Loading...
Theses
Browse
Search Results
ThesisItem Open Access ASSESSMENT OF AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIALIZATION AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-01) VAISHALI THAKUR; Yasmin JanjhuaThe present study has been carried out on assessment of agricultural commercialization among smallholder farming households in Himachal Pradesh. The study employed a multi-stage random sampling technique to choose households for sampling in the study area. Primary data was collected from a sample of 388 farmers who were the primary decision-makers in their households. The data collection was done using a well-designed pre-tested schedule through a survey method. The necessary secondary data were gathered from a variety of publications and government departments. Statistical and econometric methods were employed to analyze the data. The level of commercialization was determined using the household commercialization index, the factors influencing the process of agricultural commercialization were identified using the double-hurdle model, the impact of commercialization on farmers' livelihoods was assessed using the livelihood assessment index, and the challenges faced by the chosen farmers during the commercialization process were identified using the Garrett ranking technique. Findings showed that the research area has a moderately high degree of commercialization (about 67.23%). Households in the districts of Kangra, Mandi, and Shimla sold, on average, 55.52%, 89.11%, and 53.30% of their entire agricultural production. Food grains were the most commercialised crop in the Kangra district, vegetable crops had the highest commercialization index in the Mandi district, and fruits had the highest level of commercialization in the Shimla district. This illustrates how agriculture has become more diversified as a result of the state's diverse agro-climatic conditions. The Probit model's findings showed that the intensity of agricultural commercialization was positively and significantly impacted by factors such as post-harvest storage facilities, farm size, farming experience, adoption of mixed farming, and access to credit. However, the degree of commercialization was negatively and significantly impacted by age, education, and the type of labour employed. According to the results of truncated regression, the degree of agricultural commercialization was positively and significantly impacted by gender, agriculture as the primary occupation, farm size, farming experience, adoption of mixed farming, kind of labour used, and animal ownership. The degree of agricultural commercialization of the commercialised farmers was, however, negatively and significantly impacted by factors such as age, household size, and distance from farm to market. The livelihood index results indicated that farmers' livelihood indices had increased after the commercialization process. The selected farmers' livelihood index was 0.27 prior to commercialization, and it increased to 0.59 after commercialization. The results indicate that the process of commercialization has a beneficial impact on the farmers' means of living According to the Garrett ranking results, the major resource-related challenges that smallholder farmers encountered were a lack of storage facilities, the size of their farms, and a labour shortage. The major input-output related issues that farmers encountered were price fluctuations, low output prices, and expensive improved seed. The major challenges that farmers in the research area encountered with regard to biophysical activities were unpredictable rainfall, crop pests and diseases, and limited access to irrigation. The study recommends the need for designing appropriate intervention mechanisms focusing on the abovementioned factors so as to improve the performance of agricultural commercialization. The results highlight the need to enhance smallholder market integration programmes and increase agricultural commercialization by encouraging the development of market information delivery platformsThesisItem Open Access AGRICULTURE OUTPUT MARKETING AND INPUT LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT OF FARMER PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS (FPOs) IN MADHYA PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-05) RICHA KHUSHWAHA; Piyush MehtaThe study was done to know the agri-output market operations and input logistics management of Farmer Producer Organizations in Madhya Pradesh. Multistage sampling has been used for the study. Primary data has been collected from 20 FPOs of Madhya Pradesh. In the first stage Madhya Pradesh has been selected for study purposively. At the second stage CBBOMBCFPCL has been selected purposively for the study. At the third stage of sampling 20 FPOs has been selected purposively for the study. In fourth stage of sampling 5 BoD & CEO and Farmer or shareholders from each FPO has been selected for the study making the total sample size of 300. Secondary data is collected from various government sources. For analyzing the data Frequency, percentages, mean, AHP, FPC effectiveness Index, PCA, Perception Index and Garett ranking has been used. The finding reports that there are more female directors and shareholders in newly formed FPOs. All the FPOs are found to be active meeting all the regulatory compliances given by government. Nascent FPOs are not performing capital intensive activities while growing and mature FPOs mostly performs all activities. The effectiveness index of all FPOs for output and input operations found to be highly effective which shows the positive outcome of FPOs. Farmers/shareholders perception towards FPOs found to be positive for both output and input operations among all categories of FPOs. Nascent FPOs has turnover of less than 20 lakhs while growing FPOs has turnover in between of 41-60 Lakhs and mature FPO has more than 60 lakhs of turnover. Local resource utilization and group fund were the main motivating factor for farmers/ shareholders to join FPO. Capital intensive activities were mostly performed by growing and mature FPOs. The effectiveness index was found to be 53.28per cent and 45.69 per cent for output market operations and input logistics activities respectively.ThesisItem Open Access A STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRONIC NATIONAL AGRICULTURE MARKET (E NAM) IN HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-01) REBECCA NELSON; Rashmi ChaudharyThe present study has been carried out on the thesis entitled “A study on the Performance of Electronic National Agriculture Market 0028E NAM) in Himachal Pradesh. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used for the selection of sampled respondents in the study area. The primary data was gathered via surveys from 363 participants and supplemented with secondary sources such as publications, government departments, and E NAM officials. Statistical and econometric methods were employed to analyse the data. The study examined E NAM existing status based on secondary data, the effect of prices received by farmers through the platform using simple growth Analysis and percentage change, stakeholders' perception using Relative Importance Index, Principal Component Analysis, Garrett Ranking, Ordered Probit Regression, and the challenges faced were identified using Kendall's W Concordance. Finding of the research revealed a positive influence on stakeholder registration in the E NAM, although engagement was low. In terms of prices, the result revealed that APMC and E NAM did not differ much in price due to which farmers still prefer traditional method of marketing. Further, principal component analysis an Garrett ranking method result found that financial facility were the major reason that influenced farmers and traders to sell their produced through E NAM platform whereas, infrastructural and institutional facilities act as an obstacles to use digital platform. The major constraints faced by the farmers were lack of awareness; technical illiteracy and improper dissemination of information etc. followed by the constraints faced by traders were farmer’s unwillingness towards selling of produce, asking immediate cash, price fluctuation etc. and the constraints faced by E NAM officials in an implementation of E NAM were inappropriate infrastructure and less number of staff which followed by unwillingness of famers which shows that farmers were not willing to sell their produce through digital platform, low funding from central government etc. The Probit model showed that remunerative pricing has a positive coefficient of 1.280214, indicating that a rise in this provision increases the chance of the outcome. Therefore, it is suggested that the efficacy and effectiveness of this initiative will be contingent upon producers' capacity to employ E NAM with more accuracy and efficacy. Hence, it is imperative to develop a systematic methodology for sensitization and synchronise training efforts to enhance understanding and awareness of the E NAM.ThesisItem Open Access AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF GREEN INVESTMENT PRACTICES ADOPTED BY SELECTED ENTERPRISES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-01) SWAPANDEEP KAUR; Rashmi ChaudharyThe present study was conducted to assess the green investment practices adopted by selected enterprises in Himachal Pradesh. A purposive sampling technique was used for the selection of enterprises in the study area. For the study primary data were collected from the sample of 365 respondents who were the general managers of the enterprises through a structured questionnaire and secondary data were collected from various publications and government department. The study revealed that awareness for various green investment practices diminishes when transitioning from large scale to small and microscale enterprises. Medium-scale enterprises were pioneers in green initiatives such as water conservation, waste management, and green energy whereas large-scale enterprises prioritize green infrastructure and CO2 reduction due to their substantial resources at their disposal. The findings of the study further revealed that a higher number of enterprises fell into the low adoption category, followed by high adopters and medium adopter of the green investment practices. Study also reported that customers demand for green performance and robust regulatory frameworks leads to adoption whereas high cost of technology and lack of resources demotivate enterprises to adopt waste management practices, in chorus with it foreign owned enterprises, membership of enterprises with external group and cooperation with stakeholder were some of the factors that impact the adoption of CO2 reduction technology. Furthermore, stakeholder and customer demand for green products, normative pressure regulatory association of industries and weak voluntary norms have significant impact on the investment decision for renewable energy and environment friendly input materials. Size of firm, unclear green policies, less familiarity with the green initiatives, lack of green technology adoption and long pay- back period were the major constraints that restricts the adoption of green investment practices. Majority of the enterprises showed least future willingness to do investment in fin-tech, use of natural ingredients, e- vehicle, wind and solar plants, green infrastructure and green energy due to their scale, low awareness for respective initiative and various key operations of the enterprises. Therefore, it is suggested that government should facilitate collaborations, between private and public sectors to leverage resources, expertise and funding for sustainable development initiatives.ThesisItem Open Access MANAGEMENT OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES BY FARMERS’ DURING MARKETING OF VEGETABLE CROPS IN THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-05) PRIYANKA SHARMA; Piyush MehtaThe present study focused on the management of post-harvest losses (PHL) by farmers during the marketing of vegetable crops in Himachal Pradesh, specifically targeting Tomato, Cabbage, and Green pea. Solan, Shimla, and Mandi emerged as key districts with significant vegetable concentrations, forming