Canonical Transformations and Path Integral Measures

This paper is a generalization of previous work on the use of classical canonical transformations to evaluate Hamiltonian path integrals for quantum mechanical systems. Relevant aspects of the Hamiltonian path integral and its measure are discussed and used to show that the quantum mechanical version of the classical transformation does not leave the measure of the path integral invariant, instead inducing an anomaly. The relation to operator techniques and ordering problems is discussed, and special attention is paid to incorporation of the initial and final states of the transition element into the boundary conditions of the problem. Classical canonical transformations are developed to render an arbitrary power potential cyclic. The resulting Hamiltonian is analyzed as a quantum system to show its relation to known quantum mechanical results. A perturbative argument is used to suppress ordering related terms in the transformed Hamiltonian in the event that the classical canonical transformation leads to a nonquadratic cyclic Hamiltonian. The associated anomalies are analyzed to yield general methods to evaluate the path integral's prefactor for such systems. The methods are applied to several systems, including linear and quadratic potentials, the velocity-dependent potential, and the time-dependent harmonic oscillator.Comment: 28 pages, LaTe

Pluralistic Agricultural Extension System in India: Innovations and Constraints

The major issues before Indian extension system are: how to improve the effectiveness of extension systems? How to serve the small land holders and marginal farmers in diversified farming systems? and proper allocation of fund, human resources and its management. The ATMA model has been successful in addressing many extension problems. Hence, the model should be introduced and implemented vigilantly. ATMAs should be empowered with sufficient administrative, financial and implementation flexibilities to reach the large numbers of small and marginal farmers. There is need of coordinated attempt to synergize and converge efforts at district and block levels to improve the performance of stakeholders. It is essential to route all the state and central government extension funds and human resources through a single agency, i.e. ATMA for effective utilization of crucial resources. The state governments should provide proper financial support by allocating at least 20% of states total budget to ATMA, which in turn distributes among state departments. The development grant provided by ICAR to SAUs and KVKs should be reviewed and adequately enhanced. Scaling up of FIGs/SHGs and Farmers Associations (FAs) could be an effective mechanism for empowerment and transfer of agricultural technologies. For serving the small communities efficiently, Information and Communication Technologies could be useful tools to increase connectivity between various FIGs/SHGs. It will also reduce extension cost and the workload of extension functionaries. There is need to learn from other actors like private sector, NGOs as they have much in-depth presence with various successful model

Role of State Agricultural Universities and Directorates of Extension Education in Agricultural Extension in India

In India, the first SAU was established in 1960 at Pantnagar in Uttar Pradesh. The SAUs were given autonomous status and direct funding from the state governments. They were autonomous organizations with state-wide responsibility for agricultural research, education and training or extension education. The establishment of the SAUs, based on a pattern similar to that of the land-grant universities in the United States, was a landmark in reorganizing and strengthening the agricultural education system in India. These universities became the branches of research under the ICAR and became the partners of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). The green revolution, with its impressive social and economic impact, witnessed significant contributions from the SAUs, both in terms of trained, scientific work force and the generation of new technologies. However, most of the agricultural universities in India continue to be dominated by top-down, monolithic structures that follow a limited extension mandate. None of the post-Training-and-Visit (T&V) system extension reforms could revitalize it to meet the demands of a changing agricultural context. The profusion of uncensored information through mass media and cyber sources has long-term consequences of generating public distrust and alienation from agriculture. This is attributed to the lack of a proper mechanism for verifying the accuracy and viability of the information transmitted. As in most of the developing countries, transfer of technology remained largely in the domain of the State Department of Agriculture (DOA), and SAUs are mandated to serve only a limited extension role in technology dissemination activities. The paper tries to critically review the extension activities of the SAUs and their Directorates of extension Education in India

Extension in India by Public Sector Institutions: An Overview

Presently, Indian agricultural extension has wide mandates and despite the pluralistic extension approaches, its coverage and use of services is limited; particularly in rain-fed regions that are represented by marginal and smallholder farmers’. Hence, there is need to develop “need-based” capacity building of small-scale men and women farmers, as well as gaining access to reliable information in increasing their productivity and profitability for livelihoods improvements. There are five major agricultural public sector extension systems devoted to extension work in India: (i) the Ministry of Agriculture at central level, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Directorate of Extension (DoE); (ii) State Departments of Agriculture (DoA), as well as the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs); (iii) the Departments of Agriculture (DoA), Animal Husbandry (DAH), Horticulture (DoH) and Fisheries (DoF), as well as the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and, more recently, the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at the District level; (iv) also, there are a wide variety of producers groups, including cooperatives and federations of milk, fruits, cotton, oilseeds, coconut, spices etc.; as well as (v) civil society organizations, such as the Non-governmental Organization (NGOs). In agricultural innovation systems, there are still large gaps between research and extension approaches. Hence, there is need to evaluate the performance and socio-economic impacts of research and extension programs. Also, a greater understanding of Public Private Partnership is also required; including the mechanisms that help encourage partnerships. There is a want for a thorough evaluation of extension approaches in order to identify best practices and to understand their impact on farming communities in reaching small-scale and marginal farmers. The present study tries to analyze the role played by public sector institutions in India

