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Journal of Extension Education Vol. 28 No. 2, 2016 Farmers’ Perception on Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) Methods

Namitha Reghunath1 and N. Kishore Kumar2

ABSTRACT Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) is a part of Agricultural extension system, concerned with transmitting information and knowledge of important agricultural technology from research to farmer. The present study was conducted in district of to identify the perception of farmers on ITD methods implemented by different agricultural institutions in with special reference to Kannur Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). Thirty farmers each from four selected grama panchayats (, Kankol- Alapadamba, Kadannapalli- and ) of Kannur were identified using simple random sampling and a total of one hundred and twenty respondents were included in the study. A well-structured interview schedule was used for collecting the data from the respondents. The data were tabulated and inferences were drawn after appropriate statistical analysis. Majority of the farmers had medium level of perception on ITD methods followed by low level.

Keywords : ITD, KVK, Personal interview, Perception, Kerala, Farmer.

INTRODUCTION Most of the farmers in are changing scenarios there is a growing small and marginal farmers with less recognition that public extension by land holding and poor in idea about itself cannot meet the specific needs of new technologies. Extension in many various regions and different classes of countries has come to encompass a wide farmers. This has lead to the emergence range of activities in both the public of pluralistic system, that include public, and private sectors, yet the exchange of private and all other agencies which information continues to be the primary serve as knowledge or information agents focus of all extension activities. Earlier, that facilitate mutually meaningful and agricultural extension in India was equitable knowledge based transactions considered to be the monopoly of the among agricultural researchers, trainers public sector but with the wide range of and primary producers. The major demands for agricultural technology in activities of public extension system

1- P.G. Scholar and 2- Professor, Department of Agriculture Extension, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani, Kerala.

Received : 03-11-2016; Accepted : 06-12-2016 5634

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at the district level are assessment, field school and distributing various refinement and demonstration of brochures and publications. technology / products through a network METHODOLOGY of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), the The study was conducted in Kannur departments of agriculture, Agricultural district with special reference to Kannur Technology Management Agency (ATMA) KVK. From the eleven block panchayats and Agricultural Technology Information present in Kannur, , Centres (ATIC) established under , and blocks Indian Council of Agricultural Research were selected based on the agro ecological (ICAR) institutes, State Agricultural zones of the district and from these Universities (SAUs) etc. Along with public four blocks, four Grama panchayats extension agencies Non-Governmental viz, Ezhome, Kankol - Alapadamba, Organizations (NGOs) play an important Kadannapalli- Panapuzha, and Mayyil role in technology dissemination. were selected after consulting each block Innovations in Technology panchayat office. A list of progressive Dissemination (ITD) is part of the farmers from each Grama Panchayat Agricultural extension system which is were collected from successive Krishi primarily concerned with transmitting Bhavans and thirty farmers each were information and knowledge of important selected by simple random sampling, The agricultural technology. Kannur KVK total number of respondents were one had introduced a variety of innovations hundred and twenty. A well-structured for technology dissemination and in 2009 interview schedule was used for collecting it bagged the national best KVK award the data from the respondents. among the 589 KVKs in the country. The ITD methods implemented by the KVK Perception of farmers on Innova- include Compact Area Group Approach tions in Technology Dissemination (CAGA), farmers science congress, (ITD) methods farmers science museum, tele cine Perceptions indicate the users drama (Thengukalude Nilavili), NABARD- view of a technology/method/initiative, KVK farmers club, training programmes which is formed based on his or her for farm entrepreneurs, KVK mall, SBI previous experiences. (Sivakumar and KVK loan window, formation of mussel Sulaiman, 2015). Perception in this farmers club, participatory production case was operationalized as the farmer’s of planting materials and vegetable opinion towards various innovations in seeds, formation of farmer producer technology dissemination implemented organizations, agro- bio pharmacy, by different agricultural institutions release of video and multimedia CDs in Kannur district. To measure the related to various practices, farmers perception of farmers, the scale 5635

