Indian Journal of Extension Education

Vol. 53, No. 2, 2017 (11-17)

Agricultural Information Needs and their Fulfillment as Perceived by the

Farmers in Changing Agricultural Scenario in Maharashtra

Awatade Sudarshan Chandrakant1, Souvik Ghosh2 and R B Singandhupe3

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, there are numerous extension agencies that are providing agricultural extension services to the farmers in the
form of information and service support but the results are still not satisfactory in accordance with need fulfillment of
farmers in the context of changing agricultural scenario in Maharashtra state. Hence, present study was aimed to assess
diverse information needs of farmers from agricultural extension system. It was conducted in Yavatmal district of
Maharashtra that included a random sample of 80 farmers, 20 each from four randomly selected villages representing two
blocks. The present study reveals that soil, weather and climate, nutrient management, market prices and income
generating activities are the prime needed aspects related to agricultural inputs with mean need perception score more than
3.5 on four point continuum scale followed by livelihood diversification, agricultural marketing, seeds, agri-
entrepreneurship, subsidies, plant protection material, weed management, pest and disease management and crop
diversification had mean need perception score more than average (>2.5) on four point continuum scale. However, the
most of the information needs were fulfilled partially as opined by the farmers. The low perception of felt needs of the
farmers on post harvest management and higher need perception on marketing aspects clearly indicated the fact of
unwillingness and ignorance on value addition, quality control, etc. of agricultural produce and preference of marketing
the produce as quickly as possible. However, the farmers expressed their interest in capacity building aspects viz.
diversification of livelihood, agri- entrepreneurship and crop diversification by growing high value crops.

Key words: Agricultural extension system, farmers' information needs, need perception, need fulfillment, current
agricultural changes .

INTRODUCTION which carried the bandwagon of Green Revolution on its

shoulder. But some constraints like (i) top-down approach
In many countries, extension is currently called as (ii) being commodities and supply-driven specific (iii)
rural advisory services. According to the Global Forum lack of farming system approach (v) weakening research-
for Rural Advisory Services, extension also called rural extension linkages (vi) little focus on empowering
advisory services, as consisting of all the different farmers (vii) accountable to government than farmers
activities that provide the information and services (viii) co-mingling of government schemes and extension
needed and demanded by farmers and other actors in rural activities (ix) inadequate operating resources and
settings to assist them in developing their own technical, financial sustainability and (x) little donor support for
organizational and management skills and practices so as extension has dragged agriculture extension to high level
to improve their livelihoods and well-being (GFRAS, of scrutiny with the end of the T&V (Training and Visit)
2010; Sulaiman, 2012). system of extension in early 1990's (Babu et al., 2013;
Sulaiman, 2012; Sontakki et al., 2010; Joshi et al., 2005;
Extension in today's Indian context includes all those Swanson and Mathur, 2003). However, the economic and
agencies in the public, private, NGO and community agricultural environment has considerably changed since
based initiatives that provide a range of agricultural then, the Indian agriculture is facing numerous emerging
advisory services and facilitate technology application, challenges too, like slackening growth in rainfed area,
transfer and management. While public sector line declining average farm size, declining land and water
departments, mainly the Department of Agriculture was resource base for an average farm size, wide gap in yield
the main agricultural extension agency in the 60's and 70s, potential and national average yields of most
1. 2.
Ph. D Scholar,
3.
Professor and Head, Department of Agricultural Extension, Institute of Agriculture, Visva-Bharati University, Sriniketan,
West Bengal , Principal Scientist (Agronomy), Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
 12 INDIAN JOURNAL OF EXTENSION EDUCATION

