‘Mann Ki Baat’ and mobile based extension agro-advisory services: Insights on farmers’ perception and lessons learned

Mann Ki Baat programme, a new initiative by Government of India started on 3rd October 2014, aims to sensitize the society about the positive and innovative approaches for excellence in endeavours towards wellbeing. Episodes on digital tools and mobile phones assumed significance in context of agriculture and farmers’ welfare. Increasing penetration of mobile phones in farming community can be a game changer in agriculture sector. Mobile based extension agro-advisory services (MEAS) have the potential to improve the agricultural practices and increase productivity at field level through enabling farmers for quality and timely decision making. Although, the beneficial effect of these services is acknowledged, there is a gap in documented empirical based evidences of the actual effect at the field level on important aspects. This study aimed assess the effect of Mann Ki Baat on MEAS and the factors influencing the effect. qualitative estimate of how the MEAS initiative have affected farmers in innovation decision process. The findings suggested that MEAS had significant influence on farmers’ perception about MEAS and increase in farmers’ level of awareness and knowledge about the critical aspects of agriculture. Significant effect was also observed in the level of adoption of technology, yield enhancement and availability of market information. The study suggests that strengthening of the MEAS can bring about desirable changes in agriculture and farmers’ livelihoods.