Impact assessment of village adoption programme (VAP) interventions on production, income, and livelihood security

Introduction

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "If the village perishes, India will perish too," highlighting the pivotal role of rural communities in shaping the nation's socio-economic and cultural landscape. Villages, typically defined as rural settlements with populations ranging from 500 to 2,500, form the bedrock of India's agricultural economy and are repositories of traditional knowledge and community values. To bridge the gap between academic knowledge and grassroots realities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has mandated universities to incorporate an extension component in their activities. In response, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), KrishiVigyanKendras (KVKs), and ICAR institutes have initiated Village Adoption Programs to integrate teaching, research, and extension with field-level realities. The Village Adoption Programme (VAP) is a holistic approach that immerses students, researchers, and extension professionals in rural settings. It focuses on understanding the sustainable use of natural resources, local development needs, and the aspirations of village communities. This participatory model promotes rural innovation, community empowerment, and the replication of successful practices through collective action. As part of this initiative, every KVK under the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, is tasked with adopting a village for a three-year cycle. In this regard, ICAR-KVK, Tiptur adopted Chikkahonnavalli village in Tiptur Taluk, Tumakuru District, for the period 2019-2020 to 2021-22, with support from UAS, Bangalore. The program aimed to promote integrated agricultural development, capacity building, and sustainable livelihood interventions tailored to local conditions. Chikkahonnavalli is a medium-sized village with 166 families and a population of 675, with a literacy rate of 76.30 per cent as per the 2011 Census. The village features diverse agricultural practices, with farmers cultivating crops such as finger millet, maize, redgram, greengram, blackgram, field bean, chickpea, castor, banana, and coconut. Livestock farming is also prominent, with significant cattle and poultry populations. Given this context, assessing the impact of the Village Adoption Programme on farmers' knowledge and adoption of improved crop production practices is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness and long-term relevance of the intervention.

Methodology

An ex-post facto research design was employed to assess the impact of the Village Adoption Programme (VAP) on www.extensionjournal.com farmers' knowledge and adoption of crop production and allied enterprises in Chikkahonnavalli village, Tiptur Taluk, Tumakuru District, during the period 2019-20 to 2021-22. Data was collected from 90 respondents who had consistently benefited from the VAP over the three-year period. A pre-post method of data collection was followed. The initial data was gathered before the implementation of the programme as part of a baseline survey, and the second round of data collection was conducted after the programme's completion. A personal interview method was employed using a structured interview schedule. The collected data was analyzed using mean scores and frequency distribution to assess changes in knowledge and adoption levels among the beneficiaries. [7] . 2 sheds light on farmers' landholding status, livestock ownership, and household assets. A majority were marginal farmers (52.22%) owning less than 2.5 acres, followed by small farmers (22.22%). Only 11.11 per cent were large farmers, confirming that most programme beneficiaries belonged to economically weaker sections. Despite limited land, many had diversified into allied activities, with 83.33 per cent owning cows, 54.44 per cent keeping poultry, and 26.66 per cent engaged in sheep and goat rearing, indicating the importance of livestock as a secondary income source. Asset ownership reveals a reasonably good level of household amenities. Most households possessed mobiles (91.11%), televisions (92.22%), and gas connections (83.33%), which suggests access to communication, entertainment, and clean cooking energy. Motorcycles (68.88%) and pressure cookers (64.44%) were also common, improving mobility and cooking efficiency. However, only 44.44 per cent owned bicycles, possibly due to preference for motorized transport. Housing data shows that 64.44 per cent lived in tiled houses, and 27.77 per cent in RCC houses, reflecting modest but decent living standards, while only 7.77 per cent were in katchha houses, highlighting a small section that may require housing support. In summary, the socio-economic profile indicates that the www.extensionjournal.com majority of the farmers were small and marginal with moderate education levels, sufficient family labor, and reasonable access to basic amenities and livestock. These characteristics provided a strong foundation for the successful implementation and uptake of improved agricultural practices under the Village Adoption Programme. The data also emphasizes the need for continued support in income generation, education, and housing to ensure equitable rural development. The results are in line with the Kowsalya (2017) [3] . The data in Table 5 clearly revealed a significant improvement in the knowledge level of beneficiary farmers after the implementation of the VAP. Prior to the intervention, 48.88 per cent of farmers were in the low knowledge category, which reduced to just 10 per cent postintervention. Conversely, the proportion of farmers with high knowledge increased from 20.00 to 62.22 per cent. The mean knowledge score increased from 62.13 to 79.80, indicating a substantial positive impact of the program on farmers' awareness and understanding of improved agricultural practices. This improvement may be attributed to the regular training, field demonstrations, and exposure visits organized during the programme. The results were in line with the HemaSarat Chandra et. al., (2017) [1] and Jeyaseelan (2010) [2] . www.extensionjournal.com [5] . Tables 7 and8 underscore the nutritional benefits of establishing household Nutri Gardens. Intake of essential food groups such as milk, fruits, and vegetables showed a noticeable increase in adequacy. The fruit adequacy improved by 14.00 per cent, and vegetable intake improved by over 12.00 per cent, which is significant considering the rural context where market access and dietary diversity are often limited. Additionally, the reduction in sugar (-16.67%) and fat intake (-37.04%) indicates a shift toward healthier food habits, driven by awareness created during training sessions. The increased consumption of green leafy vegetables (GLVs), which reached 1,322 bundles across 30 families, played a critical role in improving micronutrient intake, particularly iron, calcium, and vitamin A. The economic benefit of the Nutri Garden is also evident from the reduction in household expenditure from Rs.8,800 to Rs.3,500 per family per year resulting in over 60% savings. This demonstrates that Nutri Gardens served a dual purpose: improving food security and reducing financial burden on low-income families. The success of these economic outcomes can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, the systematic need-based interventions ranging from varietal replacement to integrated crop and livestock management ensured that farmers received technologies tailored to their agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions. Secondly, continuous handholding support through trainings, field demonstrations, and follow-up visits built the farmers' confidence to adopt and sustain improved practices. Thirdly, the active participation of farmers in on-field demonstrations helped in better understanding and quicker adoption of the technologies. Furthermore, the use of scientific crop planning, improved access to quality inputs, and promotion of integrated farming systems created a more resilient and diversified farming approach.The results were on par with the Manjunathet.al., (2019) [4] and Sadviet.al., (2020) [6] . Furthermore, the fact that a majority moved into the middleincome group (Rs.50,000-1,50,000) suggests a broad-based impact rather than concentrated benefits. Such inclusive growth is essential for long-term rural development and sustainability.

