Title: VARIABILITY OF EXTENSION CONTACTS AND SOCIAL PARTICIPATION WITH CLIMATE RISK AMONG COASTAL DAIRY FARMERS

Authors: Anu, J., Garai, S. and Sidharth, S.

Publisher: The President, Society of Extension Education Gujarat

Keywords: climate change, information sources, social participation, social network analysis

Volume: 40

Issue: 2

Year: December 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56572/gjoee.2025.40.2.0009

Abstract: Dairy farming in coastal regions faces various challenges due to changing climate, which has to be addressed by ensuring frequent and regular climate and livestock management information. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), centralities of climate and livestock management information sources, and social participation networks among 120 high-climate risk and low-climate risk farmers from coastal low-lying regions of Kerala were analyzed. Low-risk farmers engaged extensively with extension contacts for information, while high-risk farmers exhibited relatively limited involvement confined to formal sources. Livestock Inspector and Veterinary Hospital showed a higher contact and closeness in the farmer network. Milk co-operative in Kerala, 'Milma' showed high engagement with both groups, whereas Panchayat, Credit Co-operative Society, and NGOs had relatively greater interaction with low-risk farmers. Education, land size and herd size were identified as significantly and positively influencing both extension contact and social participation. Thus, we can observe variations in utilization of extension contacts and social participation networks to address climate change, and to reduce these gaps, improving outreach strategies for different extension contacts and enhancing social participation among high-risk farmers should be emphasized in coastal dairy farming systems.