Effectiveness of extension strategies for changing awareness regarding health benefits of Jaggery consumption among farm families

AbstractJaggery, a natural sweetener derived from sugarcane juice, has numerous health benefits due its rich mineral and vitamin content. Despite its numerous benefits, jaggery consumption is limited in many parts of India, with many farmers and rural communities being unaware of its advantages over refined sugar. So, extension strategies can be an effective medium in promoting the awareness regarding various health benefits of jaggery consumption among rural communities. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of extension strategies in increasing awareness about the benefits of jaggery consumption among farm families. The study used an experimental research design, with twelve villages divided into two groups: control and experimental group. Fifteen farm families from each village were selected, comprising a sample of 180 farm families. The results showed that all extension strategies significantly increased awareness about the health benefits of jaggery consumption compared to the control group. The data highlighted significant improvement in mean awareness scores for all the health benefits of jaggery consumption, including increase in immunity, relief from cough and cold, increase hemoglobin level, good for lungs and cures in indigestion and bloating at one and five per cent significance level. The comparison of extension strategies revealed that Strategy IV (recorded video and booklet distribution) was found to be most effective in increasing the awareness regarding health benefits of jaggery. The finding of the study provides valuable insights into the most effective extension strategy for promoting awareness about the health benefits of jaggery consumption among rural families. The study suggested that extension strategies can play a crucial role in disseminating information about the health benefits of jaggery consumption, ultimately leading to increased adoption and utilization of this healthier alternative to refined sugar.