Impact of Improved Farm Technology on Pulses Production in Karnataka

Despite implementation of Accelerated Pulse Production Programme (A3P), farmers still practise traditional methods of pulse cultivation in Kalaburgi. Therefore, this study has evaluated technical efficiency and change in output of pulse crops by selecting a total of 180 farmers and using data envelopment analysis and decomposition analysis. The study has revealed that the majority of farmers under A3P Padopters and non-A3P adopters were operating at above 80 per cent efficiency levels in both redgram and bengalgram pulses. Further, more than 53 per cent of farmers under redgram and 56 per cent under bengalgram had achieved 100 per cent efficiency level in A3P farmers category. The decomposition of difference in total output between A3P and non-A3P farmers was 13.23 per cent in redgram and 14.86 per cent in bengalgram. The A3P technology has contributed 29 per cent and 22 per cent to the total change in redgram and bengalgram output, respectively indicating that output of these pulses can be increased considerably if the farmers could switch over from traditional practices to A3P technology. The study has suggested that A3P technology should be disseminated widely for increasing production of pulses in the country.