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Abstract
The study has assessed the impact of extension programmes on the
adoption level of improved technologies in agriculture and animal husbandry
in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh for the agricultural year 2002-03.
A significant difference has been observed in the knowledge and adoption
levels among SHG-beneficiary and non-beneficiary groups. The study has
revealed that the importance or ranking attached to various agricultural
practices has been almost the same by both the groups, though with a
significant gap in the extent of their adoption. In cereals, timely harvesting,
followed by seed selection and seed treatment are the most adopted practices
by beneficiary group while seed selection, followed by timely harvesting
and timely sowing are the preferred practices by non-beneficiaries. Chemical
weed control, pre-sowing soil treatment, sowing in lines at proper spacing
have been the most ignored practices, although the level of their adoption
has been found higher among beneficiaries than non-beneficiaries. In the
case of vegetables, use of HYVs and sowing in lines are commonly practised
by both the groups. Seed treatment, soil treatment and proper spacing are
the practices where maximum chasm has been observed among the two
groups. Similarly, in the case of animal husbandry, a significant gap in the
adoption level of various practices has been observed among both the groups.
The study has inferred that the extension programmes organized by various
extension agencies for SHGs constitute appropriate educational tools for
the transfer of technology and raising the socio-economic status of rural
people.