Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology
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Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Measures on Food Security
No full textClimate change poses a profound threat to global food security through disruptions in agricultural productivity caused by rising temperatures, erratic weather, and extreme events. These changes undermine crop yields, water availability, and ecosystem resilience, disproportionately affecting smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities. This paper examined the importance of adaptation and mitigation strategies, including sustainable agriculture, water management, renewable energy adoption, and early warning systems, to enhance resilience in food systems. Integrating these approaches is crucial to safeguarding food availability, accessibility, and nutrition, ensuring sustainable development and climate resilience amid escalating climate risks
Development of Scale to Assess the Attitude of Farmers towards Information Communication Technologies (ICT’s) in Mitigating Climate Change
No full textIndian agriculture continues to face major risks due to unpredictable climatic conditions, which makes timely and trustworthy information essential for farmers to make resilient decisions. In this context, ICT tools have become valuable resources by offering alerts, advisories, and practical solutions that support farmers in dealing with climate-related challenges. To understand farmers’ attitudes toward using these tools, a Likert summated rating scale technique was used to develop an attitude scale. Using insights from extension experts and previous research, 80 statements were initially drafted. After applying Edwards’ criteria to refine the items, 15 statements were deleted, leaving 65 statements for further evaluation. These 65 items were then rated for relevancy by a panel of 100 judges. Based on their ratings, Z-values were calculated, resulting in the selection of 32 statements. These 32 items were subsequently administered to 60 farmers in Prakasam and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh and the farmers responded using a five-point agreement scale. Item analysis was conducted by computing t-values for all statements. 18 statements with t-values greater than 1.75 were identified as strong discriminators and therefore included in the final scale, consisting of 13 positive and 5 negative statements. The split-half reliability coefficient (r = 0.74) and cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.78 was significant at the required level, confirmed that the scale is reliable for assessing farmers’ attitudes toward ICT tools
Knowledge Level of Rural Youth towards ARYA Scheme: A Comparative Study of Beneficiaries and Non-beneficiaries in Kaushambi District of Uttar Pradesh, India
No full textThe present study was conducted in Kaushambi District of Uttar Pradesh state during 2023-24. To study the knowledge level of farmers about the ARYA scheme of the region by using Purposive Sampling techniques in Kaushambi district, constituting a total sample of 320 respondents, amongst which 160 are beneficiaries and 160 are non-beneficiaries of the scheme. It was inferred from the research that among the beneficiaries,48.75 per cent had a high level of knowledge, followed by a medium level of knowledge, i.e. 31.88. In contrast, 40.62 per cent of non-beneficiaries had a medium level of knowledge, followed by low level of knowledge, i.e. 36.26 per cent. For a claim that suggests ARYA schemes help to improve “Skills” in Rural Youth 45.62 per cent had a high level of knowledge, whereas among non-beneficiaries it was found to be 20.00 per cent. The finding suggests that while ARYA scheme has made an impression in terms of general awareness and its focus on skill development, significant gaps remain in the understanding of its financial provisions and other relevant information. The findings of the study have important implications for extension agencies, policymakers, and implementing institutions. The study underscores the significance of need-based trainings, effective communication channels, and follow-up to strengthen existing knowledge gaps, particularly to financial aspect and entrepreneurial components
Impact of Chemical Fertilisers on Productivity, Profitability, and Farmers\u27 Environmental Perception in Boro Rice Farming in Bogura District, Bangladesh
No full textIn developing countries, rice is the most important crop in terms of both overall output and the number of consumers who rely on it as a staple diet. Carbohydrates make up the majority of rice grains, with proteins, fat, vitamins, and dietary fibres following. This study was done with the objective of analysing socioeconomic characteristics of farmers, identifying the impact of using chemical fertilisers on crop production, and assessing the perception of farmers regarding chemical fertilisers on the environment. In this study, primary data were collected from Sonatala Upazila of Bogura district of Bangladesh, where 50 Boro rice farmers were interviewed randomly with a structured questionnaire. The duration of data collection was from March to April 2020. Descriptive statistics, Cobb-Douglas production function, and Fishbein attitude model have been used for analysing data. The t-test indicates a significant difference between the fertiliser used, yield, costs, and returns of Boro rice production comparing the present time and ten years ago. The Cobb-Douglas production function identifies that, along with other variables, chemical fertilisers have a significant impact on production. The results also indicate that the overall attitude score (Ao) was found to be -1.354, indicating that farmers’ attitude about using chemical fertilisers on the environment is not positive in Boro rice production. The results emphasise promoting sustainable agricultural practices through the efficient use of inputs, the adoption of modern technologies, and better management practices. Therefore, policy efforts should focus on strengthening agricultural extension services, providing farmers with training on optimal input use, pest management, and sustainable soil fertility practices