commodities, diversification of agriculture towards high 1998), extension should engage with a wide range of
value commodities, higher cost for technologies/ services issues related to agriculture. This includes markets, credit
due to liberalization and participation of private sector in and insurance, in addition to technology and research
agricultural R&D (Research & Development) resulted in services and making arrangements for the supply of
restricted access and being bypass of small and marginal inputs. Along with this the farm family not only requires
farmers (Sulaiman, 2012) who constitutes over 80 per agricultural development support but also the support for
cent of farming households in India (Census, 2011). diversified livelihoods for that there is a need to
restructure government extension machinery with a new
In present liberalised trade and market regime, set of operational procedure with more flexible approach
farmers are also exposed to price volatility sometimes to meet the emerging needs of farmers at local level
even less than minimum support price (MSP) for crop like (Ghosh, 2012). However several initiatives have been
pigeon pea just because of fluctuations in domestic taken by the government of India in the context of
production and wide fluctuations in international prices agricultural extension but the on-going reform process is
(NITI Aayog, 2016). Besides that the country is also yet to make a significant impact on improving extension's
experiencing more hazardous climatic changes, such as contribution to agricultural development. It can be
higher temperature, intense rain and strong wind, intense achieved only after a much stronger research support to
lightning, drought and changes in timing of rain which has extension to address the needs of small farmers and
already affected agriculture and food productivity (Gupta, disadvantaged regions which is argued as one of the areas
2016) resulted in visibly less impressive and fairly of priority attention (Sulaiman, 2012).
unstable agricultural growth ranging from 5.8 per cent in In this context, it was felt important to assess the
2005-06 to 0.4 per cent in 2009-10 and -0.2 per cent in agricultural information needs of the farmers and their
2014-15 (MoA, 2015). These sudden changes in fulfillment in Maharashtra state.
agriculture environment with repeated crop failures, poor
extension-farmers linkages and variance in agricultural METHODOLOGY
growth along with increased in cost of production by way
of farm inputs followed with very low market price has an The state of Maharashtra was purposively selected
impact on farm income as well as farmer's ability to take for present study because of changing agricultural
credit for investing in their land holdings. Hence the scenario, wide and uneven distribution of farmers as well
farmers get driven to debt trap and have caused distress as extension sources across the districts in the state. The
leading suicide in the country (Behere and Behere, 2008; major area of Vidarbha region has basically low rainfall
Mohanty, 2001).Total of 296438 have committed suicide area; reported maximum numbers of suicide creates an
in India since 1995 to 2016. According to NCRB in the interest to select the region as a study area. Cotton,
year 1995 to 2016, 60750 suicides were in Maharashtra, Soybean and Pulses were majorly cultivated crop in
where the worst position of the farmers was in Vidarbha randomly selected Yavatmal district located in Vidarbha
region which is well known as cotton belt of Maharashtra region. Based on multistage random sampling procedure,
(Mishra, 2016; Parvathamma, 2016). Some primary two villages from each of two blocks (i.e. Darwha and
causes behind this picture are reported as stagnation in Pusad) and 20 farmers from each of the four selected
agriculture, marketing risks (e.g. drastic fall in market villages were chosen as respondents of present study that
price sometime below MSP), collapse of extension covered a total of 80 farmers as respondents.
system, growing institutional vacuum and lack of
livelihood opportunities. The challenge is to improve the Information needs related to agricultural inputs
accessibility of farmers to information and its relevance in considered with respect to labours, seeds, fertilisers,
the agricultural development (Sharma, 2002). irrigation, plant protection and implements &
equipments. Agricultural finance needs concerned to
The emerging information requirement is demand- loans/ credits, subsidies and insurance. Needs of the
driven, as opposed to supply-led public extension system farmers related to agricultural production included
during the green revolution era. Today, the farmers are information on soil, weather and climate, land
increasingly looking for frequent interactions with preparation, sowing and transplantation, weed
various information sources not only to carry out their management, nutrient management, pest and disease
farming and marketing tasks efficiently but also to ensure management and harvesting. Farmers' needs with respect
delivery of safe and quality agricultural products to to post-harvest management concerned with processing,
consumers (Adhiguru, 2009). To meet farmers changing value addition, storing, grading and packaging. Market
need for information and advisory support (Van den Ban, related information needs were pertaining to market
 AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION NEEDS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT AS PERCEIVED BY THE 13
FARMERS IN CHANGING AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO IN MAHARASHTRA
survey, marketing channels and marketing prices. is quite similar to the findings of Adhiguru (2009) and
Information needs for livelihood diversification of Bachhav (2012) who reported that majority of the
farmers took into consideration of information related to farmers need information on availability of seeds (74.29
agricultural diversification, crop diversification (high %) crop production (70.86 %) and insecticide availability
value crops), integrated farming system, agri- (62.29 %) followed by fertilizer availability (64.58 %). In
entrepreneurship, income generation activities, etc. present study among the listed six information needs
Needs for capacity building or training was also evaluated related to agriculture input only seeds and plant protection
on the basis of farmers perceptions with respect to i) material needs were found with mean perception score
efficient use of agricultural inputs like labours, seeds, more than average (>2.5) whereas remaining others were
fertilizers, irrigation, plant protection and implements recorded less than average (<2.5) on 4- point continuum
&equipment, ii) agricultural finance related issues such as scale. The farmers' perception was relatively more varied
Kisan Credit Card (KCC), crop insurance and subsidies, as observed from standard deviation value in case of
iii) crop production technology and management aspects implements and equipments (0.56) followed by seeds,
viz. soil health management, land preparation, sowing fertilizers, irrigation and labour (0.51, 0.48, 0.37 and 0.32
and transplantation, nutrient management, weed respectively) whereas in case of plant protection material
management, pest and disease management and majority were quite same in their perceptions with lowest
techniques and methods for harvesting, iv) post harvest standard deviation value (0.27). Perceived needs are
activities like processing, value addition, storing, grading completely fulfilled in all the aspects except in case of
and packaging, v) marketing aspects, and vi) livelihood seeds (mean need fulfillment score 2.69 against need
diversification options. perceived score 2.99) which is one of the mostly
perceived information needs by the farmers.
Assessment of the agriculture related information
needs and needs for capacity building /training of the Table 1: Information needs related to agricultural inputs
farmers was done on the basis of needs perceived and and extent of their fulfillment as perceived by the
needs fulfilled, both on a 4-point continuum scale. farmers in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra
Respondents were asked to indicate, for the perceived Information needs related to agricultural Mean perception score (SD)
inputs
needs related to farming on a scale of rare (1), sometimes Need perceived Need fulfilled

