Knowledge of Farmers About Establishing Village Information Centre: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The present study was carried out in Baghra block of district Muzaffarnagar of western Uttar Pardesh during the year 2007-08. This study revealed that most of the farmers knowledge with respect to establishing village information centre were satisfactory. The maximum formers were belonging to OBC category. The most of the respondents were belonging to the lower middle age group, 97 percent respondents were married, 72 percent respondents were living m joint family system. Maximum respondents were belonging to medium fam1ly size group, 74 percent respondents were educated, out of which maximum member of lower middle age group till to high school. 28 percent respondents were belonging to group of marginal farmers. 92 percent respondents main occupation were farming. Most of the respondents information need about the farming and animal husbandry. Maximum respondents were using friend/neighbours, progressive farmers . radio, T.V. and dealers/input distribution as information sources. 58 percent respondents aware about fax machine, 62 percent respondents were visited at information centre, all the farmers were interested about setting the V.I.C many one of the selected five villages, about 50 percent development officers/or extension experts opmion V 1 C should be ' established equal distance from all selected VIllage, 51 percent respondents op1nion v I.C should be located in school building, most of the extension workers opmion V.l C should be located 1n panchayat ghar and extens1on experts opin1on V.I.C should be co-operative society building. 100 percent farmers opinion bulletin board most suitable for V I c of communication of med1a. Maximum weightage of newspapers for communication media according to extension experts and according to development officers maximum weightage of internet Most of the respondents were suggested Amar Ujala newspaper for subscription VI C, development officers and extension experts both Amar Ujala and Dainik Jagaran. Maximum farmers and development officers were suggested Kisan Bharti for subscription of V.I.C and extension experts suggested Indian farmers digest, Kurkhetra and intens1ve Agriculture magazine for subscription of V.I. C. maximum farmers, extension experts and extension workers were suggested to having linkage of V.I.C with Agricultural university scientistslkrishi vigyan Kandras'. 31 percent farmers were suggested opining time and duration of V.I.C 12:00 noon to 2:00pm, maximum development officers were suggested opining time and duration 10:00 am to 12:00 noon and extension experts suggested time and duration 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. 94 percent farmers opinion voluntary to manage organization of V.I.C, most of the development officers, extension experts and opinion about managing organization of V.I.C given to responsibility of voluntary village Most of the extension experts, extension workers and farmers were suggested involving of village people for improving the working of V.I. C. 93 percent farmers were ready for monetary and physical contribution to V.I.C and expected monthly contnbution from each farmers Rs.25/- were suggested by the extension experts and extension experts.