Knowledge of soybean cluster frontline demonstration beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries

Abstract

The present study entitled “Impact of soybean cluster frontline demonstrations on beneficiaries” was conducted in randomly selected six villages of KVK, Latur from Marathwada region of Maharashtra State. A sample of 120 soybean growers i.e., 60 Soybean CFLD beneficiaries and 60 non-beneficiaries was drawn purposively from study area. From each selected village ten beneficiaries and ten non-beneficiaries were chosen. Profile of Soybean CFLD beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries revealed that, majority of beneficiaries (61.67%) and non-beneficiaries (60.00%) were in the middle age group, majority of beneficiaries (35.00%) educated up to secondary education level and non-beneficiaries (38.33%) educated up to primary education level. Majority of beneficiaries (63.33%) and non-beneficiaries (51.67%) were having semi medium size of land holding, more than half of the beneficiaries (56.67%) had medium and non-beneficiaries (35.00%) had high area under soybean crop. Annual income of most of the CFLD beneficiaries (70.00%) and non-beneficiaries (63.33%) was medium lies between Rs. 1,34,843 to Rs. 2,81,124 and Rs. 1,11,605 to Rs. 2,56,461, respectively. majority of beneficiaries (43.33%) and non-beneficiaries (40.00%) had medium extension contact, majority of beneficiaries (68.33%) and non-beneficiaries (58.33%) had medium level access to sources of information, majority of beneficiaries (63.33%) and around half of the non-beneficiaries (48.34%) had medium level of scientific orientation, more than half of beneficiaries (55.00%) and non-beneficiaries (51.67%) had medium level of economic motivation, majority of beneficiaries (45.00%) had undergone through two trainings and non-beneficiaries (38.33%) had undergone one training. It was seen that, regarding the overall knowledge about recommended soybean production technology, majority of beneficiaries (70.00%) and non-beneficiaries (53.33%) were found to have medium level of knowledge. It was also noted that, Soybean CFLD beneficiaries characters such as age, education, area under soybean crop, land holding, annual income, extension contact, sources of information, scientific orientation and participation in training programme established positively significant relationship with their knowledge about soybean production technology.