Profitability, Productivity and Sustainability through Innovative Extension Approaches among Tribal Farm Families of East Godavari District

By : K. Suman Kalyani , T. G. K. Murthy , C. Chandrasekhar Rao

Page No: 135-139

Abstract
The effectiveness and efficiency of the agricultural extension system in India can be improved by motivating and mobilizing the rural and tribal folk towards sustainable productivity. It requires efficient and innovative approaches in order to organize and strengthen the farming community in an effective way for better participation, adoption and empowerment. A sample of 500 tribal families were selected on stratified random sampling procedure from four village panchayats and seven hamlets based on purposive random sampling method. A socio-economic survey was carried out by using PRA techniques to analyze the tribal scenario of East Godavari District. Major problems were identified and agro-based interventions were proposed suitable for the selected tribal area. After implementing an externally funded extension based DBT project for a period of three years (2009-12) and implementing the interventions in tribal area of East Godavari District, it was found that the selected innovative extension approaches were found to be more effective based on the farming situations. These are essentially needed to help the farmers to access information, innovate and strengthen their capacities and to solve the present agro-based problems in an effective way. Hence, it was found that suitable innovative extension strategies yield good results for bringing a desirable change in improving the livelihood of rural and tribal societies towards productivity and sustainability.

Authors :
K. Suman Kalyani : Principal Scientist, Agricultural Extension.
T. G. K. Murthy : Director (Acting) and Head, Division of Crop Improvement.
C. Chandrasekhar Rao : Head, Division of Crop Production, Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry-Andhra Pradesh.