Stakeholders’ Information needs, Information Searching and Sharing Behaviour about Rice related Information through Rice Knowledge Management Portal

In this study an attempt was made to analyze the information need of various stakeholders and how Rice Knowledge Management Portal (RKMP) is capable enough in integrating with the information needs in purposively selected Nalgonda and West Godavari districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states respectively. In total, 80 farmers along with 30 scientists and 30 extension personnel were selected as respondents for assessing their information need on rice cultivation and it was measured with modified Standardized Information Need Index (SINI) using ex post facto research design. The study revealed that the information on disease management was perceived most important by majority of farmers (index value =83) followed by local market price and pest management. Similarly, scientists perceived information on disease management was most important need for them (index value =83.3) followed by pest management and weather information. In case of extension personnel, information on price and source of input (index value 86.7) perceived highest rank whereas information on disease management and local market price were second and third rank respectively. In the study it was found that plant protection information was searched most by farmers, scientists and extension personnel. Furthermore, it was found that majority of the farmers were sharing information when they meet informally and majority of scientists sharing information when they meet either officially and non-officially, majority of extension personnel shared information when meeting with farmers in their field. The study implied that RKMP played a significant role in meeting the information needs of various stakeholders by providing relevant and timely information on rice cultivation through its various domains. Hence, such knowledge management portals are need of the hour in bridging the information gap/digital divide which exists between lab and land.