(2), often (3) and most often (4); while the needs fulfilled Labours 1.44 (0.32) 2.95 (0.49)
was as rarely (1), somewhat/partially (2), almost (3) and Seeds 2.99 (0.51) 2.69 (0.53)
full extent (4). Fertilizers 2.48 (0.48) 2.94 (0.49)
Irrigation 2.23 (0.37) 2.52 (0.85)
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Plant protection material 2.69 (0.27) 2.95 (0.34)
Implements and equipments 1.90 (0.56) 3.19 (0.61)

The farmers use to feel the need of information and Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores
are 1 and 4 respectively
communication support from agricultural extension
system for their farming that includes the various types of It is evident from the Table 2 that farmers in Yavatmal
needs related to agricultural inputs, agricultural finance, district more varied in their perceptions towards the
agricultural production, post-harvest management, information needs related to agricultural finance. The
marketing of agricultural produce, diversification of mean perception score in case of insurance was highest
livelihood options, capacity building or training on followed by subsidies and loans/ credits with mean
different aspects of farming, etc. Therefore, present study perception score of 3.85, 2.73 and 2.35 respectively. The
was aimed to assess such needs of the farmers and the fulfillment of information need in case of insurance
extent of fulfillment of those needs based on the recorded maximum (3.71), followed by loans/ credits,
perceptions of a random sample of 80 farmers in Yavatmal while the information needs related to subsidies was
district of Maharashtra. noted with wide gap between need fulfilled (2.36) against
need perceived (2.73). The farmers were diversely opined
As far as the distribution of respondents with respect for need fulfillment with respect to all aspects of
of information needs related to agricultural input is agricultural finance as observed from the standard
concerned, Table 1 shows that the perception of the deviation values. This finding is similar to the Ministry of
farmers with respect to seeds was maximum (mean Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (2017) report which
perception score of 2.99) followed by plant protection mentions that most of the farmers of Maharashtra insured
material, fertilizers, irrigation, implements and under Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and
equipments and labours with mean perception scores of Restuctured Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme
2.69, 2.48, 2.23, 1.90 and 1.44, respectively. This finding (RWBCIS) (combined) during Kharif 2016, hence it is
 14 INDIAN JOURNAL OF EXTENSION EDUCATION

