Department of Social Science

Future Strategies

Research focus of the social science department has been continuously reoriented to address contemporary development challenges. The early research of the social science department focused on farm business analysis and marketing efficiency. In order to address the challenges and opportunities of the globalization, research on farm mechanization, rural credit needs, yield gap analysis, price policy and subsidy issues, and efficient management of natural resources was undertaken. Recently, issues related to efficiency and of agricultural production systems, poverty alleviation, research impact assessment and priority setting, export potential of agri-products, etc. were accorded high priority. Besides continuing emphasis on these research programs, attempts were made in the recent past to assess food demand and supply scenario, food safety and standards, nutritional security, sustainable development goals, Marketing intelligence, eNAM, enhancing farmer’s income, impact assessment of technology, Artificial Intelligence, image processing etc.

Research themes

  • Consumer acceptance of technological innovations in the food chain
  • Trends and changes in food and dietary choice
  • Rural sociology and agricultural extension
  • Rural market access, cooperatives contracts andInstitutional changes
  • Evaluating the efficiency and sustainability of the resource use outcomes.
  • Business-to-business relations including FPOs
  • Marketing Intelligence, Analysis of prices, focused on the development of models related to supply and demand that explain and predict price evolutions
  • Development of AI and IOT application in agriculture