Farmers’ Perception on Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) Methods developed by Preethi et al.,(2014) with a five point continuum namely, Strongly slight modification was used. This scale Agree, Agree, Undecided, Disagree and consists of ten statements measured in Strongly Disagree. Table 1. Scale to Measure Farmers’ Opinion towards ITD

Sl.No. Statements SA A UD DA SDA

Innovations in Technology Dissemination(ITD) 1. methods are more effective than conventional methods

ITD helps farmers to access new technologies 2. and products easily. Social media play a crucial role in technology 3. dissemination Group approach of ITD is more effective than 4. individual approach Innovations using ICT is more effective for 5. technology dissemination Participative decision making is ensured in 6. the implementation of the ITD methods Farmers get an opportunity to take leadership 7. in technology dissemination process. Greater economic prosperity can be achieved 8. through the ITD methods. Participative skill training helps farmers to 9. adopt new technologies and methods. Farmers get an opportunity to introduce their 10. own innovations to the farming community.

Scoring procedure for measuring 1 for strongly Disagree (SDA) perception of farmers are 5 for Strongly Based on the scores the Perception Agree (SA), 4 for Agree (A), 3 for Index was calculated using the formula Undecided (UD), 2 for Disagree (DA) and

Individual subject’s score x 100 Perception Index (PI) = Total Score

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FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION medium level (62.5%) of perception on ITD The data collected were methods followed by low level (27.5%). tabulated and inferences were drawn Only 10 percent of the respondents had after appropriate statistical analysis. high level of perception on ITD methods Perception of farmers on ITD methods implemented by Kannur KVK and other were categorized into low, medium agricultural institutions in Kannur district. and high based on mean and standard Perception index was calculated based deviation. on individual statement scores and it is Majority of the respondents had shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Perception Index (PI) Sl. Statements PI No. Innovations in Technology Dissemination(ITD) methods are more 1. 81.16 effective than conventional methods

2. ITD helps farmers to access new technologies and products easily. 81

3. Group approach of ITD is more effective than individual approach 80.5

Participative skill training helps farmers to adopt new technologies 4. 76.17 and methods.

5. Innovations using ICT is more effective for technology dissemination 75.5

Participative decision making is ensured in the implementation of the 6. 75 ITD methods Greater economic prosperity can be achieved through the ITD 7. 74.6 methods.

8. Social media play a crucial role in technology dissemination 70.33

Farmers get an opportunity to take leadership in technology 9. 68.17 dissemination process.

Farmers get an opportunity to introduce their own innovations to the 10. 61.17 farming community. 5637

Farmers’ Perception on Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) Methods

From Table 2, it is observed that farmers on Innovations in Technology the statements viz., ‘Innovations in Dissemination methods implemented Technology Dissemination (ITD) methods by different agricultural institutions in are more effective than conventional Kannur district was calculated and it methods’, ‘ITD helps farmers to access shows that majority of the respondents new technologies and products easily’ and had medium level (62.5%) of perception ‘Group approach of ITD is more effective on ITD methods followed by low than individual approach’ were perceived level (27.5%). Only 10 percent of the as best by the farmers with perception respondents had high level of perception index of 81.16, 81, and 80.5 respectively. on ITD methods implemented by Kannur More than half of the farmers opined KVK and other agricultural institutions that latest ICT based farmer oriented in Kannur district. technology dissemination methods will be more effective than conventional REFERENCES methods, but majority of them were not Preethi, M. S., Nataraju. M.S. & aware of the newly introduced methods Lakshminarayan, M. T. (2014). for technology transfer. Development of a Scale to Measure Perception of Farm Youth towards CONCLUSION Agriculture. International Journal of The concept of Innovations in Extension Education, 10, 165-167. Technology Dissemination (ITD) was Sivakumar, P.S., & Sulaiman, V.R. initiated as a component of National (2015). Extension Research in India : Agriculture Technology Project (NATP) Current Status and Future Strategies. and it is primarily concerned with Retrieved from: http://www.g-fras. transmitting information and knowledge org/en/forum/2-all-topics/829- of important agricultural technology Extension-Research-in-India-Current- from research to farmer. Perception of Status-Future-Strategies.html