Technological intervention in CFLD-field pea
To uplift the production and productivity of field pea, both Krishi Vigyan Kendra and the farmers made collaborative efforts. A recommended packages of practices on field pea were followed to conduct the CFLDs at the farmers’ fields. Table 1 shows that the CFLD programme introduced various technological interventions to enhance field pea cultivation at Baksa district. One of the key improvements was the use of high-yielding variety ‘
Aman’, replacing traditional local varieties which had lower productivity and disease resistance. Farmers traditionally sowed field pea later in the season (November–December), whereas CFLD recommended variety sowed during middle of October to middle of November for optimal crop establishment, minimizing yield loss due to delayed germination. Additionally, CFLD promoted line sowing, ensuring uniform spacing and efficient nutrient uptake, whereas traditional farming relied on broadcasting, which resulted in irregular plant distribution. The seed rate was also optimized with CFLD, recommending only 60 kg/ha, significantly lower than the 80 kg/ha used by farmers with traditional practices, reducing overcrowding and enhancing growth conditions. One of the critical improvements was seed treatment, where CFLD introduced treatment with carboxin @ 2 g/kg of seed, protecting against fungal infections. Farmers, however, did not practice seed treatment, exposing crops to higher disease risks. Fertilizer management under CFLD followed a balanced application of 20:46:10 (N:P: K) kg/ha along with Borax @10 kg/ha, whereas traditional farming involved random fertilizer application without precise dosage, often leading to either nutrient deficiency or excess. Finally, plant protection practices were introduced in CFLD based on need-based pesticide application, while traditional methods lacked of pest management measures, increasing susceptibility to pest and disease outbreaks. Similar findings were revealed in the research findings of
Shukla et al., 2022, Kumar et al., (2018), Mauriya et al., (2024), Hooda et al., (2006) and
Raghav et al., (2020).
Extent of adoption of recommended package of practices of field pea
It can be concluded from Table 2 that, before implementation of CFLD programme, no farmers used improved variety of seeds. Then later after CFLD implementation, 159 farmers (80%) adopted it. CFLD provided demonstrations showcasing the advantages of improved cultivars in terms of yield stability, pest resistance and market value. Initially, 22 farmers (37%) followed the recommended sowing method, but after CFLD, 150 farmers (75%) adopted it. The CFLD programme educated the farmers on these benefits and give demonstrations how shifting of the sowing period could improve productivity. Before CFLD, no farmers followed the correct seed rate, whereas 148 farmers (74%) adopted it after CFLD. Farmers had lacked knowledge about the ideal plant population for optimal yield. CFLD guided them on the precise seed quantity per hectare, improving spacing and reducing competition among plants. These findings are in line with the findings of
Jena et al., (2024) and
Singh et al., (2023). Farmers often neglect seed treatment due to lack of awareness or unavailability of treatment materials. No farmers practiced Integrated Nutrient Management programmes before CFLD, but 145 farmers (73%) adopted it afterwards. CFLD introduced balanced nutrient applications by integrating organic and inorganic inputs, enhancing soil health and crop productivity. Further, for plant protection measures, the adoption rose from 19 farmers (32%) to 147 farmers (74%). CFLD provided practical demonstrations of effective pest management techniques, making farmers more willing to implement them.
Impact of technological intervention on crop yield
The data in Table 3 illustrates the significant impact of technological interventions on the yield of the
Aman variety of field pea over three consecutive years. Before the intervention, farmers’ fields yielded between 7.0 to 8.2 q/ha, while in the demonstration fields, benefiting from improved agronomic practices under CFLD, the achieved yields range from 10 to 11.5 q/ha. This consistent increase in yield, averaging 37 per cent across the three years, highlights the effectiveness of improved seed selection, optimized nutrient management and better pest control. The highest increase was observed during 2021-22 season, where yield rose by 40 per cent, reflecting the gradual adoption and refinement of scientific techniques. Similar results had been disclosed in the research findings of
Suresh et al., (2020), Kumar et al., (2023) and
Das et al., (2021). However, despite notable improvements, the yields still fell short of the potential 18 q/ha, indicating that external factors such as soil conditions, climatic variability and farm level management practices may have constrained on maximum yield. This trend indicates the importance of sustained farmer education, enhanced resource accessibility and continuous refinement of interventions to bridge the gap between actual and potential yields.
Impact of CFLD- pulse on yield, technology gap, extension gap and technology index
Table 4 and Fig 1 illustrates the impact of the CFLD program, highlighting the variations in yield, extension gap and technology gap.
Yield performance
The analysis of the data presented in Table 4 revealed that the adoption of improved practices in demonstration plots increased the grain yield of field pea over farmer’s practice in all the years of study period. The mean grain yield recorded in demonstrations was 10.43 q/ha with a range of 9.8 q/ha in 2019-20 to 1115 q/ha in 2021-22. Whereases, in case of farmer’s practice, the mean grain yield recorded was 7.63 q/ha with the range from 7 q/ha to 8.2 q/ha only.
