Impact of e - Velanmai Model of Extension Service in Tamil Nadu

e-Velanmai: Electronic Agriculture

“e-Velanmai” means ‘Electronic Agriculture.’ It is a World Bank-sponsored project operated by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) from July 2007 to March 2013.

According to Karthikeyan (2012), e-Velanmai is a combination of personal and ICT-based, demand-driven, and participatory technology transfer models in agriculture to provide timely agro-advisory services. A multidisciplinary team of agricultural scientists delivers these services to farmers using ICT tools (Digital Camera, Computer, Internet, Mobile Phone, etc.) through a Field Coordinator (FC) on a need basis. It is a sustainable approach to technology transfer for enabling scientific farming and thereby enhancing farm productivity.

As e-Velanmai was a paid model of extension service and a new venture, it was expected that it would evoke different kinds of responses from among the beneficiaries. A total of 10,507 farmers, including 1,076 farm women, were enrolled as members in the project by paying an annual nominal fee of:

• Rs. 50/- per farmer with up to five acres of land
• Rs. 100/- for those with 5.1 to 10 acres
• Rs. 150/- for those with land holdings above 10 acres

During the project period, advice was provided to members on demand to solve their farm problems and make informed decisions.

Further, in each of the member’s families, at least one person was trained in handling ICT tools for the purpose of framing the crop status images and accessing advice from experts. It was envisioned that the trained individuals would capture and send digital images of pest damage symptoms or disease symptoms and receive technical advice from TNAU experts.

Objectives of the Study

a. To assess the impact of the e-Velanmai model of extension among the beneficiaries.
b. To elicit suggestions from the beneficiaries for further improving the e-Velanmai model of extension.

Implementation of the e-Velanmai Project

The e-Velanmai project was implemented in three districts of Tamil Nadu, viz., Coimbatore (Aliyar sub-basin), Tirupur (Palar sub-basin), and Villupuram (Varahanadhi sub-basin). Therefore, the study was carried out in all these three districts. The respondents of the study were registered members (beneficiaries) of e-Velanmai.

Based on the probability proportionate sampling method:

• 30 beneficiary respondents were selected from two Water User Associations (WUAs) in Aliyar sub-basin.
• 30 respondents were selected from three WUAs in Palar sub-basin.
• 30 respondents were selected from three WUAs in Varahanadhi sub-basin.

Thus, the total sample size of the beneficiaries was 90.

Assessment of Impact

The impact was assessed based on the observed outcomes, namely:

1. Extent of Adoption
2. Social Impact

Extent of Adoption

‘Extent of Adoption’ was operationalized as the level of adoption of recommended agricultural technologies by both beneficiary (under e-Velanmai) and non-beneficiary respondents. The extent of adoption was measured in terms of Technology-wise Adoption.

The Technology-wise Adoption was assessed using an Adoption Index, as followed by Godhandapani (1985) and Theodore (1988), calculated as follows:

$Technology-wise\; Adoption=Total\; Recommended\; TechnologiesActual\; Adoption\; of\; Recommended\; Technologies\times 100$

For this purpose, the problems encountered by beneficiaries were recorded in their membership cards and taken into account. The extent of adoption was then worked out for each technology recommended by TNAU Scientists for the problems reported by the respondents.

The Technology-wise Adoption values were summed up and divided by the number of technologies recommended. The resulting value was multiplied by 100, indicating the Technology-wise Adoption percentage.

• Lower percentage indicated ‘less adoption.’
• Higher percentage indicated ‘high adoption.’

Based on these percentages, respondents were classified into low, medium, and high categories using the frequency distribution method.

For non-beneficiaries, the major package of practices followed for their cultivated crops was considered for assessing their adoption. The same procedure used for beneficiaries was applied to non-beneficiaries.

Social Impact

Social Impact was operationalized as a measure of the social changes that occurred in the life of the beneficiaries due to their participation in the e-Velanmai model of extension. It was measured using a structured schedule developed for the study.

The tool comprised six statements covering various dimensions of social change that were likely to have occurred in the lives of the beneficiaries due to their participation in e-Velanmai.

Extent of adoption It is seen from Table 1 that all the beneficiary respondents were found with high level of extent of adoption. Among non-beneficiary respondents, it was found that more than three-fourths (87.78%) had high level of extent of adoption and the rest (12.22%) had low level of extent of adoption. This finding is in conformity with that of Shanthinichandra (2012) who had observed in her study on formative evaluation of e-Velanmai model of agricultural extension that almost all the beneficiary respondents of e-Velanmai (97.50%) had adopted the recommendations given by the TNAU scientists for the problem-based queries

Table 1. Distribution of respondents according to extent of adoption

Table 2. Distribution of respondents according to social impact

Table 3. Correlation of independent variables with technology-wise adoption

Table 4. Correlation of independent variables with social impact

Table 5. Distribution of beneficiary respondents according to their suggestions for improving the services under e-Velanmai

Correlation Analysis

The correlation value of contact with extension and other agencies and risk orientation was significant at the 0.01 per cent level.

• Contact with extension and other agencies was positively correlated.
• Risk orientation was negatively correlated.

The variables viz., exposure to agricultural messages, innovativeness, and scientific orientation showed a significant relationship at the 0.05 per cent level.

• Exposure to agricultural messages and innovativeness were positively correlated.
• Scientific orientation was negatively correlated.

By rejecting and accepting the null hypotheses for significant and non-significant correlation values, respectively, it is inferred that social impact was a function of:

• Contact with extension and other agencies
• Exposure to agricultural messages
• Innovativeness
• Risk orientation
• Scientific orientation

Conclusion

Thus, it is concluded that:

• Higher the contact with extension and other agencies, exposure to agricultural messages, and innovativeness
• Lower the risk orientation and scientific orientation of beneficiary respondents

Higher will be their social impact, irrespective of their:

• Age
• Educational status
• Occupational status
• Farm size
• Farming experience
• Annual income
• Social participation

Suggestions Given by Beneficiaries for Improving Services Under e-Velanmai

It is observed from Table 5 that the foremost reason expressed by the beneficiary respondents was:

1. "Number of Field Coordinators may be increased" (86.60 %)
2. "Day-to-day market information may be provided" (72.20 %)
3. "Post Harvest Technology / Value Addition information for coconut and other crops may be provided" (50.00 %)
4. "A separate office for e-Velanmai project may be opened in every sub-basin" (47.70 %)
5. "Schemes with Subsidy details may be provided" (21.10 %)
6. "Farm Machinery details for various crops may be provided" (20.00 %)
7. "TNAU Scientists need to visit farmers’ fields once a month as part of the e-Velanmai project" (7.70 %)

High adoption level was found with cent per cent of the beneficiaries of e-Velanmai model of extension, which is highly favorable. The ultimate aim of any extension effort mostly is to increase the adoption level of recommended technologies by farmers, which seems to have been adequately fulfilled by the e-Velanmai project. The correlation analysis revealed that there existed a positive and significant association between the dependent variable parameters viz., Extent of adoption and Social impact. This finding reinforces the efficiency with which the services have been offered under e-Velanmai to its members. These findings not only empirically prove the effectiveness of e-Velanmai beyond doubt, but also indicate the potential of e-Velanmai model of extension to supplement and complement the existing extension activities of the State Department of Agriculture.