Utilization of Phule Jal Mobile App Among the University and KVK Scientists of Maharashtra State

Abstract

The mobile phone has become most ubiquitous technological device in the human history. In India number of smart phone users has surpassed 204 million in recent past. Most popular mobile properties are accessed via mobile apps in present days. This study was conducted on Irrigation Mobile App developed by Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. The study was conducted during 2016-17 on Utilization of Irrigation Mobile Apps by University and KVK Scientists. The investigation was carried in 10 districts with variety of geographical characteristics of Maharashtra state having the jurisdiction of Mahatma Phule Agricultural University. From selected districts 12 KVKs, 4 RECs and 5 DECs were considered for this study. 70 trained University and KVK scientists were purposively selected as respondents for the present investigation. The findings of the investigation revealed that majority of (72.86%) of the university and KVK scientists belonged to medium utilization category, followed by low (14.29%) and high (12.85%) utilization categories, respectively. Evapotranspiration (ETr) calculation feature had “very frequently” used by the 24.28 per cent respondents when analysed feature wise extent of utilization of Phule Jal app “Frequently” used features of Phule Jal mobile app were Online mode (62.86%), less frequently used feature was “Offline mode” feature by 57.14% whereas 67.15% of the respondents were “Not at all” using the “Evapotranspiration calculation” feature.