various crops grown used in human diets?
- Participate in a cultural exchange with Indian students and faculty, Sathguru staff, and other Indians that interact in the course.
- Have a better understanding of the history, religions, caste system, culture and foods of India.
Group 2 - Value addition Food Processing and Global Marketing
Faculty Mentor: Syed Rizvi
- Understand the various agro-ecosystems of southern India including dry land, irrigated and agro-forestry systems (this would include some plantation crops like rubber). Be able to discuss these systems as they relate to subsistence versus commercial production and between mixed cropping and mono-cropping.
- Become familiar with the different crops grown in the various agro-ecosystems, how they are grown and used by Indian farmers. This would include cereals, legumes, oilseeds, fodders, vegetables, fruits, spices, beverages, timbers, trees and plantation crops.
- Become familiar with how various inputs are obtained by farmers for the above crops including seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, credit, water, and labor.
- Become familiar with how the various crops are harvested and stored.
- Understand the various technologies for food processing and value addition of farm products, e.g. fruits and vegetables, milk, tea, coffee, spices, fish.
- Become acquainted with ways appropriate processing and packaging technologies are utilized for food preservation at various levels, e.g. drying, canning, chilling, freezing, irradiation, etc.
- Understand farm product quality and how these impact, safety, health and well-being of the population at large.
- Evaluate the role of diet and nutrition on public health and ways to ameliorate malnutrition. How are the various crops/livestock used in human diets?
- Become acquainted with the mechanism and issues related to marketing and distribution of farm products and processed foods in India.
- Understand how value addition practices on small scale can be enhanced and recommendations for technologies to be used.
- Evaluate the various food research systems present in India and how they contribute to agricultural development including public, private, and international systems. This would also include the research and development done by land grant State Agricultural Universities.
- Examine the issues of global trade in value added as well as farm products, international policies and domestic needs.
Group 3 - Animal Sciences
Faculty Mentors: K. V. Raman and Karel Schat
- Be able to name the various livestock raised in southern India (buffalo, cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, quail, rabbits, fish, crabs, shrimp; as well as some of the newer pursuits, such as ostrich) and explain:
- who is raising them (landless poor, rural smallholders, medium-to-large-scale farmers, commercial operations, research stations; differences among states)
- why they are raised [food production (family consumption, village sales, exports) versus non-food production (fur, draft power, sacrificial rituals during Muslim holidays, etc)]
- how they are raised (management system used; e.g. grazing vs. stall-fed for cattle)
- how they are integrated with the various agro-ecosystems of southern India, including dry land, irrigated, and agro-forestry systems (this would include some plantation crops like tea)
- potential for other uses that may aid the broader development goals of India
- Specifically, appreciate the multiple roles that cattle and buffalo serve in Indian culture, particularly in the daily lives of rural smallholders [milk, draft power, walking banks, religious symbolism (the Sacred Cow of the Hindus), etc
- Understand how the livestock sector can contribute to poverty alleviation (nutritional contributions, including animal protein needed for child development; monetary contributions for example, the sale of milk may provide the extra money needed to send children to school so they can grow up and have a career not strictly dependent on agriculture).
- Realize how the primarily vegetarian-oriented Indian culture impacts animal production systems in southern India:
- markets for meat (who eats which types of meat in India, export potentials especially in the Middle East)
- slaughter laws (how do these impact milk and beef production systems, particularly when considering commercialization; comparison of Kerala versus AP/TN; appreciate the on-going debate about these laws and how the federal government has been responding; be familiar with gaushalas and the function they serve)
- make comparisons with the US system and understand why western methods cannot [yet, ever?] be directly applied to the development of Indian livestock systems
- brainstorm unique approaches to address these issues
- Be able to discuss the various inputs needed (water, nutrition, health care, reproductive services, labor, credit) for livestock systems, where these inputs come from, and what they cost to farmers.
- Be able to discuss the various inputs needed (water, nutrition, health care, reproductive services, labor, credit) for livestock systems, where these inputs come from, and what they cost to farmers.
- Compare landless poor vs. smallholder vs. medium-sized vs. commercial systems, consider the benefits and challenges of each, and discuss their current and future status in India. [The need to provide food to a growing population seems to imply a need for commercialization, but what about the majority of producers who are smallholders and dependent on their livestock for their livelihood? Can both sectors be developed simultaneously (current Indian poultry example)? In particular, how can the needs of the smallholder are better met in the short and longer terms?]
