Dissemination and Adoption of an Integrated Nematode Management Package for Chickpea Production in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

The Integrated Management package was developed on-farm with active participation of farmers in the region, and even the adoption rate has been low. NCIPM and ARS Durgapura scientists had modified the Integrated Nematode Management (INM) package and use the farmer field school approach to increase the adoption of the INM menu. The study was conducted in the village of Harnthpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, the chickpea growing area infested with nematodes. The adoption rate has been low. In this study, we have attempted to use the farmer field school approach to increase the adoption of the INM menu. Baseline information was collected from 65 farmers using pre-tested questionnaires. Thereafter, farmers were subjected to fortnightly sessions in the use of INM. Seventeen sessions were held in the entire growing season. Post-test questionnaires were administered at the end of the growing season to evaluate the acquisition and retention of knowledge. Results indicated that farmers who consistently attended farmer field School sessions gained more INM knowledge compared to those who attended a few sessions.