Sustatining Traditional Agricultural Practices for Food Security

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This book has some unique features. It contains (i) the self-questioning of scientists who had long been used to the reductionist method of science and had become the vehicle of propagating chemicalisation of agriculture as "Scientific Technology", (ii) penetrating observations of some social penetrating observations effect of activists on the deleterious effect of chemicalised farming and (iii) the stories of path breaking efforts in alternative agriculture in pursuit of organism. The very first chapter of the book poses, perhaps for the first time, question of fundamental importance in social philosophy and economics which impinge on agrcultural technology and sustainability of both the production system and society. The book also discusses (i) the reasons which, after three decades of imitation of the West, have induced the current search for sustainability; (ii) the core principles of sustainbale agriculture; (iii) India's traditional technology of agro-meteorological prediction; (iv) India's indigenus irrigation system which bore the stamp of farmer's creativity and most fruitfully served agriculture need for centuries without causing any adverse ecological effects; (v) the packages of practives speccific to each cultural zone that emerged, evolved and has largely continued to this time; (vi) the crop-Specific farming technologies; (vii) the indigenous animal husbandry technologies. At the end it presents the perspective of research for scientists who now feel finclined to base on, and improve upon, traditional farming technologies. This combination gives the book uniqueness.

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s Prof. V K Dubey is Ex. Head, Department of Extension Education, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (UP) India. Shailendra Nath Ghosh is a Freelance Journalist in New Delhi. Table of Contents Philosophical Basis of Sustanibility Reasons of Search for sustanibility Core Principles for Sustainable Agriculture Definition of Indigenous Knowledge System and Need for a New Methodology of Study India's Traditional Technique of Agro-meteorological Predictions Sustained Productivity Through Integrated Organic Agriculture: Success Stories India's Indegenous Irrigation Techniques India's Emergent Bio-nutrition and Soil Rejuvenating Technology Traditional Agriculture Technology and Farmers Continuing Innovation Indigenous Crop-specific Farming Technology Indigenous Animal Husbandry Technology Perspective of Research Building upon Traditional Technology