Not Available ; Occurrence of frequent droughts of varying intensities is a critical constraint in improving agricultural productivity in the dry tropics. This paper quantifies meteorological drought from long-term annual rainfall data. Analysis of primary survey data from two watersheds indicated that moisture stress and fodder shortage were the major shocks experienced by farmers during drought, which caused low productivity of crops and animals. Farmers had their own strategies to cope with the drought like diversifying farming practices, borrowing, migration, sale of assets and livestock. The logit regression model indicated that coping strategies were influenced by number of earning family members, availability of irrigation facility, animal holding and income from non-farm sources. There is an urgent need to implement drought mitigation measures by central and state government institutions through both short and long term strategies covering technological and policy interventions like alternate cropping systems that augment soil moisture conservation, emphasis on water harvesting and ground water recharge, ensuring fodder and seed supplies, credit assistance, etc. ; Not Available
Not Available ; Sugarcane is a significant crop in contributing to the country's economy and farmers' livelihood develop-ment. In India, sugar is a 550 billion rupees worth industry, supporting more than 50 million farmers. There is a growing demand for sugar in India. Hence, there will be more and more stress on the sugarcane eco-system in future. But, the present scenario of cane cultivation is not sustainable enough to meet this demand as the input and labor costs are increasing and the national mean cane productivity (2007–10) is at 66.9 t ha-1 only. So, it is necessary to improve the cane productivity in a sustainable way with minimum usage of inputs through some alternate methods on the principles of ''more with less''. A research study with the objectives of developing a methodology for sustainable sugarcane productivity was carried out at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics during 2008–11. As a result, a methodology was evolved encom-passing six principle components, including improved bud chip method, under a concept called ''Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI)''. The evaluation trials conducted on the principle components revealed the optimum size and age of the bud chips (4–10 months old) and suitable media com-bination (cocopith ? sawdust) for raising better seedlings. SSI field trials resulted in about 20 % higher yields. The state governments are showing interest in covering larger areas under SSI. SSI method can revamp the sugarcane sector by its merits like ensuring of quality seed materials, increase in yield and income generating opportunities. ; Not Available
This ring depicts two military saints on its bezel. The saint on the left holds a staff or spear with his right hand and the saint on the right holds a shield in his left hand. The maker of this ring likely used a cast or mold to form the bronze into a ring and then hammered it to the shape and size specified by the wearer. A similar ring at the British Museum (no. AF.229) features on its bezel a military saint holding a staff topped by a cross in his right hand, a shield in his left hand, and is fully dressed in military attire. This ring lends further support to the claim that the figures on the ring listed above represent military saints, given that all three saints appear to be holding similar objects. These rings were likely worn for their apotropaic properties, that is for their ability to ward off evil and provide protection to the wearer. In the early Christian world, it was believed that religious icons, such as the ones depicted on the bezels, provided a spiritual connection between the wearer of the icon and the religious figures it depicted. Given that the ring depicts two military saints, it can be suggested that the wearer was a young man of military age who wore this ring into battle in the hopes that the saints on his ring would watch over him and keep him safe. Sources Consulted Alexis Castor, "Etruscan Jewelry and Identity," in A Companion to the Etruscans, eds. Sinclair Bell, and Alexandra A. Carpino (Malden, MA: Wiley, 2016), 275–292. Anna Kartsonis, "The Responding Icon," in Heaven on Earth: Art and the Church in Byzantium, ed. Linda Safran (University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1998). 58–80. Asen Kirin, ed. Sacred Art, Secular Context: Objects of Art from the Byzantine Collection of Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC (Athens, GA: Georgia Museum of Art, 2005). Eunice Dauterman Maguire, Henry Maguire, and Maggie J. Duncan-Flowers, Art and Holy Powers in the Early Christian House (Urbana: Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1989). Gary Vikan, "Sacred Image, Sacred Power," in Late Antique and Medieval Art of the Mediterranean World, ed. Eva R. Hoffman (Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2007), 135–146. Jimmy Clark ('22) for ARHS 110 Introduction to Western Art (Spring 2021). ; https://digital.kenyon.edu/arthistorystudycollection/2137/thumbnail.jpg