the primary basis for sample selection. Employing a multi-stage random sampling technique, data was collected from 360 farmers, with additional secondary data sourced from publications and government departments. The findings revealed varying trends in post-harvest losses across the selected crops and districts. While cabbage losses decreased, tomato losses increased significantly, and green pea losses exhibited fluctuations, with Shimla experiencing the highest losses. The ordered probit regression model identified factors influencing losses, including handling training, harvest time, distance to market, packaging, harvest method, storage facility, and market information access. Challenges in agricultural ecosystems, such as high-yielding seeds, lengthy marketing chains, high costs, lack of storage facilities, and insufficient post-harvest management knowledge, were highlighted using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. The relative importance index underscored farmers' strategies for reducing losses, emphasizing market insights and efficient packaging. In conclusion, the study recommended the formulation of a comprehensive policy strategy to address post-harvest losses. This strategy should encompass infrastructure development, improved market accessibility, adoption of modern technology, quality control measures, research initiatives, financial assistance, and collaboration with agricultural extension services. These interventions aim to enhance the resilience of farmers against PHL, ensuring sustainable agricultural practices and food security in the state.ThesisItem Open Access ROLE OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATIVES IN IMPROVING LIVELIHOODS OF MARGINAL AND SMALL FARMERS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-24) RACHNA; Rashmi ChaudharyThe present study aims to evaluate the role of agriculture cooperatives in improving the livelihoods of marginal and small farmers in Himachal Pradesh. The study employed multi-stage sampling technique to select 318 member respondents who were the decision-makers in agriculture cooperatives. The data collection was done using a well-designed pre-tested schedule through a survey method. The livelihood of the member respondents was determined using the livelihood assessment index, the role of cooperatives in improving the livelihood was determined by multiple linear regression and the factors influencing the performance of the agriculture cooperatives were identified using principal component analysis. The findings of the study revealed a moderate initial livelihood index of 0.30, which increased to 0.58 after cooperative engagement, with primary agricultural cooperatives showing the highest livelihood index (0.61), followed by marketing (0.54), milk (0.50), and weaver cooperatives (0.50). These findings underscore the positive influence of cooperative membership on livelihoods, highlighting the significance of cooperative involvement in bolstering livelihood outcomes. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed significant predictors influencing the dependent variable as education, income status, membership duration, cooperative savings, and various cooperative activities were positively associated. The overall model was highly significant (p < 0.001) with an R-squared of 62.2 per cent, indicating substantial explanatory power. The factor analysis results revealed that the performance of agricultural cooperative societies is significantly influenced by certain key factors especially; high levels of member engagement, transparency within the cooperative's operations, and the frequency of meetings held annually are strongly correlated with the primary which implies that these aspects play pivotal roles in determining the success of agricultural cooperatives. The study highlights the significance of voluntary participation and democratic decision-making in cooperatives, emphasizing inclusivity and member empowerment. However, it also stresses the necessity of enhancing education and training efforts to bridge knowledge gaps, thereby improving cooperative performance and ensuring the well-being of members and society at large. The findings of the study suggested that the importance of prioritizing social welfare programs, promoting community development projects, and strengthening regulatory frameworks are important for sustaining cooperatives' long-term success and active member engagement in policy development processes is crucial for ensuring viability and positive societal impact.ThesisItem Open Access STUDY ON WORKPLACE INCIVILITY AND ITS EFFECT ON PSYCHOLOGICAL AND WORK WITHDRAWAL OF EMPLOYEES IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-07-18) BANITA; Yasmin JanjhuaWorkplace incivility, defined as disrespectful and impolite behaviour in workplaces, has become a major issue in modern organisations. The purpose of this study is to examine workplace incivility (hostility, privacy invasion, abandonment, gossiping, unfriendly communication and inconsiderate behaviour), work withdrawal, and psychological withdrawal experienced by the employees in the institutions of higher education in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This study also investigated the effect of workplace incivility on work withdrawal and the psychological withdrawal of employees. Data has been gathered from the 458 respondents via in-person interviews conducted at the several government and private universities in Himachal Pradesh. For the purpose of this study, three strata of universities were considered: central universities, state government universities, and state private universities, as classified by University Grants Commission. Simple random sampling was used to select 30 per cent of universities from each stratum using random number generator method, viz. Central university of Himachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh University, CSKHP Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Sardar Patel University, Jaypee University of Information Technology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Chitkara University, Sri