Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations: A Case Study of Government Extension and University Outreach System in Draught Prone Region of Maharashtra

Introduction: Diffusion of innovation is an approach with influence from technology companies, government policy, global agenda and Mass media. However, this institution led outreach is also getting reshaped by the peer learning processes within communities seeking to subvert the expert knowledges for their own benefit. Increasingly communities are adopting innovative knowledge practices and scientifically tested techniques to address their local, contextual and nuanced challenges. Research Question: Diffusion of innovation and knowledge practices in agriculture are documented in the research as an outcome of homophilic communication processes. Historically inducement from outreach initiatives by governments and aggressive marketing approaches by corporates across the world have played major role in diffusion and lately media is contributing to this process. This research studied how institutional actors in the government and agriculture university system facilitate this process along with efforts to document the challenges of the diffusion of innovations in agriculture sector in semi-arid region of Maharashtra. Methods: This study used exploratory qualitative methodology with in-depth interviews as a major method with interpretative thematic analysis for the final results. Key findings: Respondents involved in this research identified various lacunae in government and systemic aspects of extension and outreach. This research came out with important insights about qualitative aspects of how different agricultural innovations spread with peers, both homophilic and heterophilic, are adopting the innovations. Experts from agricultural university and outreach department interpret and comment on the contemporary challenges of development sector at large and agriculture in particular. Relevance: Interdisciplinary research is important to understand how the systemic aspects of communication of innovation are significant for evolving a set of indicators and framework for broad aspects of development communication and adoption of those innovations for empowerment and economic growth of rural Maharashtra.