Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development

Lalitpur district is a part of Jhansi Division of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The district occupies an area of 5,039 km². The district lies between latitude 24°11' and 25°14' (North) and longitude 78o10' and 79o0' (East). The climate of the district is sub-tropical, which is characterized by a very hot dry summer and a cold winter. Among the agronomic crops, pulses are the dried edible seeds of certain plants in the Fabaceae family. Pulses are very high in protein and fibre, and are low in fat. Pulses are also nitrogen-fixing crops which improves the environmental sustainability of annual cropping system. Fieldpea were grown in the district during 2017-18 in the area of 48,627 ha, production obtained 87,577 Metric tonne with productivity of 1801 kg/ha. Cluster Front Line Demonstrations (CFLDs) on fieldpea were undertaken by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Lalitpur in the district for 2017-18 during Rabi season in 14 villages spreading over 4 blocks for dissemination of improved technologies of fieldpea (var. KPMR 522) to increase productivity and to assess the economic viability and technological feasibility of the recent fieldpea production technologies over the existing one. The average highest seed yield (2040 kg ha^-1) was recorded under CFLDs in the year 2017-18 over 1420 kg ha^-1 under farmers’ practices. Forty three per cent increase in the yield were observed under CFLDs over farmers’ practice. The economic viability and profitability showed that the benefit cost ratio (B:C) was higher in case of improved agro-technologies (CFLDs) with 4.2 against 3.6 in farmers’ practice (FP). The net return from improved agro-technologies (CFLDs) was Rs. 49630 ha^-1 which is significantly higher than farmers’ practice (Rs. 45440 ha^-1). The variation in agro-climatic parameters as well as locations of CFLDs programme was effective in changing the attitude, skill and knowledge of the farmers for adoption of improved technology/ HYV of fieldpea and further wide scale diffusion to the other farmers. It also improved the relationship between farmers and scientists and built confidence among them.