The enhanced crop yield observed in demonstration plots compared to traditional farmer practices can be attributed to the adoption of recommended agronomic techniques. These include improved planting methods, utilization of high yielding varieties, disease resistant varieties, optimized irrigation strategies and precisely calibrated fertilization schedules, all contributing to superior agricultural performance in the demonstration plots.
Singh et al., (2021), Yadav et al. (2022),
Balai et al., (2012) and
Kumar et al., (2021) also obtained similar findings from their studies.
Technology gap
It was evident from Table 4 that the technology gap ranged from 8.2 q/ha in 2019-20 to 6.5 q/ha in 2021-22 with an average of 7.6 q/ha in three years. The disparity between potential yield and demonstration yield highlights the need for further refinement of technologies developed by researchers. To minimize this technology gap, it is essential to implement location specific technology packages tailored to regional agricultural conditions
(Malik et al., 2021). Similar results were achieved by
Vishwatej et al., (2023) and
Meshram et al., (2022).
Extension gap
It was predicted from the Table 4 that the extension gap in the yield ranged from 2.8 q/ha in 2019-20 to 3.3 q/ha in 2021-22 with an average of 2.8 q/ha. The extension gap arises from inconsistencies in the adoption of recommended technologies and can be effectively reduced through coordinated efforts among researchers, extension personnel and farmers.
Deka et al., (2024) and
Singh et al., (2020) have reported comparable findings.
Technology index
The technology index serves as a metric for assessing the adoption and effectiveness of technologies across various conditions. It reflects the demonstrated utility of a technology, along with its observability and feasibility in real world farming scenarios. A lower Technology Index value signifies greater utility and practical applicability of the presented technology. For the crop Field pea, it was delineated from Table 4, that with a mean value of 42 per cent, the technology index ranged from 36 percent in 2021-22 to 44 per cent in 2020-21.
The three years study period shows a downward trend in the Technology Index, indicating the impact of CFLD activities. It underscores the effectiveness of technical interventions in facilitating the adoption of improved technologies, ultimately enhancing yield performance on farmers’ fields. These results are line with the findings of
Meena et al., (2017), Reager et al., (2020) and
Devi et al., (2023).
Economic analysis among the demonstration plot and farmer’s plot
Fig 2 exhibits the economic performance of demonstration plots compared to farmers’ fields through cost of cultivation, gross income, net income and the benefit-cost (B:C) ratio over three consecutive years.
In the 2019-20 period, the cost of cultivation in demonstration plots was Rs. 20,350 per hectare, higher than Rs. 18,050 in farmers’ fields. However, the gross income from demonstration plots reached Rs. 39,200 per hectare, substantially exceeding Rs. 28,000 in farmers’ fields. This resulted in a net income of Rs. 18,850 in demonstration plots, nearly double the Rs. 9,950 seen in farmers’ fields. The benefit-cost ratio followed the same trend, with demonstration plots showing a ratio of 1.92 compared to 1.55 in farmers’ fields. In 2020-21, the cost of cultivation increased slightly in both demonstration plots (Rs. 20,900 per hectare) and farmers’ fields (Rs. 18,500 per hectare). Gross income improved further, with demonstration plots generating Rs. 40,000 per hectare while farmers’ fields yielded Rs. 30,800 per hectare. This led to a net income of Rs. 19,100 in demonstration plots, compared to Rs. 12,300 in farmers’ fields. The B:C ratio for demonstration plots remained high at 1.91, while farmers’ fields showed a moderate increase to 1.66. By 2021-22, the cost of cultivation rose to Rs. 21,700 in demonstration plots and Rs. 18,000 in farmers’ fields, reflecting increased investment in agronomic practices. Gross income peaked at Rs. 46,000 per hectare in demonstration plots, whereas farmers’ fields showed a more modest gain of Rs. 32,800 per hectare. The net income from demonstration plots climbed to Rs. 24,300, surpassing Rs. 14,800 in farmers’ fields. The B:C ratio reached 2.11 in demonstration plots, indicating superior economic returns compared to 1.82 in farmers’ fields. Similar trend of findings has been reported by
Sorokhaibam et al. (2023) and
Roy et al., (2010).
On average, the cost of cultivation in demonstration plots was Rs. 20,983.33 per hectare, while farmers’ fields required Rs. 18,183.33 per hectare. Gross income was significantly higher in demonstration plots at Rs. 41,733.33 per hectare, compared to Rs. 30,533.33 per hectare in farmers’ fields. Consequently, net income averaged Rs. 20,750 per hectare for demonstration plots, while farmers’ fields generated a lower Rs. 12,350 per hectare. The overall B:C ratio stood at 1.98 for demonstration plots, significantly outperforming farmers’ fields at 1.67. The results are in line with the results achieved by
Kumar et al., (2023) and
Rajashekar et al., (2022).