Agnivesh_Dissertation (1) (1)

Science, Communication and Development in India:
A Study of Village Knowledge Centre (VKC) in Guntur (Dist.), Andhra Pradesh.
MANDALA AGNIVESH
H2014PPG033
M. A. Thesis
School of Public Policy and Governance
TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, HYDERABAD
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts in Public Policy and Governance

DECLARATION
I MANDALA AGNIVESH, hereby declare that this dissertation entitle “Science
Communication and Development in India: A Study of Village Knowledge Centre (VKC)
in Guntur (Dist.), Andhra Pradesh ” is the outcome of my own study undertaken under the
guidance of Mr. Jawahar CT, School of Public Policy and Governance, Tata Institute of Social
Sciences, Hyderabad. It has not previously formed the basis for the award of any degree,
diploma, or certificate of this Institute or of any other institute or university. I have duly
acknowledged all the sources used by me in the preparation of this dissertation.
21st March 2016 Mandala Agnivesh
Village Knowledge centre (VKC)
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CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the dissertation entitled “Science Communication and Development in
India: A Study of Village Knowledge Centre (VKC) in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh” is the
record of the original work done by Mandala Agnivesh under my guidance and supervision. The
results of the research presented in this dissertation/thesis have not previously formed the basis
for the award of any degree, diploma, or certificate of this institute or any other institute or
university.
21st March 2016
Mr. Jawhar. CT
School of Public Policy and Governance
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Hyderabad
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CONTENTS
List of abbreviations
Acknowledgement
Abstract page. No
1. Chapter-1: Introduction……………………………………………………………. 10
2. Chapter-2: Science, Knowledge and Development………………………………...16
3. Chapter-3: Methodology…………………………………………………………….24
4. Chapter-4: Agency, Technology and Policy: Examining the role of the Village
Knowledge centre…………………………………………………………………….28
5. Chapter-5: Suggestion and future scope……………………………………………42
6. Chapter-6: Conclusion……………………………………………………………….44
References………………………………………………………………………………...46
Annexure I: Interview schedule…………………………………………………………49
Annexure II: Process report……………………………………………………………..51
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LIST OF ABBREVATION
MSSRF - M S Swanithan Research Foundation
VKC - Village Knowledge centre
VRC - Village Resource centre
IWMI - International Water Management institute
WALAMTARI- Water and Land Management Training and Research Institute
VSAT - Very small Aperture Terminal
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to thank my guide, Mr. Jawhar. CT, School of Public Policy and
Governance, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, who has supported me throughout my
dissertation with patience and immense knowledge. This thesis would not have been written
without his encouragement.
I cordially thank M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation for giving me the opportunity to
undergo my project work. I thank Mr. J.Srinath, Principal scientist, IEC, M.S. Swaminathan
Research Foundation for his full fledge support for having given me the opportunity to Study in
Village Knowledge Centers.
I would like to thank the staff members Mr.Rajkumar (senior scientist), Dr.Malarvannan (senior
scientist, IEC), Mr. Omkar Vinay Kumar (Project associate), Mr. Jnakiramulu (Project associate)
for their valuable inputs.
Sincere thanks to my faculty Dr. Pankaj sakseria, Dr.Inno Deva Raj who guided me throughout
the project I thank Dr. Aseem Prakash, Coordinator, MA Public Policy and Governance, Tata
Institute Of Social Sciences, Hyderabad for his advice to select my guide.
.
Special thanks to all members of the faculty, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, for
offering valuable comments and suggestions, which have enriched this dissertation.
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ABSTRACT
Title: Science, Communication and Development in India: A Study of Village Knowledge
Centre (VKC) in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
Science and Technology plays an active role in developing the country as a catalyst. This we are
experiencing from Nehruvian period of industrialization (Steel and Textile). After independence
Industrialization is in need of technology to substantiate the demand. One side India is importing
technology from western countries and other side development of indigenous technology is
satisfying the demands of high end products like Defense, Railways, and Aviation. This reflects
science policies have less important to basic needs of common people like health, education,
sanitation, housing and transport. This resulted in poverty among large section of the society and
problems of illiteracy and unemployment. The development of science infrastructure and
innovations in the country are unable to solve this problems and lagging country behind.
This triggers the importance of indigenous technologies for rural and marginalized people and
enhancing their livelihood. The usage of natural resources like minerals, water and other
resources is big concern. This made government to include social element in designing the
science policies and come up with science policy resolution (1953), Technology policy statement
(1983) and science and Technology policy (2003)
This emphasized on the creation of awareness and integrated these ideas into science and
technology policy 2003.This policy emphasized in bringing the science and technology together
and makes innovations for development of the rural and marginalized poor people. Here
enhancing livelihood, education, health and employment are major concerns with special
emphasize to rural development. Here the concept of Lab to Land I.e. bringing technological
innovations from Lab to Land is made. This enables the importance of dissemination of
technologies to enhance the livelihood in rural communities. This policy aims in spreading the
information of technological interventions to all sections of the society including men, women,
youth and old. To ensure basic amenities like food, health, water, agriculture, nutritional,
employment and energy security on sustainable basis. This results in reducing the poverty,
hunger and regional balances among rural and urban.
To achieve this, innovations in science and technology with relevant demands and their exposure
by disseminating through network communications and also with the help of different stake
holders like government, NGO’S, unorganized sectors etc., Here the role women empowerment
is strengthen by involving women in science and technology activities. The indigenous research
includes development of applications for weather forecasting, prevention and mitigation of
natural hazards, floods, cyclones and droughts etc. Here poverty elevation is the big concern of
this policy and designed a road map to it.
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Strategies in achieving these results made government to invest 2% of the GDP and decided
optimal usage of existing infrastructure and create new ones if needed. Creating public
awareness about technological development, transformation and diffusion. Here time lag
between the innovation, dissemination and usage by consumer should be reduced and made huge
efforts to product penetration. Here government seek the support of various stake holders like
Department of Science and Technology, ISRO, NGO’s in achieving this results. The
achievements of these organizations in creating technological innovations like Village Resource
centers (VRC), Customer service center (CSC), Village knowledge center (VKC) made rural
community to expose to new innovations. The dissemination of these innovations to rural
community is not same across, it varied from different group of people based on the socio
economic and awareness. This classified people into three categories like early adopters,
followers and people who will not follow with stake of their time and resources.
This idea triggered my interest to analyze the technological intervention at different level like
designing, transmission and diffusion through different stake holders to rural community. Here
the role of government and NGO plays an active role. The coordination between these
institutions will resolve the major rural problem. Government supports in providing the
infrastructure and NGO uses this infrastructure in delivering the technology to the rural
community. NGO’S will enhance the knowledge delivering system through different modules
like training, workshops, awareness programs etc,.
My research work emphasizes the role of Village Knowledge Centre (VKC), in empowering the
rural community with improvised knowledge systems in practice. This VKC’S establish in
remote tribal areas (More backward areas like tribal and remote areas), where the agriculture and
allied activity resources are limited and aimed to do agriculture. These areas are Tribal areas
(SC, ST regions like Balaji nagar and Annaram Tandas Nalgonda, Telangana) and backward
regions (isolated from resource from 20 KM’s in Andhra Pradesh). This VKC delivers the
advisory services to rural community by using Information, Communication and Technology
(ICT) as a tool by linking MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) and Government departments.
The study by looking at the interaction between different stake holders shows that, there are
some elite farmers who can able to employ laborers for their agriculture and allied activities.
These farmers are less in numbers and belong to high caste (Naidu’s and Reddy’s) i.e. 10% of
the farmers visiting VKC. These farmers visit VKC regularly and Some of this farmers are
members of the Village management committee. These farmers are updated regularly through
audio advisories through the messages in their mobiles and ability to access information through
internet through their educated family members. They also visit VKC programs and workshops
regularly and implement on their field. The level of understanding is high; because of high social
network to cross check the advisories with other farmers and agriculture officer.
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There are small farmers owning land between 2 to 4 acres of land and belong to low class
families, of these farmers some are converted to Christianity. These farmers need prototype
based advisories i.e, they believe the advisories when they are proved practically on the field and
at the same time these farmers follows some practices adopted by their fellow farmers. 60% of
the people are in this category from both the VKC. These farmers are showing interests more on
NON-ICT programs like workshops, programs with scientist and any other resource person.
These farmers are getting advisories on daily basis but showing less interest. Some farmers are
not following the advisories as, they are lower class farmers majority of them converted to
Christianity are irregularly attending the VKC programs. These farmers’ shows less/no interest
in listening to those advisories as It constitutes 40% of the farmers from both the VKC’s.
My study concludes that elite farmers are utilizing the services of VKC effectively as they are
access to good socio economic resources like money, resource person. These farmers can put
stake their time in attending the VKC programs and implement those advisories on the field. The
majority of the famers lies between followers and non followers as their socio economic
conditions are less stable. These farmers need prototype to believe in advisories and to
implement on the ground. These people are aware of VKC and its programs but they don’t want
to put their time as a stake for VKC programs. This reflects they are small farmers and are
unable to employ laborers for agriculture and allied activities. And also the timings of the
programs of the VKC are not suitable to the farmers. The complexion of the VKC and farmers
perception towards the services. These farmers need more motivation to attend the programs and
use Information communication and Technology tools for agriculture and to enhance the
livelihood
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CHPATER- 1
INTRODUCTION
Information, communication and Technology (ICT), playing an active role in creating
knowledge based economy and information revolution. This will enhance the economic growth
and increase the productivity. After independence India started industrialization, which needs
more technology for high productivity. This made India to import technology from western
countries and also started creating indigenous technology. Imported western technology for
machineries started serving to high end products like airways, railways, and steel and textile
industries. At this time science policy resolution, 1958 and Technology policy statement 1983
were serving their purpose and forget to deal with problems of the rural masses and areas such as
health, education, poverty, employment. The technocratic evaluation of these policies made
country identified to switch policy process in the direction of achieving socio economic goals.
The aim of achieving socio economic goals for rural community made India to integrate ICT in
the national development plan as part of science and technology policy, 2003. It aims in science
knowledge development by creating indigenous technologies and by making part of people part
of this development process. This changed the sphere of economic activities by adopting ICT at
grass roots of rural India. Rural and urban areas are stands in different level with different needs
and services. Rural areas (6, 40,000 villages) are equipped with less infrastructure to provide
needs and services. Along with physical infrastructure improving e-infrastructure through nation
e-governance plan to enhance the services efficiently. According to the Department of IT,
government should provide 1, 00,000 customer service centers in rural areas to provide possible
e-service. To fit into this CARPRT proposed this initiative to reach the unreached; un served and
underserved areas more effectively using Information, communication and Technology through
its partner MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) by setting Village Resource Centers
(VRC) and Village Knowledge Centers (VKC).
1.1 Millennium development goals and VRC concept
United Nations on September, 2000 says that “MDG are not concentrating on dehumanize
condition of men, women and children’s for taking away from poverty conditions”. They
considered people should be in centrifugal in nature in adopting technology for improving the
livelihood in rural communities. MDG are adopted by 189 countries to provide basic necessity
conditions like health, education, water etc. and eradicate hunger and promoting gender equality.
They emphasized on empowerment in the communities by which they create their resources and
sustain their life. In rural villages more problems were persist in child morality, health disease
like malaria, HIV/AIDS, and agriculture advisories. For these they started cooperation for many
countries by funding and proving basic infrastructure and ensuring better life.
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MDG and Village Resource Centers collectively play a vital role for increasing the efficiency of
the innovation and development from past few decades. This technology of space and
communication are existed from modern civilization but never reached the poor. Every
technology were framed in the benefits of elite class for their comfortable like improving satellite
technology for navigation in mobile phones, making innovations for decreasing the computer
size, updating the satellite versions for internet usage etc., and demarcated poor people with
no/less technology. In these terms India is lagging from many countries. Information technology
is a tool which can empower and enhance the knowledge of rural communities.
1.2. Village Knowledge Centers (VRC) and Village Knowledge Center (VKC) scheme:
The population of the rural people in the world is 6 billion and India has 1.6 billion populations.
Empowering and development of these people is the primary motto of the any country. In
common service centers such as Internet centers, e-seva centers etc. efficiency and effectiveness
were lagging. This made government to establish Village Resource Centers (VRC). Every
organization set up in the society should be transparent and effective which will depend on the
quality and quantity of input. Every organization should serve the particular purpose. This
purpose of organization should fulfill individual rationality, then these organizations are said to
be more efficient social units. Knowledge plays a vital role for sustainable development. This
will empower the people to live on their rationality and increase the livelihood standard.
After independence countries investment on science research in the budget is 1% compared to
other countries, among this 0.1% investment is done on rural communities. As part of this,
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Department of Space (DoS) thought to
introduced information technology (IT) and communications in the rural community to serve the
basic facilities like health, education, water, resource mapping, and sanitation with technology
introduction and established village resource centers with the support of NGO’S/ organizations.
The main idea is to empower rural communities with IT enabled services and communication
technology. This introduction of technology will create transparent, efficient services considering
citizen as a share holder of government. This will reduce the demarcation between rural and
urban societies in terms of efficient services of government. This instrument of technology
serves the remote areas of the rural communities and provides services like Tele-education, Tele
medicine, Agriculture advisories, resource mapping etc., and reducing the social barriers
between urban and poor.
Participatory approach: This VRC/VKC scheme works on the principle of people
participation and knowledge dissemination. Participation in any organization is the primary
element to success and building the knowledge base. In order to success village resource centers
rural community participation is important. This involvement creates awareness about the project
implementation and its utililization. This participation makes government work easy to redesign
of the project if necessary. Sustainable development depends on the coordination between the
people and external agency. A program / project is said to be success if social accessibility is
more without any environmental concerns. In this participation gram sabha/ panchayat institution
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plays a vital role in creating awareness among people and enlighten them with knowledge of
various projects. At large this will fulfill the key aim of science and Technology policy, 2003.
1.3. Village Knowledge centers (VKC) components and working model:
Village Resource Centers (VRC): This concept is initiated by ISRO with the help of MSSRF. It
inaugurated in the Chennai in year 2004 and works on VSAT based network. The network uses