Role of State Agricultural Universities and Directorates of Extension Education in Agricultural Extension in India

In India, the first SAU was established in 1960 at Pantnagar in Uttar Pradesh. The SAUs were given autonomous status and direct funding from the state governments. They were autonomous organizations with state-wide responsibility for agricultural research, education and training or extension education. The establishment of the SAUs, based on a pattern similar to that of the land-grant universities in the United States, was a landmark in reorganizing and strengthening the agricultural education system in India. These universities became the branches of research under the ICAR and became the partners of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS). The green revolution, with its impressive social and economic impact, witnessed significant contributions from the SAUs, both in terms of trained, scientific work force and the generation of new technologies. However, most of the agricultural universities in India continue to be dominated by top-down, monolithic structures that follow a limited extension mandate. None of the post-Training-and-Visit (T&V) system extension reforms could revitalize it to meet the demands of a changing agricultural context. The profusion of uncensored information through mass media and cyber sources has long-term consequences of generating public distrust and alienation from agriculture. This is attributed to the lack of a proper mechanism for verifying the accuracy and viability of the information transmitted. As in most of the developing countries, transfer of technology remained largely in the domain of the State Department of Agriculture (DOA), and SAUs are mandated to serve only a limited extension role in technology dissemination activities. The paper tries to critically review the extension activities of the SAUs and their Directorates of extension Education in India

Reforming India’s Pluralistic Extension System: Some Policy Issues

The agricultural sector in India has been successful in keeping pace with the rising food demand of a growing population. Rapid agricultural growth continues to be the key to poverty alleviation and overall economic development. The changing economic scenario in India and the need for appropriate agricultural technologies and agro-management practices to respond to food and nutritional security, poverty alleviation, diversifying market demands, export opportunities and environmental concerns is posing new challenges to technology dissemination systems. Public extension by itself can no longer respond to the multifarious demands of farming systems. There is need to reevaluate the capacity of agricultural extension to effectively address the contemporary and future needs of the farming community. Public funding for sustaining the vast extension infrastructure is also under considerable strain. Meanwhile in response to market demand, the existing public extension network is inexorably being complemented, supplemented and even replaced by private extension. As the nature and scope of agricultural extension undergoes fundamental changes, India looks for a whole new policy mix that nurtures the pluralistic extension system in India. The current study tries to analyse in-depth the various issues of pluralistic extension system in India and the policy reforms carried out to address them

Pluralistic Agricultural Extension System in India: Innovations and Constraints

The major issues before Indian extension system are: how to improve the effectiveness of extension systems? How to serve the small land holders and marginal farmers in diversified farming systems? and proper allocation of fund, human resources and its management. The ATMA model has been successful in addressing many extension problems. Hence, the model should be introduced and implemented vigilantly. ATMAs should be empowered with sufficient administrative, financial and implementation flexibilities to reach the large numbers of small and marginal farmers. There is need of coordinated attempt to synergize and converge efforts at district and block levels to improve the performance of stakeholders. It is essential to route all the state and central government extension funds and human resources through a single agency, i.e. ATMA for effective utilization of crucial resources. The state governments should provide proper financial support by allocating at least 20% of states total budget to ATMA, which in turn distributes among state departments. The development grant provided by ICAR to SAUs and KVKs should be reviewed and adequately enhanced. Scaling up of FIGs/SHGs and Farmers Associations (FAs) could be an effective mechanism for empowerment and transfer of agricultural technologies. For serving the small communities efficiently, Information and Communication Technologies could be useful tools to increase connectivity between various FIGs/SHGs. It will also reduce extension cost and the workload of extension functionaries. There is need to learn from other actors like private sector, NGOs as they have much in-depth presence with various successful model

Extension Reforms and Innovations in Technology Dissemination- ATMA Model in India

