Information Delivery Through Information Kiosk: Field Study in Bihar

Low information access and the low reach of Agricultural Extension services among farmers make the requirement of innovative approach for extension delivery to be perceived as of utmost importance. In this study, information was delivered to farmers through an information kiosk. The study was conducted purposefully selected Pothia block of the Kishanganj district of Bihar where a total of 50 farmers were interviewed for need assessment. Moreover, 30 users and 30 non-users of the Kiosk were interviewed to assess the effectiveness of the kiosk-based agricultural information delivery services. The result showed that disease management, pest management, agronomic practices, weather-related information, linkages with resource persons, market information, and value addition in ascending order based on the information requirement. Information kiosk was perceived as medium effective by 60 per cent of respondents whereas 23.33 per cent and 16.67 per cent of respondents found them high and low effective, respectively. Educated persons with larger land holding, having awareness of computer based information delivery who thought this information was credible were more likely to be users of kiosk. Stepwise multiple regression showed that technical literacy (P=0.02), information-seeking behavior (P=0.000) and credibility (P=0.031) predicted 75 per cent of the variability of the effectiveness index value. The study pointed out that voluntary management of information kiosk was not suitable rather alternative approach may be tested.