one of the Extended C-band transponders of the INSAT-3A satellite. Users are located at one
node of this network can fully interact with others located at another node through video and
audio links. This Provide information on agriculture, health, education, nutrition, gender issues,
legal services and women empowerment. At present 456 VRC’S are established by government
and MSSRF running 15 VRC’s in Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and
Telangana. These VRC’S are located at block level and Village Knowledge centers (VKC) were
established in the village level to disseminate the information through Information and
Communication Tools (ICT) used by VKC.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools
 Audio conference
 Video conference
 Phone in program
 Public address system
 Webinar
 Knowledge management system (KMS)
 Audio advisories
Village Knowledge centre (VKC): It was started at Villianur; a village in Pondicherry in
1998.The cost of project is completely borne by MSSRF. The VKC project uses a Hub & Spokes
model. The hub is a “Village Resource Centre” and Spoke is a “Village Knowledge centre”.
Usually each VRC is connected to 20-30 VKC’s to disseminate information through technology.
Information dissemination of information is manual before establishment of VRC. In 2004 these
VKC’s are digitalized with satellite technology (VRC-ISRO) connectivity.
The services provided by the VKC:
1. Tele-education
2. Tele-healthcare
3. Land & Water Resources Management
4. Interactive Advisory Services
5. Tele-fishery
6. e-Governance Services
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7. Weather reports
Schematic diagram of hubs and spokes model of VRC-VKC
VKC’S in Guntur are providing Agriculture advisories based on the climate change, Land &
Water Resource Management and weather condition. This includes advisories regarding
fertilizers, pesticides, variety of seeds, water usage and also provides e-governance services.
VRC/VKC’S use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to disseminate
knowledge, information and skills for rural community. They are acting as bridge between the
knowledge, gender and digitalization which empowers community by participation through
different modes like Land to Lab, Lab to Land, Lab to Lab and Land to Land. It is established in
the remote area after several field studies.
“VRC/VKC’S enshrine the 5 C’S of thriving knowledge ecosystem
1. Reliable and affordable Connectivity and devices.
2. Dynamic and relevant Content.
3. Capacity building.
4. Convergence of knowledge stake holders from public and private sectors.
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5. Community centric Care and management of knowledge centers.” ( Prof. MS
SWAMINATHAN)
This 5 C’S will connect every individual of the rural community with technology through
Village knowledge center (VKC). This provides reliable content about agriculture and allied
activities based on the problem. The capacity building and awareness programs will make
different stake holders like WALAMTARI, IWMI, and Gram panchayat come together and work
for community centric care for households and economically marginalized rural communities
with advisories for improving the livelihood using Information communication and Technology
tools.
Partnerships and collaborations: This partnership is between VKC and other institutions like
Government agriculture department, Banks, Gram panchayat, agriculture markets, Water and
Land Management Training and Research Institute (WALAMTARI), LAMFARM Guntur,
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Krishi Vigyana Kendra’s (KVK).
Boundary partner: This partner provides Facilitates infrastructure and materialistic resources
like room, electricity, furniture for smooth run of VKC’S. In Guntur (Kavuru and Kanaparru)
boundary partner is Gram Panchayat.
Strategic Partner: Facilitates support in the form of resource person, workshops, and training
program from other institutions like Water and Land Management Training and Research
Institute (WALAMTARI), LAMFARM Guntur, International Water Management Institute
(IWMI) and Krishi Vigyana Kendra’s (KVK). These organizations empower the rural
community with their advisories on effective use of water for agriculture and allied activities. In
Guntur strategic partner is LAMFARM (provide Agriculture advisories from Sr. Scientist Mr.
Guruva Reddy as resource person), WALAMTRI & IWMI provide support in form of field visits
in cilmadapt project.
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CHAPTER-II
LITERATURE REVIEW
SCIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOPMENT
Science development in India is reflected from roots of ex-colonies and highlighted more
characteristics of science from postcolonial science. Nehruvian science critically analyzed the
Indian science development from pre colonial period to post colonial period. India emerged as a
more privileged position with new scientific developments. Science policies played a vital role in
building nation, but concentrated as authoritarian regime in gaining the local ownership over
science from western science knowledge system. Nehruvuan science emphasized the socio
economic change from moral authority and political leverage of science from west. This gave
critical analysis of science research in India, whether it should satisfy the local needs in nation
building perspective or it should satisfy universally. This reflected characteristics of Non-west
science development in third world countries.(Arnold, 2013)
Nehru view of social radical change is reflected on the prevalent mindset of social culture
without restructuring the revolutionary violence and authoritarianism. This science is aimed to
deprive poverty and backwardness, treating modern nation will solve this problem. This made
India to make cooperation between developed nations like USA, Russia, and France etc.
furthermore India planned to develop local knowledge system and build science infrastructure
like research institutes IIT’S and research laboratories like CSIR, research Universities.
Nehruvian science is working for the discretion of the state and working for the people. This can
be witnessed by the British investments in the specific research institutes rather than in public
arena of universities. The funding for this R&D is through state driven science policies with
more funding in 1980’s with special emphasize to research laboratories like CSIR, Atomic
energy commission etc.,
The impacts of Western science are more on Non- western science. Collaborations in science
research are created competition between the great powers to excel. Nehruvian science gave
special emphasize to socioeconomic changes with moral authority and political leverage of
science in the world of competition. This triggered the development from the grass root level, by
considering science and technology as a tool to design a solution for rural community.(Arnold,
2013)
Epistemology of science
In India scientific epistemologies and knowledge systems should be coordinated and serve for
betterment of the society. It emphasizes the role of political, economic and religious structures
for resolving the societal problem. This scientific developments can be enhanced by removing
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the hierarchal structure i.e., priority basis of investments in science and technology depending on
the political and economic power. These investments (less than 3% in developing countries)
should enhance the R&D system by developing various scientific institutions like CSIR
laboratories in India and make it competitive to western knowledge systems.
Science development plays an important role in national and international development.. He
emphasized the role of mutual co-operation between developed and non developed countries
which benefits mutually. Good humanity in the society can be preserved by reducing the gaps
between the rich and poor and emphasizing the importance of mutual cooperation. The world
meetings, associations and conferences of science and technology should discuss the S&T
developments in the third world countries. Author emphasized the role of third world countries
in representing their problems to the developed countries. It indirectly reflects the importance of
mutual co-operation for International development on humanitarian grounds. This in turn
emphasized the research funding and development in the developing countries through hierarchal
and symmetrical model.
Hierarchical structure of science development: The science and technology development is
positive and increasing with stages in unidirectional process. The hierarchal model is depending
on the relationship between science and economic activity. It in turn depends on the
technology/science pull and market pull. In third world countries this involves mechanisms of
transferring technology from west. This reflects two models firstly suggests that policies
suggesting to “catch up” the developed west on the basis of adopting western knowledge system.
Secondly science policy advocates investing on science and technology research and improving
the capabilities, which creating the technology is the basis for economic growth. (Drori, 2012)
Symmetrical structure of science development: This model uses socialist perspective approach
saying that science and technology are mutually interdependent. Here S&T are context
dependent i.e., they reflect present situation in western context. So, each system originates from
social model differentiating science and technology with their respective knowledge systems.
These structures are reflecting India’s research funding and R&D infrastructures, with some
indicators such as
Science indicators:
Labor force: This indicates number of scientist exists and their distribution among the research
work. This also indicates how many scientists are added annually.
Input: Distribution of various funds for education, science research and development and then
based on regional and social sector.
Output: Reports, inventions and discoveries, author referred this indicator as volume of
communications.
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Others: This parameter includes training, science education, funding of science research,
displacement of personnel.
All this parameters are found as a quantitative result which says about substance of science.
Technological Indicators: Knowledge industry and performance per unit of investments. This
Indicator changed the pattern of using resources and associated key industries.
As a result the development reflected from 19th
century in various form such as
a. The unscientific people are participated and marked boundary between scientific and
religious knowledge. This led to fall of participation due to secularization of natural
knowledge.
b. Early participatory approach in science research is limited to social policy institutions
which become wide in 20th
century in diversified sectors like Medicine, Law etc.,
c. Post war science policies research found that, science policies were based on “ social
contract for science” and “ fordist arrangement of science and research policies”
d. The transformation in participatory approach was happened in late 1960’s in diversified
groups like feminism, antinuclear movements, and ecological movements.
This furthermore reflected the participatory approach in the 1970’s and 1980’s as “social
relevance” in science and technology policies. This period also experienced criticism of
participatory approach due to administrative and political reforms in environment and planning
policy, biotech policy, nuclear and other policies in large scale, it created difference between the
scientific opinions and considering perspectives towards common people in policy making which
are previously funded by failure self regulating mechanisms. (Drori, 2012)
Here the role of government and NGO plays an active role. The coordination between these
institutions will resolve the major rural problem. Government supports in providing the
infrastructure and NGO uses this infrastructure in delivering the technology to the rural
community. NGO’S will enhance the knowledge delivering system through different modules
like training, workshops, awareness programs etc.
Phases of science development in India
Phase I: science policy which is interdisciplinary is lacking with unified theory to compete with
other branches of science. This non unified theory does not allowing to make decisions with
rational thinking, where it projected as manipulative decisions. The designing and implementing
agency of science policy is Government, which is restricted with some ideological and practical
nature of academic and non government institutions. This in turn creating the gap between the
theoretical and decision making of science policy.(Arnold, 2013)
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Phase II: The systematic relationship between knowledge, skill and economic production in
1950’s, where R&D centers like CSIR established. During this period science assimilates with
production system, and raised the importance of funding for R&D research. This in turn reflected
to create gap between the theoretical and practical decision makings. (Arnold, 2013)
Phase III: In this phase Indian science research is compared with world nations and found that
India’s spending on research is comparatively low with other developed countries. In India
science and technology funding is $419 billion for 2015-16 (increased 8% from previous year). It
constitutes 0.8% of GDP, where developed countries investing more than 2.8% 0f GDP( 3.56%
Korea, 2.82% US etc.,) Therefore it reflects that investing more on research will bring country
competitive with world. (Arnold, 2013)
Policy Perspective towards science and Technology development in India:
Nehruvian vision of science and technology failed to create an impact in Indian society – Hunger
and poverty persist and his role in the country portrait as catalyst to eradicate poverty and
hunger. This created the ray of hope for people of the country to improve their livelihood
patterns. This made country to adopt a policy in the field of science and technology for
transforming India into modern progressive nation. This triggered the role of political parties,
technocrats and bureaucrats in designing the science policies. As part of this Indian scientific
policy resolution (1958) and Technology policy statement (1983), created with aims and
objectives for nation building. These policies established institutions for research and
development, but failed to penetrate into the rural community of the country. (Vasantha, 2000)
These policies aim at "to promote, foster, cultivate and sustain science and scientific research" in
all its aspects: accord recognition to the work of scientists and "to secure for the people of the
country all the benefits that can accrue from the acquisition and application of scientific
knowledge". The drafting of this resolution is attributed mainly to Homi Jehangir Bhaba and
Jawaharlal Nehru. There are three Apex bodies like Scientific Advisory committee (1966),
Committee on Science and Technology (1968), and National committee on Science and
Technology (1971) were formed in providing the advisories for drafting the science policies and
its implementation. This brought coordination between science research institutions, higher
educational institutions and technological resources and there effective utilization to meet the
needs of the Country.
Government also invited scientists, educationists, and technologists through various conferences
beside advisory body advisories. This emphasized one side by creating common platform to
bring consensus on science and technology development from diversified groups of the society.
The other side Government made efforts to cross the hierarchical structure in designing the
policies by interacting directly with S&T personnel regarding problems in policy matters, issues
and programs. The first two conferences in 1958 and 1963 strengthen the science development of
science and technology in the country, but third conference in 1970 regretted that the
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implementation of the policy had been "highly ineffective" and had remained largely on paper.
Science had failed to play an important role in promoting national goals and scientists and
technologists were hardly aware of their role as agents of change in development. The
conference held the unanimous view that a policy for S&T and for industrial development should
be not only mutually compatible but also positively reinforcing. (Vasantha, 2000)
This triggered the Planning of S&T should be incorporated with socio-economic development of
the country for economic rise in the country. This made planning commission to take charge in
drafting the science and technology policies. Then later development in science and technology
plan 1974-1979 was come out with integrated socio economic programs. Then change in the
government made National Committee for Science and Technology was reconstituted with own
chairman and different job roles i.e., Now NCST is not formulator but a advisory body in
designing the science policy. Then return of old government hurried second S&T plan in 1980
under planning commission during 6th
five year plan. This emphasized the key subjects like
scientific temper and science and technology for weaker sections of the society, women, youth,
rural development and science administration. But Technology policy statement of 1983 lost
enthusiasm and repeated as previous governments.(Mukhopadhyay, 2007)
This policy aimed in building the indigenous technology and absorption and adoption of
appropriate technology providing employment to all sections of the society. This policy
emphasized in using traditional skills and making them capable of competitive in the global
market. The importance of mass production and production by masses is triggered with using
renewable energy sources. Though this policy has changed his direction from imported
technology to indigenous technology, its impact is less and continued as it is. The following
reasons will reflect the reasons for enhancing in science and technology.
The SPR has helped the nation to build up an S&T base. When the country gained Independence
in 1947 its S&T capability was at its lowest. The last 50 years have seen the country ranking
third in the world as far as S&T personnel are concerned. There has been a prolific growth in the
number of S&T institutions. The country’s achievements in atomic energy, space and other
sophisticated areas are well known. In spite of such achievements, a pertinent question is still
raised as to why we still rank among the less developed countries. This we can examine from
following results(A.Vasantha, 2000)
Firstly, our immediate concern after Independence as large-scale industrialization. Five decades
back, as we hardly had any major industry except a few like steel and textiles, it was considered
essential to import both technology and capital to catch-up with the advanced nations. In this
process, we failed to develop a strong indigenous technological base.
Secondly, while we have succeeded well in building up our capacity and S&T of quality we have
not been so fortunate in improving the quality of life of our people. Our S&T has been catering
mainly to what may be called the technological requirement of the organized sector or high-
19

