Abstract
The effectiveness and efficiency of the agricultural extension system in India can be improved by motivating and mobilizing the rural and tribal folk towards sustainable productivity. It requires efficient and innovative approaches in order to organize and strengthen the farming community in an effective way for better participation, adoption and empowerment. A sample of 500 tribal families were selected on stratified random sampling procedure from four village panchayats and seven hamlets based on purposive random sampling method. A socio-economic survey was carried out by using PRA techniques to analyze the tribal scenario of East Godavari district. Major problems were identified and agro-based interventions were proposed suitable for the selected tribal area. After conducting an externally funded extension based DBT project for a period of three years (2009 to 2012) and implementing the interventions in tribal area of East Godavari district, it was found that there is a great scope to suggest suitable innovative and appropriate approaches for tribal and rural population. Suitable innovative extension strategies were suggested for bringing a desirable change in improving the livelihood of rural and tribal societies towards productivity and sustainability. Key words: Participatory approach, extension research linkages, capacity building, information technology, resource mobilization.
Highlights
The present agricultural extension system in India can be empowered by strengthening the rural and tribal folk by mainstreaming them by technological revolution
Much of the present participatory practices can still be classified as an expansion of the transfer of technology model because information is obtained from farmers and incorporated into scientific research
A core team of scientists identified the aforesaid villages in Rampachodavaram Mandal, East Godavari district considering the majority of marginal farmers, cultivating podu
Summary
The present agricultural extension system in India can be empowered by strengthening the rural and tribal folk by mainstreaming them by technological revolution. The present departmental mode of organization and management public systems in agricultural research and extension need to be transformed in an innovation system framework. This implies demolishing dichotomies like research/ extension, plan/ non-plan, centre/ state, public/private, agriculture/rural, and so on. There is need to shift from a hierarchical and linear technology generation-diffusion model to a non-linear and holistic learning mode. Bureaucratic and financial norms, of functioning and accountability processes have proven inadequate for meeting scientific goals. These need to be replaced by more autonomous, flexible and performancecentered processes and management. Extension approach should change according to the developmental phases, strategies adopted and changing needs of the clientelle
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