Role of social sciences in agricultural development RASHTRIYA KRISHI Volume 14 Issue 1 June, 2019 101-104

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Role of social sciences in agricultural development in India

D.K. Krishna and N.V. Kumbhare
Division of Agricultural Extension, IARI, New Delhi, India
(Email : krishnadkarjigi@gmail.com)

Agriculture, as the backbone of Indian economy, plays streams of social sciences in agriculture are briefly
the most crucial role in the socio-economic sphere of the discussed below:
country. Indian agriculture is a diverse and extensive sector Agricultural economics: The role and contribution of
involving a large number of actors which includes farmers, agricultural economists can be traced to the phases of
farm women, rural youth, agricultural researchers, agricultural development in India and began with the
extension workers etc. Historically, the Indian agricultural inception of State/Agricultural Universities in early 1960s.
research system is the zenith of a process which started During the last 10 years, agricultural economists have been
in the 19th century and which resulted in the establishment actively involved in formulation of five year plans both at
of the Imperial (now Indian) Council of Agricultural the centre and state levels. However, it is being felt that
Research (ICAR) on the recommendation of a Royal the role and contribution of agricultural economists is not
Commission on Agriculture in 1929. Since then there was fully understood and recognized at all levels in the NARS.
a stupendous evolution of agricultural research in India.It Most of the heads of Institutions (Directors and Vice
has been one of the remarkable success stories of the Chancellors) and other senior managers are not fully
post-independence era through the association of Green aware of the role that agricultural economists can play in
Revolution technologies even though India has one of the the system. This is reflected in the routine duties quite
largest and institutionally most complex agricultural often assigned to agricultural economists in many institutes/
research systems in the world. The green revolution SAUs. The future role may include prioritizing agricultural
contributed to the Indian economy by providing food self- research for enhancing the development value of
sufficiency and improved rural welfare. One of the agricultural technologies and impact assessment;
highlights of the green revolution era was that the life development of supportive policy choices in and their
sciences were augmented with emerging social sciences impacts relating to food and nutritional security, reduce
in the nation to bring about a phenomenal change in the poverty, transform low income agriculture to high income
agriculture and allied sectors. sustainable agriculture at rapid rate, continuing shortage
Social science plays an important role in community of oilseeds and pulses, rationalization of subsidies to
empowerment and socio-economic development of the encourage sustainable resource use, adapting and
farming community in India. Social sciences when mitigating the adverse impact of climate change, evolve
reinforced with biological sciences will provide human face institutional arrangements for implementing eco-system
of science, because science is for society and hence services, analysis of sustainable livelihood approaches, land
science without human face is body without soul. Social market reforms, linking farmers to markets and value
sciences study the nature, measurement and analysis of chains, dietary changes and enterprise diversification,
needs and aspirations of people so that science can institutional innovations for scaling up and scaling out of
continuously remain relevant and contribute to the welfare technologies and good agricultural practices, PPP models
of mankind. Specifically, social sciences help organize for convergence and synergy among public sector, private
research and education around societal problems in sector, NGOs, CSOs, FOs, etc., Women and youth
scientific disciplines by improving focus, design, engagement in development, etc.
implementation, evaluation and demonstration of evidences Agricultural economics is concerned with farming as
of impact. It is time that social sciences of agricultural a business and with agriculture as an industries. In the
economics, agricultural extension, agricultural statistics, more restricted sphere of farm management the student
food and nutrition and home sciences get due attention to of agricultural economics is concerned with the business
play their role as ears and eyes of the National Agricultural problems of the firm of the producing unit of the industries.
Research and Education System (NARES). Various In the wider sphere of social economics he is concerned