technology oriented systems like defence, aviation and railways. On the other hand, the basic
needs of the masses like education, health, housing, transport and communication have hardly
been touched. While S&T is marching ahead in sophisticated areas, the poverty of the masses,
problems of illiteracy and unemployment are dragging the country backward.
Thirdly, when our SPR was enunciated it was conceived in broad terms ignoring technology
within the concept of science policy. The changes in the concept of science policy and problems
associated with development such as depletion of natural resources and pollution have brought in
the need for more science-related policy directed towards natural resources. From 1970 onwards,
governments have come out with policies for minerals, water, ocean etc. and also a
comprehensive technology policy.
Fourthly, there was an assumption amongst the policy makers that science policy was the
concern of scientists alone and that research and development could be considered in isolation
from the rest of the nation-building activities. That perhaps was the reason for the lack of
involvement of social scientists in the conferences mentioned earlier. The task now is to involve
social scientists in systematic identification, definition and assessment of the needs of the people
to enable science policy to realize social goals. This triggered to form new science and
Technology policy in 2003.
Science and Technology Policy, 2003:
This policy is aimed in overcoming the defaults of previous policies by ensuring socio economic
development with the help of technology. This policy emphasized in linking the modern
technology with indigenous knowledge base and making people engaging with development of
knowledge. This will make rural community exposed to new technological interventions for
improving their livelihood. The key areas of developments are
1. This policy aims in making the people part of indigenous technology like VKC and VRC
build with aim of knowledge dissemination. This will enhance the livelihood of the
people.
2. To ensure food, water, agriculture, nutritional, environment and health security on
sustainable basis.
3. Effort to reduce the poverty and enhance the livelihood security, removal of hunger and
regional balances.
This we can achieve by generation and screening of relevant technologies through widespread
dissemination with the help of network like NGO’S, Unorganized sectors etc., this in turn
emphasize on scientific education and creating sustainable employment opportunities (With
special emphasize to empowerment of women in all science and technology activities).
20

