Diffusion of agricultural innovations in village India.

Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations in Village India is an analytic review and synthesis of the findings of over three hundred published studies on the diffusion and adoption of modern agricultural technology by Indian farmers. Al though it had a rather modest beg inning in the early 1960s, research on the diffusion of agricultural innvo vations in India grew rapidly in the 1970s. The findings of diffusion studies are expected to be of use to extension workers in rural areas in their endeavour to accelerate the rate of adoption of agricultural inno vations by farmers. These findings have also made important theoretical contributions to the understanding of the process of social and cultural change. Diffusion studies now con stitute an important part of the curricula for students in rural socio logy, agricultural extension, and

rural and community development. With the exception of a few review articles, there has been no major attempt in India to review and synthesize the findings of diffusion studies. The goal of this book is to fill that gap Complete with numer ous tables and diagrams, the find ings of diffusion studies conducted in India have been systematically classified, analyzed, and synthesized in this book. The book emphasizes the distinctive elements of the diffusion process of agricultural innovations in Village India. It also points out both the differences and similarities of the findings of Indian studies with those of other e countries, especially the United States. students and researchers will find Both this book useful as an inventory of findings of diffusion studies con ducted in India and as a guide to identify topics for further investiga tion. The book could also be used as a text for courses on rural social change, agricultural extension, and community development.