ABSTRACT
Punjab has followed the path of intensive agriculture, leading to the dominance of a rice and wheat monoculture along with very high use of inputs. It posed a serious threat to long-term sustainability of agriculture in the state. The present study identifies the levels of awareness and major challenges being faced by Punjab farmers in accessing scientific knowledge related to the production of major crops. It further explores their perceptions on the ill effects of intensive farming and threats of climate change. The results indicate that despite high awareness of the ill effects of intensive agriculture and their causes, they lack awareness of potential solutions for addressing these problems. The access to more scientific and recommended set of production practices of major crops is also low, which adversely affects the effectiveness of farm operations. The present study makes a strong case for innovations in agricultural extension, where ICT can play an important role. Various options of web portals, mobile applications and bulk messaging services need to be explored to enhance the effectiveness of the traditional approaches of extension education. Furthermore, the study highlights the set of information which can be routed more effectively through the innovative extension tools and can add value to the farmers’ decisions.