Development of new innovations in the field of agriculture and climate by creating applications
for forecasting prevention and mitigation of natural hazards, floods, cyclone drought etc. this
reflects the role of people participation in making a program success.(Lengwiler, 2007)
The strategy and Implementation plan:
This policy strategically invested 2% of the GDP by optimal utilization of existing infrastructure
and creating new ones based on the demand. Technology development and diffusion is the key
area of focus which is strengthen by creating public awareness involving various scientific and
government institutions like Department of Space (ISRO), Ministry of Science and technology,
MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and Earth research and industrial research
institutes.
Adoption and Diffusion is the key focus for sustainable rural development, this includes spread
of new and existing technologies. It is because there is huge gap between new technology
development and usage by consumers. This plays an active role in product penetration (I.e., How
many consumers are adopting this technology). This policy paved stones to establish technology
to serve rural communities across the country. For this they involved various agencies like
Ministry of Science and Technology, NGO’S, Department of Space and other government
departments. As part of this they designed Village Resource Centers/ Village Knowledge centers
(VKC) to communicate technology at local level. This paved the ray of hope with science,
Technology and Innovation policy, 2013.
Public engagement of science:
The concept of Public engagement of science involves role of public in understanding the
science. The process of public understanding evolved through experience of worst situations like
climate change, health issues, water problems etc. this problems made public to build indigenous
knowledge system by involving technology as a catalyst to boost the process. This involves
education to public for making awareness of knowledge system. This education through primary,
secondary schools and NGO’s played an active role in building this knowledge system. Local
culture (traditions, customs and practices) plays an important role in making public engagement
with science. People of tribal and backward areas have their own knowledge system in terms of
food, medicine and livelihood. The nature and culture interaction comes from the traditions from
one generation to another generation. This interaction and indigenous knowledge system may
suit only to some sections of the local culture.
The scientist understands public engagement of science is through different stake holders like
public, NGO’s, Academics, state and industry. The science policies in India is started with
21

servicing high end industries like railways, steel etc. after independence and neglected science
knowledge development in basic needs of people like health, sanitation and education. This
neglect made science policy resolution, 1958 and Technology policy statement 1983 reflects role
of social scientists in designing the policies for building indigenous knowledge system servicing
basic needs of the poor. Then scientists considering publics role in designing the indigenous
knowledge system, they built science on two modes. One reflects in the regulatory science;
where state take action in creation of particular science like biological and chemical sectors.
Here state provides the security and funds for nation integrity. The other mode of science
development with citizen class i.e. science knowledge system will help civic developments,
diffusion of latest technologies like (VRC, VKC) to rural community for enhancing the
livelihood. (Subuddhi, 2002)
Village knowledge centre (VKC)
This reflected as research development in agriculture and allied activities by establishing Indian
council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) in 1929 and Indian space research organization (ISRO)
in 1975. Furthermore emphasized the role of science and technology in government departments,
education institutions, research laboratories and role of planning commission in releasing the
funds for science and technology research. This remarked technologies in modern civilization are
divided technically among poor and rich. This technology like audio and video conferences,
webinars, mobiles, e-governance services etc., this creating the poverty gap and limiting the
accessibility within the community. Information, communication and Technology (ICT) tools
playing a vital role in empowering the rural people by making them awareness about the problem
digitally (animated movies, messages, videos, webinars etc.). This acting as a catalyst in
empowering the rural people in identifying the problem and making them into a scheme as a
solution.
Information and communication technology with ISRO played a prominent role as a catalyst for
improving the livelihood pattern and economic growth. This envisaged the concept of hubs and
spokes model of satellite communication by connecting Prominent Agriculture research NGO’S
like MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Government departments, Agriculture universities
and Kisan vigyan Kendras for delivering the agriculture and allied activities advisories to
farmers. This also emphasizing the empowering the rural community with awareness programs
and e-governance services.
The VKCs can help on:-
a) Spontaneous flow of information on health, education, etc., to the grass-root-level.
b) It will empower the poor and needy as they will also have an access to these.
c) Spread education, issues of equality and rural livelihood.
22

d) Promotion campaigns – particularly health and sanitation related.
e) Inter linking of development process.
f) E-Governance services
With greater thrust on the democratic decentralization, the panchayat raj institutions are
going to play a greater role in the national development agenda. To demonstrate the potential
of satellite technology for development of rural areas, Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) has so far set up 456 Village Resource Centers (VRCs), on a pilot scale, in
association with selected NGOs, Trusts and State Government Departments. Establishing
new VRCs is an ongoing process and the same is carried out based on communication
technology needs, funds available, proposals received from State Governments/NGOs etc.
This emphasizes the adoption and diffusion of technology in rural areas in the field of
agriculture, health, education etc
Technology and Innovation policy, 2013, This policy is the enhancement of previous science
policies. It emphasizes the innovation in India as a new paradigm which contributes more for
social and economic inclusive growth. It identified the endogenous resources, strengths and
capacities for new structural models which resolving the problems of environment, food,
nutrition, water and sanitation, skill development and unemployment. It emphasizes science,
technology and Innovation policy for the people making Indian society as major stake holder.
This policy ensures inclusive growth involving accessibility, availability and affordable solutions
to large population as possible.
23

CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
3.1. RESEARCH QUESTION:
The main question that this dissertation attempts to address is “How different stakeholders
understand the role and function of Village Knowledge centre in enhancing the livelihood
process of farmer’s community? And to know at what level, technology mediated
communication helps different stakeholders in transferring and communicating the scientific
knowledge to public and how such system exists at local level? And to explore the reason behind
the gap between scientific agency and policy in communicating and transferring the scientific
knowledge to public (agricultural community)? “In this Endeavour, the study of Village
Knowledge Centre (VKC) in Guntur (Dist.), Andhra Pradesh has been undertaken. The aim of
the study was to discover the factors and processes that enabled the
Village knowledge center (VKC) in disseminating the advisories through Information,
Communication and Technology (ICT) tools.
3.2. OBJECTIVES: Main objective is to understand the knowledge dissemination process
through information, Communication and Technology (ICT) tools to Farmers and village people.
To analyze the content of the advisories given by the VKC and farmers perceptions. To explore
how different groups/parties understand the role of VKC in disseminating the knowledge to
target groups, as they play active role in disseminating the technology of VKC to all sections of
the society. To understand the information communication technology (ICT) from MS
Swaminathan Research Foundation and compare with reality at ground level.
3.3. Importance of the Study: M S Swaminathan established 12 Village Resource Centers and
67 Village Knowledge centre across the India. This research is aimed at finding out technology
and communication used in rural areas in partnership with stakeholders. Some VRC’S are
working for agriculture and allied activities in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and
Kerala. These VRC’S will act as a agriculture laboratories for design the solutions for problems
in agriculture due to climate change. This emphasize on effective usage of water, quality
fertilizers, pesticides for high productivity. it is because there are many farmers depend on the
rain water for their agriculture, and due to climate change rains are inadequate. This in turn
24

suffering the farmers and lagging them in to vulnerable conditions due to bad socioeconomic
conditions. This study emphasize on the role of VKC’S in serving the rural community in
improving the livelihood standards by giving advisories regarding agriculture and allied
activities.
3.4. Selection of the Field site:
MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) is established in 1988 as a not-for-profit trust.
It was. Envisioned and founded by Professor M. S. Swaminathan with proceeds from the First
World Food Prize that he received in 1987. This Foundation aims to accelerate use of modern
science for agricultural and rural development for development and dissemination of technology
to improve lives and livelihoods of tribal and rural communities. It follows a pro-poor, pro-women
and pro-nature approach and applies appropriate science and technology options to address practical
problems faced by rural populations in agriculture, food and nutrition.
The Village Knowledge centers (VKC) are established in the backward places like tribal areas,
hilly and remote areas. These areas are secluded in getting proper assistance in the field of
agriculture and allied activities and to increase the productivity of the crop by giving advisories.
The kavuru and kanapparru village of Guntur Dist. Located 60 KM from the district headquarters
and get fewer facilities of water and getting access to resources like pesticides, fertilizers is
difficult. Here people are facing many problems for getting higher productivity for agriculture
and allied activities. To reduce this problem MSSRF established VKC in these villages and
serving the people by giving advisories related to agriculture and allied activities
3.5. Scope of the study: The study was done in a considerably limited time of two months.
There is a very broad scope for further study in this area. Further study can be conducted by all
VKC’s in different districts and states of India. The study can be extended to a
longer period of time to deeply analyze the viability of VKCs in those areas.
Larger number of people can be included to conduct the questionnaire survey to
get more location specific as well as generalized results.
The study was conducted among the Farmers of Kavuru and Kanaparru (Guntur, Andhra
Pradesh) -Village knowledge centre (M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation). This also
includes farmers from neighboring Non-VKC villages to know the impact of existing VKC’s on
farmers.
3.6 Research Design: Research design is arrangement of methods in research process. It
includes the statistical tools used in the research. The questionnaire and check list has been
25

framed in order to know how rural community is understanding the technology and enhancing
knowledge i.e., livelihood advisories provided to them through various ICTs given by the Village
Knowledge Centre about agriculture? This also emphasize the role of different stake holders like
MSSRF, Gram Panchayat, Agriculture research institutes like LAMFARM Guntur, IWMI,
WALAMTARI in giving advisories about usage of fertilizers, pesticides, usage of water.
3.7 Sampling Design:
Sampling Frame: My sample size includes 70 farmers; this includes 25 farmers (out of 831
farmers) visiting Kavuru VKC and 25 farmers (out of 892 farmers) visiting Kanaparru VKC.
This sample reflected my questionnaire by knowing the technological developments done by the
MSSRF in changing the livelihood patterns in agriculture and allied activities. The remaining 20
farmers from neighboring villages (Non VKC villages like satuluru, Endugum palem, Ganganna
palem and few non VKC farmers from same villages of VKC) will reflected my research work
for doing comparative study between villages having VKC and non VKC villages. This
comparative study helps us to know the changes brought by the VKC in respective village in
comparison with non-VKC villages.
Profile of respondents:
Farmers
My research work is find technology communication at ground level through different
agencies/stake holders. Farmers are the receivers of this technological intervention for various
solutions for agriculture and allied activities. These farmers include Kavuru and Kanaparru
VKC and few farmers from neighboring non VKC village. This will reflect my research
question which try to understand the role of VKC in transforming the livelihood of people
through Information Communication and Technology tools like Audio & Video conference,
Phone in program, Audio advisories, webinars etc.,
Tools and Techniques of Data Collection:
Daily visited the VKC and field sites with project associate for interviewing the farmers. I
became part of workshops, awareness programs about technological interventions in agriculture
and allied activities. For this dissertation, I took qualitative analysis to understand the farmer’s
perception in analyzing the functioning of VKC. My questionnaire will explore the ground
realities about advisories received by the farmers and their adoption on the ground. It also
reflects the role of different stake holders in disseminating the technology through Information
Communication and Technology (ICT) tools. The questionnaire is attached at the appendix.
26

Sampling method: I choose convenience sampling method, as finding farmers who are visiting
VKC regularly is difficult. I visited VKC (Kavuru and Kanaparru) regularly to have access to the
farmers visiting VKC for accessing the services’ also visited filed sites to find few more farmers.
My sample includes farmer from NON-VKC (farmers from villages not having VKC), for this I
visited the villages and found few farmers visiting VKC. I used thematic analysis (Finding codes,
themes) for understanding the farmer’s perception towards VKC and its advisories.
3.8 Limitations in data collections: My study is limited to farmers of the Kavuru and
Kanaparru village who are availing the services of VKC. It also includes Non-VKC farmers from
same and neighboring villages to know the impact of VKC on neighboring village farmers.
3.9 Rationality of the study:
Science development plays an important role in national and international development.
Investments in development of S&T lead to good economic growth and nation building. The
problems of the third world countries will be resolved with intervention of technological
development through science projects. . It demand the building the knowledge systems in the
developing countries. As as a response to this, MSSRF working towards the process of changing
the livelihood pattern by using Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools.
My interest lies in the initiative of Village -Knowledge Centre of MSSRF in Kavuru and
Kanaparru village. As this initiatives are done in the remote village which is deprived from all
the facilities available for agriculture and allied activities? My interest lied in knowing the role of
VKC in agriculture practices and the livelihood of farmers.
27

CHAPTER-IV
Agency, Technology and Policy:
Examining the Role of Village Knowledge Centre (VKC)
4.1.Demographic details
Average age of farmers participating in the agriculture and allied activities is lies between 35-45
(all farmers are above 25), 31.5% O.C, 22% BC’S, 30.3% SC, 7.7% ST and 8.2% Minorities,
their profession is mainly on agriculture and allied activities like animal husbandry and live stock
management. These farmers are associated with agriculture from decades. They cultivate majorly
paddy, cotton, chillies and apparalu; this depends on the availability of water and resources.
These are small farmer’s posses 4 to 5 acres of agriculture land, except 5 to 10 farmer’s poesses
average of 15 acres.
Sources of irrigation
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Rain water and nagarjuna Sagar right canal is the major source of irrigation for all farmers, apart
from that majority of the farmer’s tried to have bore wells, but due to less ground water level
most of the bores are not successful. In an average 20 successful bores were available for
irrigation. All farmers are responded that due to climate change and lack of efficient rain fall,
these bore wells are drying up and they may dry completely for next 2-3years. Recently, farmers
are trying to have deep wells as new source of irrigation. They responded that 60% (Majority) of
the village farmers cultivate paddy which requires more water and 40% of the farmers cultivate
cotton, chillies and cereal crops (aparalu).
Only 10% of the farmer’s posse’s agricultural technological equipments like tractors, cutting
machines, soil cultivators (Shanks) and mechanical plough. The remaining 90% farmers using
manual cow ploughs. These village posses only one field harvesting tractor and it cost 2000/- to
2500/- per hour of harvesting. Recently 30 farmer’s poessed 30 drip irrigation machinery in
Kavuru and Kanaparru village with subsidized prices of 80% from government.
4.2. MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) initiatives and role and function of
VKC:
As per the respondents, MSSRF is working hard in understanding the problems of farmers in
agriculture and allied activities. MSSRF understood that the problems in agriculture are due to
climate change and drastic changes in the practices adopted in modern day irrigation. MSSRF is
working for solving agricultural problems by considering major issues faced by of farmers in
the area such as water efficiency, seed (quality) selection, types of bio fertilizer usage, animal
husbandry, soil fertility and pest control. These solutions/advisories are injected into the farmers
through Village Knowledge centre (VKC).
This VKC is conducting awareness programs, workshops and giving advisories for agriculture
and allied activities as per the needs of farmers. VKC is serving the purpose and they appointed
knowledge workers and project associate in guiding farmers in agriculture and allied activities.
Many farmers had a feeling that VKC acting as a knowledge center (Rythu kendram) of the
village. It providing advisories using Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools like
audio & video conference, webinars. This VKC seeks help of scientists, experts of agriculture to
provide advisories regarding agriculture and allied activities.
Village Knowledge centers (VKC)
In Kavuru VKC 12.81% of village population (6491) and in Kanaparru VKC 21.78% of village
population (4098) is utilizing the services provided by the VKC. The female participation in
utilization of VKC is 31.54% from Kavuru and 30.49% in Kanaparru. These people visit VKC
on daily basis for different purposes like weather report, market information, queries regarding
agriculture activities and e-governance services. This VKC’s consist of 2 knowledge workers
and one project associate for Guntur.
29