Assessing Farmers’ Awareness and Adoption of Soil Health Cards (SHC) in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh, India
No full textThe present study was conducted with an objective to study the farmers’ perception and adoption of Soil Health Card (SHC) in Guntur district. A total of 90 farmers were selected for the study. The results revealed that majority (45.56 %) of the respondents were in 36 – 54 years age group with primary school education (40.00 %) and farming as a sole occupation (74.44 %), with more than 30 years of experience in farming (50 %), having land holding of 1 to 5 acres (38.89 %) with annual income of 1 lakh to 2 lakh (45.56 %), neighbors (41.11 %) as major source of information, nuclear type of family (95.56 %) with family size up to 5 members, having occasional information seeking behaviour (71.11 %), had no membership in any organization (90.00 %) and majority of them used complex fertilizers (93.33 %) in their farming. It is evident from the study that Majority of the farmers had medium (56.67 %) level of perception followed by high (28.89 %) and low (14.44 %) level perception. Whereas, in case of adoption of soil Health card results, majority of the farmers had low (45.56 %) level of adoption followed by medium (36.67 %) and high level of adoption (17.78 %) respectively. In order to give healthy soil for future generations, todays’ farmers need to practice Integrated Nutrient Management practices with optimum fertilizers as per the SHC results is inevitable. Which not only retains the soil fertility but also provides sustainable income for the farmers
Knowledge Level of PM-KISAN Scheme among Beneficiary Farmers: Study in Fatehpur District of Uttar Pradesh, India
No full textThe present study was conducted in Fatehpur District of Uttar Pradesh state during 2023-24. To study the knowledge level of farmers about the PM KISAN scheme of the region by using simple random sampling techniques in Fatehpur District constituting a total sample of 360 respondents who are the beneficiaries of the scheme. It was inferred from the research that 27.50 per cent of respondents exhibited a low level of knowledge about the scheme, while 40.28 per cent of total respondents, fell into the medium category. A significant portion 32.22 per cent demonstrated a high level of Knowledge. The findings suggest that 36.38 per cent of beneficiaries fully understood the scheme\u27s purpose whereas 21.95 per cent of respondents were not aware that the scheme is centrally sponsored. A very small portion of the population i.e. 26.95 per cent of the population correctly recognised the responsibility of the state government in identifying the list of the eligible farmers. This trend indicates that although beneficiaries are availing the advantages of the PM KISAN scheme, there remains a lack of awareness regarding some basic aspects. Therefore, the government may consider implementing targeted awareness programmes to ensure a clear understanding of the scheme\u27s components, eligibility criteria and available benefits, enabling farmers to utilize the scheme more effectively
Assessment of the Socio-Economic Factors and Constraints Influencing Social Media Usage among Livestock Farmers in Andhra Pradesh, India
No full textAim: This study examined the personal and socio-economic characteristics of livestock farmers and identified constraints they face when using social media as an information source. With growing digital adoption in rural areas, understanding how livestock farmers engage with social media for agricultural information and the barriers they encounter has become increasingly important for effective extension services.
Objective: The study aimed to analyze the personal and socio-economic profiles of livestock farmers and identify the key constraints limiting their effective use of social media as an information source for livestock management and development.
Methodology: An ex-post-facto research design was employed across three geographical regions of the state: Coastal, North Coastal and Rayalaseema. Using purposive and random sampling techniques, 540 livestock farmers (180 from each of the dairy, sheep/goat and backyard poultry sectors) were selected from 27 mandals across nine districts. Data were collected through structured interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: The findings revealed that the majority of the farmers were middle-aged (61.11%), male (71.85%), moderately educated and had substantial experience in livestock farming. Farmers are increasingly adopting digital technology, as seen by their high mobile phone ownership (100%) and moderate-to-high social media exposure (73.33%). Farmers demonstrated medium levels of achievement motivation, information-seeking behaviour, scientific orientation and economic motivation, suggesting a readiness to adopt improved practices. However, major constraints hindered effective social media use, including information overload (77.59%), poor network connectivity (68.88%), misinformation (61.48%), limited digital skills (51.66%) and high data costs (48.33%).
