Frontline demonstration, Cumin, Profitability, Yield gap.

One of the essential seed spices, cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is mostly farmed in India's desert regions, particularly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. India is the biggest producer, importer, and user of cumin worldwide. Cumin drops, oil, oleoresin, powder, and drinks are all utilized for therapeutic purposes. Cumin, a member of the Apiaceae family, is one of the most important seed spices. It is also a lucrative cash crop that is primarily grown in the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Cumin, coriander, fennel, and fenugreek are among the more than 20 different seed spices that are produced. In 2022-2023, India would produce 11.26 MT of spices from an area of 4.31 Mha (DASD, 2024). Although seed spices account for 38.56 and 16.24 per cent of the country's total area (1.66 Mha) and production (1.83 MT), they only accounted for about 6 per cent of the country's production this year and were relatively low in productivity when compared to other horticultural crops and even the total number of spices. Thus, there is a need and opportunity to increase the productivity of seed spices using every technique available, primarily to close the current yield gap (Pagaria and Sharma 2019). However, because of the poor quality seed, careless fertilizer use, and inadequate plant protection measures, the crop's average productivity in this zone is extremely low. Due to the higher cost of cultivation, farmers are using chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides in huge quantities and without a recommendation for the cumin crop. They believe that this will enhance plant growth and production, but due to the higher cost of cultivation which will ultimately reduce their net profits. 

For the reasons listed above, farmers' fields were used for these demonstrations of adopting improved HYVs of cumin (GC-4) with improved PoP in order to increase cumin productivity. There is a big need of adoption of improved agricultural practices of cumin crop by the farmers so that production and income can be raised. FLDs were started in cumin to generate production data and feedback information to various development agencies, which are engaged in dissemination of technological advances through researchers to the farmers' fields. For achieving better yields, selection of proper genotypes, optimum plant population, and improved production technologies are also additive factors and FLDs is an best method of transferring the newly technologies to farmers Singh et al. (2012): Patil et al. (2019). Through this, farmers learn the latest technologies of oilseeds and pulses production under the real farming situation in their field. Further, these demonstrations are designed carefully where provisions are made for speedy dissemination of demonstrated technology among the farming community through the organization of other supportive extension activities, such as field days and farmers' conventions. The FLDs' main objective is to demonstrate the most recent crop production and protection technology, together with crop management techniques, on farmers' fields across a range of agroclimatic zones and farming scenarios. Scientists must research the elements that lead to increased crop production as well as field production limits in order to generate production factor and feedback information while demonstrating technology in farmers' fields. To further influence the shown technology on farmers and field-level extension workers with a comprehensive set of practices, FLD is carried out on a ten-hectare parcel of land. Keeping in mind the above factors the present demonstrations was conducted to analyze the crop performance and to promote the frontline demonstration on cumin crop which would ensure livelihood and socio- economic status of farming community at faster rate. 

The present study was conducted in the jurisdiction area of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Phalodi (Jodhpur-II) which falls in the Agro-climatic Zone Ia-Arid Western Plains Zone in the irrigated condition in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan state. The participatory rural appraisal was carried out in each village before the selection of villages and respondents. A total of 55 FLDs were conducted on randomly selected farmers' fields in four villages of viz., Sirmandi, Nosar, Sukhmandla and Bhande ki dhani of Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, during rabi season of 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 in irrigated condition. Each demonstration was conducted on an area of 0.5 ha, and adjacent to the demonstration plot was kept as farmers’ practices. 

The demonstrations used a package of practices of improved technologies such as line sowing, nutrient management, seed treatment, and the full package. The varieties of cumin GC-4, was demonstrated in FLDs. The comparison of the scientific cultivation and farmers’ practices are given in Table 1. In general, the soils in the demonstrated area were loamy fine to coarse, with medium to low fertility. Results concerning seed yield from FLDs plots and fields cultivated following local practices adopted by the farmers of the area were collected and evaluated. The potential yield was taken into consideration based on standard plant population and average yield per plant under a recommended package of practices as crop geometry. Different parameters as suggested by Yadav et al. (2004) was used for gap analysis, technology index, and calculating the economic parameters of cumin. 

Estimation of productivity and yield enhancements. The random plot cutting technique was used to gather information on yields and farming techniques from the participating farmers, and personal interactions were then made. The yield gain in FLDs over farmers' practices was computed using the analysis formula proposed by Choudhary (2009):

% yield increase over farmer’s practice = 

Estimation of gaps analysis & ICBR. The estimation of technology and extension gaps, technology index and other economic analysis was done this formula by Kadian et al. (1997); Samui et al (2000):

Extension gap = Average demonstration plot yield – Farmers’ average plot yield

Technology gap = Potential yield –Average demonstration plot yield

Technology index = Potential yield -–Average demonstration plot yield /Potential yield × 100

Additional cost (`) = Demonstration cost (`) – Farmers’ practices cost (`)

Effective gain = Additional returns (`)–Additional cost of cultivation (`)

Additional returns = Demonstrations returns (`)–Farmers’ practices returns (`)

