Evaluation of socio-economic determinants of agricultural extension effectiveness among oilseed farmers

Abstract

Agricultural extension systems play a vital role in enhancing farmers’ knowledge, promoting technology adoption, and improving overall agricultural productivity. The present study examined the influence of selected socio-economic characteristics on the effectiveness of public and private extension systems among oilseed farmers in Mahabubnagar district, Telangana. A total of 120 farmers were selected through a purposive random sampling procedure, and data were collected using structured personal interviews. Correlation analysis was employed to determine the relationship between socio-economic variables and extension effectiveness. The results revealed that under the public extension system, variables such as education, annual income, trainings undergone, social participation, input acquisition pattern, information-seeking behaviour, achievement motivation, risk-taking ability, knowledge, and market intelligence showed a positive and significant association with effectiveness. These findings indicate that farmers with better educational backgrounds, stronger economic conditions, greater exposure to training, and higher social involvement are more likely to benefit from public extension services. Psychological and behavioural attributes such as motivation, risk-taking ability, and information-seeking tendencies also contributed significantly to effective utilization of public advisory services. Similarly, in the private extension system, the same variables exhibited significant positive relationships with extension effectiveness. This suggests that private extension services tend to be more effective among progressive, informed, and socially active farmers who possess the capacity and willingness to adopt improved agricultural practices. Overall, the study concludes that socio-economic and behavioural characteristics play a crucial role in shaping the effectiveness of both public and private extension systems. Enhancing farmers’ access to training opportunities, income-generating activities, and educational support can substantially strengthen extension outcomes and contribute to sustainable agricultural development and improved livelihoods among oilseed farmers.