Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, Maharashtra
Online published on 5 December, 2018.
The present study focuses on evaluating the extent to which Agri Clinics and Agri Business Centres (ACABC) Scheme in Maharashtra is successful in augmenting farmers income, examining the factors that serve as a constraint for provision of extension services to farmers by ACABCs, and suggesting measures which will strengthen extension services to farmers by ACABCs. The study was conducted in Solapur and Ahmednagar districts of Maharashtra. The study showed a positive impact of ACABC Scheme in the state since beneficiaries of the Scheme not only generated substantial income from crop enterprise but also from various animals reared by them as against non-beneficiaries. The extent of annual income generation on per household basis was 61% higher for beneficiary as against non-beneficiary farmers. Various types of inputs and extension services provided by agri-ventures to their beneficiary farmers worked as catalyst in augmenting income of beneficiary farmers as against the non-beneficiary farmers.
