Impact of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) on adoption of farm technologies and income of farmers – a case study of KVK Jeolikote
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Date
2022-09
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, District Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand. PIN - 263145
Abstract
India is a land of villages and agriculture is the mainstay of economy and livelihoods of rural population. Indian government has taken numerous initiatives from time to time to support technology-led knowledge-based agricultural development. Krishi Vigyan Kendra serves to gather, test and disseminate knowledge between centralized institutions and a geographically-dispersed rural population so as to bridge the gap between potential yields and actual yields obtained by farmers. Keeping this background in view, an attempt was made to study the impact of Krishi Vigyan Kendra on adoption of farm technologies and income of farmers. The study was carried out in KVK Jeolikote in Nainital district to examine the role of KVK Jeolikote in the transfer of technologies and their adoption at farm level, the impact of KVK on management practices, productivity, and farm income, and to identify the major constraints faced by farmers in the transfer of technologies. Two stage random sampling design was used to select 60 farmers (30 beneficiary farmers and 30 non-beneficiary farmers) from the study area. To meet out the objectives of the study both primary and secondary data were collected. The findings of the study revealed that the technology gap assessed in the use of critical inputs (seeds, FYM, and NPK application) was much wider on non-beneficiary farms than on beneficiary farms, which is expected due to the intervention of KVK on beneficiary farms. The management indices indicate that the majority of beneficiary farmers showed high adoption of 53 per cent and 30 per cent for paddy and wheat, and moderate adoption of 33 per cent for maize, while non-beneficiary farmers showed moderate adoption (43% and 50 %) for paddy and wheat, and low adoption of 54 per cent for maize. In vegetable crops, beneficiary farmers showed very high adoption for brinjal (46 %) and cabbage (40 %), while high adoption for potatoes (43.6%), tomatoes (44.6%), and okra (50%). On the other hand, the majority of non-beneficiaries showed moderate adoption of 60 %, 50 % and 58.6% for potatoes, tomatoes and brinjal, respectively while low adoption for cabbage (50%) and okra (42.4 %). The results of regression analysis showed that KVK played a significant role in improving adoption of better management practices for production of cereals and vegetable crops. It was also revealed that FYM, NPK fertilizers and dummy variable for KVK were the significant factors for higher productivity. Thus, the impact of KVK in enhancing crop productivity was quite visible. Total farm income per annum, on an average, was found to be Rs. 1,97,833 on beneficiary farms, which was higher than on non-beneficiary farms (Rs. 1,17,199). In nutshell, KVK adopted farmers (beneficiaries) obtained Rs. 54,433 per annum more than non-beneficiary farmers. It was found that lack of awareness, poor extension services, and costly seeds were the major constraints faced by non-beneficiary farmers, while costly machinery, infestation of diseases, unavailability of soil testing labs and market problems were the major ones faced by beneficiary farmers.
It was observed from the study that KVK has played vital role in improving the adoption of scientific management in the production thereby, raising the farm income significantly. Therefore, there is a need to expand the outreach of KVK by adopting those villages which have not been served so far. It has been found that there still persist extension gaps in the adoption of improved practices, therefore, it is suggested that feedback and opinions should be taken regarding the performance of disseminated technology, variety adoption status, yield performance and farmer’s preferences.