A Conceptual Study on Scope of Participatory Development Communication in Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in India

Abstract

Agriculture is one of the most important economic activities for any nation to have self-reliance and food security. Indian agriculture has unique challenges given its geographic, social and demographic variations and farming practices that tie deeply with local culture and rituals. Environmental sustainability is now a central discourse in all aspects of socio-economic development as we witness the growing adverse impact of climate. Governments and policymakers all across the world find it hard to accommodate the Millennium Sustainable Development Goals while trying to feed their growing population. A possible solution lies in large-scale adaptations of innovative farming practices that compromise neither on yield nor on the sustainability of the land. The challenge lies in trying to change traditional agricultural practices that have been used for thousands of years, which fall in the domain of behaviour change through development communication. This paper focuses on using the participatory form of development communication to help in establishing an ecosystem of integrated farming. Agricultural extension and its messaging need to be modified to imbibe the values of sustainable farming along with the dissemination of innovative technology and inputs for farming. The paper uses conceptual analysis from different sources of secondary literature to propose a set of key messages and themes around which extension workers can create a dialogue with farming stakeholders. Adapting these communication approaches may help in creating an essential connection between rural and urban aspects of Indian agriculture.