Sai University, APG University and IEC university. Findings of the study revealed that incivility is experienced by employees in the workplace to lesser extent and all the uncivil behaviours were experienced by employees occasionally and sometimes. However, among all the uncivil behaviours abandonment was most frequently experienced by the employees. Nonteaching employees experienced more of uncivil behaviour than teaching employees. Further it was found that employees of private universities experience more of the uncivil behaviours as compare to the government universities. Work withdrawal and psychological withdrawal are also shown by the employees in the workplace up to a lesser extent and such withdrawals are more shown by the teaching employees of both government and private universities. Workplace incivility has a significant positive impact on the work withdrawal and psychological withdrawal behaviours of employees. The more employees experience workplace incivility the more they perform withdrawal behaviours or vice versa. Furthermore, results revealed that there is no significant association in workplace incivility, work withdrawal and psychological withdrawal with demographic variables such as gender, age, education and work experience in the both teaching and non-teaching roles. It is further noted that uncivil behaviours are experienced by employees to lesser extent this shows that practices of the institutions do not encourage uncivil behaviours therefore, such work culture should be promoted.ThesisItem Open Access ADOPTION OF MARKET ORIENTED FARMING AMONG HIGH-DENSITY APPLE CULTIVATORS IN THE STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH(UHF Nauni, 2024-06-20) SHIVANI SINGH; Piyush MehtaThe present study entitled, “Adoption of Market Oriented Farming Among High-Density Apple Cultivators in the State of Himachal Pradesh” was conducted in Himachal Pradesh by selecting a sample size of 312 farmers from Kullu, Shimla Solan district of the state. A multi-stage purposive sampling technique was used for the sampled households in the study area. Primary data was collected through a well-designed pre-tested schedule by survey method. The secondary data was collected from various publications and government departments. The research explored the notion that high-density farmers prioritize marketing their produce over personal consumption, demonstrating a clear market orientation. Moreover, the research emphasizes the strategies adopted by these farmers to enhance their market orientation, taking into consideration socio-economic variables. The research also indicated that the level of farmers' awareness regarding government schemes, market services, and the sources from which they obtain planting materials influences their orientation towards the market. Moreover, with the help of empirical obtained through multinomial logit model analysis, the present research concluded that the type of household and how they produce things had different effects, but where farmers get their market information from was very important. Characteristics such as age, education, income, occupation, land size, and experience in high-density apple cultivation influenced the preferred selling channel among farmers. Additionally, the principal components analysis results showed that factors affecting farmers' adoption of market-oriented farming in high-density apple cultivation include retail price, shelf life, texture, appearance, consistent supply, and unique flavour of the fruit. Ultimately, market-oriented farming improves farmers' market access, both domestically and internationally, by enabling them to meet demanding quality standards and consumer preferences. Furthermore, the marketing constraints results were obtained through Kendall’s W. It has been found that major hindrances include high prices and insufficient availability of rootstock and skilled labor, as well as concerns regarding chemical fertilizers, plant protection chemicals, irrigation facilities, transportation, grading, and packing materials. Challenges related to the market include fluctuations in prices and inadequate storage facilities. Hence, it is recommended that these challenges receive urgent attention and prompt action from government authorities and relevant agencies. Neglecting them may complicate the adoption of market-oriented approaches in the studied area.ThesisItem Open Access ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC RECOMMENDED FARM TECHNOLOGIES BY FARMERS IN HARYANA(UHF Nauni, 2024-06-19) ARUN LATHER; Kapil KathuriaThe present study was conducted in Haryana to assess the adoption, factors affecting adoption and impact of selected farm technologies on farm output, with a focus on the top three scientific recommended farm technologies by agriculture officials of Haryana. A structured questionnaire based on diffusion of innovation theory and technology acceptance model was developed. Data was collected from 400 farmers. The findings revealed that the adoption of Direct Seeded Rice, Solar Water Pump technology was at low to moderate level, while Super seeder technology exhibited moderate to high adoption. Key factors influencing the adoption for Direct Seeded Rice were optimized crop Growth and efficiency, age, education, primary occupation, annual farm income, and total landholdings. For Solar Water Pump: Economic viability and reliability, total landholdings and annual farm income. For the Super seeder: Optimized wheat sowing and agronomic benefits, education level, primary occupation, landholdings and annual farm income. Notably, the adoption of Direct Seeded Rice technology was associated with a significant reduction in the cost of rice (paddy) cultivation, leading to increase in farm income. Adoption of Solar Water Pump technology contributed marginally to farm income. Adoption of Super seeder technology positively impacted wheat production, thereby enhancing overall farm income. On the other hand, gender, family size, family type, and farming experience were observed to lack statistically significant associations with the adoption of the selected farm technologies