Significance: The study concludes that while social media offers significant potential for livestock extension, addressing infrastructural gaps, improving digital literacy and providing credible region-specific content are crucial for maximising its effectiveness in supporting sustainable livestock development and rural livelihoods. Rural digital infrastructure investments, targeted digital literacy programs for farmers and mechanisms to deliver verified, localized livestock information through social media platforms should be prioritized by policymakers and extension agencies
Agricultural Policies in Nigeria: Impact on The Nigerian Economy
No full textThe study made use of secondary data accessed from bulletins and published researches whose primary focus was on various aspects of agricultural policies right from colonial rule to contemporary Nigeria and how it has impacted today’s agriculture and economy in the country. The research showed Nigeria hadn’t any explicit National Agricultural Policy before 1988. At independence in 1960, the country’s planning and policies mostly targeted economic growth and development and largely unarticulated administrative pronouncements that guided the operations of agricultural activities. The 1988 National Agricultural Policy document by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (FMARD) was an executive fiat of the then Federal Government that aimed at improving agricultural production and the development of export markets. A look at chronicled submissions in literature suggests Nigeria’s agricultural policy was replete with limitations, showed a general lack of coherence, absence of continuity and an inadequate linkage to other sectors of the economy. Events suggest agriculture related policies were opportunistic and uncoordinated and many scholars bemoan the absence of continuity and lessons from preceding program memes never adequately analyzed. These have made it difficult to track and evaluate policy effectiveness. At the institutional level, it is evident that roles are not clearly segregated among various administrative offices saddled with agricultural development. The study concluded that before the 1960s, the role of agriculture in Nigeria’s economy was of little interest. However, with limited support from the government, agriculture thrived and provided food for the population, raw materials for the industrial sector, revenue and foreign exchange for government and employment opportunities for the citizens. Agricultural policies in Nigeria will be a success if perspective plans and policy discipline are tenaciously held on to. This will enable government link past policies and facilitate an orderly transition ensuring a seamless continuity
Re-examine the Relationship between the Climatic Factors and Rice Yield in Bangladesh
No full textThe agriculture of Bangladesh, especially rice production is indissolubly linked climate and also be affected with the change in different climatic variables. The main focus of the study is to examine the relationship between the yield of three seasonal rice (e.g., Aus, Aman and Boro) and climatic factors/variables mainly maximum temperature, minimum temperature and rainfall for Bangladesh. Time series data have been used for the period 1990 to 2020 at an aggregate level to assess the relationship between climatic variables and rice yield using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method. The findings of this study confirm that climate variables have had significant effects on rice yields but these effects are seen to vary among three rice crops. Maximum temperature is statistically significant with positive effects for the yields of Aus and Boro rice. On the contrary, statistically insignificant with adverse effects on Aman rice. On the other hand, Minimum temperature has a statistically significant with negative effect on Aman rice and a significantly positive effect on Aus and Boro rice. However, rainfall has a statistically significant effect on Aus, Aman and Boro the rice yields and has adverse effect on Boro rice. Also, the influences of maximum temperature and minimum temperature are more pronounced compared with that of rainfall
Interplay of Macroeconomics and CO2 Emissions Dynamics: Evidence from Top CO2 Emitting Economies
No full textUnderstanding the dynamic connection between macroeconomic factors and CO2 emissions is vital for developing sustainable and environmentally conscious economic systems. Utilizing a 30-year dataset from the World Bank, focusing on the top 10 CO2-emitting nations, the study employs the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to capture both long-term and short-term causal relationships. Descriptive statistics showcase per capita CO2 emissions averaging 8.77 metric tons with notable variability. Key economic indicators, including forest area, foreign direct investment, trade, and GDP, exhibit dynamic trends. Renewable energy consumption averages 15.02%, while energy use per capita stands at 3579.16 kg of oil equivalent. Agricultural land constitutes 32.48%, and the estimated rural population percentage is approximately 33.94%. The VAR model with nine equations is thoroughly evaluated using criteria like BIC (125.280) and HQIC (122.177), signifying model fitting. Coefficients in the model highlight the impact of lagged values on the dependent variable, such as the statistically significant lagged CO2 emissions variable at lag 1. The Impulse Response Function (IRF) illustrates dynamic responses to variable shocks. Forecast Error Variance Decomposition (FEVD) emphasizes the heavy reliance on past values for short-term CO2 forecasts, with external factors gaining significance over longer horizons. This comprehensive approach enhances the understanding of variable contributions to forecast uncertainty, emphasizing the importance of integrating economic development with environmental stewardship