KAVURU KANAPARRU
P% of Population participation 12.81% 21.78%
P% of Female participation 30.49% 31.54%
Table 2: representing population participation in VKC programs
98% of the farmers found satisfactory with advisories given by the VKC. The workshops about
nursery seed management, seed selection (in terms of quality and type of seed with respect to
soil fertility and availability of water) for cotton, chillies and paddy, pest control management at
different stages of paddy, soil fertility management (Soil testing i.e., checking the soil efficiency
for a crop with a detail report). Among these majority of the farmers showing high interest on BT
cotton and pest management for cotton crop. These workshops emphasize the gender
participation in agriculture and allied activities and précised solutions with respect to the farmers
of the farmers due to climate change.
Only 40% of the people found these advisories adoptable on the field and rest 60 % felt that
these solutions are costly though they consume less water. These solutions are as per the
climadapt project which may not suit in the soils of Guntur/AP. It is because the research of that
solution is done on some part of the Chennai VRC with their certain resources and soil fertility.
People responded that “to adopt these solutions we need continuous power and water on specific
time of requirement. Government is providing power on unusual time like 10pm in the night and
6am in the morning. This may not fulfill the requirement of the advisories given by the VKC1
”.
4.3. Village Management Committee (VMC)
This village management committee is acting as a medium to reach the services of VKC to the
farmers. This includes 12 members’ farmers from diversified socio economic groups. This
committee is part of designing the programs, along with project associate to reach more people
of the village. Village Management committee gives important to organize the gender meeting
to empower the women with requisite skills for livelihood pattern.
Farmers are satisfied with the nature of VMC and its duties and also its contribution for
expanding services of VKC to the local level farmers. Kanaparru VKC’s Village Management
committee is working efficiently for the services of the farmers. This reflects the role of VMC in
expanding awareness program like agriculture advisories, gender issues, e-governance services
etc. Kavuru VKC is running on the same principles but political intervention in the VMC
reduced its work half for past 6 months. In this context farmers are very dissatisfied with VMC’s
fractioning people reflecting that VKC is a knowledge centre, political intervention should be
supportive in nature rather than destructive. They reflected that, this VMC should be part of
human knowledge building for collective development rather than personal interests.
4.4. Difficulties facing by the farmers in agriculture
1
Farmer from Kanaparru village (VKC), He is active in making his own organic fertilizers using cow dung, urine etc.
30

Farmers facing problems with water resources for agriculture like depletion of ground water
level, which results in failure of bore wells. These bore wells are costing 1 lack per attempt,
which going in vain. As majority of them are marginal farmers their socio economic conditions
are affecting their financial conditions (as they bring money from banks or money lenders). The
other side of problems is accessibility of good quality of seeds, suiting to their requirement like
sol fertility, water, Pesticides, fertilizers, nursery management, and water usage becoming big
problems to the farmers for different crops like paddy, chillies and cotton.
Major problems
Selection of cotton seed from different varieties
Nursery management in paddy
Usage of Bio fertilizers in agriculture
seed selection in cotton
climate change and water usage
seed treatment in paddy
pest occurrence at initial stages of paddy
Awareness on soil fertility management & Carbon sequestration
Bt cotton and pest management in cotton
Subabul cultivation
selection of paddy seed varieties
fertilizer recommendations for crops
harvesting technologies in cotton
control of diseases in cotton
pests occurrence in chilli and its control
debt relief
harvesting techniques in Chillies
pest & disease management of paddy
selection of suitable seeds and crop for season
chilli harvesting and drying
P in P on pest management in chilli
Awareness meeting on seed storage
Soil fertility
Table 1: Representing major problems of farmers in the field of agriculture
From this table we can reflect that, majority of the problems is resides with the seed selection
(Quality and type of seed) and soil fertility. Farmers also facing some problems in the harvesting
process and usage of fertilizers, pesticides usage based on the disease of the plant. Here
harvesting techniques of paddy, chilies and pest management of cotton is high.
31

4.5. Farmers perception and their suggestion for VKC
Farmers felt that VKC is playing an active role in changing the livelihood pattern of people.
They started dissemination of the knowledge through advisories on various problems of
agriculture and allied activities and empowering the people through different modes of
Information communication and technology (ICT) tools.
Farmers are expecting more audio advisories on different topics like market information, daily
weather forecast. The timings of the meetings and workshops should be convenient to the farmer
rather than scientist.
The non VKC village people reflect that, they have many problems in agriculture in specific with
seed selection and agriculture practices for different crops like cotton, paddy and chillies. They
need to develop water efficient agricultural practice to sustain and requesting VKC to be
established on their village. More awareness should be created to inject every corner of the
village. It is done conducting ICT programs, workshops regularly with experts from
LAMFARM, MSSRF. VMC should work effectively to spread information to every corner of
the village. The knowledge workers and project associate should be active in associating with the
farmers and making them aware about the benefits of the VKC.
Sustainability of the VKC (problem in maintaining the system VKC?)
Here sustainability refers to maintaining of the VKC with their own revenue generation like
collecting money by conducting computer classes to students and charging minimal amount to
internet and computer services. This sustainability is important because, after one year MSSRF
will leave this village by giving all this equipment to gram panchayat, then VMC should make
measures to raise funds to maintain VKC as their own. Sustainability lies in bringing not only
financial but also other resources. Already the community is providing space and electricity bills
for the operation of VKC in different areas. The role of VKC MC is to decide types of programs
on various topics related to agriculture and allied activities appropriate to their village to bring
sustainability of the VKCs. The VKC contract with MSSRF is going to end in Guntur. Most of
the villagers and VMC are interested to run the VKC after the contract. Guntur VKC is getting
more sustainability fund than other VKC in the form of Internet, Application for government
schemes, Printing, results etc,. This shows the interest of the villagers for their interest towards
VKC and their programs.
4.6. Technology mediated communication by people participation for VKC services:
Farmers are showing different interest for different services of VKC through ICT tools, they are:
32

Farmers are very active in attending the programs through ICT and NON-ICT, which creating
positive impact in the village. They are feeling it as a “rythu kendram” for advisories for
agriculture and allied activities. People participation on Information Communication and
Technology (ICT) tools like audio &video conference, phone in program, webinar, audio
advisories is less i.e., 46% compared to Non-ICT programs like general awareness programs and
workshops i.e., 54%. The awareness of the people in taking part of this VKC is program and
using ICT tools is less as it needed more awareness among the farmers.
At one side majority of them are small and marginal farmers, they are unable to employ workers
in their field and they should attend regularly. The other side the matter of reliability and
confidentiality of the advisories given by the VKC is triggering on the farmers. It is because the
confidentiality built by the VKC in adopting the advisories on the field is less, as majority of
them depend on the results of the prototype so, majority of the farmers don’t want to put stake of
their time in attending the VKC programs through ICT tools. But, this reflects positively when
there is direct meeting or workshop through resource person, scientist from MSSRF and
LAMFARM Guntur. It is because, they are confident in getting information through direct
source from person as they can ask their queries directly with sample of diseased products like
plants which infected from insects on the agriculture field.
S.No Topics Villages Total
Queries
answered
1 Awareness meeting on voice blasting Kavuru 40 12
2 Awareness meeting on voice blasting Kanaparru 38 10
3 AM on vkc for self help groups Kanaparru 25 11
4 AM on vkc for self help groups Kavuru 53 9
5 AM on vkc activities Kanaparru 30 8
6 AM on vkc activities Kavuru 37 12
7 AM on vkc activities Govindapuram 40 15
8 AM on vkc activities Kavuru 32 10
33

