Correlates of socio-economic profiles and farmers' attitudes towards RBK services: An analytical study

Abstract

Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), an innovative initiative in Andhra Pradesh aimed at addressing systemic challenges in agriculture such as inadequate infrastructure and volatile market prices. RBKs are designed to provide comprehensive support to farmers by offering essential inputs, expert advice and procurement of farmers’ produce. This study explores how various socio-economic factors, including age, education, farming experience, and land holding, influence farmers' attitudes towards these services. Data was collected from 120 farmers in East Godavari district through structured interviews and analyzed using SPSS. The findings indicate that socio-economic variables like age, education, farming experience, and land holding do not significantly impact attitudes toward RBKs. In contrast, significant positive correlations were found with extension contact, mass media utilization, and training participation. Increased interaction with extension services and greater exposure to mass media were associated with more favourable attitudes, while training programs enhanced farmers' understanding and confidence in using RBK services. The results emphasize the importance of effective extension services, mass media communication, and training programs in optimizing the impact of RBK services. Overall, RBK services are perceived as broadly beneficial across various income levels, with recommendations for further research to investigate additional factors influencing farmers' engagement with agricultural support systems.