IMPACT OF FRONT LINE DEMONSTRATIONS OF CHICKPEA PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY UNDER NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MISSION (NFSM) SCHEME IN SAURASHTRA REGION 3775
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Date
2023-09
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JAU JUNAGADH
Abstract
Chickpea is one of the most important pulse crop of India as well as Gujarat
state. In Gujarat, Saurashtra is one of the most remarkable region for chickpea
cultivation and production. The area under the cultivation of chickpea is increasing
every year, as it is one of the most important pulse crop of India. However, its average
yield on farmers’ fields is low than its potential yield on research stations. The Krishi
Vigyan Kendras organize demonstrations in the specific area through the NFSM
scheme with the aim of increasing the production and productivity of the pulses crop.
There is still a gap in farmers' knowledge and adoption of chickpea production
technologies. The main reason for low production is lack of knowledge and adoption
about improved or recommended chickpea production technology. Therefore, to
analyze the above situations, it was thought worthwhile, to carryout study entitled
“Impact of Front Line Demonstrations of Chickpea Production Technology under
National Food Security Mission (NFSM) Scheme in Saurashtra Region”. This study
was carried out with specific objectives; to study the personal, socio-economical,
communicational, psychological and situational characteristics of FLD beneficiaries
and non-beneficiaries as well as to study the knowledge level and extent of adoption
regarding improved chickpea production technology, to study the association between
respondents’ knowledge as well as adoption about chickpea production technology
and their selected characteristics and to find out the constraints and seek suggestions
from the beneficiaries to overcome the constraints faced by them.
A study was conducted in three districts of Saurashtra zone viz., Jamnagar,
Amreli and Surendranagar purposively where, Front Line Demonstrations of chickpea
crop had been organized under NFSM scheme by Krishi Vigyan Kendras. Two
talukas from selected districts and two villages from selected talukas were selected
purposively. Total twelve villages selected from selected talukas. From each selected
village, ten chickpea FLD beneficiaries and ten non-beneficiaries were randomly
selected as respondents. Thus, a sample of total 120 FLD beneficiaries and 120 non beneficiary chickpea growers from 12 villages was considered for the study. The data
so collected through personal interview of respondents were coded, classified and
tabulated analyzed according to objectives to draw meaningful conclusions.
ii
With respect to characteristics, it was observed that more than half (55.00 per
cent) of FLD beneficiaries belonged to middle age group, slightly more than two-fifth
(41.67 per cent) had education up to primary school level, less than three-fifth (58.33
per cent) had medium farming experience, less than half (46.67 per cent) had medium
size of family, more than one-third (36.67 per cent) had semi medium size of land holding,
more than three-fifth (63.34 per cent) had medium social participation, nearly half
(49.16 per cent) had high level of market orientation, more than three-fifth (63.33 per
cent) had medium yield index, nearly three-fourth (72.50 per cent) had medium level
of extension participation, more than three-fifth (63.34 per cent) had medium
utilization of sources of information, more than two-fifth (44.16 per cent) had very
high level of risk orientation, more than half (54.16 per cent) had high level of
innovativeness, two-fifth (40.00 per cent) had very high level of scientific orientation,
near about two-third (64.16 per cent) had favourable attitude, more than three-fifth
(62.50 per cent) had medium irrigation potentiality and more than two-third (67.50
per cent) had medium cropping intensity.
While in case of non-beneficiaries, it was concluded that 61.67 per cent of
them were from middle age group, 58.33 per cent had education up to primary school
level and 68.34 per cent were having medium farming experience. It was observed
that 46.67 per cent of respondents had medium size of family and 58.33 per cent had
small size of land holding. Whereas, with respect to social participation (47.50 per
cent), market orientation (38.33 per cent), yield index (64.17 per cent), extension
participation (79.17 per cent), innovativeness (45.00 per cent), scientific orientation
(38.33 per cent), attitude (70.00 per cent), irrigation potentiality (53.33 per cent) and
cropping intensity (63.33 per cent) were in the group of medium level. Nearly half
(48.33 per cent) of non-beneficiaries had utilization of sources of information had less
and 32.50 per cent of them had very high level of risk orientation.
More than three-fifth of the FLD beneficiaries (63.33 per cent) had medium
knowledge level, followed by 22.50 per cent had high and 14.17 per cent had low
level of knowledge. Majority (60.00 per cent) of the beneficiaries had medium extent
of adoption, followed by 21.67 per cent had high and 18.33 per cent had low extent of
adoption of improved chickpea production technologies. While in case of non beneficiaries, more than two-third (68.33 per cent) of them had medium level of
knowledge about improved chickpea production technology, followed by 19.17 per
cent had low and 12.50 per cent had high level of knowledge. Slightly less than two third (65.00 per cent) of the non-beneficiaries were found in medium extent of
adoption category, followed by 24.17 per cent had low and 10.83 per cent had high
extent of adoption of improved chickpea production technologies.
