Happiness and Farmers The Social Ecology and Strategy

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015 with a total of 17 objectives to be achieved by 2030, primarily aim to ensure the well-being of all people, particularly those in rural areas who are experiencing accelerated marginalization. The goal of ensuring happiness has become increasingly important as a result. In order to attain happiness for disadvantaged communities, it is crucial to provide a guaranteed income, basic health and hygiene, minimal education, and social security. Happiness is a universal aspiration and every farmer in India desires it.

However, farmers in India are often portrayed as mere food producers who work for wages or income. Unfortunately, wages and income for small and marginal farmers are unpredictable, making it challenging for them to achieve a happy and prosperous life. The Indian farming sector is under constant stress due to unpredictable markets and fragile income, which makes it difficult for farmers to lead a happy life. Indias position on the global happiness index is close to the bottom.

This book examines the conceptual heterogeneity of happiness and its importance for the physical and mental well-being of farmers. The well-being of farmers is crucial for sustaining food security and economic growth. The book is fascinating and insightful, providing a comprehensive analysis of the causes and consequences of farmers unhappiness. Through a large sample of farmer respondents, the book examines their level of happiness and provides compelling evidence to support its arguments.

Prof. (Dr.) Sankar Kr Acharya, former Head, Dept. of AgrilExtension and Director, Extension Education, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, WB, born on 6th October, 1960, started his career as Assistant Professor at BCKV in 1988 and has been in teaching, research and extension over 33 years. An erudite teacher as well as an elegant speaker, Prof. Acharya has also been the topper and awarded the certificate of merit in his M. Sc. (Ag) academic career in Agril. Extension. He is internationally acclaimed for his unique research domain of Social Entropy and Energy Metabolism, Social Ecology and Environmental Sociology, Enterprise Ecology Framework, Farm Stewardships: The Transition from Conservation, Technology Socialization Process, and The Social Ecology of Livelihood, which have got tremendous policy as well as scholastic importance. Research Publication: 235 in National and International Journals. Book Publication: 107 books authored / co-authored, covering areas Participatory Extension Planning and Management; Value, Extension Strategy for Natural Resource Management; Horticulture Management with Quality Issues, Technology Socialization Process; Fish bio­diversity; Income and Livelihood; Enterprise Management and Entrepreneurship Building;Social Metabolism, Farm Energy Metabolism, Community Perception on Climate Change , Social Entropy and Chaos,Decision ecology Commission; Marketing and Extension Sub Committee, Govt. of West Bengal; Expert member WWF projects in BTR (Buxa Tiger Reserve Project); Expert member; DFID project on Primary Education (DPEP); REIA, Visited Italy, France, Germany, China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Delivered 17 Key note addresses, 13 guest, invited and lead speakers in International Congress, Chaired 19 Sessions in International conferences, Editors of a score of national and international journals. He has so far been awarded with 13 best paper awards in National and International Conferences Organizing Secretary of two International Conferences, held in the years, 2016 & 2018, Jointly Organized by Department of Agricultural Extension, BCKV, WB and Krishisanskriti, New Delhi. His Present RG score: 28.64. He has also been honoured to be selected as the Convener of Panel (PE-32) entitled The hunger , poverty and silence, of IUAES, University of Manchester, UK, 2013 .Co-PI of ICAR, NAHEP and World Bank funded project on Conservation Agriculture. So, far he has successfully guided 19 Ph D scholars and 77 M Sc students from BCKV CU, KU, Vidyasagar University. He is the fellow, ISEE, IARI, New Delhi.

Ms Sudipta Chandra, born on 5th November, 1998, completed her B Sc (Hons) Agriculture from Lovely Professional University in 2020 placed in first class. She had her M Sc (Ag) in Agricultural Extension in first class with an OGPA 9.21 which is simply brilliant. She had her M Sc(Ag) dissertation on happiness of farmers under the supervision of Prof S K Acharya, the eminent extension scientist. She has been unique by innovative thinking, mettle and strong academic commitment. She has got a couple of research publications to her credit.

Amitava Biswas, born in 1964, Professor, Department of Agricultural Extension, BCKV, is an eminent personality in the domain of Extension Science. He has been in teaching, research and extension for the last twenty years in the Department of Agricultural Extension, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (B.C. Agricultural University), Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal. He has built up an incredible acumen in Participatory Extension Methods, Indigenous Technical Knowledge, Rural Entrepreneurship and Developmental studies. So far he has authored 45 research papers in national and International Journals, 19 books and good number of popular articles. He is a good trainer in multidiscipline area and regular speaker in TV and Radio. He rendered administrative services as Deputy Director of Extension Education and Editorial Works as Editor of University farm Journal 'Krishi Bidhan'. For the last couple of years he has been with popular Science movement. He has also been involved in some ACRP, NAIP, RKVY and ICARDA Projects.

Mr. Monirul Haque, born on 9th December 1995 in Falakata of Jalpaiguri district presently in Alipurduar district of West Bengal, obtained his B.Sc. (Agriculture) Honours from Palli Siksha Bhavana (Institute of Agriculture), Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal in the year of 2017. He had obtained his M.Sc. (Ag.) in Department of Agricultural Extension from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, West Bengal in the year of 2019. He has qualified the National Eligibility Test for Assistant Professor conducted by UGC in his very first attempt in the year 2019. Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. in the Department of Agricultural Extension of the same University under the supervision of Prof. S K Acharya. He has been awarded Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students for pursuing his research work.