Nutrient management 3.67 (0.32) 2.30 (0.67)

one of the top 10 States in terms of number of farmers
Pest and disease management 2.87 (0.42) 3.19 (0.42)
insured under PMFBY.
Harvesting 1.52 (0.22) 3.56 (0.31)

Table 2: Information needs related to agricultural finance and extent of their Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores are
1 and 4 respectively
fulfillment as perceived by the farmers in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra
n= 80 The new economic era in India influences the shift of
Information needs related to Mean perception score (SD)
agriculture from traditional agriculture towards agri-
agricultural finance Need perceived Need fulfilled business, which brought paramount importance to post
Loans/ credits 2.55 (0.47) 2.50 (0.59) harvest management of agricultural produce. Therefore,
Subsidies 2.73 (0.29) 2.36 (0.50)
need of farmers related to post harvest management of
Insurance 3.85 (0.47) 3.71 (0.72) agricultural produce was assessed on different aspects
Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores
such as processing, value addition, storing, grading and
are 1 and 4 respectively packaging. It is evident from the Table 4 that the farmers
The data presented Table 3 shows the importance of of Yavatmal district perceived the information needs on
information needs of farmers related to agricultural post harvest management aspects comparatively lowly
production aspects and extent of their fulfillment as (mean perception score <2.5). Among the five aspects,
perceived by the farmers in Yavatmal district. The most grading is felt relatively highly needed followed by
needed aspect was weather and climate followed by soil storing, processing, value addition and packaging.
and nutrient management with mean perception score was Farmer's perceptions were more diversified in all aspects
>3.50 on a four point continuum scale.Whereas, other except packaging as indicated through relatively higher
aspects like weed management and pest and disease standard deviation values. All the perceived needs were
management were also felt important by the farmers as completely fulfilled as opined by the farmers except
recorded mean perception score more than the average processing with mean score for needs fulfilled (1.10)
(>2.5) but with diverse opinions as the standard deviation against needs perceived (1.32) and value addition with
values observed to be quite high (0.55 and 0.42). mean score for needs fulfilled (1.03) against needs
Contrastingly, remaining aspects viz. sowing and perceived (1.24). The low perception of felt needs of the
transplantation, harvesting and land preparation were farmers on post harvest management clearly indicates the
recorded with mean perception score less than average fact of unwillingness and/or ignorance on value addition,
(<2.5). It is quite surprising to note here that all perceived quality control, etc of agricultural produce and preference
needs are getting fulfilled with mean score for need of marketing the raw farm produce.
fulfilled more than the average (>2.5) on four point Table 4: Information needs related to Post harvest management and extent of their
continuum scale except for soil testing and nutrient fulfillment as perceived by the farmers in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra
management (1.74 and 2.30 respectively). Farmers are n= 80
varied in their expression for the fulfillment of need in
both soil testing and nutrient management as observed Information needs related to Post- Mean perception score (SD)
harvest management Need perceived Need fulfilled
from higher standard deviation value (0.71 and 0.67
respectively). The vast gap between mean score for needs Processing 1.32 (0.82) 1.10 (0.34)
fulfilled (1.74) against needs perceived (3.71) represents Value addition 1.24 (0.77) 1.03 (0.15)

the scenario of poor linkages between farmers-extension Storing 1.35 (0.55) 1.55 (0.77)