- Appreciate the potential conflict between resources for humans versus resources for livestock (food/fodder/land, water), look for examples for how these issues are being addressed in India, and brainstorm additional resolutions for these conflicts (e.g. - development of crop varieties that provide improved residue nutrition for livestock while still supplying proper human nutrients, as discussed at ICRISAT; use of mixed cropping systems).
- Learn about the veterinary education system in southern India and compare it with the US system (who has access to this education, at what age are vets graduating, what percentage will be large animal vets vs. small animal vets, what percentage of vets are women vs. men, etc).
- Understand the roles vets play in rural and urban settings in promoting both animal and human health (e.g. rabies control). Understand the extent to which both large and small animal services are needed in India. Recognize the growing importance of small animals in the lives of southern Indians.
- Identify the primary veterinary medical concerns in southern India (diseases, reproduction, nutrition, husbandry/management) and the treatment, control and prevention strategies available to vets and farmers for addressing these concerns.
- what is the cost to farmers
- what government subsidies are available
- To what extent are newer technologies (artificial insemination, embryo transfer, diagnostics, biotechnology, etc) being used and how useful are they.
- Understand the infrastructure for veterinary health services in India and how accessible these services are to smallholders (government vs. university vs. private). Recognize the critical role of extension services in reaching smallholders, and develop suggestions for how the current extension system could be improved to better meet the needs of smallholders.
- Appreciate that agencies in India (e.g. Hyderabad Blue Cross) are addressing both large and small animal welfare issues in parallel with human welfare concerns.
- Become familiar with current and potential future veterinary research efforts in India (e.g. QTL mapping in poultry). Understand who is doing the research (government agencies, universities, private companies) and where their funding comes from.
- Understand the current and future roles of Indian vets in development, as well as potential roles for foreign vets in Indian development.
- Gain an appreciation for how interwoven the issues in all four theme groups actually are, and therefore, how important it is for people with multidisciplinary backgrounds to work together toward a common goal of national development and poverty alleviation. (To this end, theme groups should be occasionally mixed to allow small group discussions among the groups.) Note: the full group comment sessions were less effective because they didn’t allow active discussion, questions, and development of ideas.
- Be able to draw a map of India and its neighbors, with at least the southern states shown in detail, and be able to point out where our group traveled.
- Gain an appreciation for Indian culture and history; particularly, begin to understand its diversity and contrasts, and how these offer unique challenges and opportunities for development. Realize the differences between Indian and US culture, but more importantly, recognize the similarities that all students, faculty, and people share as human beings.
Group 4 - Rural Infrastructure and Agricultural Development
Faculty Mentors: Ronnie Coffman and Calum Turvey
Participate in a cultural exchange with Indian students and faculty, Sathguru staff, and other Indians that interact with the group during the visit in India. Understand the history, religions, caste system, culture and foods of India.
- Explore and understand the public-private roles and partnerships that are involved in the various issues/activities in Indian agriculture.
- Understand the social organization and structure in India at various levels (households, relatives, villages etc.) and how they relate to livelihood strategies for various social groups of farmers.
- Understand the extension systems available in India to meet farmer information and service needs. This would include public, University, private sector (business), and private NGO systems. It would also look at KVKs (Krishi Vikas Kendras farmer learning centers), FFS (Farmer Field Schools) and other innovative extension systems.
- Explore how farmers obtain seed, fertilizer and pesticide inputs for agricultural production issues of private versus public, quality, and availability of needed information.
- Explore the various marketing channels for farmer’s surplus production including local, national and international markets; the role of middle men, self help groups, auction centers and policy interventions.
- Look at the importance of various credit sources for farmers; national and State banks, private banks, money lenders, cooperatives and micro-credit schemes.
- Visit and explore alternative rural programs to understand the complex nature of how farmers fulfill their livelihood needs. This could include home-based products, agricultural wage incomes, non-agricultural wage activities and the role of diversification in supplementing farm household incomes.
- Explore the links between human nutrition and agriculture and the issue of nutritional disorders among various social groups in India and how agriculture can help alleviate these problems.
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