The impact of FLDs in terms of difference in knowledge level indicate that
highly significant difference in knowledge level with mean score (9.600) and extent of
adoption with mean score (7.503) between FLD beneficiary and non-beneficiary
chickpea growers. This showed that the Front Line Demonstrations were significantly
found useful to increase knowledge and adoption level of FLD beneficiary farmers as
compared to non-beneficiary farmers regarding improved chickpea production
technology. The FLD beneficiaries had more knowledge regarding practices like,
sowing time and method (90.83 per cent) and secured rank first, followed by land
preparation (89.17 per cent) and spacing (85.83 per cent) practices with second and
third rank, respectively. While in case of non-beneficiaries, the knowledge was found
more regarding practices like, land preparation (73.33 per cent) and secured rank first,
followed by spacing (68.33 per cent) and interculturing (66.67 per cent) practices with
second and third rank, respectively.
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The FLD beneficiaries had adopted the practices like, sowing time and method
(84.17 per cent) and secured rank first, followed by land preparation (83.33 per cent)
and spacing (81.66 per cent) practices with second and third rank, respectively. While
in case of non-beneficiaries, the adoption was found more regarding practices like,
land preparation (70.83 per cent) and secured rank first, followed by spacing (65.83
per cent) and sowing time and method (62.50 per cent) practices with second and third
rank, respectively.
The characteristics of the FLD beneficiaries like education, yield index,
extension participation, risk orientation, scientific orientation, irrigation potentiality
and cropping intensity had positive and highly significant association with their
knowledge level. The characteristics viz., farming experience, size of land holding,
social participation, market orientation, sources of information, innovativeness and
attitude had positive and significant association with their knowledge level. While,
age and size of family had non-significant association with their knowledge level
regarding improved chickpea production technology. In case of non-beneficiaries, the
characteristics like education, farming experience, size of land holding, market
orientation, extension participation, risk orientation, scientific orientation, attitude,
irrigation potentiality and cropping intensity had positive and significant association
with their knowledge level.
The characteristics of the FLD beneficiaries like education, farming
experience, size of land holding, social participation, market orientation, yield index,
extension participation, sources of information, risk orientation, innovativeness
scientific orientation, attitude, irrigation potentiality and cropping intensity had
positive and significant association with their adoption level. The characteristics viz.,
age and size of family had non-significant association with their adoption of improved
chickpea production technology. While in case of non-beneficiaries, the
characteristics like education, farming experience, extension participation, risk
orientation, scientific orientation, irrigation potentiality and cropping intensity had
positive and significant association with their adoption level.
Fourteen of the independent variables, which had positive and direct effect on
knowledge of FLD beneficiaries, were screened for the path analysis. It revealed that
extension participation had highest direct effect on knowledge level, followed by
scientific orientation and sources of information. Fourteen of the independent
variables, which had positive and direct effect of adoption of FLD beneficiaries, were
screened for the path analysis. It revealed that farming experience had highest direct
effect on adoption level, followed by sources of information and attitude. While in
case of non-beneficiaries, out of ten independent variables, which had positive and
direct effect of knowledge level were screened for the path analysis. It revealed that
farming experience had highest direct effect on knowledge level, followed by
scientific orientation and irrigation potentiality. Seven of the independent variables of
non-beneficiaries, which had positive and direct effect of adoption level, were
screened for the path analysis. It revealed that scientific orientation had highest direct
effect on adoption level, followed by cropping intensity and irrigation potentiality.
With respect to total indirect effect of the selected characteristics on
knowledge level of FLD beneficiaries, the ranking of these effects revealed that
market orientation had highest total indirect effect, followed by cropping intensity and
education, while total indirect effect of the selected characteristics on adoption level
of FLD beneficiaries, the ranking of these effects revealed that market orientation had
highest total indirect effect, followed by yield index and cropping intensity. In case of
non-beneficiaries, the total indirect effect of the selected characteristics on knowledge
level, the ranking of these effects revealed that education had highest total indirect
iv
effect, followed by market orientation and extension participation, while total indirect
effect of the selected characteristics on adoption level of non-beneficiaries, the
ranking of these effects revealed that risk orientation had highest total indirect effect,
followed by education and farming experience.
The major constraints faced by FLD beneficiaries were: non-remunerative
market price on farm produce with first rank, followed by high cost of farm inputs,
viz., seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc. and low production due to pest and disease
infestations.
The major suggestions offered by FLD beneficiaries were: fair price should be
given to the produce with first rank, followed by farm inputs should be available at
low price with subsidized rate and the plant protection and disease management
information should be provided in time