Knowledge and adoption gap in berseem (Trifolium alexandrium L.) fodder production technologies in bundelkahnd region of India

Bundelkhand is geographically the Central part of India covering some part of M.P. and some of part of U.P. The population of this region is apprx. 1.5 crores. In spite of being rich in minerals the population of bundelkhand is very poor and backward. The Forage crops play important role in the productivity of animals. The commonly available fodders are Berseem, Oats, and Lucerne, Maize Pearl millet, Cowpea, Sorghum, tree leaves and shrubs. Berseem is main crops of rabi season in India. The berseem or Egipt Clover (Trifolium alexandrium L.) cultivation because of its nutritive and higher fodder production under adequate irrigation condition. Extension system had played a crucial role in enhancing milk production. However, there still exists a wide gap between the technology available with the research system and its ’adoption at farmers ’fields. Therefore, an effort was made to find out the adoption gap in Berseem fodder production in Bundelkhand region of India. The data were collected by interviewing 180 farm families with the help of pre-tested interview schedules. The results clearly indicates the farmers were from four districts of Bundelkhand region. It was found that the all the respondents grow berseem as a fodder in rabi season and 60.0 per cent respondents grow sorghum fodder in kharif and other crops like oats, barley, maize, guar etc grown by some respondents in the study area. The adoption gap in berseem fodder production varied in different activities. The adoption gap was found as a minimum for land preparation (13.12%) and maximum for Weedicide use as (95.69%) and storage of fodder as (96. 66%) with average adoption gap was observed as (64.24%.) The main reason for lesser adoption of fodder production technologies in Berseem due to small land holdings followed by less irrigation and less priority to fodder crops by farmers. The study further indicated that there was significant difference between knowledge and adoption gap with regard to adoption of fodder production practices.