INFORMATION SOURCE UTILIZATION PATTERN OF RICE FARMERS OF SPSR NELLORE DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2014
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
Information is considered a vital resource, alongside land, labour, capital and skills. Information serves as the cornerstone of successful socio-economic development because it plays a key role in decision making. Every person needs information for his/her decision making. Information is the driving and sustaining force behind any development strategy. The successful use of information as a resource for development of agriculture depends to a large extent, on accessibility and adequacy of information mode as well as the attitude of farmers towards information and information sources. Sources and channels of agricultural information play an important role in the dissemination of information from the source of its invention to its ultimate users that are clientele system. In this context, the present study'Information source utilization pattern of rice farmers of Sri Poti Sriramulu (SPSR) Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh'was undertaken to study the pre information source utilization pattern of rice farmers. Further it aims to list out the reasons for not using the various information sources and to develop as strategy for improving the information source utilization by the rice farmers. The study was taken up in four mandals of SPSR Nellore district with a sample size of 120 Rice farmers. Thirteen independent variables with information source utilization pattern as dependent variables were studied. The respondents were interviewed personally by a well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule. The data collected were coded, tabulated and analysed using suitable statistical tests. The profile of Rice farmers revealed that majority of the respondents were middle aged, educated up to high school level, with high level of farming experience, big land holdings, agriculture as main occupation, high level of annual income. Further, Social participation, Extension contact, Mass media exposure and Risk orientation of the respondents were found at medium level. Whereas Cosmopoliteness, Innovativeness and Scientific orientation were found at high level. Majority of the respondents had medium level of frequency of use of various information sources and extent of use of information from the various sources. Chi-square analysis revealed that the variables viz., Age, Educational status, Farming experience, Social participation, Mass media exposure, Innovativeness and Scientific orientation had shown significant influence on frequency of use and extent of use of various information sources by the rice farmers. Educational status, Social participation, Mass media exposure, Innovativeness, and Scientific orientation were found to be positively correlated with frequency of use of information sources and association was found significant at 1 per cent level. While Farm size, Annual income, Extension contact showed positive correlation with frequency of use and association was found significant at 5% level of probability. Educational status, Social participation, Mass media exposure, Innovativeness and Scientific orientation were found to be positively correlated with extent of use of information sources and association was found significant at 1 per cent level of probability. Multiple Linear Regression analysis revealed the variation in frequency of use which was significantly explained only by the variables in the 7th model viz. Extension contact, Educational status i.e. degree/Post-graduation; intermediate; secondary education and Farm size. Multiple Linear Regression analysis revealed the variation in the extent of use which was significantly explained only by the variables in the 6th model viz. Educational status i.e., intermediate; degree/post-graduation, secondary education and Risk orientation. With regard to reasons for not utilizing the Inter-personal localite sources, Incompatibility of new knowledge with peoples attitude, interest and belief was the major reason; With regard to Inter-personal cosmopolite sources, In adequate number of extension agents was the major reason; With regard to Impersonal cosmopolite/Mass media sources, Insufficient regional specific information was the major reason. Further, to improve the information source utilization by the rice farmers a suitable strategy with six gearing factors viz., Policies; Capacity building; Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E); Farmer's organizations; Participatory methods and Media strategy was formulated to enable increased information source utilization by the rice farmers for effective communication and diffusion of information related to various asp
Description
Keywords
INFORMATION, SOURCE, UTILIZATION PATTERN, RICE, FARMERS ,SPSR, NELLORE DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH Degree
Citation
221P
Collections