Sept 10 – 16 2006, PWTC, Kuala Lumpur

COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOUR ATTRIBUTED BY THE FARMERS IN

THE
ADOPTION OF MICRO IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

S. M. Taley
Director

V.A.Khadase
Sr. Research Astt.

Agroecology & Environment Centre

Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Distt- Akola. 444 104 (M.S.)
Ph.No. 91--724-2420268 (R), Fax No. 91-724-2258219, Mobile - 91-9822723027
Email – smtaley@indiatimes.com, daeec@pdkv.mah.nic.in

ABSTRACT

Irrigation technology is changing fast from conventional methods to modern methods like MIS.
Effective transfer of the scientific knowledge to the farmers is necessary. Present study is an
attempt to precisely assess the sources of information, constraints, suggestions and communication
behaviour attributed to the adoption of MIS. The majority of respondents get information
through memorizing, printed material and were compared with the past experiences, discussed
with the family members and progressive farmers, friends, relatives. Similarly majority of the
respondents disseminate the information to the neighbors, friends and relatives. Some of the
worth mentioning constraints and suggestions reported by majority of respondent during
communication were information about MIS is theoretical and not practical oriented, verbose,
repetition of information and not related to their problems. Similarly other constraints were
insufficient time to note, discussion groups are not in existence in villages, rapid disposal of
information on TV and inadequate information in literature. Most of the farmers have moderate
level of communication behaviour. They know the MIS but lack the details need for its adoption.
Hence it can be said that unless detailed information is acquired by the farmers they will not
move towards its acceptance and adoption. In addition to the above it is necessary to change
their values like scientific orientation, risk preference, economic motivation, awareness and
favorable attitude towards MIS, so that they will think in the desirable direction.

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INTRODUCTION

For successful implementation of any project or technology, it is necessary to have the

participation of farmers and social will power. The political will power and organizational
set up and their management also play a key role for motivating in implementation of
technology like MIS, apart from basic knowledge and research aspects. With the development
of science and technology, the forms and the ways of communication have become more
specialized. Irrigation technology is changing fast from conventional methods to modernmethods
like MIS. This scientific knowledge accumulated and its research needs are to be communicated
to the farmers. Looking to the present low level of MIS adoption it has been found that there
is a wide gap between knowledge generation and its utilization. Therefore this gap needs
to be narrowed down so as to enhance the adoption of MIS by the farmers.

Low level of formal education is a barrier in disseminating useful information and the rate
of adoption vary from farmer to farmer depending upon the situation and availability of
information sources. But this can be overcome by the use of proper communication strategy,
mediamix and with the use of audio-visual aids. Therefore a comprehensive study has been
undertaken with specific objective to precisely assess the communication behaviour in terms
of information input, processing and out put besides over all communication behaviour
attributed to adoption of MIS with following specific objectives.

i) To find out the percentage of dropout

ii) To assess the sources of information, constraints and suggestions
iii) To find out the level of communication pattern besides overall communication
behaviour and contribution of predictor variables, to the variation in communication
behaviour.

METHODOLOGY

From the purposively selected regions of Maharashtra namely Vidarbha (Akola, Amravati,
Washsim, Yavatmal and Nagpur), Marathwada ( Nanded, Parbhani, Latur, Aurangabad and
Jalna) Western Maharashtra ( Pune, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Ahmednagar) and khandesh
( Jalgaon and Dhule ) about 650 ressspondents were contacted and finally 505 respondents
were selected randomly those who were using the MIS consequently from last three years and
surveyed with the help of pretested questionnaire. The characteristics of respondents were
selected as age, education, professional experience, social participation, annual income,
family size, land holding, sources of information, awareness, scientific orientation, risk
preference, economic motivation and attitude towards micro-irrigation as an independent
variables and information input, processing and output communication behaviour besides
overall communication behaviour as dependent variables.

The respondents were asked to mention the sources for information input and how they acquire
the information. As the respondents has to exert more for information acquisition/input the
score of 3 was given to each source and each method of information acquisition. The score
of 2 was given to each method of storage and evaluation of information. The summation of
these two denotes the information processing score for that individual. Similarly the score of

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correct, simple and new information about MIS. Similarly during information processing
34.06 percent respondents suggested to form the discussion groups however during information
output behaviour about 38.61 percent respondent needs economical MIS technology.

