ABOUT THE BOOK The book is specially designed for UG and PG students of Agriculture keeping in mind the need of extension at farm level. Contents covered in this Textbook intends to expose students to various agricultural and rural development programmes and also evolutionary aspects that extension took to stand as a discipline in the prevailing agricultural scenario. The scope of the book is divided into four major areas. The first area deals with basic concepts of extension and education, terminologies in extension, changing scenario of agricultural extension and future challenges for extension. The second area deals with first-line extension system, early extension efforts, community development programmes, agricultural development programmes, panchayat raj systems and social justice and poverty alleviation programme. The third area deals with gender analysis and issues, women in agriculture, women development programmes and Mahalir Thittam implemented in Tamil Nadu state of India. The fourth area deals with changing focus in agricultural extension, latest concepts and approaches in extension.

This study focus on the factors influencing adoption of Precision Farming technologies in Tomato cultivation aimed to reveal the characteristics of the Tomato growers under Precision Farming, to assess the knowledge and adoption level of Precision Farming technology in Tomato cultivation. It also intends to reflect the relationship between the characteristics of Precision farmers, to analyze the factors influencing adoption of Precision Farming technologies and to analyze the constraints experienced by them in adoption of Precision Farming technologies. High cost of water soluble fertilizer, high investment cost, clogging of emitters and poor qualities of drip material were the major constraints experienced by the respondents. Slight modification of recommended spacing in Tomato cultivation would give convenience in intercultural operations and also better yield. Training programme shall be organized for drip system service and maintenance to facilitate farmers themselves repair and maintain the drip systems. These were suggested by the majority of the respondents to enhance adoption of Precision Farming technologies in Tomato cultivation