Results

The shift can be attributed to several contributing factors. Firstly, the adoption of high-yielding and market-preferred crop varieties, combined with scientific crop management techniques, led to increased productivity and farm income. Secondly, integrated farming systems that included horticulture, fodder cultivation, and livestock activities provided multiple income streams, reducing reliance on a single crop and increasing economic resilience. Thirdly, the Nutri Garden initiative helped reduce household food expenses while contributing to nutrition and selfsufficiency, indirectly increasing disposable income. Additionally, continuous capacity building, demonstrations, and personalized support from the KVK improved farmers' decision-making, risk management, and marketing capabilities.

Conclusion

The Village Adoption Programme has proven to be a highly effective approach for accelerating the dissemination and adoption of advanced agro-technologies within a defined timeframe. By serving as a live demonstration site, the adopted village becomes a platform to showcase the tangible benefits of modern agricultural practices tailored to local agro-ecological conditions. In this context, the adoption of Chikkahonnavalli village by ICAR-KVK, Tiptur, in Tumkur District, has yielded remarkable results. Through a comprehensive set of interventions including crop demonstrations, input support, capacity building, integrated farming systems, pest and disease management, health and nutrition campaigns, and on-field diagnostics-KVK scientists, in collaboration with farmers and line departments, successfully enhanced awareness, productivity, and profitability. These efforts not only improved the livelihoods of the participating farmers but also led to a noticeable upliftment in their overall socio-economic status.

Chikkahonnavalli now stands as a model village, exemplifying the power of participatory extension, farmerscientist collaboration, and continuous handholding. The experience highlights the need to scale up such initiatives, extending their reach to more villages to foster sustainable rural development and inclusive agricultural growth across regions.

References

1. Hema Sarat Chandra N, Rudroju V, Mishra OP. Model villages and village adoption approaches in the developmental arena of rural India: view and review. Int J Pure App Biosci. 2017;5(6):551-7.
2. Jeyaseelan P. Awareness and utilization levels of farmers on various facilities and activities offered under a village adoption programme. Int Res J Manag Sci Tec. 2010;1(1):96-103.
3. Kowsalya KS. Impact of Integrated Farming System Demonstration (IFSD) programme on livelihood and nutritional security of farmers of Mandya district [Ph.D. thesis]. Bangalore: Univ. Agri. Sci.; 2017.
4. Manjunatha AV, Kumar P, Preethika DT. Impact of National Food Security Mission on input use, yield and income. Ind J Agri Econ. 2019;74(4):562-75.
5. Montes de Oca Munguia O, Pannell DJ, Llewellyn R. Understanding the adoption of innovations in agriculture: A review of selected conceptual models. Agronomy. 2021;11(1):139.
6. Sadvi P, Rajini Devi DA, Uma Reddy R. A case study on village adopted by RARS, Polasa, Jagtial. Agri Update. 2020;15(1&2):28-30.
7. Vivek MC, Sahana S. Socio-economic characteristics of the farmers following E-tendering system of Arecanut in Karnataka. Ind Res J Extn Edu. 2021;21(2&3):11725.