Similarly the respondents also given various suggestions during communication behaviour
(Table-4). Some of the worth mentioning suggestion given by respondents were to have a
practical oriented information by 45.94 percent respondent, about 22 to 29.50 percent
respondent suggested to have a simple, correct and new information about MIS during
information input. Similarly during information processing about 34.06 percent respondents
suggested to form the discussion groups however during information output behaviour about
38.61 percent respondent suggested to have a cheap and economical micro irrigation systems.

From the data in table -5 it is observed that the level of utilization of information input,
processing and output behaviour besides overall communication behaviour of the farmers
adopting micro-irrigation systems is neither low nor high in Maharashtra.

The correlation coefficient (r) values in table-6 indicates highly positive and significant
relationship between education, professional experience, social participation, annual income,
land holding, sources of information and some psychological variables such as awareness,
scientific orientation, risk preference, economic motivation and attitude towards micro-irrigation
systems and information input, processing and output behaviour including overall communication
behaviour. However amongst all the variables age and family size was found to be negatively
correlated with communication behaviour attributed to adoption of micro-irrigation systems.
This might be due to the increase in age after certain limit decrease the capacity of information
acquisition (input), storage and evaluation (processing) and dissemination (output). Similarly
the farmers having the big family could not able to utilized the information alone due to the
indifferent opinions of the family members. These might be the facts behind
low adoption of micro-irrigation systems with increase in age and family size of the farmers.

The coefficient of multiple determination (R2) with 13 independent variables computed for
overall communication with ‘F’ ratio of 6726.69, indicating its significance at 0.01 level of
probability revealing that all these 13 independent variables (Table-7) could jointly explain
a significant amount of variation to the extend of 99.40 per cent in overall communication
behaviour attributed to adoption of the micro-irrigation systems by the farmers. However,
negligible 0.60 per cent of unexplained variation is attributed to other factors not included
in the study.

CONCLUSIONS

1. The independent variables studied are more appropriate and important towards
effective adoption of micro-irrigation systems through appropriate communication
behaviour.
2. Most of the farmers have medium level of communication behaviour.
3. Innovation is necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for a farmer to be
appropriate in his communication behaviour.
4. It is recommended to change the values like economic motivation, scientific orientation
and risk preference of the farmers to enhance the level of MIS adoption.
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REFERENCES

Deb, P.C. and Sharma, M.L. 1969. Characteristics of adoption of improved farm practices.
Ind. J. of Social Research, 10:3.

Edwards, A.L. 1969. Techniques of attitudes scale construction, Vakils fetter and Simpsons
pvt. Ltd. Bombay : 13-14.

Gajare, S.S., Bharaswadkar and Kuklarni, R.R., 1991. Effectiveness of communication media
in the transfer of Drip Irrigation Technology. Maharashtra J. of Extn.. Edn. 10(2) :
313-314.

Murthy, A.S. and Singh S.N. 1974 . Communication behaviour of farmers New Height
publishers and distributors. X/1024, Dar ya Ganj Delhi : 55-180.

Supe, S.V., and S.N. Singh, 1975. Dynamics of Rational Behaviour New Heights publishers
and distributor X/1024, Darya Ganj, Delhi : 126-147.

Singh, N.P., and Gill, S.S. 1981. A test of measures skill of farmers. Indian J. of Extn Edn.
17(1 & 2) : 81- 87.

Taley, S.M., and Dalvi, V.B. 1993. Cultural aspects of drip irrigation systems Proc. Of the
National workshop on sprinkler and drip irrigation systems organized by CBIP at
Jalgaon : 72-73.

Table 1 : Details of the respondents contacted, selected and dropout.

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Table 2 : Regionwise distribution of respondents according to source of information responsible for

decision making process for adoption of MIS.

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Table3 : Distribution of respondents according to constraints of information input, information

processing, information output regarding MIS.

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Table 4 : Distribution of respondents according to suggestions regarding Information input,

Information processing and Information output

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Table 5 : Distribution of respondents according to the different types of information communication

behaviour

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Table 6 : Correlation Coefficient of situational and socio-psychological variables of respondents

and their various communication pattern.

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Table 7 : Multiple Linear Regression Analysis For Various Communication Behaviour of

respondents.

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