Awareness, Knowledge and Adoption of Sugarcane Technologies Popularization through AICRP - A Case in the Theni District of Tamil Nadu, India

The study was conducted to know the knowledge and adoption level of demonstrated sugarcane technologies among the AICRP sugarcane farmers in Madurai, Sivagangai, and Theni districts of Tamil Nadu. The study was conducted in Sivagangai, Madurai, and Theni districts with 120 AICRP and 120 Non AICRP sugarcane farmers. Among the 120 AICRP sugarcane farmers, the knowledge level and adoption of demonstrated technologies were assessed. The study concluded that Cent per cent of AICRIP sugarcane farmers adopted the component of Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative namely transplanting young seedlings, maintaining the wider space and drip irrigation. None of the AICRIP sugarcane farmers adopted the pit method of sugarcane cultivation in the subsequent years after the demonstration conducted through AICRIP. Half of the AICRIP farmers increased the sugarcane area in the next year due to the additional yield from the demonstration of sugarcane technologies. An overall 56.66% of farmers expressed that the pit method of sugarcane cultivation technology is very difficult to understand and it leads to non-adoption of technology after the demonstration.