Impact analysis of Technology Assessment and Refinement through Institution-Village Linkage Program.
Kokate K. D., Pawar L. G.
Author Affiliation: AICRP on Weed Control, B.S. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli 415 712, Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra, India.
International Rice Research Notes 31 : 32-33
Abstract : The effects of the Technology Assessment and Refinement through Institution-Village Linkage Program (a programme which promotes the participatory approach in technology selection, testing, evaluation, refinement and adoption), implemented in Hodawade village of Vengurle tahsil in Sindhudurga, Maharashtra, India, on crop production were studied. Data were collected before the project (1995-96, period I) and after the 5-year implementation period (2000-01, period 2) using participatory rural appraisal and consultations in the land revenue office in the area. During period 1, the total area planted to various crops was 352.68 ha. Of this, 25.32% was occupied by local kharif-grown rice cultivars, followed by mango (21.60%), kharif high-yielding cultivars (HYVs, 16.88%), coconut (10.25%), cashew (9.82%), rabi hot-weather rice (7.91%), rabi hot-weather groundnut (5.53%), rabi finger millet (1.16%), vegetables (0.86%) and kharif groundnut (0.67%). During period 2, the area under cultivation increased by 103.14 ha because the area under each crop expanded, except for rabi rice, which totally disappeared, and local rice cultivars (kharif), under which 60.72% of the area was reduced with the increase in area (201.24%) under HYVs. The package of optimum agricultural practices adopted under the programme, such as balanced fertilizer use, timely weed control, intercropping, and use of improved cultivars, motivated the farmers to expand the production area. Compared with the whole Sinhudurga district, which is a non-IVLP area, increases in the productivity of rice, mango, cashew and coconut in Hodawade were 136.6, 102.5, 8.8 and 104.85%, respectively. The number of farm families in the higher, medium and lower income groups increased by 32, 58 and 45%, respectively; corresponding increases in income from period 1 to period 2 were 25?000, 25?000 and 8000 rupees.