The training and visit extension system: An analysis of operations and effects

Abstract

This paper analyses aspects of the operation and effects of the T&V extension system. Specific questions related to the supply of, and demand for, extension agents' (VEW) visits, the presence or absence of farm size bias in VEW visits, seasonal and longer-term variations in the pattern of VEW visits, the relative importance of the VEW as a source of information to farmers, and the crop yields obtained by farmers with different main sources of agricultural advice are addressed. The analysis is based on empirical evidence from India. In particular, data collected and reported by several state government monitoring and evaluation units are used in conjunction with data collected during a detailed case study of T&V extension conducted by the World Bank in collaboration with the Haryana Agricultural University at Hissar. The paper draws the following main conclusions. Most (85 per cent) contact farmers are visited regularly, and the majority of non-contact farmers also have some interaction with VEWs, suggesting that the supply of extension services is adequate. Although a statistically significant bias in favour of larger farmers is detected in the pattern of VEW visits, the absolute size of this bias is very small. VEWs appear to be more active in the dry season than in the rainy season, which may be attributable to the past tendency of the research system to concentrate on irrigated crop technology. As experience with the T&V system increases, contact farmers appear to receive fewer visits from VEWs, but visits to non-contact farmers increase. Overall there is an increase in the absolute number of farmers receiving visits from extension agents. VEWs play a more important role as disseminators of information in areas operating the T&V system than in areas relying on the older community development system of extension. The role of the VEW also increases in importance the more expensive or costly the recommended cropping practice. Finally, crop yields of farms that rely on the VEW as the main source of information are higher than those of farms that rely mainly on other sources of information. The yields in farms that depend on other sources do not appear to differ greatly from one another but, in terms of crop yields, information from any source appears to be better than none.