Scientists preferences towards privatization of agricultural extension service

摘要

India'S public extension system is one of the largest downward network system in the world. In the context of global change liberal economic policy besides high cost and generally disappointing performance of public extension, has triggered the issue like privatization of public extension system. As privatization means cost recovery for the service rendered to the users, in this direction, there is a need to identify area, type of farmers, geographic location etc., to whom private extension can suit. Hence, the study was undertaken with the objective to know the preferences of scientists towards privatization. The present study was conducted in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu, to measure the scientists preferences towards privatisation. The sample of 40 scientists representing social science disciplines like agricultural extension, agricultural economics and who were much exposed to agricultural development issues and working in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI) and Central Institute for Cotton Research (CICR) were included as respondents. Three major dimensions of preferences such as; crop-wise, farmers category-wise and agroclimatic zone-wise were identified after review of literature, discussion with experts and farmers. Each major dimension was subdivided and responses were obtained by putting a tick mark in the appropriate preference against each statement. Results have been expressed in frequency and percentage.