9 AM on vkc activities Chagantivaripalem 46 11
10 AM on vkc activities Kanaparru 40 9
11 Awareness meeting on bio-fertilizers and its uses Kanaparru 34 12
12 AM on soil fertility and its management & Audio
advisories
Chagantivaripalem 45 10
advisories
Timmapuram 42 12
advisories
Kanparru 38 11
15 AM on Bt cotton and pest management in cotton Kavuru 30 8
16 AM on audio advisories and its format filling Endugumpalem 42 10
17 AM on sensors and its uses in agriculture Kavuru 46 12
18 Harvesting techniques in cotton Kavuru 24 8
19 Control of diseases in cotton Kanaparu 30 5
20 Awareness meeting on Debt relief Kavuru 40 12
21 AM on harvesting techniques in chilli Ganganapalem 32 7
22 AM on seed storage Kavuru 17 8
23 AM on vkc to MRO & to higher officials Kanaparu 19 5
Total 820 227
Table: Representing training program conducted for capacity building, VKC awareness and
agriculture and allied activities
4.7. ICT TOOLS Used BY FARMERS:
Audio and Video conference:
Among this ICT tools people showing high interest on audio conference on various topics like
soil fertility, BT cotton and pest control on cotton, seed treatment and pest control on paddy etc.
This program has huge response as scientist from research institutes speak about particular
disease, fertilizers, and pesticides on different crops like cotton, paddy, chillies etc. This topic is
decided by the VKC, VMC and MSSRF on needy basis, by making proper study about the
problems of the farmers of the region. Here the coordination between VKC and VMC in creating
the awareness is less in Kavuru village. This is due to the problems in the VMC and VKC it is
due to members of the VMC belongs to both YSRCP and TDP party and conflicts arise during
appointment of Kavuru VKC knowledge worker. This arise the disturbance in regular VMC
meetings and halted the services of VKC for past 6 months. This halting of services effected
farmers of kavuru village in knowing the latest updates regarding agriculture and allied activities
and solutions for their problems in agriculture.
34

S.No Topics Village Name Total
Participants
Queries asked
1 Seed varieties of rice Kanaparru 30 7
2 Soil testing and soil
fertility management
Kavuru 37 9
3 Rice cultivation
practices
Kanaparru 32 8
4 Seed selection and
different varieties of
rice
Kavuru 36 7
5 Cotton seed
selection and
different varieties
Kanaparru 26 10
6 Nursery preparation
in rice
Kavuru 27 6
7 Seed treatment in
paddy
Kanaparru 25 8
8 Subabul cultivation Endugumpalem 24 12
9 Pest control in paddy Kanaparru 42 10
10 Selection of paddy
seed varieties
Kanaparru 42 10
11 Package of practices
of paddy
Endugumpalem 29 5
12 Harvesting
techniques in cotton
Kanaparru 22 12
13 Harvesting
techniques in chilli
Kavuru 29 9
14 Selection of suitable
seeds for next season
Kavuru 19 5
15 Chilli harvesting and
drying
Kanaparru 18 6
of sesamum
Kavuru 15 8
of sesamum
Kanaparru 20 7
Total 455 139
Table: Representing the no. Of audio conferences in both villages and farmers participation
.
Table: Representing no. Of Audio conferences conducted and farmers participation
Sl.no Topics Villages
Total
Participants
Queries
1 On health realted aspects Kavuru 28 5
2 On health realted aspects Kanaparru 25 7
3 Soil testing and soil fertility
management
Kavuru 23 10
4 Rice cultivation practices Kanaparru 23 7
5 Chilli crop - Package of
practices
Kavuru 25 8
6 Water use efficiency Kanaparru 30 8
7 Climate change and WUE Kanaparru 25 10
Total 179 55
35

Till now 17 audio and 7 video conferences were done and details are above tables. These
conferences focused on sol fertility, water usage and cultivation practices of chilies, paddy and
cotton. Majority of the farmers showing interest to know the information regarding soil fertility
and its usage with water. This program acting as a platform for clarifying queries regarding pest
control of paddy and harvesting techniques of cotton.
Phone In program and other programs:
Audio and Video conferences aims at major problems of the farmers and address farmers queries
on the particular topics. This will make farmers/people to restrict queries to particular topic and
some feel un satisfied. To solve this problem MSSRF initiated Phone in program where farmers
ask a particular query as a individual for project associate, where he connect link between expert
and farmers and resolves his queries. People are using this service quite low compared to others
i.e. 22% of the people using this service. The below table shows the queries and participants of
this program
Sl.no Topics Villages Total Queries
1 Azolla and its importance in Agriculture Kavuru 15 20
2 Azolla and its importance in Agriculture Kanaparru 14 18
3 Fertlizer management in rice Kanaparru 16 12
4 Fertlizer management in rice Kavuru 15 12
5 Seed selection, Nursery mamagement in
Paddy
Kavuru
18
13
6 Seed selection in cotton Kanaparru 15 9
7 Pest control in early stages of paddy Kanaparru 19 12
8 Pest control in early stages of paddy Endugumpalem 14 12
9 Chilli pests and its control measures Kavuru 13 8
10 Disease and pest control in paddy Kanaparru 14 6
11 Pest control in chilli crop Kanaparru 16 6
12 Pest and disease management in paddy Chagantivaripalem 12 8
13 Pest management in chilli crop Kanaparru 13 7
Total 194 143
Table: Represents farmer’s utilization of phone in program and their queries.
Farmers are happy to have this service to solve their issues regarding agriculture. They felt that,
this service is flexible in nature to clarify their queries regardless of the time, location etc., this
program is benefitting small and marginal farmers who are attending less programs of video and
audio conference as they are engaged with their field.
Webinars: it is the latest ICT tool introduced by the MSSRF in Guntur VKC which has less
response as no of sessions were less i.e. 3 sessions with 2% people interest. The main aim of this
program main is to make people aware with latest innovations happening around the country.
Here they reflect on the case studies from the field of agriculture and allied activities. Attended
36

farmers are happy in knowing the various technological practices happening around the world.
This emphasized on the climate change in the context of crop and alternative practices.
Chart 3: distribution among different ICT tools.
Audio advisories:
These are the audio messages sent to registered farmers in the VKC. This is based on the theme
on agriculture practices, this advisories is usually sent by the project associate based on the
problems of the farmers. it benefit farmers, as they receive audio messages on the regional
language. The farmers are getting regular updates irrespective of the time and location. Some
farmers said that audio advisories are stored in our mobile and he/she can listen whenever he/she
is free, as this frequency is high for getting these messages i in both VKC The satisfaction of this
service is very high in both VKC and they are expecting more advisories on market prices.
The content of the audio advisories disseminated- 193
 Agriculture - 124
 Irrigation - 16
 Animal Husbandry - 16
 Government schemes - 4
 Civic services - 19
 Weather – 18
37

Knowledge management system (KMS): This is another innovation of the MSSRF, to update
knowledge base of all the VRC’s and VKC’s across the country. The main aim is to share
knowledge of particular innovation across regions. This digital platform is accessible to all VKC-
VRC’s to conduct programs and training for farmers based on the updates. This contributes for
creating indigenous technologies and makes people aware about the use of it in the local
situation. Project associate in both VKC’s updating KMS system (as of now Kavuru and
Kanaparru VKC is updated 148 knowledge base)
Public address system: This acting as a voice of VKC in sending audio messages from MSSRF
to farmers. Every day they are sending alerts regarding weather condition, important information
regarding MSSRF, information regarding programs and workshops conducting by the VKC. It
spread across the villages in kanaparru and kavuru.
4.9. Gap between scientific agency and policy in communicating and transferring
knowledge to public: Reasons for not attending VKC program from the view of point of
Farmers
The Village knowledge centre (VKC) is striving hard to change the livelihood practices more
productivity in terms of agriculture and allied activities. On the ground level the dissemination of
this information is not done properly as it involves different stake holders in this process and
created some gaps.
Participation: Majority of the farmers is small farmers and socio economic conditions are in bad
condition due to less productivity of the crop and less market prices of their product. They are
unable to employ workers in their agriculture land and in return they do work in their field from
morning. This made them to participate less in VKC ICT and NON-ICT programs i.e., only 12%
from kavuru and 21.7% from kanaparru VKC are participating. They are feeling that that timing
of the VKC programs is not matching with their work schedule (as they move to their field
regularly and early in the morning and return in the evening). They also don’t want to put stake
of their time for attending the programs, as rate of adopting that advisories on the ground is less
based on economic and risk factors like advisories are costly in terms of seeds, Fertilizers,
pesticides accessibility of suggested by the VKC. They also risky in terms of availability of
water resources. They all reflect that, we don’t need advisories and give us access to resources in
terms of quality of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides advised by the VKC.
There are some elite farmers who are actively participating in the VKC programs, as they
employ workers in their agriculture land. This made them to have time to do these activities.
Some elite farmers are interested to use the information of VKC and establish their own seeds
shops in the village to make benefit out this. VKC and its services are not spread in every corner
of the village. Only farmers who are actively associated with the agriculture are known the
services provided by the VKC.
38

