IMPACT OF RELIANCE FOUNDATION INFORMATION SERVICES ON BENEFICIARY FARMERS OF SAURASHTRA REGION 3738
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Date
2023-08
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JAU JUNAGADH
Abstract
In India, agriculture plays a crucial role in agrarian economies, but small and
marginal farmers are facing unsustainable land-based livelihoods. Today, the transfer
of technology in extension systemsis done by multiple service providers including both
public and private institutions responding to the multifaceted demands, problems and
needs of the farmers. Agricultural extension is becoming pluralistic with different actors
concurrently using different and diverse extension approaches and methods. But one
can never forget the role played by the public extension system in attaining self-reliance
in food production in a green revolution. It would not have been possible without the
interventions of the public extension system. Similarly, even for doubling of farmer's
income also the public extension system has a lead role to play.
Keeping this in view, the present study was thought to be carried out with a
profile of beneficiary farmers towards RFIS, to know the impact and effectiveness of
farmers towards RFIS, the relationship between profile and the effectiveness as well as
the impact of RFIS on beneficiary farmers, constraints faced by the farmers in utilizing
the RFIS and elicit their suggestions for its effective implementation and documentation
of the beneficiaries of RFIS.
The study was conducted in three districts viz., Junagadh, Gir Somnath and
Jamnagar of Saurashtra region. Two talukas from each selected district and three
villages from each taluka were selected randomly. From each village, ten respondents
were selected. Thus, a total of 180 respondents were selected for the study.
The result of the research study indicated that with respect to personal
characteristics, majority of farmers belonged to middle age group; had
middle/secondary school education and had the medium size of family. In socio
economical characteristics, had farming + animal husbandry as main occupation, semi
medium size of land holding and medium annual income respectively.
As regards to communicational characteristics, majority of the farmers had
medium level of mass media utilization and medium level of social participation. In
order of psychological characteristics, majority of farmers had medium level of
innovativeness, access to weather forecasts, decision-making ability, credibility and risk
orientation.
Overall effectiveness of RFIS in addressing the information needs of farmers
were more than three-fifth of the respondents had medium level of effectiveness. In case
of overall impact of RFIS were two third of the respondents had medium level of impact.
It can be concluded that today’s farmers are getting more information from this kind of
ICT’s or limited foundation; e.g., Reliance Foundation Information Service. The study
also found that there is medium effectiveness and cause positive impact on farmers by
RFIS foundation.
The characteristics of the farmers like; education, occupation, size of land
holding, annual income, innovativeness and access to weather forecast had positive and
highly significant relationship with the effectiveness of RFIS. Whereas, mass media
utilization, social participation, credibility and risk orientation had positive and
significant relationship with the effectiveness of RFIS. The size of family and decision
making ability had non-significant relationship with the effectiveness of RFIS. Age had
negative and highly significant relationship with the effectiveness of RFIS.
The education, size of land holding, annual income, mass media utilization and
risk orientation had positive and highly significant relationship with the impact of RFIS.
While, occupation, social participation, innovativeness and access to weather forecast
had positive and significant relationships with the impact of RFIS. The size of family,
decision making ability and credibility had non-significant relationship with the impact
of RFIS. Here also, age had negative and highly significant relationship with the impact
of RFIS.
Major constraints identified by farmers were; lack of information on addresses
for inputs available during the lean season for sowing, lack of farmer specific
information, not having proper network connectivity on the farm, lack of information
on preventive measures of pest and disease and visits of the RFIS workers are not in
time for additional information.
The important suggestions given by the majority of the farmers were; there
should be a provision of information on address for inputs availability, dissemination
of farmer specific information and proper visit, organization of RFIS before time for
resource mobilization and decrease the use of technical words and increase local
terminology for easy understanding and adoption of technology