Communication behaviour of farmers on improved farm practices in Udaipur district of Rajasthan
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Date
2005
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Publisher
MPUAT, Udaipur
Abstract
India is a country of diversities. The diversity is acute among agricultural
communities. Transfer of improved agricultural practices from research stations to farmers is
very important for developing rural farming communities, but carry out information to
farmers throughout country is gigantic task. Farmers use many information sources and
channels for seeking agricultural information on improved farm practices. They may come
across large number of information sources and channels but persue only few of them.
Credibility of information sources and channels also effects the adoption of farmers about
improved agricultural practices. There are many constraints which can affect successful
communication of improved farm practices. A successful communication should identify
these constraints and also should make remedial measures to over come these constraints.
Keeping this in mind the study was planned with following specific objectives:
(i) To study the agricultural information sources and channels available to farmers for
information seeking in the study area.
(ii) To find out the credibility of different agricultural information sources and channels.
(iii) To ascertain the association between personal characteristics and information seeking
behaviour of the farmers.
(iv) To find out constraints being perceived by farmers in information seeking on
agricultural practices.
The present study was carried out in purposively selected panchayat samities, Bhinder
and Dhariyawad of Udaipur district in Rajasthan (each from non tribal and tribal). From
selected two panchayat samities, three villages from each panchayat samiti were chosen on
the basis of maximum area under cultivation of defined three crops i.e. wheat, maize and
gram. The size of sample of total 120 respondents was drawn randomly with the help of
random sampling procedure. The data were collected by personal contact method with the
help of specially designed schedule. For the analysis of data, various statistical measures
were used, viz., mean per cent score, rank, Z test and chi-square test etc.
1. It was found that friends and neighbours were the most utilized personal localite
sources of agriculture information for the total respondents in the study area. Friends
were most preferred by non tribal respondents while neighbours were most utilized by
tribal respondents for information seeking on improved from practices.
2. The study indicated that Agriculture Supervisor and input dealers were the most
preferred personal cosmopolite sources of agriculture information for both non tribal
and tribal respondents for seeking information on improved farm practices. It was reported that kisan mandal meeting, farmers fair and visit to local kisan seva
Kendra were the preferential personal cosmopolite channels of agriculture
information among the total respondents in the study area. Non tribal farmers mostly
used farmers fair for seeking information on improved farm practices whereas tribal
farmers mostly utilized kisan mandal meeting for information seeking.
4. It was found that radio, news paper and television where the most utilized impersonal
cosmopolite channels for seeking agricultural information on improved farm
practices. However, email/internet and traditional media have contributed to least
extent for providing agricultural information to the respondents.
5. The study indicated that friend and V.E.W./Agriculture Supervisor were the most
credible personal localize and personal cosmopolite sources of agriculture
information as perceived by the total respondents in the area, respectively.
6. The study indicated that kissan mandal meeting, farmers fair and training were the
credible personal cosmopolite channels among the respondents in the study area.
7. It was noticed that radio was perceived as the most competent impersonal
cosmopolite channel by both non tribal and tribal respondents.
8. The study revealed that there was association between some of the selected personal
characteristics viz., education size of land holding, extension contacts and innovation
practises and information seeking behaviour of the respondent on improved farm
practices.
9. It was found that there was no association between some of the selected personal
characteristics viz., age, family type, family size and farming experience and
information seeking behaviour of the respondents.
10. The study indicated that inappropriate time allocation in TV/radio for agricultural
programmes and difficulty of access to TV/radio programmes due to irregular
electricity supply were the most severe technical constraints being perceived by the
total respondents.
11. It was reported that "less suitability of improved farm practices" and incompatibility
of improved farm practices with farmers economic condition were the most severe
operational constraints related to information seeking on improved farm practices.
12. The study revealed that "poor literacy/education level of the respondents" was
perceived as most severe miscellaneous constraint by the tribal respondents whereas
non tribal respondents reported "lack of time to expose agriculture information
sources and channels was their major miscellaneous constraints.
13. It was found that the technology demand of different category of farmers vary greatly.
So, it is suggested that while transferring the technology, farmers resources and socio
economic conditions must be considered.
14. Based on research findings, it is suggested that authorities should be concerned on
filling the existing vacant posts of Agriculture Supervisors for the well being of
farmers living in the area. It is also proposed to establish a well equipped agriculture
information centre in the premises of local Kisan Seva Kendra.
Description
Communication behaviour of farmers on improved farm practices in Udaipur district of Rajasthan
Keywords
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Citation
Gunawardana and Sharma, 2005