Information Network Assessment of Farm Women in Sub-Himalayan Terai Region of India and the Role of KVK

Abstract

Krishi Vigyan Kendra play an important role of information network development among the farmers and farm women through different training and extension programme. This empirical study was conducted to find out the role of Krishi Vigyan Kendra on information networks development of the farm women in sub Himalayan terai region of India and to identify the different factors influencing agricultural information network output of the farm women in terms of knowledge. The study was conducted in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal with the help of an ex post facto research design. It is found from the study that social participation of farm women was high in  case of the members of Self Help Groups, Mobility of the farm women were more in panchayat office. Majority of the farm women received farm information from farmers club/FPO, sources of informal farm information of the female farmers were higher in case of discussion with fellow farmers, mass media exposure of the farm women was higher in case of mobile phone and farm women visit the farm science centre whenever problems occur. It is also found from the study that the variables livestock possession, material possession, participation of FSC programme, communication skill, attitude of the farm women towards FSC scientist, mass media exposure, e resources exposure, decision making ability, type of family and occupation were influence more than 70% of the variability of the dependent variable agricultural information network output of the farm women. So, it is very essential for taking consideration above mentioned variable before implementation of any farm women orientated programme. It is revealed from the study that the residual errors were less in the regression model and there was some of variation that is not explained by the model. The research work would play important guidelines for expanding the information network in the field of agriculture through Krishi Vigyan Kendra.