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 D.K. Krishna and N.V. Kumbhare

with the general economic pattern of the agricultural rapidly and studies were initiated for developing objective
industry as a whole and with the forces responsible for and reliable methods, based essentially on crop cutting
the molding of that pattern; he is also concerned with the experiments, for producing yield and production statistics
relation of the agricultural industry to other industries within of principal food crops. The efficiency and practicability
the national economy as well as with its place in world of these methods was demonstrated in different States
economy. for estimating crop yield. As a result, in the course of a
Agricultural extension: Role of agricultural extension few years, the method was extended practically to the
discipline in technology perfection and transfer during the entire country to cover all principal food and non-food
first green revolution period and current phase of second crops. Presently, 9 lakh crop cutting experiments are
green revolution hardly needs any emphasis. The network conducted in India to estimate production of 48 crops.
of KVKs in NARS has been characterized as an Basic research in statistical sciences is fundamental to its
institutional innovation for agricultural development. Their innovative applications in biological / agricultural sciences.
role in perfection and diffusion of new technologies It, therefore, becomes of paramount importance to ensure
through FLDs is well-known. Agricultural extension that for quality basic research in statistics all stumbling
specialists have contributed immensely in training of blocks be cleared so as to warrant quality agricultural
government extension workers, farmers, farm women and research, which takes us on the path of ever-green
rural youth. They have demonstrated, on large scale, the revolution; agricultural research which is globally visible,
power of diffusion science, through their role in competitive and acceptable.
implementation of component 3 of recently concluded Human nutrition: Nutrition research is a blend of basic
NAIP. They have been also instrumental in providing and applied sciences in which social aspects like
conducive platforms to agro-biological scientists to communication for behavioural change, statistical and
disseminate and popularize their new technologies and also economic considerations for planning programmes are
to get feedback from farmers as well as other stakeholders important. For health and nutrition security, there has to
like seed companies, input supply agencies, processors be Awareness, Access and Affordability to ensure
and traders. balanced diet and also conditions of absorption (safe
Agricultural statistics: Research in statistics is drinking water and disease free environment) and health
fundamentally important and absolutely essential. Fusion care outreach. The role of community workers and
of statistical sciences in agricultural sciences for quality empowerment of women are very important. Ensuring
agricultural research is also very important and highly food and nutrition is the responsibility of agriculture. It is
desirable. Similarly research in other social sciences with reported that not with standing several development and
blending of statistical sciences is also important and feeding programmes, India battles under-nutrition and loses
desirable. The major role of statistics in agricultural more than US$ 12 billion in GDP to Vitamin and mineral
sciences is data designing, which essentially involves data deficiencies. Top-down approach without preparing the
generation, data analysis, data interpretation (Inferences), community and ensuring its participation is one of the
and deriving knowledge. All these stages are intertwined reasons for inadequate impact of several development
and sound application of statistical theories is required at programmes in human nutrition. Food security (balanced
every stage. Thus, sound knowledge of statistical sciences diet supplying required quantity of energy, protein, vitamins
ably supported by basic research in statistics is absolutely and minerals), should be addressed at household and
essential for the growth of agricultural research. It is no individual level rather than stopping with calorie sufficiency
wonder then that the great vision of research managers at the national level. Nutritional security can be achieved
in ICAR in 1930 enabled them to realize the importance with a blend of scientific, technological and social
of statistical sciences in agricultural research, which led engineering.
to creation of a statistical section in the ICAR to assist Home science: Home science aims at creating better
the State Departments of Agriculture and Animal standard of living and family ecosystem. The main focus
Husbandry in planning and designing their experiments, is empowering women and girl child in rural and urban
analysis of experimental data, interpretation of results, and households through continuous academic, research and
also rendering advice on the formulation of the technical extension activities. The beginning of home science in
programs and examining the progress reports of the colleges was made in 1932 by Lady Irwin College in Delhi.
schemes funded by the Council. The activities increased From 1938 onwards Madras University introduced home
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 Role of social sciences in agricultural development in India

