Deceevaluation of argo-advisory services under Annapurna Krishi Prasara Seva in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana

Introduction

Indian farming is mostly subsistence in nature, where farming community is confronted with the no of issues in increase the yield of efficiency. The farming community has a lot of issues in maximizing the crop productivity; in this process they have experienced no of challenges in terms of production, processing, marketing and profit generation etc., here they realized that need based and location specification information is most important rather than farm inputs for getting higher yields. However, the introduction of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the field of agriculture has brought several changes in methods of extension system (Jayanthi, 2016) [2] . The information and communication technologies like radio, TV, newspaper, telephone and magazines are playing a major role in agricultural development since early decades. Now the modern Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) as mobiles and computers have created an information revolution. In the 21 st century, cost effective and efficient communication technologies are required to take lead in changing agricultural scenario. Nowadays mobile phone usage has been drastically increased in the recent times (Kanavi, 2014) [3] . Due to advances in communication technology even the remote rural areas were also brought under the mobile phone network. Further, Mobile phone is becoming an all time partner to all the individuals and farmers were also now-a-days having mobile phones. Sending information to the mobile is easy and scalable and reducing cost, time and money (Kailash, 2016) [5] . [6] . The major subject areas of AKPS are Crop production, Plant protection, Horticulture, Animal science, Home science, Dairy, etc. Advantages of AKPS are farmers can get location specific information with free cost, provide information in the form of text and voice in vernacular (local) language and cost effective. Therefore, keeping these points in view the present study focused mainly to find out the utility of agro advisories disseminated through AKPS by the respondents of Nagarkurnool district of Telangana.

Methodology

The AKPS is one of the flagship extension initiatives of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Palem, designed to disseminate need-based and location-specific agricultural information to farmers of Nagarkurnool district. The programme has been operational since 2014-15, providing advisory services through a dedicated toll-free helpline (1800-425-3141). Over the years, AKPS has registered a total of 4,452 farmers, reflecting its growing reach and relevance among the farming community. The study purposively selected the state of Telangana, as the AKPS initiative was first implemented here (when it was part of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh) (Punnarao et al., 2017) [6] . Additionally, the investigator's familiarity with the region further justified its selection. The research focused on registered farmers from four administrative divisions of Nagarkurnool district-Nagarkurnool, Kollapur, Achampet and Kalwakurthy. From each division, 40 respondents were randomly selected, constituting a total sample size of 120 farmers. An ex-post facto research design was employed to analyze the impact and effectiveness of the programme. Primary data were collected directly from the registered farmers using a structured interview schedule, while secondary data were obtained from official AKPS records maintained at KVK Palem and relevant online sources.

To assess the information-seeking behavior of farmers regarding agro-advisories, a comprehensive set of 31 statements was developed. These statements were carefully formulated in consultation with subject matter specialists, scientists and extension officials to ensure validity and relevance. The advisories disseminated through AKPS primarily covered key aspects of crop cultivation, including selection of crop varieties, weed management, nutrient management, pest and disease control, as well as weather-based guidance and other related agricultural information. Furthermore, the study evaluated the utility of agro-advisories across multiple dimensions such as relevancy, accuracy, timeliness, clarity of message presentation, and overall message characteristics. This multidimensional assessment helped in understanding how effectively the advisories met farmers' needs and contributed to improved agricultural decision-making. Overall, the study provides a systematic evaluation of AKPS as an innovative extension model, highlighting its role in strengthening farmer access to timely and reliable agricultural information at the grassroots level.

Results and Discussion

The present study exploring that the farmers utility of agro advisories like crop varieties, weed management, nutrient management, pest and disease management, weather and other related information disseminated through Annapurna Krishi Prasara seva at KVK, Palem for effective farm management. The utility in terms of relevancy, accuracy, timeliness, treatment of message and traits of the message of disseminated advisories through AKPS. The category wise analysis of advisories disseminated indicated that more respondents adopted plant protection advisories followed by crop management technologies and advisories on seed treatment and seed related information, weed management, nutrient management, weather related advisories, and natural resource management practices ( The findings presented in Table 2 provide a scientific assessment of the perceived utility of agro-advisories disseminated through the AKPS among the respondent farmers.

The results indicate that 31.67 per cent of the respondents perceived the advisories as highly relevant, suggesting that the information was well-aligned with local agro-ecological conditions and farmers' specific needs (Table .2). Such contextual relevance facilitates better understanding and enhances the adoption of recommended practices at the field level, thereby contributing to improved farm productivity and economic outcomes (Archana et al., 2020) [1] . A majority of the respondents (50.83%) reported that the advisories were accurate and reliable, reflecting the scientific soundness and credibility of the information disseminated through AKPS (Rajashekar et al., 2022) [8] . This level of accuracy plays a crucial role in building farmers' trust and confidence, which in turn promotes the effective utilization of advisory services in farm decision-making. In terms of timeliness, 47.50 per cent of the respondents indicated that the advisories were received in accordance with different stages of crop growth. The timely delivery of information is critical in agriculture, as it enables farmers to undertake appropriate interventions at the right stage, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing potential risks. Further, 46.60 per cent of the respondents perceived the advisories as technically sound and useful, indicating that the content effectively addressed complex agricultural issues such as pest and disease management, nutrient application, and crop protection. Additionally, 30.83 per cent of the respondents reported that the advisories were practically applicable and economically feasible under their farm conditions (Saikanth et al., 2021) [9] . Overall, the results demonstrate that AKPS agro-advisories are characterized by relevance, accuracy, timeliness, technical soundness, and economic feasibility, which collectively enhance their effectiveness in supporting informed decision-making and improving agricultural performance among farmers.

Conclusion

The AKPS services, implemented by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Palem, is an innovative ICT-enabled extension system designed to disseminate agricultural information effectively to farmers. It significantly enhances the outreach and efficiency of extension services by catering to farmers in remote and underserved regions. Through the provision of timely, need-based, and location-specific agro-advisories, AKPS helps bridge the gap between research institutions and the farming community, thereby facilitating improved access to scientific and practical knowledge. The category-wise analysis of advisories revealed that a higher proportion of respondents adopted plant protection measures, followed by crop management technologies, seed treatment and seed-related information, weed management, nutrient management, weather-based advisories, and natural resource management practices. The findings further indicate that agro-advisories disseminated through AKPS are perceived as highly relevant to local farm conditions, economically viable, and easy to comprehend. Farmers reported that the advisories were need-based, timesaving, cost-effective, and practically applicable under field conditions. Such ICT-driven initiatives serve as an important catalyst for improving agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods in the present era. Strengthening infrastructural support and integrating advanced technologies can further expand the reach and effectiveness of AKPS, particularly in remote areas, thereby enhancing its overall impact on farmers' livelihoods and sustainable agricultural development.

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