An Analysis of Farmers Knowledge Level about the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) in Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Agriculture in India, though vital for livelihood and food security, remains highly vulnerable to climate variability and change, which significantly affects crop productivity, soil health, and long-term agricultural sustainability. The present study was conducted in the Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan, where Mandawa tehsil was purposively selected due to having the highest number of farmers registered under the NICRA project. Subsequently, three villages—Bharoo, Chakwas, and Madansar—were chosen for the investigation. A proportionate random sampling technique was employed to select registered farmers, who were categorized as NICRA beneficiaries. In addition, an equal number of non-beneficiary respondents were selected from the same villages using a random sampling method. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents possessed a medium level of knowledge (58.34%) followed by low (21.66%) and high (20.00%) respectively regarding NICRA. Among beneficiaries, the highest level of knowledge (86.41MPS) was observed in the component of technology demonstration, while the lowest (72.50 MPS) was in sponsored grants. In contrast, non-beneficiaries demonstrated the highest knowledge (69.83 MPS) in general aspects and the least (32.92 MPS) in sponsored grants. Overall, beneficiaries exhibited greater knowledge than non-beneficiaries across all five components, namely general knowledge, strategic research, technology demonstration, capacity building, and sponsored grants.