Some farmers told that they don’t want to put use this services with the stake of their time in
VKC. It is because they are busy and their agriculture innovations like making fertilizers, seeds
are wiser than VKC advisories. Farmers started creating their own bio fertilizers (with cow dung,
urine and milk). Few farmers (say 5) have more trust on this than the advisories given by VKC.
This reflects farmer’s interest in bio natural products, which are harmless and low side effects.
The reliability of the advisories is less in terms of weather condition, water usage as it involves
coordination with other research institutions like IWMI, WALAMTARI for ground level
activities in terms of effective usage of water for more irrigation.
Village Management Committee (VMC):
The role of VMC in spreading the information is questionable for some farmers. The
membership of the VMC is felt like prestige issue (treating it as an elite position). Here ethical
concerns like spreading information, creating awareness about VKC and its activities is lobbied
by the political parties and elite farmers of the village. Because of this political intervention in
VMC formation of Kavuru Village VKC stopped VMC functioning from past 6 months. This
affected the activities of the VKC drastically, though it running with minimum awareness. These
concerns were raised by the farmers to MSSRF scientist but. On the other hand it projected as a
successful VKC in official records of MSSRF.
Framers view:
In one side farmers are showing more interest for getting incentives like TA, food etc for
attending the workshops, training programs and other VKC programs. Here it shows the
credibility of the VKC in disseminating the information to farmers, though it cost high. Here role
of VKC in getting farmers to attend program is decreasing as it involve Project associate,
knowledge workers, and VMC interests in giving the information regarding programs. In other
side farmers are happy at the end of the program by receiving the information regarding
agriculture and allied activities. Farmers trust the advisories, but they need accessibility to
suggested seeds, fertilizers and pesticides.
Knowledge workers: These workers are the key people of the VKC as they maintain and act as
the voice of VKC. These workers are felt as obstacle for smooth functioning of VKC as they are
not equipped with educational qualification and good computer skills. As VKC is digitally
connected, the workers are not up to date and failed to give proper information to farmers. As per
MSSRF norms knowledge workers should be able to update KMS and send audio advisories but
it is not happening in these VKC’s. The appointment of these workers is done politically,
irrespective of their skills.
4.10. Scientist perspectives:
VKC playing an active role in disseminating the information to all sections of the rural
community. It enhancing the livelihood by giving advisories to agriculture and allied activities as
39

per the climate change problems. The thought changing process among the farmers is started in
accessing the services of VKC. The coordination between Knowledge workers, project associate
and VMC is less and a key area to focus for development of VKC.
Village Panchayat: Its role is providing the support to both the Village VKC’s is appreciated, as
both the village sarpanch is the member of Village Management committee and taking active
part in disseminating the information in every corner of the village. It is supporting by providing
connecting the VKC to agriculture extension worker, agriculture officers from Government
department.
Three levels of Knowledge dissemination:
Early adopters: These people are elite in terms of land owning (Owns 5 to 8 acres), resources
like capital, accessibility to resources through their social network and able to employ laborers
for their agriculture and allied activities. These farmers are less in numbers i.e. 10% of the
farmers visiting VKC. This reflects that these farmers have extensive knowledge about
agriculture and strengthening their agriculture and allied activities with the help of advisories
from VKC. Some of this farmers are members of the VMC working on the both directions i.e.,
for their own development as a major part and for well being of other farmers is minor part. We
can see this in both Kavuru and Kanaparru VKC. These farmers also posses latest equipment in
the field of agriculture like drip irrigation machineries and censors.
Followers: These are small farmers owning land between 2 to 4 acres of land. These farmers
need prototype based advisories i.e, they believe the advisories when they are proved practically
on the field and at the same time these farmers follows some practices adopted by their fellow
farmers. This reflects the importance of dissemination of any technological intervention in to the
People/farmers. 60% of the people are in this category from both the VKC. This also involves
the role of different stake holders like WALAMTARI, IWMI in their field activities. Here
reflects the question of confidentiality built by the VKC in attending the programs and makes
them to adopt on the field. From my studies this confidentiality is highly built by VKC in
kanaparru VKC and struggling hard in Kavuru VKC because of disturbances among the VMC.
Laggards: These farmers are irregularly attending the VKC programs and showing les interest
in listening to those advisories. It constitutes 40% of the farmers. These people are aware of
VKC and its programs but they don’t want to put their time as a stake for VKC programs. This
reflects they are small farmers and are unable to employ laborers for agriculture and allied
activities. And also the timings of the programs of the VKC are not suitable to the farmers. These
farmers need more motivation to attend the programs and use Information communication and
Technology tools for agriculture and to enhance the livelihood.
40

41

CHAPTER-V
SUGGESTIONS AND FUTURE SCOPE
SUGGESTIONS:
Political intervention in Village Management committee in dissemination of technology through
different stake holders should not extent beyond Kavuru village VKC. Instead it should be used
to develop the contacts with resource person and make farmers benefit from that. Public address
system should be spread across every corner of the village in both Kavuru and Kanaparru VKC.
Farmers are expecting more information like market prices of turmeric, cotton and chilies.
Role of project associate and knowledge workers should be service oriented rather than job
oriented in both VKC with special emphasize to Kavuru VKC. The knowledge workers who act
as the voice of VKC should be appointed with good technical skills. Assessment of VKC should
be done effectively on monthly basis by MSSRF, as this is lacking in both the VKC from past 6
months. This in turn reflect the scientists from MSSRF, GUNTUR LAMFARM visiting VKC
regularly for conducting workshops, training programs etc.
The role of gram panchayat is playing an active role in supporting the VKC and its activities.
This in turn should include VKC as one of the key function of the Gram panchayat as it helping
farmers in providing the advisories related agriculture and allied activities. Farmers should also
be active in participation in the VKC programs and using Information Communication and
Technology (ICT) tools. VKC should also provide some facilities to farmers from neighboring
villages while attending the programs, as this reflect the knowledge sharing process among the
farmers.
FURTHER SCOPE OF THE STUDY
M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation established 8 village resource centers in Tamilnadu and
4 village resource centers in Maharashtra and 2 in Kerala and each village resource centre
facilitating few Village Knowledge Centers (VKC). My research is in Guntur District, Andhra
Pradesh with agriculture and allied activities. But MSSRF other VRC working with fisheries, eco
technology, coastal reach systems, Bio diversity, Bio technology and food security in different
parts of the country. All these streams will strengthen the rural community in enhancing the
livelihood as part of Science and technology policy, 2003.
The study in these streams will reflect the importance of science and technology inventions in
easing the working nature people from different communities. Due to the global warming and
climate change is the big concern as it effecting different sections of the society with special
emphasize to agriculture and farmers, depending on those activities. The work of MSSRF with
technological interventions is needed more in most backward parts of the country. It is because
42

58.7% households of the rural community depend on the agriculture with monthly income of
6426 per household. This reflects the question of improving the livelihood of the rural farmers
with more productivity and new technological interventions.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana need one VRC and more VKC’s. As AP is called as rice bowl of
India and with good resources like soil fertility and water. This region needs more VKC to
establish to advice people on agriculture and allied activities. These region advisories with
special emphasize to efficient usage of water for more irrigation is more useful. This also creates
empowerment in the rural community to enhance their livelihood. The tribal regions in
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh needed more usage of VKC for using technology as a source of
enlightenment for those regions and envisage more scope on these regions. The aim of Science
and Technology policy, 2003 will be fulfilled by expanding the services of VRC and VKC
concept.
CHAPTER-VI
43

CONCLUSION
Science and Technology played an active role in enhancing the rural livelihood through
technological interventions like Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) tools. The
process of technological interventions has changed from laboratories to land. Here dissemination
of technological interventions through different stake holders is achieved through science and
technology policy, 2003. This is strengthen by making people part of science knowledge
development in India. As part of this, MSSRF is working hard in understanding the problems of
farmers in agriculture and allied activities. By engaging with the activities of farming
communities MSSRF understood that the problems in agriculture are due to climate change and
drastic changes in the practices adopted in modern day irrigation.
My study covered Kavuru and Kanaparru Village Knowledge Centre (VKC) and few
neighboring Village in Guntur Dist. Andhra Pradesh. It also includes VKC staff, project
associate and scientists from MSSRF, Guntur LAMFARM. This VKC playing an active role in
changing the thought process of farmers in getting advisories from Village Knowledge Centers
through Information Communication and Technology (ICT) tools. These advisories emphasized
on efficient solutions for agriculture and allied activities as part of Climadapt project.
The process of knowledge dissemination through different stake holders like boundary partner
like Gram sarpanch ( Panchyat) and Strategic partners like resource persons like Scientists from
LAMFARM Guntur, KVK, MSSRF, WALAMTARI, IWMI are enhancing the knowledge base
of rural community with special emphasize to farmers through advisories, workshops and
meetings. Farmers are active in receiving the advisories through Village Knowledge Centre
(VKC), though there are gaps in dissemination of knowledge through different stake holders.
The political intervention should be supportive in nature rather than destructive, it should create
links from resource persons through government agency for accessing the resources advised by
the VKC. The boundary and strategic partners are showing hand in hand support for welfare of
farmers and enhancing their livelihood process.
The role of Village Management committee is playing an active role in creating awareness
among farmers effectively in Kanaparru village and making farmers to be part of knowledge
dissemination process. This in turn made farmers to adopt advisories relating to fertilizers,
pesticides, seeds, water usage on the field. New plant clinic and modernized soil testing made
farmers more interested in technological intervention for agriculture. Farmers are started thought
changing process by utilizing Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) tools and
need more emphasize in future.
The word confidentiality among the farmers about advisories is needed more emphasize, as it
make them to contribute knowledge process. This should be done with practical exposure on the
field i.e. bring technological interventions and experiments from lab to land.
44

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