Application of Science and Technology for Integrated Agriculture and Rural Development

Abstract

Agriculture concerns practically the entire biomass-plants, animals, insects, micro-organisms. All these organic matter contain carbon and hydrogen and frequently nitrogen and phosphorous. Application of science and technology for converting the biomass in numerous products had a snowball effect on the process of industrialization and economic development. The process is already on in India. Almost every primary agricultural commodity and organic residue has potential for developing a series of industries. For example, paddy plant provides rice, bran, husk and straw. These when further processed provide a variety of products like rice products, starch, rice wine, rice bran oil, de-oiled cake, cattle feed, wax, tar, cement, coal briquettes, husk board, paper, furfural oil, silica, etc. Similar is the case with sugarcane, groundnut, coconut, cotton, maize, etc. The note provides some simple steps for estimating the potential for farm-industry linkages.