COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF KNOWLEDGE AND PRODUCTIVITY LEVELS OF THE PARTICIPANT AND NON PARTICIPANT FARMERS OF RICE FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS

The present investigation was carried out in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh state during 2014-15 to compare the knowledge and productivity levels of the participant and non participant farmers of rice FFS. A total of 150 respondents were selected for the study out of which 75 farmers were participant farmers of rice FFS and the other 75 were non participants. Independent sample‘t' test and Chi square tests were carried out to compare the knowledge and productivity levels of the participant and non participant farmers of rice FFS. The Independent sample‘t' test showed that there is significant (p value < 0.01) difference between participant and non participant farmers with regard to their knowledge and productivity levels. The results of Chi square test revealed that there is significant association (p value<0.05) between the ‘participation in FFS' and the ‘levels of knowledge', ‘productivity levels' on recommended ICM practices.