Analysis of Information Technology IT Enabled Comprehensive Farm Advisory Services on Farmers Perception Acceptance and Adoption of Best Management Practices

Abstract

The study entitled Analysis of information technology (IT) enabled comprehensive newlinefarm advisory services on farmers perception, acceptance and adoption of best newlinemanagement practices was undertaken in the year 2018-2019 in Navalgunda taluka of newlineDharwad district of Karnataka with a sample of 400 registered farmers and 100 control newlinegroup farmers. Exploratory research design was followed for the study. A scale was newlineconstructed to measure the perception and acceptance of IT enabled farm advisory services newlineby registered farmers. Data was collected from 500 farmers through personal interview newlinemethod with the help of interview Schedule. The scale consisted of 11 dimensions. newlineMore number (43.25 %) of the farmers were in medium category of perception and newlineacceptance on IT enabled farm advisory services and in case of adoption level of best newlinemanagement practice in cotton crop , 45.73 per cent of farmers were in high category. newlineImidacloprid, Acephate, Acetamiprid and Mancozeb were used by majority of farmers to newlinecontrol pests and disease in cotton crop. The adoption level showed that 37.12 per cent of newlinefarmers were in medium category of adoption in chickpea crop The helicoverpa pest was newlinemanaged by 88.23 per cent farmers .The registered farmers decreased the number of sprays newlineby half the in case of all the three crops i.e cotton, chickpea and jowar. Even the newlineexpenditure of pesticides and fungicides was almost reduced by half in all the crops. The newlinenet returns obtained from cultivation of cotton and chickpea was more among registered newlinefarmers Rs 41538 and Rs 24738, respectively than the control group farmers Rs 38250 and newlineRs 20, 160 respectively. It was found that cotton, chilli, chick pea and jowar showed newlinesignificant differences in their yield before and after interventions. Majority (60%) of the newlinefarmers attended the group meetings organized by the Raitha Mitras. All the farmers newlineaccessed the e SAP application from the Tablet based farm advisory services with the help newlineof Raitha Mitras. Majority of the farmers said that CABES had helped th