A STUDY ON THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF KRISHI VIGYAN KENDRAS IN ANDHRA PRADESH
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Date
2018
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Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University
Abstract
The present study attempts to evaluate the impact of Krishi Vigyan
Kendras
With the following objectives:
1. To study the impact of Krishi Vigyan Kendras in productivity
enhancement by bridging the yield gaps.
2. To evaluate the impact of vocational training programmes conducted by
Krishi Vigyan Kendras in the study area.
3. To assess the economic benefits from the adoption of improved
technologies.
4. To assess the factors contributing to the adoption of improved
technologies by the farmers.
Andhra Pradesh state was purposively selected for the study. Three
KVKs, one KVK from SAUs (KVK-Amadalavalasa, Srikakulam district), one
from ICAR (KVK-Kalavacharla, East Godavari district) and one from NGOs
(KVK-Yagantipalli, Kurnool district) were selected for the study which has
completed minimum five years of functioning. A total of 360 farmers
constituting 180 beneficiaries and 180 non-beneficiaries of the improved
technology provided by the sampled KVKs, and 150 trainees were selected
randomly making a total sample size of 510. Both primary and secondary data
were collected for the present investigation. The analytical models used for
analyzing the data were technology adoption index, Cobb-Douglas type of
production function, regression, decomposition analysis, Lorenz curves and Gini
concentration ratio.
Impact of Krishi Vigyan Kendras on crop yields and returns revealed that,
in KVK-Amadalavalasa increase in yield (12.80 q ha-1 ) and per cent increase in
net returns (42.94 %) over farmers practice were highest in case of mechanized
system of rice intensification. Zero tillage maize technology resulted in
increased net returns of Rs. 18,106 per hectare over farmers practice. In KVKYagantipalli,
the results of frontline demonstrations in rice revealed that the
increase in yield was highest in case of management of problematic soils i.e.
reclamation of sodic soils with gypsum application as per soil test results
(20.88 %) followed by foliar application of zinc (14.98 %) and integrated weed
management (9.59 %) over farmers’ practice. In redgram improved technology
registered overall 25.34 per cent increase in yield over the farmers’ practice with
increase in net income of 44.56 per cent. Under KVK - Kalavacharla, in rice the
yield of demonstration plots exceeded that of farmer's plots in all FLDs. In case
of banana, it was found that increase in yield was highest (38.03 percent) in
nutrient management with direct feeding of banana bunches, which resulted
healthy fingers in banana.
Factors affecting productivity estimated by Cobb-Douglas production
function for the improved technology/ variety revealed that seed in STCR paddy
(0.162), HYV redgram (0.378) and planting material in direct feeding of
nutrients and skirting of bunches in banana (0.944) were positively significant.
Machine labour in MSRI rice (0.219) and human labour in STCR rice (1.945),
HYV rice (0.26) and direct feeding and skirting of bunches in banana (0.104)
were positively significant. Nitrogen was positively significant in zero tillage
maize (0.138), HYV redgram (0.44) while it was negatively significant in STCR
rice (-0.159). Phosphorous was positively significant in HYV rice (0.666) and
MSRI rice (0.259). Potash was positively significant (0.162) in farmers’ practice
of rice in KVK-Amadalavalasa, STCR rice (0.204), HYV redgram (0.138) and
farmers’ practice (0.25) and direct feeding and skirting of banana bunches in
banana (0.035). Irrigation was found to be positively significant in zero tillage
maize (0.112), HYV rice (0.24) and direct feeding and skirting of bunches in
banana (0.094).
The decomposition analysis of yield gap between the improved
technology/ variety and the farmers’ practice/ local variety indicated that the
technology gap was the major contributing factor in the total difference in
productivity in all the crops among all the three KVKs which was highest in case
of soil test crop response (STCR) in paddy (392.98 %) in KVK-Yagantipalli of
Kurnool district.
All the vocational trainings have given a boost to trainees by giving
supplementary income and employment.
Lorenz curves and Gini concentration ratios depicted that there were
comparatively lesser inequalities in distribution of income obtained from
improved cultivation practices of crops when compared with the inequalities in
distribution of income obtained from farmer’s practices.
The technological adoption index (TAI) calculated for 180 technology
adopting farmers indicated that all the farmers belonged to medium and high
adoption category. Age of the farmer was a negative contributor in all the crops
which revealed that with the increase in age of the farmer technology adoption
level decreases. Educational level of the farmer had positive and significant
contribution in the technology adoption of MSRI and STCR technology in rice.
KVK training is the major contributor in the technology adoption whose impact
was positive in all the three KVKs.
The important policy implications from the study are:
Forward linkages in terms of post-harvesting, transportation, packaging and
marketing are necessary for new products or high yield products. KVK should
focus on post harvest techniques to support farmers especially processing to
encourage them to adopt new technologies. KVKs should be developed as
resource centres which can provide/facilitate the access to inputs for farmers
which are the crucial factor in the adoption of new technology. Krishi Vigyan
Kendra in the district need to provide proper technical support to the farmers
through different educational and extension methods to reduce the extension gap
for better production in the district by creating awareness among the farmers
about new technologies. Modernization of soil testing labs, keeping the farmers’
needs in focus while providing training, focus upon new emerging areas like
climate change, pro-harvest management and non-farm activities are need to be
considered by the KVKs, host organizations and ICAR (Indian Council of
Agricultural Research). Measures to be adopted to increase the outreach of
KVKs by adopting innovative techniques viz. forming farmers groups, train
farmers-trainer, redefining cluster approach, continuous interaction at village
level, need based training, use of ICT (Information and Communication
Technology), etc. To cope with the future challenges of technical advancement,
the existing vocational and technical training system needs to be improved and
marked with the needs of the economy. To support and to mobilize
entrepreneurial skills of the farmers, KVKs should coordinate to start agribusiness
centres by the farmers in villages. Better feedback mechanism is needed
and KVKs should follow up the trainee farmers, rural youth and women after the
completion of training programmes to make sure that they will adopt the newly
acquired skill in creation of employment which will eventually lead to increased
income levels and livelihood security. The study leads to the observation that
KVKs are playing a pro-active role in transferring new technology at field level
and with beneficial impacts, but a lot is yet to be done to bridge the yield gaps in
crops and entrepreneurial development of rural community.
Description
D5615
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