Vol. 12, Issue 12 (2023)

Author(s):
HA Chaudhari, GR Patel and PB Chaudhary

Abstract:
Generating and applying new knowledge is important for all enterprises, including farming. New knowledge enhances the productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability in farming, but it is not widely adopted. In this situation, one has to search new ways and means. Limitations of NARS and AKIS have provided the reasons for Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) in India. AIS help to understand how the process of agricultural innovation takes place and how its relevance and quality can be enhanced. The transfer of technology is an important role played by the stakeholders through informal meetings in their villages with friends or neighbours twice to thrice in a week, where they exchange the information. Media has also played an important role in creating awareness among the stakeholders and the people. It was worked independently with professional interest. Various stakeholders play different roles that may broadly classified as facilitator, communicator, collaborator coordinator, knowledge source, networking policy formulator and implementer in AIS. The present study was conducted in all six districts (Banaskantha, Patan, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Mehsana and Aravalli) of North Gujarat region. Form each district, 5 researchers, 5 extensionist, 5 in-charge of NGOs, 5 manager of private agencies, 10 owner of agro-service providers and 10 progressive farmers were selected. In all, 30 researchers, 30 extensionist, 30 in-charge of NGOs, 30 managers of private agencies, 60 owner of agro-service providers and 60 progressive farmers were selected. This way, 240 stakeholders were included in the study. Ex-post facto research design was followed for carrying out the study. The foremost of all constraints of each type of stakeholder were narrated, out of them the limited access to finance for high-tech research was reported by the researchers (73.33%), poor participation of farmers in extension activities was reported by the extensionists (76.66%), not aware of advance/improved technology was reported by the in-charge of NGOs (80.00%), difficult to pursue the advance technological information was reported by the managers of private agencies (86.66%), absence of government assistance was reported by the agro service providers (76.66%) and farmers getting less price of product as compare to MSP was reported by the progressive farmers (81.66%). Researchers offered the suggestion against their foremost constraint was high-tech research fund should be separately allotted (76.66%), the extensionists (73.33%) offered the suggestion was activities should be organized at leisure time of farmers, the in-charge of NGOs (70.00%) offered the suggestion was project based MoUs should be made with sponsors, the managers of private agencies (73.33%) offered the suggestion was subject specialists should be hired, the agro-service providers (80.00%) offered the suggestion was integrated training programme should be organized at regular interval and the progressive farmers (81.66%) offered the suggestion was provision of remunerative price for farm produce.