Impact of KVKs front line demonstration on knowledge and adoption of Paddy crop Technologies in Jammu and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir

Frontline demonstration (FLD) is one of the most powerful tools for transfer of technology. Keeping in view of an effective extension approach of FLDs for dissemination of paddy technology, an impact assessment of FLDs conducted by Krishi Vigyan Kendras, located in Jammu and Kathua Districts of Jammu and Kashmir was assessed. The impact evaluation was based on the comparison of beneficiary and non-beneficiary respondents with reference to difference in knowledge level of beneficiary and non-beneficiary farmers and extent of adoption of improved paddy production technologies by them. Based on random number sampling total sample of 80 respondents (40 beneficiaries and 40 non-beneficiaries) were interviewed using a structured interview schedule. In paddy majority (72.5%) of the respondents possessed high level of knowledge in case of beneficiaries while only 57.5% of respondents possessed high level knowledge in case of non-beneficiaries. The adoption of technologies both in case of beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries follow knowledge, though high percent of farmers were aware about different rice practices but the adoption was lower than the knowledge in both cases. A significant difference was found between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries related to the adoption of recommended seed rate, seed treatment, use of DAP in nursery, fertilizer usage in main field & diseases management of rice and the results of linear regression showed that none of the selected variables had significant contribution with the adoption of various practices in paddy.