Constraints Faced by Farmers in the Adoption of Technologies Transferred under the University Social Responsibility Programme

Abstract

Rural development remains central to sustainable agricultural growth and to improving the livelihoods of farming communities in India. Agricultural universities can support this process through University Social Responsibility (USR)-based village adoption programmes, which link technology dissemination with need-based rural development. The present study assessed the constraints faced by beneficiary and non-beneficiary farmers in villages associated with the USR programme of Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University (SKRAU), Bikaner, Rajasthan. An ex-post-facto research design was used. Three beneficiary villages, namely Benisar, Gusaisar and Kawni, and three neighbouring non-beneficiary villages, namely Lakhasar, Tauliyasar and Sobhasar, were purposively selected from Bikaner district. The sample comprised 300 respondents, including 150 beneficiary and 150 non-beneficiary farmers, selected through proportionate random sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule and analysed using Mean Percent Score (MPS). The findings showed that non-beneficiary farmers reported higher levels of constraints than beneficiary farmers across all six dimensions. Financial constraints recorded the highest pooled MPS (80.09%), followed by technical (71.92%), ecological (69.26%), input supply (67.95%), marketing (66.18%) and extension constraints (65.83%). The major constraints were the high cost of machinery and equipment, high cost of chemical fertilisers, poor knowledge of crop insurance, fragmentation of landholdings, lack of a well-established marketing system and limited helpfulness from local governments. The results indicate that exposure to the USR programme was associated with comparatively lower perceived constraints among beneficiary farmers. However, the persistence of financial, technical, market and institutional barriers suggests the need for continued attention to affordable input access, advisory support, crop insurance awareness, marketing infrastructure and responsive extension services in university-led village development initiatives.