A Comparative Study on On-Farmdemonstration (OFD) Farmers Fields for Paddy Cultivation in Dharwad District of Karnataka State

The research study aims to investigate the comparison between On-Farm Demonstrations (OFD) and traditional method (farmers' fields) of paddy cultivation with special reference to socio-economic characteristic features, cropping pattern and cost and returns in Dharwad district of Karnataka state. Both primary and secondary data were used. The findings revealed that the average age of the farmers growing paddy in traditional method was around 45 years whereas in the case of OFD it was around 42 years. The average family size of the traditional paddy farmers was six members while OFD farmers it was five members. Further, the findings related to land holdings, the average land holding of traditional paddy farmers (1.93 ha)was less when compared to OFD paddy farmers (2.72 ha). However, the major crops grown during Kharif by the sample farmers were paddy and maize. It was also noticed that the cropping intensity was marginally high on the farms of OFD paddy farmers (194.48%) when compared to traditional paddy farmers (164.76%). The findings related to input utilization pattern in the study area conveys that among various inputs used in paddy cultivation, the OFD farmers used more of human labour, machine labour and organic manures, whereas traditional farmers used more of seeds, bullock labour and chemical fertilizers. The findings of cost and returns reveals that the gross returns and net returns of OFD farmers were observed to be higher (Rs. 55018 and Rs. 24953.47) when compared to traditional farmers (Rs. 43638.50 and Rs. 11193.40), respectively. Hence, the study suggests that this kind of technology should be disseminated through Krishi Vignana Kendra (KVKs) and appropriate extension methods of communication among farming community in order to get benefited from this promising technology especial for small and marginal farmers to earn better returns within available resources in the farm.