science at the degree level. Agricultural institute of initiatives such as think tanks have also produced specific
Allahabad had also started a diploma course in home development focused research products but generally do
science in 1935 and it became a university level not have longer term interest in research and the quality
department in 1945. The need for teaching home science of their research is not yet established.
was recognized in most of the SAUs and home science In general Social sciences focus on the study of
colleges were opened since 1960 and 1970s. Since then society and the relationship among individuals within
Home Science education, research, and outreach society. Social science covers a wide spectrum of subjects
programmes have reached people and benefitted them in including extension, economics, statistics, home science,
many ways. political science, sociology, history, anthropology, and law.
The major areas of home science include, apparel In particular, social scientists are equipped with the
and textiles, foods and nutrition, resource management analytical and communication skills that are important
and community sciences; human development and family throughout many industries and organizations.
studies and home science extension and communication From 1977 to 1980, the International Potato Center
management. Home scientists are involved in several (CIP) implemented an interdisciplinary farm-level research
academic programmes like teaching and guiding students, programme in the Mantaro Valley of highland Peru. Unlike
training human resource, entrepreneurship development, many other agricultural research projects, anthropologists,
personality development, etc. The main areas of home economists, sociologists, plant physiologists, agronomists,
science research include, development of technologies and pathologists and entomologists were involved in this
their validation, changes in the attitudes of women in project. The three main objectives of the programme were
villages, integrated development of rural families, to sensitize CIP and national-programme scientists to the
collaborate with government and non-government value of on-farm research, develop and field test
agencies in planning, implementation and evaluation of procedures for on-farm research with potatoes and train
development programmes. The main outreach national programme personnel in the use of on-farm
programmes in home science include, conduct research techniques.
demonstrations (FLD and OFD), vocational training, When all these technologies are considered promising
cognitive and skill development, contribution to information by biological scientists, especially those who researched
Centre providing information to the farmers, SHGs, liaison and developed them, social scientists could and should
with line departments, database development on nutritional intervene to help generate evidence through field research
status, information needs, women entrepreneurship, etc. to establish the socio-economic and operational feasibility
Agricultural education and social sciences: Indian of these technologies under field conditions. This could
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) over the years save on a lot of time, money and resources being wasted
has introduced vital reforms in Agricultural education for in the development of technologies that may be impractical
improving its quality, relevance and uniformity across the under field conditions.
country. In Social Sciences Group, ICAR has developed Conclusion : Any research endeavor is ultimately meant
the course structure and course contents for three to serve society one way or another. Social scientists are
programmes namely Agri-Business Management, close to society and know well societal needs, aspirations
Agricultural Economics, and Agricultural Extension. Agri- and field realities. Thus, social scientists can add value to
business programme has been introduced for the very first biological research if they are involved in agricultural
time, while Agricultural Economics and Agricultural research projects as partners in multidisciplinary teams.
Extension programmes have been given new life by adding Moreover, social scientists can contribute significantly to
new courses and updating the others in tune with the feedback and impact assessments, which are important
changing time and future needs. domains of any research outcome.Social scientists study
Social science research in India has had a chequered the nature, measurement and analysis of people’s needs
history. There are more than 400 universities in India with and aspirations so that science can continuously remain
more than 500 departments of social sciences. While relevant and contribute to the welfare of mankind. They
universities are the locus of academic research, there are can help organize research, education and training around
more than 200 government research institutes and societal problems in biological science research by
autonomous research organizations which undertake social improving the focus, design, implementation, evaluation
science research as well. Some NGOs and policy research and demonstration of evidence of impact.

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 D.K. Krishna and N.V. Kumbhare

The scope of social sciences has been defined at social research.

national and international levels, to inter alia include The CGIAR centers in general, and IFPRI and IRRI
economics, sociology, political science, geography, in particular, have been making efforts to enhance the
philosophy, psychology, anthropology including agricultural role of social sciences in agricultural research by taking
extension education and statistics. If these disciplines work up activities including organizing workshops, seminars,
in isolation and without collaborating with biological symposiums and panel discussions. It is expected that in
scientists, their impact would be negligible in solving coming years, these efforts will pay off. These
problems societies face currently or likely to face in future. international institutions can do a lot to improve the
Social scientists can significantly enhance their capacities of social scientists in developing countries
contributions if they improve their own capacities by through workshops and trainings at different locations.
becoming better skilled with tools and methodologies of
Received : 01.02.2019 Revised : 04.05.2019 Accepted : 20.05.2019

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