Decentralizing a large, complex national extension system is not easy, but the Government of India appears to be moving toward this long-term goal. Although ATMA model has been successful in addressing many of the extension problems and has shown exceptional impacts during the NATP phase but it seems to be going the T&V way. It is therefore, imperative that in the country like India, which has a vast territory and extremely diverse socio-economic and agro-climatic situations, ATMA model should be introduced and implemented with utter cautious. Different ATMAs should be empowered with sufficient administrative, financial and implementation flexibilities to address the basic problems in their operational jurisdiction. The use of FIGs to mobilize men, women, and young people around common interests, such as the production of flowers, fruits, vegetables, milk, fish and other high-value products, has energized both the farming community and the extension staff. Many FIGs have joined to form farmer associations or federations that can gain economies of scale in serving larger markets. Developing strong farmer organizations is a positive and necessary step in providing cost-effective extension services that will increase the income and employment of small-scale and marginal farm households. The block-level FACs are operational in most project blocks, but rural women and other disadvantaged groups still need more representation. Internal conflicts continue between priorities set by the ATMA Governing Boards and the heads of the line departments in allocating central government resources. The BTTs are still learning how to work together in utilizing a farming systems approach with multiple funding sources. There is no doubt that something that resembles a 21st centre vision of agricultural extension is needed and this means substantial reforms in public policies and services. Adding urgency to this is the ever-increasing complexity of agricultural sector development and the sector’s acknowledged role in poverty reduction. Of course, it is all too easy to criticise new approaches, such as ATMA. It is also important to realise that in a country like India and, indeed, elsewhere, administrative traditions and realities place limits on what is possible and politically feasible even as a pilot. But the challenge remains of how to break out of this best practice to best fit impasse

Extension Reforms and Innovations in Technology Dissemination- ATMA Model in India

Decentralizing a large, complex national extension system is not easy, but the Government of India appears to be moving toward this long-term goal. Although ATMA model has been successful in addressing many of the extension problems and has shown exceptional impacts during the NATP phase but it seems to be going the T&V way. It is therefore, imperative that in the country like India, which has a vast territory and extremely diverse socio-economic and agro-climatic situations, ATMA model should be introduced and implemented with utter cautious. Different ATMAs should be empowered with sufficient administrative, financial and implementation flexibilities to address the basic problems in their operational jurisdiction. The use of FIGs to mobilize men, women, and young people around common interests, such as the production of flowers, fruits, vegetables, milk, fish and other high-value products, has energized both the farming community and the extension staff. Many FIGs have joined to form farmer associations or federations that can gain economies of scale in serving larger markets. Developing strong farmer organizations is a positive and necessary step in providing cost-effective extension services that will increase the income and employment of small-scale and marginal farm households. The block-level FACs are operational in most project blocks, but rural women and other disadvantaged groups still need more representation. Internal conflicts continue between priorities set by the ATMA Governing Boards and the heads of the line departments in allocating central government resources. The BTTs are still learning how to work together in utilizing a farming systems approach with multiple funding sources. There is no doubt that something that resembles a 21st centre vision of agricultural extension is needed and this means substantial reforms in public policies and services. Adding urgency to this is the ever-increasing complexity of agricultural sector development and the sector’s acknowledged role in poverty reduction. Of course, it is all too easy to criticise new approaches, such as ATMA. It is also important to realise that in a country like India and, indeed, elsewhere, administrative traditions and realities place limits on what is possible and politically feasible even as a pilot. But the challenge remains of how to break out of this best practice to best fit impasse

Investigating the influence of LiDAR ground surface errors on the utility of derived forest inventories

Light detection and ranging, or LiDAR, effectively produces products spatially characterizing both terrain and vegetation structure; however, development and use of those products has outpaced our understanding of the errors within them. LiDAR’s ability to capture three-dimensional structure has led to interest in conducting or augmenting forest inventories with LiDAR data. Prior to applying LiDAR in operational management, it is necessary to understand the errors in Li- DAR-derived estimates of forest inventory metrics (i.e., tree height). Most LiDAR-based forest inventory metrics require creation of digital elevation models (DEM), and because metrics are calculated relative to the DEM surface, errors within the DEMs propagate into delivered metrics. This study combines LiDAR DEMs and 54 ground survey plots to investigate how surface morphology and vegetation structure influence DEM errors. The study further compared two LiDAR classification algorithms and found no significant difference in their performance. Vegetation structure was found to have no influence, whereas increased variability in the vertical error was observed on slopes exceeding 30°, illustrating that these algorithms are not limited by high-biomass western coniferous forests, but that slope and sensor accuracy both play important roles. The observed vertical DEM error translated into ±1%–3% error range in derived timber volumes, highlighting the potential of LiDAR-derived inventories in forest management