B:C ratio =Gross output/total costs of cultivation

ICBR =Additional returns /Additional cost

Improved technology v/s farmer's practices: Before conducting of FLDs at the farmers’ field, the participatory rural appraisal was undertaken. Based on this, the gap between farmers' practices and improved technology of cumin cultivation in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan was worked out (Table 1). Among varying technology interventions, no gap was observed under the farming situation, whereas a full gap was observed under soil treatment, seed treatment and method of sowing. However, a partial gap was observed for the particulars viz., variety, seed rate, time of sowing, fertilizer, weed management and plant protection measures. The poor speed of extension equipment paired with unreachable public extension services or better technologies is blamed for these gaps in farmers' fields, particularly among smallholder farmers and other vulnerable populations (Das and Willey 1991; Badhala and Bareth 2013). 

Impact of FLDs on seed production: To indicated (Table 2) that average demonstration yield of 850 kg/ha was recorded in 2020-21, followed by 845 kg/ha in 2021-22, 740 kg/ha in 2019-20, and 670 kg/ha in 2018-19 which were found higher over local check/ FP 660, 640, 520 and 490 kg/ha, respectively. It is clearly shown that 42.30 percent yield increase over farmers’ practices during rabi season of 2019-20 followed by 36.73 percent in 2018-19, 32.03 percent in 2021-22, and 28.78 percent in 2020-21 due to the use of HYVs, better quality inputs and scientific backup by KVK specialists time to time. The level of yield is considerably low under local check /farmers’ practices due to poor adoption of improved practices depending upon the amount of risk involved in terms of cost, skill, and knowledge about the improved practices. These findings conform to the results of a study carried out by Balai et al. (2012) in rapeseed and mustard crops, Sharma and Choudhary (2014) in wheat FLDs.

Gap analysis: Technology gap: The findings of the FLDs (Table 3) observed that a technology gap of 650 to 830 kg/ha was found between improved technology and farmers’ practice and on an average basis the technology gap was 724 kg/ha during four years of demonstrations for cumin cultivation in Jodhpur district. Technology gap was maximum (830 kg/ha) with demonstrated variety GC-4 during 2018-19 and minimum with (650 kg/ha) during 2020-21. Similar findings were reported by Kumari et al. (2020).

Extension gap: The study of FLDs (Table 3) indicated that an extension gap ranging from 180 to 220 kg/ha was recorded between improved technology and farmers’ practices during demonstrations. The extension gap was highest (220 kg/ha) during 2019-20 and minimum with (180 kg/ha) during 2018-19. On an average basis, the extension gap was 199 kg/ha during demonstrations for cumin cultivation in the Jodhpur district. These finding was with the findings of Meena et al. (2021).

Technology index: The study of FLDs (Table 3) indicated that the technology index for all demonstrations in the study was in the feasibility of the employing improved technology in the farmer's field. The lower the value of the technology index more is the feasibility of the employing improved technology. Results on the technology index showed that it varies from 43.43 to 55.33 percent during four years of demonstrations and the highest technology index was 55.33 percent and the lowest 43.43 percent was recorded during the year 2018-19 and 2020-21, respectively.

Economics: Different variables like a seed, fertilizers, bio-fertilizers, and insecticides were includes as cash input for the demonstrations as well as farmers’ practices, and on average additional investment of ` 3120 per ha was observed under improved technology. The economics of improved technology as compared to farmers’ practices were evaluated depending upon the local market price of input and output for the demonstrations year. It was found that the gross cost under cultivation of cumin range from `33400 to `35990/ha with an average of `34708/ha under improved technologies. Whereas, the gross cost of cumin ranged from `30500 to `32730/ha with an average of `31588/ ha under farmers’ practices. Improved technology have also higher net returns ranged from `57810 to 147000/ha with an average of `84225/ha under improved technologies. Whereas, the net returns of cumin varied from `33370 to 106850/ha with an average of `56849/ha (Table 4) recorded under farmers’ practices. The average additional cost and net returns of `3120 and 27376/ha, respectively were recorded with the ICBR ratio of 8.77 (Fig. 1). On average, the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) under improved technologies and farmers’ practices were 3.40 and 2.80, respectively. Higher additional returns and effective gains recorded through FLDs may be attributed to improved technology, non-monetary factors, timely crop cultivation operations, and scientific monitoring. Hence, favorable benefit-cost ratio proved the economic viability of the technology interventions made under demonstrations and motivated the farmers on the utility of interventions. Similar findings with that reported of Lal et al. (2013); Singh et al. (2013). 

Fig. 1. ICBR of cumin demonstration in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

Table 1: Details of technology intervention and farmers’ practices under FLDs on cumin in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.

Table 2: Technical impact of cumin crop demonstrations during 2018-2019 to 2021-22.

Table 3: Yield gap analysis of cumin under FLDs and farmer's practice during investigation year.

Table 4: Economic analysis of FLDs on cumin.

Manmohan Puniya  and Desh Raj Choudhary (2024). Assessment of Yield Gaps and Economics through Frontline Demonstration on Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) Cultivation in Western Rajasthan. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 16(10): 135-139.