for provision of extension services with respect to most Grading 1.52 (0.84) 1.55 (0.65)
Packaging 1.03 (0.11) 2.12 (0.45)
important aspects in agriculture production like soil
Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores
testing followed by nutrient management (2.30 against are 1 and 4 respectively.
3.67), weather and climate (2.89 against 3.77) and weed
management (2.58 against 2.91). Table 5 depicted that the farmers of Yavatmal district are
very much concerned about market prices among all the
Table 3: Information needs related to Agricultural production and extent of their fulfillment market issues as evident from its highest mean perception
as perceived by the farmers in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra score (3.54) followed by market survey and marketing
n= 80 channels both with mean perception score greater than
Information needs related to Mean perception score (SD) average (>2.5) on four point continuum scale. Only the
Agricultural production Need perceived Need fulfilled
information needs related to marketing channels were
Soil 3.71 (0.26) 1.74 (0.71) completely fulfilled whereas extension needs related to
Weather and climate 3.77 (0.29) 2.89 (0.53) market prices and market survey were having gap
Land preparation 0.94 (0.31) 2.70 (0.82) between need perceived and needs fulfilled. In case of
Sowing and transplantation 1.69 (0.38) 3.61 (0.39) market prices, mean score for needs fulfilled is found 2.89
Weed management 2.91 (0.55) 2.58 (0.39)
 AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION NEEDS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT AS PERCEIVED BY THE 15
FARMERS IN CHANGING AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO IN MAHARASHTRA
against mean score for needs perceived 3.54. Similarly, Table 6: Information needs related to livelihood diversification and extent of their fulfillment
in case of market survey mean score for needs fulfilled is as perceived by the farmers in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra
2.04 against mean score for needs perceived 2.77. This n= 80
emphasizes the necessity of market led extension Information needs related to livelihood Mean perception score (SD)
approach in present picture of market liberalization where diversification
Need perceived Need fulfilled
the farmers are very much concern about better market
Agricultural diversification 2.73 (1.16) 1.42 (0.83)
prices for their agricultural produce.
Crop diversification (high value crops) 2.84 (1.19) 1.37 (0.66)

Table 5: Information needs related to marketing and extent of their fulfillment Integrated farming 2.43 (1.14) 2.00 (1.11)

as perceived by the farmers in Yawatmal district of Maharashtra Agri-entrepreneurship 2.91 (0.95) 1.16 (0.61)
n= 80 Income generating activities 3.68 (0.47) 1.09 (0.40)
Information needs related to Mean perception score (SD) Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores are
Marketing 1 and 4 respectively.
Need perceived Need fulfilled
Market survey 2.77 (0.35) 2.04 (0.63)
Table 7 showed the perceptions of sampled farmers
Marketing channels 2.68 (0.33) 3.91 (0.14)
(80) in Yavatmal district regarding needs for capacity
Market prices 3.54 (0.38) 2.89 (0.62)
building/ training. The most needed aspect was training
Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores on livelihood diversification options (2.51) followed by
are 1 and 4 respectively.
crop production technology and management aspects
(2.20) and training on efficient use of agricultural inputs
It is evident from the Table 6 that the farmers mostly
(1.61). Other aspects viz. training on post harvest
perceive the information needs on income generating
activities, training on marketing aspects and training on
activities (mean perception score 3.68), followed by agri-
financial issues were also felt needed by the farmers but
entrepreneurship, crop diversification and agricultural
with very low mean perception scores 1.14, 1.11 and 1.00
diversification all of which with mean perception score
respectively. All of the aspects were fulfilled to minimum
greater than average (>2.5).
level leaving the gap in need perceived and need fulfilled
with respect to all aspects of capacity building of farmers.
None of the aspects related to livelihood
The farmers were having varied perceptions on
diversification were opined by the farmers as completely
information needs for most of the aspects of capacity
fulfilled against perceived extension needs. Income
building of farmers as observed from standard deviation
generating activities showed highest gap between needs
values.
perceived (3.68) and needs fulfilled (1.09), followed by
agri-entrepreneurship, crop diversification, agricultural Table 7: Information needs related to capacity building/ training and extent of their
diversification and integrated farming. In this context fulfillment as perceived by the farmers in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra
entrepreneurship development by the farmers is n= 80
inevitable in time to come for paradigm shift from
subsistence agriculture to agri-business. Information needs related to capacity building/ Mean perception score (SD)
training
Need perceived Need fulfilled
The extension organizations need to focus on this Training on efficient use of agricultural inputs 1.61 (0.39) 1.00 (0.00)
issue taking into the consideration of new economic Training on agricultural finance issues 1.00 (0.040 1.00 (0.00)
reforms and its impact on Indian farmers. Farmers have Crop production technology and management aspects 2.20 (0.39) 1.03 (0.16)
perceived information needs mostly in favor of Training on post harvest activities 1.14 (0.40) 1.04 (0.15)
diversifying their livelihoods through various options viz. Training on marketing aspects 1.11 (0.58) 1.00 (0.00)
agricultural diversification, crop diversification by Training on livelihood diversification options 2.51(0.55) 1.00 (0.00)
growing high value crops, integrated farming, agri- Note: SD stands for standard deviation value; minimum and maximum possible scores
entrepreneurship and income generating activities. are 1 and 4 respectively.

