A Study of first-line agricultural extension system of ICAR in Rajasthan
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Date
2020-10-27
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MPUT, UDAIPUR
Abstract
The present study was undertaken to study the structure, functioning and
linkage mechanism of agricultural extension system of ICAR; the attitude of farmers
and farm women towards extension system; knowledge and adoption of selected
technologies among the farmers and farm women and constraints of extension
personnel, farmers and farm women towards agricultural extension system of ICAR.
The study was conducted in the state of Rajasthan. All the ten agro-climatic zones of
Rajasthan were included in the study. One KVK was selected randomly from each
agro-climatic zone. KVK wise list of adopted villages in the last five years (2011-
2016) was prepared and from the list, one adopted village from each KVK was
selected on a random basis. A total of ten villages were taken from the ten agroclimatic
zones. Three categories of the sample were selected i.e. extension personnel,
farmers and farm women. In total 67 extension functionaries were included in the
study. Out of which 10 were from DEE headquarters and 57 were from KVKs.
Another category of the sample consisted of 150 farmers and 150 farm women from
the adopted villages of KVKs. Personal interview and questionnaire techniques were
used for getting information from the respondents. Frequency distribution, percentage,
mean per cent score, mean weighted score, z test and F test were used for the analysis
of data.
The profile of the extension personnel revealed that more than half of the
respondents (56.80%) belonged to the age group of 46-60 years, were educated upto
doctorate level (73.10%) and had the rural background (56.70%) with job experience
of 5-20 years (38.80%). Concerning farmers, 40 per cent belonged to the age group of
46 -60 years, were married (95.30%) and were educated up to middle level (20.70%).
About farm women, half of the respondents belonged to the age group of 31-45 years,
were married (94.00 %) and were illiterate (26.70%). Regarding family structure,
224
64.70 per cent had joint families, agriculture as their main occupation (100%), land
holding less than 2.5 acres (36%) and had an annual income less than1 lakh (36.70%).
About caste distribution, the majority of them were under reserve caste categories i.e.
OBC (38.88%) and SC/ST (37.77%). Majority of the farmers (56.00%) and farm
women (61.30%) belonged to low socio-economic status.
With respect to structure and functioning, more than one third of post of SMS and TA
was found vacant in extension system of ICAR in Rajasthan. FLD, OFT, trainings and
mobile advisory were the major extension activities conducted by the extension
system. In the case of linkages, most of the extension personnel (94%) had a good
intradepartmental linkages followed by a medium extent of linkages (6%). About the
interdepartmental linkages, more than half of the respondents had poor linkages
followed by a medium extent of linkages (27%).
About attitude, 45.30 per cent of the farmers and 50 per cent of the farm
women had favourable attitude towards extension system of ICAR while 16.70 per
cent of the farmers and 26 per cent of the farm women had unfavourable attitude.
Concerning overall knowledge, farmers had average knowledge (MPS 61.34) while
farm women had a poor level of knowledge (MPS 29.48). About overall adoption
among the respondents, both farmers (MPS 68.77) and farm women (MPS 68.15) had
high adoption of recommended POP of selected crops.
About constraints faced by extension personnel, administrative constraints
(55.97 MPS) like pressure to fulfil respective targets, lack of sufficient manpower for
carrying out mandated activities and a heavy workload were the major constraints
followed by financial constraints (52.79 MPS) viz. delay in the release of fund for
activities. Economic constraint (MPS 47.94-50.64) was the main problem faced by
farmers and farm women. The other constraints faced by them were operational
constraints, general constraints and technical constraints
Description
A Study of first-line agricultural extension system of ICAR in Rajasthan
Keywords
Citation
Pandey S. And Solanki D.