Question

Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other one labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A) : Transfer of technology is important to fill the gap between technology generation and technology utilisation.
Reason (R) : Technology transfer is no longer so important as most farmers in developing countries are able to keep pace with changing technology.
In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

• A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
• B. Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A).
• C. (A) is true but (R) is false.
• D. (A) is false but (R) is true.

Hint:

Resource-poor farmers in developing countries rely heavily on government extension services to learn about and adopt new technologies, making technology transfer (ToT) as critical today as ever.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Agricultural development relies on three main components: technology generation (conducted at research stations and universities), technology transfer (managed by extension services), and technology utilization (carried out by farmers in their fields).
If scientific discoveries remain confined to laboratory walls, they have no societal value.
Therefore, a functional technology transfer mechanism is essential to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Assertion (A) is true:
The primary objective of agricultural extension is the Transfer of Technology (ToT).
There is often a significant gap between the advanced agricultural technologies generated at research institutions (such as high-yielding seeds, water-saving irrigation, or pest-resistant methods) and their actual adoption by farmers.
Technology transfer is critical to bridge this gap, translating complex scientific knowledge into practical, easy-to-adopt farm recommendations, thereby boosting food security and rural livelihoods.
Reason (R) is false:
The claim that technology transfer is no longer important is completely incorrect.
In developing countries, the vast majority of farmers are small, marginal, and resource-poor, with limited access to formal education, information, or financial resources.
These farmers cannot easily keep pace with rapidly changing modern technologies (such as digital farming, biotechnology, or precision agriculture) on their own.
Without active extension support, information gaps, economic divides, and crop failures can occur, making technology transfer highly critical in developing regions.
Therefore, Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Hence, the correct option is (C): (A) is true but (R) is false.