Diffusion of agricultural technologies is though initiated by public extension services; it takes its own course once farmers realize the potential of technologies through local experimentation and adaptation. The informal and unstructured diffusion of proven agricultural technologies takes off and results in their spread to other farmers in the social interactions and networks. This informal dissemination method has been found vital in technology transfer among farmers, especially for seed varieties and improved livestock (Cromwell 1990). In the same line, Ndjeunga et al. (2000) and Hassan et al. (2008) also found farmer to farmer seed exchange as the effective means for diffusing new varieties to farmers especially among the small holders whom the formal seed systems were unable to cover. The informal seed diffusion can take place in terms of exchange or barter of seeds, gifts, payment of labour, sale as seed etc and in addition to making seeds 1 Senior Scientist (Agril. Extension) (e mail: write2umasah@gmail.com), Division of Social Sciences, 2 Head & Principal Scientist (Entomology), Division of Crop Protection (e mail: hem_saxena@yahoo.com); 3 Senior scientist (Agronomy) (e mail: naren1_agro@yahoo.co.in), Division of Crop Production; 4 Head & Pr. Scientist (Agril.Extension) (e mail: sushilsinghiipr@yahoo.co.in), Division of Social Sciences; 5 Scientist (Agril. Economics) (e mail: shripadsmail@gmail.com), Division of Social Sciences Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 84 (10): 1254–61, October 2014/Article Tobit analysis of farmer to farmer diffusion of improved pulse seeds in Bundelkhand region of India UMA SAH 1 , HEM SAXENA 2 , NARENDRA KUMAR 3 , S K SINGH 4 and SHRIPAD BHAT 5 Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 208 024 Received: 24 April 2014; Revised accepted: 18 July 2014 ABSTRACT The study was conducted during 2010-13 among randomly sampled 124 pulse farmers from Jalaun district of Bundelkhand region of India with the aim to analyze the effectiveness of farmer to farmer networks in dissemination of improved pulse seeds and to ascertain the attributes of farmers that determined for wider seed dissemination by them through informal networks. The selected lead farmers were provided seeds of improved pulse varieties and extent of dissemination of the introduced seeds was studied. Finding revealed that from 2038 kg of quality seeds that was provided to 124 key farmers, about 7486 kg of produce spread as seeds among 331 farmers that covered 300.9 acres of area through farmer to farmer networks. Thus farmer to farmer networks were found to cause 3.7, 4.4 and 2.7 times enhancement in quantity of seed diffused, the area covered under the introduced varieties and farmers reached. Variables like extent of information utilization, land under crop, perception towards improved pulse varieties, attitude towards improved technologies and yield advantage positively and significantly (P<0.01) influenced farmers’ decision; whereas operational land holding size and income from the crop were found to negatively and significantly influenced farmers’ decision on extent of seed diffusion. Key words: Bundelkhand region, Farmer to farmer networks, Pulse crops, Tobit analysis available to the farmers, it also provide them seeds at a relatively lesser cost (Hassan et al. 2008). In recent years, farmer to farmer transfer of agricultural technologies including improved seeds has been identified as an alternative approach for better access to extension services and technologies among the farming community. It is being considered as a more viable method of technology dissemination (Sinja et al. 2004). In Indian context, the approach may be more relevant in view of the existing wide extension staff–farmers’ ratio, i.e. 1:1500 (Agarwal 2011) as the agricultural extension system of the country continues to operate with about 0.1 million extension personnel against the required 1.3 to 1.5 million (Working group on Agricultural Extension 2007). The farmers’ reach to existing extension services in India has therefore become an issue of concern. The limitation of funds for operational cost, training and capacity development further limit the activities of extension staff (Sulaiman et al. 2005, Swanson 2006). On the other hand, the informal and interpersonal farmer to farmer technology diffusion is considered important as fellow farmers are preferred and trusted for their perception and information about the agricultural technology (NSSO 2005, Adhiguru, Birthal and Kumar 2009). Pulse crops in India form the primary source of low cost protein for the poor and the vegetarians who constitute majority of the population. Despite heavy dependence of the populace on pulses for meeting their nutritional demands, 98 https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v84i10.44210