MSc

The study entitled ‘Research-Extension Gap in Rice Technology Adoption
among the farmers of South Kerala’ was undertaken during the year 2020-2021 in
Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and
Idukki districts representing the rice growing tract of South Kerala. From each of the
seven districts one panchayat with maximum rice farmers were selected in consultation
with the PAO office and 15 farmers were selected from each panchayath, thus making
a total of 105 respondents. The study was done to determine the extent of yield gap in
rice production, level of adoption of selected KAU technologies in rice varieties,
personal and social characteristics of rice producing farmers, its relation with level of
adoption and constraints experienced by the rice growing farmers with suggestions for
refinement.
Eleven independent variables, namely, age, farming experience, area under rice
cultivation, annual income, mass media exposure, extension participation, achievement
motivation, risk orientation, credit orientation, innovativeness and knowledge level
were selected through judges rating. Along with the selected variables, six additional
variables like source of rice seed, labour utilization, popularity & acceptance of KAU
varieties, ownership status, storage facility and value addition of rice & rice-based
products were also included in the study. The level of adoption and yield gap in rice
production were the dependent variables. Fifteen recommended practices in rice were
selected from the package of practices of KAU by consulting the subject matter
specialists to measure the extent of adoption.
On analysis, it was found that 53.33 per cent of rice farmers belonged to middle
age (48-65) category and 41.9 per cent of the rice farmers had medium level of annual
income. Majority of the respondents (53.33%) belonged to medium category of area
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under rice cultivation with medium farming experience (54.29 %). About 57.14 % &
46.67 % of rice farmers belonged to low category of extension participation and credit
orientation. Majority of the respondent rice farmers belonged to the medium category
of mass media exposure (60.95%), achievement motivation (49.52%), innovativeness
(60.95%) and risk orientation (46.67%).
Extent of knowledge about KAU rice technologies among farmers was medium
for 60.00 per cent of farmers, low for 33.33 per cent and high for only for 6.67 per cent
of farmers.
The analysis of respondent rice farmers based on their yield gap in rice
production revealed that Jyothi rice variety had a higher yield gap index of 28.91 per
cent followed by 27.09 per cent in Kanchana, 24.35 per cent in Hraswa, 21.83 per cent
in Uma and 20.53 per cent in Manurathna and it can be deduced from the Friedmann
test results that socio-economic factors and institutional factors were the most important
components affecting the yield gap of Uma rice variety whereas, biophysical and
climatic factors were the most key factors influencing the Jyothi rice variety's yield gap.
Thus, the higher yield gap in Jyothi can be significantly reduced by improving the
biophysical and climatic factors corresponding to the farmers.
The results of the adoption quotient revealed that, majority of rice farmers i.e.,
50.47 per cent belonged to medium category of adoption, followed by 25.71 and 23.81
per cent in low and high category of adoption. The mean adoption quotient (AQ) was
61.77 per cent with a maximum and minimum AQ of 93.77 and 28 per cent
respectively. In case of the recommended practices, six out of fifteen practices had an
overall adoption percentage greater than 50 per cent. In the case of recommended
varieties, adoption was higher for the variety Uma (64.76 %) followed by Jyothi
(11.43%), Manurathna (7.62%), Kanchana (5.71%) and Hraswa (3.81%).
According to Rogers (1982), farmer respondents were divided into different
adopter categories. As per the findings, the late majority (42.86 %) category were the
major portion of respondent farmers, followed by the early majority (28.57 %) and
about 1.90 per cent of respondents were innovators.
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The results of the correlation revealed that out of 11 independent variables
selected for the study, 3 variables were positively and significantly related to the
dependent variable adoption of recommended practices by rice farmers. The main
factors that influence technology adoption of recommended practices were extension
participation and achievement motivation at 1% significance followed by
innovativeness at 5% significance and the remaining variables namely; age, farming
experience, area under rice cultivation, annual income, mass media exposure, risk
orientation and knowledge level possessed a non-significant relation with the extent of
adoption.
Farmer practices were documented, it showed that the number of farmer
practices adopted were the highest in Trivandrum (53.33%) followed by Kollam (40%)
and Pathanamthitta (40%) districts and farmer practices adopted least in the district of
Kottayam (20%). The three major constraints faced by the rice farmers were high labour
charges, non-availability of timely inputs and labours and flooding due to heavy
rainfall. The major reason identified for cultivating KAU released rice variety was high
yield whereas the major reason for not cultivating KAU variety was high cost of
cultivation. The primary suggestion for refinement by the farmers were to make
provisions for constructing check dams and strengthening bunds (93.33 %) and making
available combines and harvesters at less rent (85.71 %).
The findings of the study indicated that the extent of total adoption of
recommended cultivation practices was medium (50.47%) among the rice farmers of
Southern Kerala. An inquiry in to the yield gap of KAU released rice varieties among
the farmers revealed that Jyothi rice variety had a higher yield gap index of 28.91 per
cent. Hence, an extension focus must be given for making available location specific
agricultural inputs and management strategies to bridge the yield gap.