© Kamla-Raj 2012 J Hum Ecol, 38(1): 37-41 (2012) Impact of Frontline Demonstrations on Jute (Corchorus olitorius) Rajendra R. Chapke Agricultural Extension, Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF) Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India E-mail: chapkes@yahoo.com KEYWORDS Frontline Demonstration. Jute Cultivation. Farmers’ Behavior. Fibre Yield. Income Utilization Pattern. Technology Dissemination Pathways ABSTRACT In order to increase production and productivity of jute ( Corchorus olitorius) by adopting improved production technologies, several frontline demonstrations (FLDs) on jute with package technologies were conducted by Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF), Barrackpore during 1996 to 2005 in eight different villages of North 24-Parganas and Hooghly districts of West Bengal. A study on impact of the demonstrations on the farmers’ behaviour was conducted. Results of the study revealed that demonstrated technologies increased the fibre yield of jute by 4.45 q ha -1 over the farmer’s practice (25.10 q ha -1 ), the post-demonstration yield was 29.55 q ha -1 as the farmers adopted many components of the technology package that were used in demonstrations. Economic surplus from increased production of jute fibre by about 4.45 q ha -1 provided additional Rs. 5570 ha -1 to the farmers. The results further indicated that additional income that accrued due to increased harvest of jute by adopting improved practices was utilized by the farmers by increasing expenditure by about 50%, on food, health care of the family members, education of children, and purchase of farm implements or essential items and attending social and entertainment programmes. Impact of the demonstrated technologies to increase fibre yield of jute by contact farmers up to 3 q ha -1 in nearby villages within radius of three to seven km distance from the adopted villages was also found. A definite impact of the FLDs was thus observed. INTRODUCTION Jute (Corchorus olitorius) is an important fibre cash crop mainly cultivated by small and marginal farmers of West Bengal (W. B.). West Bengal is a major jute growing state in India con- tributing about 80 per cent national production of jute (Saha and Hazra 2008). About 60 per cent of the raw jute in the world is produced in India. Being biodegradable and non-polluting, jute fi- bre crop is environment friendly, suitable for pro- moting in the wake of global warming in our country. Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF), Barrackpore (W. B.) has been instrumental in improving the production and productivity of jute and allied fibres in India for more than fifty years. Demonstration is one of the most powerful extension tools in communication of new ideas, methods and techniques in agricultural devel- opment. It helps to convince the farmers faster than any other method through the process of observing, hearing, learning by doing and expe- riencing things (Pathak 1999). Several frontline demonstrations (FLDs) on jute with package technologies were conducted over years by CRIJAF in different locations of West Bengal. It was, therefore, felt essential to assess the im- pact of the demonstrations and accordingly this study was conducted. METHODOLOGY The study was conducted in eight villages adopted by CRIJAF where the FLDs on jute with package technologies were conducted on the farmers’ fields during 1996 to 2005. The demon- strations were conducted with five high yield- ing jute (Corchorus olitorius) varieties viz., JRO- 524, JRO-8432, JRO-66, JRO-128 and S-19. Since 2003, JRO-524E (rice necrosis mosaic virus in- oculated seeds of JRO-524) with recommenda- tion of N:20, P 2 O 5 :10, K 2 O:10 kg. ha -1 fertilizer dose and without use of plant protection chemi- cals was also introduced. Sowing was done in the month of April-May, while harvesting in the month of August. Fertilizer schedule was N:60, P 2 O 5 :30, K 2 O:30 kg ha -1 for all the varieties ex- cept for JRO-524E. Need-based plant protection chemicals were used to control the insect-pests. Farmers were changed within the same villages after certain intervals for conducting the dem- onstrations on their lands. One hundred twenty (120) beneficiary farmers, 15 from each village viz., Devok, Koirapur, Masunda, Iswarigacha, Address for correspondence: Directorate of Sorghum Research, Hyderabad 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India