A Study of Mass Media and Its Impact on Agriculture Development in C. D. Block Sardhana of Meerut District

Abstract

Agriculture is the backbone of the national economy. It had been pretended that agriculture is the foremost priority in the development agenda, but investment in agriculture and rural . development is still lagging behind. Communication for agriculture is also not seen as a major pre_cedence at either national or international level and the role of the media as an effective player in agricultural and rural development is undervalued. Reporting on agriculture is largely restricted to natural disasters, food shortages and rising food prices. By considering all these facts that farming of these days should be treated as business not only for livelihood. For this, it is an important factor to enter in process of adoption of improved farm practices that starts from awareness means gaining the knowledge from different sources of information about agricultural practices, horticultural and animal husbandry practices in particular. Keeping in view the topic entitled, "A study of mass media and its impact on agriculture development in C.D. block Sardhana of Meerut District" In the study majority ot the farmers belonged to the age group of middle age (36-60 years), while . 72.5 percent belonged to backward caste, majority of the respondents have junior high school level of education, they had medium range of land holding (2- 4 ha), majority have agriculture as their main occupation, majority have sprayer/duster and other farm materials with income group of Rs. 25001 to 50.000 having single family system. Study also found that the majority of respondent where having medium socio economic status. Maximum respondents where having fair knowledge about agriculture crops, horticulture crops a·nd animal husbandry. The study ·indicated that there was non-significant association between the age, education, land holding and socio-economic status with knowledge level of the respondents. Maximum numbers of respondents have adopted the various aspects of agricultural, horticultural and animal husbandry. Under communication beh~vior majority of the respondents where found to have low media exposure and extension contact.