A STUDY ON FEEDBACK MECHANISM IN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Feedback is an integral part of effective agricultural communication. Feedback gives an opportunity to the technology developers to transfer the technology and rethink on the issues raised by the clientele the farmer through extension personnel. The possible refinement and modifications could be done by the research scientist which in turn will lead to higher adoption and faster diffusion of the technologies. Thus the feedback through effective feedback mechanism increases the functional linkage between the clientele, technologies and the development agencies. With this back drop the present study “A study on feedback mechanism in Agricultural Technology Management” was taken up. Ex-post facto research design was followed. Out of nine agro climatic zones of Andhra Pradesh, Krishna zone was selected randomly for the study comprising of three districts namely Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam. A total of 120 respondents comprising of 40 research scientists, 40 extension personnel were selected who are working in Krishna zone (three districts) and 40 farmers from one district i.e. Guntur for selection of farmers for the study randomly. Interview schedule was used for data collection and the statistical measures like mean, frequency, percentage, correlation coefficient were used. The findings with regard to awareness of the respondents indicated that majority of the research scientists, extension personnel and farmers had high awareness about feedback mechanism. The findings with regard to perception of the respondents indicated medium perception for research scientists and extension personnel and high perception for farmers. The findings with regard to extent of participation in feedback mechanism by the respondents indicated medium participation by research scientists, extension personnel and low participation by farmers. The findings with regard to extent of utilization of feedback mechanism by the respondents indicated that research scientists had medium utilization whereas extension personnel and farmers had low utilization of feedback mechanism. The present feedback mechanism was documented by contacting the research scientists, extension personnel and also from secondary sources. Various extension activities are being conducted by the state agriculture university and state department of agriculture under collaboration of ATMA in which research scientists, extension personnel and farmers are the stake holders for getting/ giving feedback. The findings with regard to the selected characteristics of the respondents indicated that research scientists were middle aged, possessed doctoral degree, very low experience, very low training received, low extension contact, medium socio political participation, low time, high access to get /give feedback, medium feedback during crisis, medium reporting, low transport facilities, medium job commitment, medium role awareness, low achievement motivation, ambivert personality type, medium extension service orientation, low participation behavior in group, high use of extension teaching methods, medium communication media used, high ability to give feedback and low level of interaction. The findings with regard to the selected characteristics of the respondents indicated that extension personnel were young aged, were graduates, very low experience, very low training received, low extension contact, low socio political participation, low time, high access to get /give feedback, low feedback during crisis, medium reporting, low transport facilities, medium job commitment, high role awareness, medium achievement motivation, introvert personality type, high extension service orientation, low participation behavior in group, medium use of extension teaching methods, medium communication media used, medium ability to give feedback and medium level of interaction. The findings with regard to the selected characteristics of the respondents indicated that farmers were middle aged, possessed secondary education, medium farming experience, medium training received, low extension contact, small farmers, low socio political participation, low time, high access to get /give feedback, low feedback during crisis, medium reporting, low transport facilities, high job commitment, low role awareness, low achievement motivation, extrovert personality type, high extension service orientation, low participation behavior in group, low use of extension teaching methods, low communication media used, high ability and medium level of interaction. The correlation analysis revealed that the variables like education is negatively and significantly associated and extension teaching methods, communication media used, level of interaction, socio-political participation, reporting, extension service orientation were positively and significantly associated with extent of participation in feedback mechanism by research scientists. Whereas for extension personnel the analysis revealed that the variables like extension teaching methods, reporting were positively significant with extent of participation feedback mechanism. While for farmers the variables like education, experience, training received, reporting, participation behaviour in group, extension teaching methods, communication media used, farm size, ability to give feedback, level of interaction were positively significant with extent of participation in feedback mechanism. The correlation revealed that the variables like access to get / give feedback, reporting, participation behaviour in group, extension teaching methods, communication media used, level of interaction, extension contact, job commitment, role awareness, extension service orientation, ability to give feedback and feedback during crisis were positively significant with utilisation of feedback mechanism by research scientist. In case of extension personnel the variables like extension teaching methods, feedback during crisis, extension contact, reporting, participation behaviour in group and level of interaction were positively significant with utilisation of feedback mechanism. In case of farmers the variables like education, experience, transport facilities, extension teaching methods, communication media used, training received, farm size, socio political participation, feedback during crisis and level of interaction were having positive significant correlation and the variable age was negatively significant with the utilisation of feedback mechanism. During the study the major problems expressed by research scientists were inadequate feedback regarding the minikits is given by the farmers/ extension personnel during the ZREACs and other meetings, less importance given to feedback after conducting meeting/ programmes whereas in case of extension personnel major problems were allotment of duties to the extension personnel other than works related to Agricultural Technology Management, contacts between the extension personnel and the research scientists were inadequate while in case of farmers the problems were lack of knowledge to identify the correct source of information for getting /giving feedback, lack of technical know –how and how to get/give feedback to the extension personnel/ researchers. The major suggestions offered by research scientists, extension personnel and farmers were training of farmers and extension personnel in recording and updating the minikit results and filling up of vacant post and use of ICT for quick and large scale reach, reduce the allotment of other department duties for extension personnel or schedule the time without overlapping the timings of duties, develop good rapport between the extension & research scientists by conducting collaborative training session, educate the farmers about getting/giving feedback from/to the officials/ scientists and whom to contact. Documenting the feedback given at various level by staff as well as other stakeholders, improve the extension contacts by utilizing the existing ICTs like mobile telephony(SMS), networking of farmers groups and specific need based trainings for effective getting/giving feedback, conduct ZREAC, SLTP meetings, rythu chaitanya yatra twice a year before commencement of the season and farmers organisations /groups may be initiated and strengthened which would act as a platform for effective feedback at farmers/ village level are the strategies suggested to improve the effective utilization of feedback mechanism in Agricultural Technology Management.