Integrated Rural Development: A Roadmap

Integrated Rural Development (IRD) is concerned with economic growth, poverty alleviation, raising the living standard of the rural people and providing adequate minimum basic needs. Modern technology has the potential to achieve this, if properly harnessed. Agriculture needs to be modernized for achieving the objective of integrated rural development. Integrated rural development can be achieved by bringing in modern agricultural technologies in the rural and backward areas. Modern technologies should appropriately be blended with Government’s development programmes for improving the livelihoods of landless and marginal farmers. The book focuses on the key role modern technology can play in IRD. It explores the role of various sectors in achieving integration of rural development. The book is divided into three sections – Agriculture and technology, sustainable livelihoods and resource conservation The articles included in this book deal with the following areas: Agriculture technologies, lab-to-land programme, post-harvest technology, contract farming in horticulture sector, conservation agriculture, GM seeds, biofertilizers, biotechnology, bio-resources, soil conservation and wasteland development (Jatropa and energy plantation on wasteland), water-related issues (soil and water conservation, drip irrigation, ground water management and rainwater harvesting, salinity prevention), non- agricultural and forest-related activities, microfinance and SHGs, khadi and village industries, sustainable livelihoods with ICT in rural India, the digital initiatives such as AgRIS, DISNIC, e-Cooperatives and CoopNET for fostering agricultural and rural industries and improving rural connectivity.