Use of communication sources and level of knowledge of chilli growers in Abhanpur block of Raipur district of Chhattisgarh

Abstract

India is known as the 'The home of spices'. There is no other country in the world that produces as many kinds of spices as India. The climate of the country is suitable for almost all spices. The study was conducted in Raipur district of Chhattisgarh state during the year 2011-12. Out of 4 blocks of Raipur district, only Abhanpur block was selected purposively for the present study, because chilli is cultivated in maximum area in this block. Out of total chilli growers in each selected village, 30 per cent farmers from each village were selected randomly, thus the total 160 farmers were selected for the present study. It was found that the majority the respondents (68.76%) utilized medium level of sources of information they were used 4 to 10 sources i.e. neighbors/ friends/relatives, progressive farmers, training and visit, RAEOs/ADOs, radio, T.V, news paper/pamphlet, village panchayat, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Agriculture university. On source wise analysis it was found that the majority of the respondents (55.00%) always contacted neighbours/friends/relatives, 43.13 per cent contacted progressive farmers, and 21.25 per cent of the respondents used others always as a source of information regarding recommended chilli production technology. It was found that out of the total respondents majority (61.88%) of them had medium level of knowledge regarding recommended chilli production technology. Whereas 25.62 per cent and 12.50 per cent of the respondents were having low and high level of knowledge respectively. The study showed medium level of knowledge regarding recommended chilli production technology i.e. preparation of nursery (83.13%), identification of respondents had low level of knowledge regarding selected practices of chilli production technology i.e. seed rate (46.25%), storage (41.88%) While73.12% of the respondents having high level of knowledge of selected practices were i.e. time of transplanting and time of picking of chilli.