History of Krsisastra

The practice and theory of agriculture occupies a special branch of sciences called krishishastra literature 'agricultural science' in the traditional Indian taxonomy of sciences. This knowledge is deposited in the krishishastras literature 'textbooks of agriculture', in didactic poetry or single chapters or passages of literary works of different genres and in various collections of popular sayings. These texts together are rich mines of information on the methods of weather forecast, the main events of the agricultural year comprising agricultural operations, events of village life and certain religious beliefs. Gyula Wojtilla in the first part of his book defines the various meanings of the term krishishastra and assigns its role among traditional sciences in India. It is followed by the major part of the book containing the detailed description of individual works on traditional agriculture written mainly in Sanskrit but also in Prakrit and in vernaculars such as Bengali, Bihari, Gujarati, Hindi, Kanarese, Malayalam, Maithili, Marathi, Rajasthani, Tamil and Telugu. At the end of the book there are four appendices comprising texts containing independent chapters) on the subject, collections of sayings others than ascribed to authors and miscellaneus issues. The book as such can be regarded as an literary encyclopaedia of traditional Indian agriculture and may serve as an indispensable tool of research for students of classical Indology, history of science and culture or the peasant society in India. [Verlagsinformation]

BeijingGlorious Land Agricultural Park

BeijingGlorious Land Agricultural Park, founded in February 1998, is an agricultural science and technology park by Beijing Glorious Land Agricultural Co Ltd. The park is a national agricultural tourism and sightseeing experimental park, a Beijing agricultural tourism experimental park, a patriotic education base in Beijing, one of the first group of leading enterprises for scientific innovation of the Spark Plan during the 10th five-year plan and a state-level export-oriented enterprise in the Spark Plan designated by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and a new and high-tech enterprise in Beijing, a safe agricultural product base of Beijing, experimental base for standardized agricultural production in Beijing and a leading enterprise in Beijing.

The location of the agricultural park is favorable. It is in the beautiful West Mountain scenic area and the green belt of Beijing. Lying at the foot of Badachu Park, with Mount Yuquan in the far distance, it is by the diversion channel of Yongding River in north, and between the fourth and fifth ring roads. In the master plan of Beijing, the park is listed as a high-tech agricultural area of Beijing, and is clearly marked on the administrative map and traffic map of Beijing.

Beijing Glorious Land Agricultural Park integrates high technology with traditional farming techniques, combines environmental protection with harmonious production, and has become a modern agricultural experimental park integrating high-tech production, leisure, entertainment and popular science education. The exhibits of agricultural high-tech results include the soil-less vegetable cultivation plant, plant tissue culture workshop, edible fungi processing plant and sale exhibition, plant biological technology center, animal biological technology center, the production and sales of green agricultural products, and various species of animals and plants.

The Reed-Stewart Agricultural Science Center

The Reed-Stewart Agricultural Science Center, located at 1924 N. Main Street in Mansfield, is a unique hands-on training and educational facility for students interested in the field of agricultural science and agribusiness.

The facility was opened in December of 1998. It is dedicated in honor of two of Mansfield ISD's Agricultural Science (vocational agriculture) instructors, Mr. Harley K. Reed and Mr. Leon R. Stewart, Jr. See the history section for additional information about Mr. Reed and Mr. Stewart and their careers at Mansfield High School and Ben Barber Career Tech Academy. The Reed-Stewart Agricultural Science Center was built with funds from a local bond election. The cost of construction and the value of the property totaled some $750,000 at opening.

Two buildings at the Agricultural Science Center cover 10,350 square feet. Special features include three large classrooms combined with a computerized laboratory that allow students the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the science and technology of agriculture. Also included are ten large animal stalls, eight pens for sheep and goats, a separate four stall horse barn and a small animal room for rabbits and poultry.

Agricultural Science Center North

Agricultural Science Center North Located in the southern part of campus near the intersection of Cooper Drive and South Limestone Street, Agricultural Science Center North houses offices of the College of Agriculture

Agricultural Science Summer Undergraduate Research & Development Program

The Chile Pepper Institute proudly announces the annual NSF- funded Agricultural Science Summer Undergraduate Research Education and Development (ASSURED) Program: A Research Experience for Undergraduates. The Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University (NMSU) will be providing a ten-week summer program called ASSURED (Agricultural Summer Science Undergraduate Research Education and Development Program), located on the NMSU main campus in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The program assists incoming college freshman (enrolled in classes), and continuing freshman and sophomore students from first or second generation migrant farm labor families. Students should be interested in learning about science, research, agriculture, and chile peppers.

