GROUP DYNAMICS

           KVK has tried various methodologies of transfer of technologies among the farming communities in the operational areas. After working on different concept of technology transfer, KVK has developed selected methodologies which found very effective and shown significant results. A brief description about these methodologies is furnished as below:

Innovative Farmers Club (Prayog Pariwar) -  KVK has always focused on group approach for dissemination of technology among the farming community.  During the year 1996, KVK has taken steps to form the groups of innovative farmers who are adopting innovative technologies in different commodities in the district at their field.  This group was named as Prayog Pariwar comprising of 712 Innovative Farmers from the district.  Subgroups were formed commodity wise of the farmers in Prayog Pariwar.  This group used to fine-tune the technology suitable for the particular location or farming situation.  This concept helped to KVK to refine technologies for various commodities.  We can quote the examples where the fine tuning was made in pruning techniques in drumstick, Fertigation techniques in grapes, planting methods in sugarcane, support system in pomegranate etc. Also technologies developed by these farmers were found very useful for its horizontal spreading among the non-member farmers.  The Prayog Pariwar basically worked on exchange of ideas and experiments being carried out by them with other farmers.

Kisan Mandal (Farmers Club) – For faster dissemination of fine tuned  technology at village level was a difficult task. To overcome this difficulty, KVK has adopted the concept of formation of Farmers Club during 2000-2001. A village level group of farmers from different enterprises were brought together under the name of Farmers Club.  At present about 123 Farmers Clubs are functioning in the operational area. 

Each club consists of 20-25 members including farmwomen, rural youth and artisans from various enterprises like agriculture, horticulture, dairying, animal husbandry and non-farm sector.  To achieve improvement in agricultural productivity and employment generation in rural areas, the Farmers Club has found very effective tool.  These clubs are linked with financial institutions as well as other line departments.  KVK has been carrying out various programmes and activities through these clubs.  Keeping these clubs at center, KVK has developed concept called three-tier model.  At Apex Level the members of Prayog Pariwar are involved.  Whereas at middle level Farmers Clubs are playing active role and at micro level the messages are passed through SHGs.  Through this model, work like planning, implementation, follow-up, monitoring, evaluation and feedback related to implemented programmes is also taken care by these clubs.

            These clubs are utilized for communication of technologies from KVK to grass root level.  The Farmers Clubs also develop their annual action plan based on problems and needs of the respective villages and based on their action plan, KVK is planning and implementing various activities.

Self Help Groups (SHGs) – Women are playing very active role in the agriculture development.  However their active participation in technology perception and dissemination was not visible.  During the initial stage, KVK received very poor response from the farmwomen.  Therefore, KVK started to establish SHGs of women from the year 2001-2002.  At present KVK has established 455 SHGs in the operational areas and in each SHG 15-20 women are the members.  Besides technology transfer, credit mobilization was also the main objective as they are in need of credit for adoption of technologies.  All SHGs are linked with nationalized and co-operative banks.  Due to credit availability from SHGs, the adoption of technologies is enhanced.  SHGs are adopting agriculture technology for improving production besides starting suitable agro-based enterprises for self-employment generation.