International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Devika Vikram, Adithyan R and Smitha S

abstract
The dissemination of agricultural knowledge in India is constrained by the limited outreach of public extension systems, compelling farmers to rely on both institutional and informal contacts. This study employs Social Network Analysis (SNA) to map and compare the information flow structures among Kudumbashree Joint Liability Group (JLG) women farmers in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, Kerala. Primary data from 50 respondents were analysed using Gephi (v0.10.1) to assess network-level properties (density, size, ties, isolates) and node-level centrality measures (degree, closeness, betweenness). The analysis revealed distinct network architectures: the Thiruvananthapuram network was JLG-centric but reliant on a single informal broker, making it larger yet fragile. In contrast, the Kollam network was denser, more integrated, and featured multiple brokers from both institutional and informal sources. The findings indicate that while neighbours and local farmers are the most accessible information sources, institutional actors like Agricultural Officers and cooperatives provide critical structural stability and credibility. The study concludes that strengthening synergistic linkages between formal and informal actors is essential for creating more resilient, inclusive, and effective agricultural knowledge systems, and recommends targeted extension strategies to integrate peripheral actors.