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Type : Research Article

Heeding the Euphony of Agricultural Information System Network (AISN) in the Eastern Region of India: A Social Network Analysis (SNA) Study

Kausik Pradhan and Jitendra Kumar Chauhan and Bablu Ganguly

Abstract

Introduction: In the changing global scenario, information is needed to expedite the growth and development of rural agricultural systems. Growers need to obtain and process financial, climatic, technical and regulatory information to manage their farms. Both public and private institutions have emerged to supply farmers with information and analysis. Context: However, inadequacies in this agricultural information system, such as the inability to consistently provide accurate, timely and easily accessible information, present several challenges to farmers. In the information era, appropriate timely information plays a pivotal role in sustainable development. Objective: Therefore, in such a resilient situation, the need is to identify and analyze the pattern and contributors of existing agricultural information system networks to shift the approach and policy focused especially on sustainable agricultural development and generally on the sustainable development goal. Method: Purposive, multi-stage and random sampling procedures are followed in the present study. the total number of respondents, selected randomly was two hundred (200). The data were collected with the help of a personal interview schedule through the personal interview method. The data were processed in social network analysis through UCINET and NETDRAW software. Results & Discussion: The Farmers Club and fellow farmers are the key contributors to the existing AISN. The star leaders and less contacted people are identified in each AISN. The wisdom building should consider the existing farmers’ collective organization by increasing the dependency of the farmers through attaching the collectives with agricultural development activities to enhance the efficiency of AISN. Those star leaders must be trained and evolved as master trainers in the locality to enhance the efficiency of the AISN for wisdom development in agriculture.

Keyword: Agricultural Information System Network(AISN), Social Network Analysis (SNA), UCINET software, Star leader, Sustainable development

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