Journal of Rural Development

Pratibha Singh ¹, D. Bardhan ², S.C. Tripathi ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Veterinary and AH Extension Education, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263 145, Uttarakhand, IN
2 Division of Livestock Economics, Statistics and IT, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243 122, Bareilly (UP), IN

Abstract

The study sought to identify the constraints faced by the farmers in using information communication technology (ICT) in plain and hill areas of Nainital district of Uttarakhand. A total of 80 households were selected for the study, of whom, 44 and 36 households were members and non-members of Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), respectively. Factor analysis was used to identify the broader category of constraints that lie inherent in the set of 15 specific constraints that were presented before the respondents for their rankings on a three-point continuum. The results of the analysis revealed four major categories of constraints in the plains viz. respondents' capacity, accessibility to ICT services, mobile use and network coverage problems. The same categories of constraints were also identified in the hills in addition to another broad constraint category, viz. lack of training in hills. Likelihood of constraints faced in use of ICT decreased with increase in education level of respondents in plains. However, non-farm income showed negative influence on constraints faced indicating that greater dependence on farm income resulted in higher intensity of constraints faced by the households in using ICT tools. In hills, probability of constraints in operating ICT tools increased with decrease in contact with extension workers. The constraints faced by member and non-member households of DCS - as identified in this study - must be addressed adequately to enhance the efficacy of DCS in information dissemination through modern ICT tools.

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Pratibha Singh ¹, Anupama Pandey ¹, Chandeshwar Tiwari ², Dhansara Sharma

Affiliations
1 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kashipur (G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology), Bajpur Road, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand-244 713, IN
2 Agronomy, IN

Abstract

The study was carried out in kitchen garden of 20 farm women of villages Danpur, Bhagwanpur, Chattarpur, Bhurarani and Fauzi Matkota of block Rudradpur, district Udham Singh Nagar (Uttarakhand) during kharif 2013 and rabi 2013-14. Good quality hybrid and improved varieties of vegetable seeds were supplied to the farm women to grow in an area of 0.07 ha. Fixed quantity of vegetable seeds of each, bottle gourd, sponge gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, okra, chilli and lobia were supplied in kharif season which were sown in the month of June while in rabi season onion, carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, rye, radish, spinach, pea, coriander and fenugreek seeds were supplied to each of farm women which were sown in the month of October. The economic aspect of demonstrations revealed benefit-cost ratio as 3.46 in kharif and 3.57 in rabi season. It was observed that the vegetables harvested were utilised for home consumption and the excess seedlings of cauliflower, cabbage, radish and carrot were distributed to neighbouring farm families. These vegetables were also dried and stored in powdered form as well as in dried pieces for later consumption. Thus, efforts of the present study motivated the farm women to start the practice of nutritious kitchen garden, helped to increase their yield of vegetables, through as well as storage of fresh produce in post-harvest form for later consumption.

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