Information utilization pattern of mobile-based agro advisory services of KVKs by farmers in Uttar Pradesh
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Date
2022-03
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
In rural India majority of people relied on agriculture and allied sectors for their livelihood. Indian agriculture is the home of 80 per cent small and marginal farmers, still Indian farmers are poor because of huge technology gap and they also face new challenges on integration of value chains, globalization and liberalization effects, market volatility and vulnerability to climate change, etc. Despite the improved interest and investment in agricultural extension in India, such services fail to meet diverse information need of the stakeholders. Given the challenges, it has been observed that the information communication technology (ICT) can provide timely accurate and quality information to the farmers, which facilitate increased agricultural output. There are many information and communication technology (ICT) projects in Indian agriculture have emerged, either supporting or substituting the extension services by providing farmers with access to agricultural information. It has been also observed that mobile based agro-advisory services can prove to be very beneficial by reducing the information gap between farmers and scientists, also the mobile phone based services enhances the availability to knowledge and information and will further help in improving awareness, education, better adoption of technology, better health and efficiency, reduced transaction costs, better market. Government is also putting a lot of emphasis on improving the mobile based agricultural advisory services. Thus, it was felt necessary to study the information utilization pattern of mobile based agro-advisory services of KVKs by farmers in Uttar Pradesh. The present study was undertaken to study the socio-economic, communication and psychological characteristics of the farmers along with their utilization pattern, relationship between socio-economic, communication and psychological characteristics and their information utilization pattern as well as the constraints faced by them was also studied. The study was conducted in eight randomly selected villages; viz.; Garhi Hansram and Narkhi Talukra of Narkhi block, Alai and Basai of Tundla block, Awagarh Dehat and Barai Kalyan Pur of Awagarh block, Berni and Akbarpur Satha of Jalesar block in Uttar Pradesh state. Descriptive research design was used to meet the objectives of the study. Detailed pre-tested interview schedule was administered to 180 respondents for collection of data. Statistical methods such as mean, frequency, percentage, standard deviation, correlation coefficient and t-test were used to treat the data for meaningful interpretation. Findings of study revealed that all of them were male. Further; about half of the respondents (54.44%) belonged to the middle age group, had educational qualification up to higher secondary level (25%). All of them relied on agriculture as a primary means of livelihood and majority (50.6%) had land up to four hectare and majority (98.90%) of farmers’ contacted fellow farmers to get agricultural information. Most of the respondents had medium level of mass media ownership (67.78%), mass media exposure (62.22%), it was also found that 43.9 percent respondents had low level of extension agency contact, less than half of the respondents (42.8%) had high level of economic motivation whereas 38.9 percent of respondents had medium level of achievement motivation and decision making ability (40.6%). Regarding information utilization pattern of mobile based agro-advisory services, it was found that most of the respondents (60%) belonged to the medium category. Data related to content analysis revealed that maximum number of messages (40.38%) and (40.90%) delivered by KVK Etah and Firozabad were related to agriculture, appropriateness of language stated that majority of messages (27.08%) were easy to read by farmers, 98.07 percent and 93.18 percent new messages were sent by KVK Etah, Firozabad respectively. Further it was found that 92.30 percent text messages were delivered by KVK Etah similarly 97.72 percent text messages were delivered by KVK Firozabad. Data regarding opinion of respondents about messages majority (77.77%) respondents reported that the messages were delivered on time coinciding with the crop growth, 69.44 percent respondents reported that content of the messages were relevant, 58.88 percent respondents found the content adequate, 52.22 percent respondents found the messages very useful. It was found that age, education, mass media ownership and decision making ability had significant and positive relationship with the information utilization pattern of mobile agro-advisory services. Occupation of the head of the household, main source of income, size of landholding, extension contact, economic motivation and achievement motivation had positive but nonsignificant relationship with the information utilization pattern of mobile agro-advisory services by farmers, only mass media exposure had significant but negative relationship with the information utilization pattern of mobile agro-advisory services. It was also found lack of institutional support, fear about technology, lack of readiness in adopting new technology, and high cost of telecommunication network services were main constraints faced by farmers in using mobile agro-advisory services.