The farmers of Yavatmal district of Maharashtra were

This finding is quite important in the context of the having diversified perceptions on information needs
findings of Behere and Behere (2008), which mentions perceived by them for many aspects in agriculture as
that if given an option, 40 per cent farmers opined that depicted in Fig. 1. Maximum overall mean needs
they would like to quit agriculture because of low income perception score was observed with livelihood
and non-remunerative nature. diversification (3.09) followed by agricultural marketing
(3.00), agriculture finance (2.97), agricultural production
(2.63), whereas other remaining aspects recorded with
 16 INDIAN JOURNAL OF EXTENSION EDUCATION

over all mean perception score less than average (<2.5) on extension services. Hence, convergence of extension
four point continuum scale. Among the seven aspects of agents is necessary to avoid duplication and dilution of
agriculture only three were opined completely fulfilled by efforts. It is essential to route all the agriculture related
the farmers all of which are core important aspects of information and services through a single agency that can
agriculture viz. agricultural inputs, agricultural reach at local level for effective utilization of crucial
production and post-harvest management, whereas resources through ICT. This is quite natural as majority of
remaining four aspects namely livelihood diversification, the farmers from this region are in distress, faced repeated
capacity building/ training, agricultural finance and crop failures that has made their livelihood difficult to rely
agricultural marketing observed with gaps between on only one option for income. In this context, the
extension needs to be fulfilled and extension needs to be building social capital through scaling up of farmers
perceived. The wide gap was observed with respect to interest groups (FIGs), self help groups (SHGs) and
livelihood diversification as overall mean perception Farmers Associations (FAs) could be an effective
score for needs fulfilled is found 1.36 against mean mechanism for empowerment and transfer of agricultural
perception score for needs perceived 3.09. technologies with reduction in extension cost and the
workload of extension functionaries. The findings of
present study reiterates redesigning of operational
procedures of extension functionaries with more flexible
approach to meet the emerging needs of farmers at local
level.

Paper received on : May 05, 2017

Accepted on : May 11, 2017

REFERENCES

Adhiguru, P., Birthal, P. S. and Ganesh Kumar, B. 2009.

