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Effect of social network on adoption of Mobile app was studied in Nashik and Sangli districts of Maharashtra, India by interviewing 800 grape growers during 2016-17. Individual characteristics like income, landholding, caste, area under grapes and number of smartphones were significant factors determining the adoption of mobile app. In social network factors, village adoption rate, membership, education, landholding and frequency of communication were significant determinants of adoption. Village adoption rate of the technology resembles network behavior. Therefore, both social network characteristics and social network behavior influences the adoption decision of farmers. It shows that adoption is not just mimicking by the farmers, but it is a social learning process. The results emanating from the study provide insights to extension agents to devise strategy for introduction of any technology/ICT in agriculture. The way out to implement the strategy is to use extension methods that focus on social learning like Farmers Field Schools; target the farmers having more education, landholdings and who frequently interact with the large number of farmers to facilitate and enhance the adoption of new technology/ICT.

Need of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) was felt to overcome the problems of unorganized small farmers who lack access to resources and services. FPOs emerged as an interface between small farmers and the external world by providing forward and backward linkages, giving them required voice, market access, bargaining power, economy of scale and better prices. Among different tangible and intangible benefits, marketing related benefits like access to different market channels, decrease in risk, decrease in transaction cost, economy of scale etc. were reported prominently by different studies. Some studies recommended formation of women FPO, as male dominance in mixed type of FPO reduces women’s chance of equal participation. Structure and organization of FPO vary from country to country depending upon the legal and policy framework of the country. Ability of FPO to create and maintain linkages outside is linked to success of the FPO in long run. Articulation of demand, service provision, capacity building and financing are the important Extension and Advisory functions performed by FPOs. Weakness related to organization and group dynamics featured prominently in many studies, which can be overcome by enabling policy, ethics, professionalism and linkages creation for success and sustenance of FPO.

This article assesses the economic benefits of mobile app that provides real time information as well as forecasting about weather, pest and diseases of the grape crop in Maharashtra, India. Results of Economic Surplus Method (SME) showed that over the period of 16 years (2007–2022), 20% adoption of mobile app would generate total surplus of ` 9140.85 million and Net Present worth of ` 9111.94 million. Internal Rate of Return (IRR) would be 316%, Mindicating higher economic return from the technology of mobile app. At 50% level of adoption, it would generate total surplus of ` 13271.42 million with IRR of 317 per cent. The size of these returns implies that mobile based app for the grapes has high potential of economic return; returns on investments in extension services are quite attractive and there is scope for increasing outreach of information to realize the potential of technology in agriculture sector.