Assessing the knowledge and adoption of critical interventions among dryland farmers in redgram cultivation

Abstract

Dryland farming is a crucial livelihood strategy for smallholder farmers, but it is vulnerable to climate change and water scarcity. This study evaluated the knowledge and adoption of critical interventions among 120 dryland farmers in redgram cultivation in the Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The results showed that while farmers had good knowledge of basic practices like primary tillage and weed management, they lacked knowledge of advanced techniques like micro irrigation and anti-transpirants. The adoption of critical interventions was also low, with only 25% of farmers adopting micro irrigation and 15% adopting anti-transpirants. The study highlights the need for targeted extension programs to enhance farmers' knowledge and adoption of critical interventions for sustainable redgram cultivation.