Strengthening pluralistic agricultural information
delivery systems in India. Agricultural Economics
Research Review, 22, 71–79.
Fig. 1 Differential perceptions of farmers on information needs
perceived and fulfilled with respect to various aspects of Babu, S.C., Glendenning, C.J., Asenso-Okyere, K. and
agriculture in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra Govindarajan, S.K. 2012. Farmers' Information Needs
CONCLUSION and Search Behaviours — A Case Study in Tamil Nadu,
India, IFPRI Discussion Paper 01165, International Food
The diverse information needs of farmers in the Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA.
context of changing agriculture scenario are explored
along with the understanding of level of need perception Babu, S., Joshi, P. K., Gledenning, C. J., Okyere, K. A. and
and need fulfillment. The present study reveals that soil, Sulaiman, R. V. 2013. The state of Agircultural Extension
weather and climate, nutrient management, market prices Reforms in India: Strategic Priorities and Policy Options,
and income generating activities are the prime needed Agricultural Economics Research Review, 26 (2) July-
aspects related to agricultural inputs with mean need December 2013 pp. 159.
perception score more than 3.5 on four point continuum
scale followed by livelihood diversification, agricultural Bachhav, N.B. 2012. Information Needs of the Rural
marketing, seeds, agri-entrepreneurship, subsidies, plant Farmers : A Study from Maharashtra, India: A Survey,
protection material, weed management, pest and disease Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Paper 866.
management and crop diversification had mean need
perception score more than average (>2.5) on four point Behere, P. B. and Behere, A. P. 2008. Farmers suicide in
continuum scale with partial fulfillment. It is worth Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state: A myth of reality?
mentioning that today where pluralistic extension service Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 50 (2), 124-127.
providers are engaged in offering diverse kinds of
information and service support to farmers' the results are Census 2011, Retrieved from GFRAS. 2010, Five Key
still not satisfactory in accordance with fulfilment of their Areas for Mobilising the Potential of Rural Advisory
needs related to various aspects of farming from Services, Policy Brief No1, available Mobilizing-
potential-of-RAS_web.pdf.
 AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION NEEDS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT AS PERCEIVED BY THE 17
FARMERS IN CHANGING AGRICULTURAL SCENARIO IN MAHARASHTRA
Ghosh, S. 2012. Innovations in public sector-led Parvathamma, G. L. 2016. Farmers Suicide and Response
agricultural extension, Scientific Research and Essays, 7 of the Government in India- An Analysis. IOSR Journal of
(49), 4170-4175. Economics and Finance (IOSR-JEF), 7, 01-06.
Gupta, S., Sen, P. and Verma, S. 2016. Climate change and Sharma, V.P. 2002. Cyber Extension: The Extension
Production Risk: Evidence from Indian Agriculture. Approach for New Millennium, Available at:
http://www.manage.gov. i n / m a n a g e l i b / f a c u l t y
Joshi, P.K., Pal, S., Birthal, P.S. and Bantilan, M.C.S. /VPSharma.html
2005. Impact of Agricultural Research: Post Green
Revolution Evidence from India, NCAP/ICRISAT, New Sontakki, B. S., Samantha, R. K. and Joshi, P. K. 2010.
Delhi. Redesigning Agricultural Extension in India: Challenges
and Opportunities, Summary proceedings and recomm-
Ministry of Agriculture 2015Agricultural Statistics at a endations of NAARM-IFRI workshop held during 20-21
Glance Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare August 2010. National Academy of Agricultural
(2017), State-wise details of farmers covered under Research Management, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.
Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and
Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme Sulaiman, R. V. 2012. Agricultural Extension in India:
(RWBCIS) (combined) during Kharif 2016. Current status and Ways Forward. Background paper
prepared for the Roundtable consultation on Agricultural
Mishra, S. 2016. Report on Suicides of farmers in Extension, Beijing, March 15-17, 2012.
Maharashtra, IGIDR, Mumbai, Jan-2016.
Swanson, B.E. and Mathur, P. N. 2003. Review of the
Mohanty, B. B. 2001. Suicides of farmers in Maharashtra: Agricultural Extension System in India, The World Bank:
A Socio-economic Analysis', Review of Development and Washington DC.
Change, 6 (2).
Van den Ban, A.W. and Hawkins, B.S. 1998. Agricultural
NITI Aayog. 2016. Evaluation Report on Efficacy of Extension, Oxford: Blackwell Science Publishers.
Minimum Support Prices (MSPs), http://www.niti.
gov.in/writereaddata/files/document_publication/MSP-
report.pdf.