Chickpea accounts for about 45% of total pulses produced in India, which is the major
chickpea producing country, contributing over 75% of world production. Andhra
Pradesh is the fifth largest state in chickpea cultivation. In Andhra Pradesh, Kurnool and
Prakasam districts were occupying the first and second positions in chickpea
production. Tropical Legumes-II (TL-II) project was supported by BMGF and has been
promoting chickpea improved cultivars in the state since 2007 improving farmer’s
livelihood by enhancing chickpea productivity. For this Farmer Participatory Varietal
Selection (FPVS) approach was followed. Further a strategic deepening and widening of
technology outreach to farmers across all categories was designed by involving farmers
in selection of varieties. This demonstrated the performance of improved cultivars over
the check cultivars in the two targeted districts. Based on farmers’ preference, cultivars
were identified, multiplied and distributed to them in small seed pockets. During the
first phase of the project (2007-08 to 2010-11), 476 seed pockets were distributed freely
in 119 villages of two districts. A real tracking survey was taken up to track these
farmers and understand their perceptions on TL-II cultivars. The main objective of the
present paper is to trace adoption of chickpea cultivars, drivers of diffusion and
innovations in spread of chickpea technology and examine the sustainability. In the realtime
survey 487 seed and non-seed beneficiary farmers was included using probability
proportionate sampling. TL-II cultivars (JG 11, KAK 2, Vihar, JAKI 9218) have
completely replaced the old cultivar (Annigeri). The Logit and Tobit estimation showed
that availability of household labour, access to formal seed sources, price information
and literacy increased adoption of improved cultivars. Subsidized seed hastened
diffusion process. Seed beneficiaries perceived 40-60% yield enhancement through
improved cultivars which led to a ‘Salient Chickpea Revolution’ in the stat
