Farmers’ Characteristics Effecting the Yield Gap in Oilseed Crops

Abstract

Frontline demonstrations (FLDs) are among the important technology transfer programs to illustrate the profi tability and productivity potential of improved technologies. FLDs are being conducted for the past many years in oilseed crops and signifi cant yield gaps between improved technology and farmers practice fi elds were reported. The yield gaps were due non-availability of critical inputs, labour intensive nature using technology, requirement of additional investment and non-remunerative prices for the crop itself apart from individual farmers’ characteristics which infl uence his adoption behaviour. Hence, it is important to evaluate the farmers’ characteristics aff ecting the yield gaps. The current study was carried out during the year 2021-22 in eight villages of the Prakasam and Raipur districts of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states, respectively with objectives to evaluate the yield gaps of the FLD and non-FLD farmers and understand the farmers’ characteristics aff ecting the yield gaps. The information was gathered from 160 randomly selected oilseeds cultivating farmers consisting of FLD and non-FLD farmers. There were signifi cant diff erences in yield gaps between the FLD and non-FLD farmers. The yield gap was aff ected by farmers’ characteristics such as education, annual income, innovativeness, social participation, mass media exposure, and extension participation.