COMMUNITY RADIO: A PARTICIPATORY COMMUNICATION TOOL FOR STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURE EXTENSION

PRAGYA GOSWAMY¹*, S.K. KASHYAP^2
1Department of Agricultural Communication, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
²Department of Agricultural Communication, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
* Corresponding Author : pragya24goswamy@gmail.com

Received : 16-04-2018     Accepted : 23-04-2018     Published : 30-04-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 8       Pages : 5830 - 5833
Int J Agr Sci 10.8 (2018):5830-5833

Keywords : Agriculture extension, Transfer of technology, Rural development, Community radio, Participatory communication, Participation and agricultural information
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Author is thankful to Department of Agricultural Communication, College of Agriculture, GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand for arousing the interest of author in studying the role of community radio in context of agriculture extension by introducing the course of radio for rural development during the Masters’ programme
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

Agriculture Extension acts as a linkage between research system and farming communities. It has been making consistent efforts in transfer of technology to the grassroots but owing to its limitations fails to do so. Also looking in context of rural development, agriculture extension and transfer of technology has been a critical concern. Therefore, series of efforts have been made to strengthen the structure and function of agriculture extension setup through innovations. Information and communication technology has emerged as a pertinent tool to support this process. The concept of community radio that emerged on 1995 in India; is such an innovation, which tends to serve the community through localized and need-based radio broadcast. Recently, Participatory communication approach has found a distinguished place for itself not only in agriculture extension but also in sustainable rural development, and community radio with ‘participation’ as its key characteristics is emerging as a potential tool for strengthening agriculture extension. Community radio has emerged as an efficient medium for community development & technology transfer being location specific, focused and adequately participatory. The paper observes that it seems pertinent and essential to rely on participatory extension approaches for sustainable agricultural and rural development. Moreover, obvious reasons reveal that information and communication technology has to be adequately entertained to support agriculture extension services to reach up to the grassroots. If utilized systematically, this medium will go a long way in fulfilling the requirements of formation of knowledge society among villages of the country.

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