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Purpose: The objective of the research work is to find out the factors that influence Indian consumersandrsquo; perceptions and the adoption of plant-based milk. Through a wider application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), it discusses how health awareness, ethical issues, price sensitivity, social influence, and perceived behavioral control as factors, affect the attitudes of the people and their actual purchasing decisions. Design/Methodology/Approach: A cross-sectional survey of 263 Indian consumers in a wide age range of 18 to 55 years was conducted. Data was evaluated using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with Jamovi 2.6.23 and IBM AMOS 24.0. Initially, the measurement model was tested for reliability and validity, and then the structural model was examined through path coefficients, significance levels, and model fit statistics. Findings: The measurement model was determined to be reliable, and it met the requirements of convergent and discriminant validity. The results of the structural model have shown that attitude has a significant and positive influence on buying behavior, thus confirming its central role in the process of decision-making. The ethical concern was the strongest positive predictor of attitude, and it was followed by perceived behavioural control as an attitude antecedent. Health consciousness and price sensitivity negatively affected attitude in a significant way, which may indicate consumer skepticism or difficulties in evaluating these attributes. Subjective norms did not play a significant role, thus indicating that the purchasing decisions are more affected by personal assessments than by social pressure. The findings, in general, suggest that personal values and perceived control are the two main determinants of consumersandrsquo; buying behaviour. Originality/Value: This research can be considered as one of the very first attempts to thoroughly investigate the case of plant-based milk adoption in the Indian scenario through the application of CB-SEM, thereby providing empirical support for the extended TPB model. The conclusions drawn from the study are valuable not only for marketers but also for policymakers and the whole food industry seeking to facilitate the sustainable transformation of diets in the emerging markets.

2025AbstrActThis study examines the structure and pattern of Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) in India using data from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023andndash;24. The analysis highlights ruralandndash;urban disparities, consumption composition, and state-wise variations in expenditure. The findings reveal that urban households exhibit significantly higher MPCE compared to rural households, with a notable shift toward non-food expenditure. Engelandrsquo;s Law is validated, showing a declining share of food expenditure with rising income. Statistical analysis, including correlation and regression, indicates strong linkage between rural and urban consumption patterns. The study also identifies regional disparities and inequality in consumption, particularly in access to non-food services such as education, healthcare, and housing. The results provide important insights for policy interventions aimed at reducing inequality and promoting inclusive growth.

2025ABSTRACTMaize (Zea mays L.) has become one of the most dynamic and economically important cereal crops in India owing to its adaptability, versatility, and the increasing demand for it in the country due to its suitability for a wide range of agroecological zones. The present review paper deals with the economic status and future prospects of maize cultivation in India. Maize has seen significant expansion in area, production and productivity over the last 30 years, much due to the adoption of high yielding hybrids, better agronomic practices and the growing demand by the poultry feed industry and industries. The agroecological benefits of the crop, such as water use efficiency, adaptability to different climates and cropping systems, render it a suitable substitute for water-hungrier crops like rice. Recent agronomic developments like precision agriculture, mechanization, site-specific nutrient management and climate smart practices have improved productivity and resource-use efficiency. Maize is highly profitable and also has a positive costandndash;benefit ratio than other cereals and is less input intensive in comparison to other cereals with the increasing market opportunities. Despite this, there are several limitations in the sector, such as low productivity in rainfed fields, pest and disease pressure, climate variability, price volatility, and poor institutional support, particularly weak procurement systems, and limited infrastructure. The manuscript also brings to attention the increasing importance of maize in the bioeconomy in India, especially in ethanol production, which will be further bolstered in the future by national blending mandates. The maize value chain is further strengthened by increased industrial applications, value added products, and increased private sector participation. However, sustainable development and food security issues, particularly the competing uses of food, feed and fuel, must be addressed with thought and policy-making considerations. In conclusion, maize has tremendous potential for supporting agricultural growth, improving farmersandrsquo; incomes and strengthening energy security, provided that various technological, economic and policy bottlenecks are overcome to achieve sustainable and inclusive development.

Sustainable pulse production in India has been facing major challenges due to climate variability, high frequency of occurrence of pests and over-reliance on chemical pesticides. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a tool that has become an environmentally friendly and climate-resilient strategy to improve productivity and profitability, and decrease the reliance on pesticides. The current study was carried out in Dharwad district for the year 2024-25 to analyze the economics of IPM for Bengal gram cultivation. A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select 120 farmers from which 60 farmers used IPM and 60 farmers did not use IPM. A pre-tested interview schedule was developed and used for primary data collection, and descriptive statistics, cost and returns analysis, Cobbandndash;Douglas production function and partial budget analysis were used to analyze primary data. Results showed that the level of education of the IPM farmers was relatively higher than that of the non-IPM farmers, and they also had more contact with extension services. The gross returns and net returns harvested by the IPM farmers were ` 88,800/ha and ` 35,350/ha, respectively, much higher than the non-IPM farmers. Also the benefit cost ratio in IPM farms (1.66) was better than the non-IPM farms (1.37) which proves that IPM technology is more economic. The adoption analysis revealed that the main IPM practices adopted by farmers were deep summer ploughing, seed treatment using bio-agents, neem based botanical spray and pheromone trap. The resource use efficiency analysis revealed that there was an efficient allocation of labour, seed, fertilizer and plant protection inputs in the IPM farms. Partial budget analysis showed that adoption of IPM resulted in additional net return of ` 15,030/ha and marginal benefit cost ratio of 4.32. The study resulted that IPM is an economically viable and environmentally friendly tactic for bengalgram production in dryland agriculture, which is climate resilient.

Integrated farming systems (IFS) are slowly gaining acceptance as strategies to promote the livelihood security of smallholder farmers through enterprise diversification, resource recycling and increased farm productivity that are resilient to climate change. The present study was conducted to evaluate the contribution of integrated farming towards enhancing the livelihood security to small farmers in Dharwad, Karnataka. The study was carried out in 2024-25 in Dharwad and Kalaghatagi taluks with multistage sampling technique and primary data were obtained from 120 smallholder farmers practicing integrated farming system by personal interview with a pre-prepared structured schedule. The results indicated that the majority of the farming system combinations in the study area were Agriculture + Horticulture + Dairy and Agriculture + Horticulture + Dairy + Vermicompost. Farm enterprises that reported the highest percentages of annual household income were field crops (41.8%), dairy (28.1%), horticulture (18.4%), vermicompost (5.8%) and forestry (5.9%). The average annual income for integrated farming systems was between ` 28,250 and ` 51,456 per farm, with the income varying according to the enterprise diversification. Economic analysis revealed that the diversified integrated farming systems performed well compared to less diversified farming systems, yielding gross returns of between ` 102,071 and ` 248,769 ha/year, net returns of between ` 74,592 and ` 189,069 ha/year, and a benefitandndash;cost ratio of between 2.71 and 4.91. Some of the main barriers cited by farmers were lack of availability of inputs, prohibitive labour prices, low market prices and institutional credit and subsidy delays. In spite of these difficulties, it was clear that integrated farming systems had a positive impact on income diversification, year-round employment opportunities, nutritional security and resource-use efficiency. The study results suggest that IFS are a viable approach for sustaining agricultural development and improving livelihood security, climate resilience among the smallholder farmers in Dharwad district. Improving access to extension, markets and institutional services will further enhance adoption and sustainability of IFS in the region.