BSc in Agricultural Science Course code: WD078

This is a one year follow-on degree programme from the Higher Certificate in Science in Agricultural Science. Building on the Higher Certificate it is designed to equip graduates with a detailed knowledge of modern on-farm agricultural production and the expertise to work in a variety of positions in the agri-food sector.

GM food, biofuels and a hungry world

crops are essential to bringing down food prices and feeding the world's hungry. Well, now we know they're not.

Read the conclusions of the most authoritative report yet on the future of global food production.

According to the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development, grave doubts remain over the effects of GM foods on human health and the environment.

The career clusters model

The career clusters model was designed with the goal to “Prepare learners of all ages for the information age as schools, colleges, and employers are striving for higher achievement in science, math and communication. One key to improving learner achievement is providing learners with relevant contexts for studying and learning. Career Clusters offer a context by linking school-based learning with the knowledge and skills required for continue success” (States’ Career Cluster, 2003). By using their pathways model in agriculture, food, and natural resources, Figure 2, a foundation was established of where to base the New York State standards. The goal of the agriculture, food, and natural resources pathways is to encompass, “The production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources.” These areas seem to represent all the diverse areas within the state.

In peace and "when the bullets are flying," professor lends a hand to Africa

When Richard Pratt accepted the 2005 African Crop Science Society Award last December in Uganda, he didn't just see it as a personal honor. He knew the award also was a testament to the ties between Ohio State and Africa’s agricultural science community.
Pratt has been a professor of horticulture and crop science at Ohio State’s Agricultural Research and Development Center for almost 20 years. An expert on corn breeding, he brings Ugandan graduate students to his Wooster lab to help him develop tools to fight diseases that devastate the crop, known in Africa as maize.
Ohio State faculty members have been working with academic institutions in Uganda and Nigeria since the mid-1960s, giving the university a solid research presence in Africa, including study abroad programs like Pratt's.
“In Uganda, we’ve been developing these relationships both in times of peace and when the bullets were flying,” Pratt says. “OSU has shown a sustained commitment; we are not just a fair-weather friend.”
“The idea here is building up the capabilities of African universities, lifting the quality of their research, and addressing real-life problems.”
His work has paid off: Ohio State-trained African scientists now hold leadership positions in both government and academic research institutions--and they continue to remember their alma mater.
"Unless science is taken into the field and makes an impact in the livelihood of subsistence farmers," says Pratt, "there isn’t much contribution."

Master of Agricultural Science

The Master of Agricultural Science course provides a research-led national and international focused program directed at students who wish to build a professional career in a specialised area of the Agricultural Sciences. Graduates in the Master programme will possess attributes that will ensure they can either find employment in the public or private sectors related to a wide range of agricultural production, environmental, economics, bioresearch and service industries, and community organisations concerned with public good, or continue into further postgraduate programmes of study.

A new competency discovered...........

A new competency discovered in the current study focused on the “ability to work with diverse groups.” This concept does not directly relate to ethnic diversity but rather to diversity among students relating to interests, focus, and overall program objectives. Both inservice and preservice teachers mentioned this category with comments such as “the ability to tailor to each student” and “dealing with kids that don’t know anything about Agriculture.” One particular teacher was working in an affluent school district in an urban area and shared that many students entering their program have no previous knowledge of agriculture. Many inservice teachers noted that they have several special needs students in their classroom. “We aren’t necessarily a dumping ground but we have a vast variety of academic levels in our classes.” Another point relevant to this competency was that many student lack “passion” about agriculture and thus the teacher has to be able to “change from year to year depending on the students and school.”

Based on the reported findings, a visual model was constructed to provide greater understanding of the competencies and traits required of successful agricultural science teachers. Given that seven categories were identified (Instruction; Student Organization; Supervised Experience; Program Planning and Management; School and Community Relations; Personal Traits; and Professionalism), a heptagon was chosen for the general shape of the model (see Figure 1). The newly identified competency, “working with diverse groups” was deemed by the research team to transcend and interact with all seven categories. Thus, this competency was placed in the center of the heptagon with double arrows extending to each category.

Modern agricultural practices must change, concludes report to be presented at UNESCO

At a time of record high prices for agricultural products, the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)* will release its report on the state of global agriculture on 15 April at UNESCO (Room IX - 11h). The report considers such major issues as biofuels, GM crops, use of traditional know-how, impact of climate change, and underlines the pressing need to change the rules of modern agriculture.