Thumbnail Image

Theses

Browse

19954
Reset filters
Subject: Agricultural Extension × End date: 1995 × Start date: 1995 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluative perception of homestead farmers in relation to appropriateness of farming systema and cropping patterns
    (Department of Agricultural extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1995) Babu, M N; KAU; Bhaskaran, C
    The study was undertaken in 18 selected panchayats of central zone comprising of Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts, with a view to identify the farming systems and cropping patterns adopted in homesteads. The evaluative perception of the farmers in relation to the appropriateness of farming systems and cropping patterns adopted in homesteads, their level of knowledge on scientific practices and extent of adoption of scientific and indigenous practices were also studied. The sample consisted of 180 homestead farmers selected at random. Data were collected using a well-structured interview schedule developed for the purpose. Suitable statistical techniques were employed in the analysis of data. The study revealed that the homesteads of central zone were of unique nature in the sense that they comprised of a dwelling unit, with/without extended garden of wet land rice, monocrop rubber or additional crop land which acted as satellite units of the homestead. The major farming system identified was homesteads with crop components, livestock and extended garden, of which coconut based homesteads were predominant. In many of the homesteads, a multi- storied cropping pattern was in vogue whereas that of wet land was rice- rice- fallow. A good majority of the farmers were in the medium category with reference to their evaluative perception, level of knowledge and extent of adoption. Among the independent variables, extension participation, information sources used, economic motivation and annual income were found important in predicting the variations in evaluative perception. Education, extension participation, information sources used and value orientation were significantly correlated with level of knowledge. Education, farm size, extension participation, annual income and economic motivation were significantly correlated with extent of adoption. Evaluative perception of farmers was positively and significantly correlated with their level of knowledge and extent of adoption. Nearly half of the respondents were found adopting indigenous practices. Prohibitive cost of inputs was perceived as most important constraint followed by high labour cost. The study pointed out to the urgent need of effective measures to control the escalating rate of conversion of crop land to monocrop rubber and for purposes other than agriculture, and also the important role of these homesteads in conserving the agro- ecosystem and maintaining the environmental equilibrium. It also emphasized the need for an appropriate strategy for development of the homesteads, preferably on watershed area basis, by co-ordinating all the agencies directly or indirectly involved to ensure realistic, meaningful and sustainable agro-ecosystem management.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Taxonomical Analysis of Agricultural Modernity of Farmers
    (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1995) Sreevalsan J, Menon; KAU; Bhaskaran, S
    This study was undertaken based on the premise that any attempt to design a suitable extension strategy for modernizing agriculture requires a through understanding of the individual modernity of a farmer. The study area was the Perumbazhuthoor Panchayat and a sample of 120 farmers were randomy selected. The data were collected with the help of a pre-tested interview schedule and suitable statistical tests were applied. The main findings of the study were as follows: Among the four components viz., socio-psychological behaviour, adoption behaviour, communication behaviour and economic behaviour, adoption behaviour received maximum weight. Nine items (determinants) were selected out of 18 items proposed across the four components. The number of determinants were three under socio-psychological behaviour and two each under adoption, communication and economic behaviour. A composite agricultural modernity index was developed with the nine determinants viz., education, attitude towards scientific cultivation, knowledge, adoption of improved practices, innovativeness, information source utilisation, information dissemination behaviour, economic motivation and management orientation. Increase in the nine determinants viz., education, attitude towards scientific cultivation, knowledge, adoption of improved agricultural practices, innovativeness, information source utilization, information dissemination behaviour, economic motivation and management orientation enhanced CAMI. For every five unit increase in each of the determinants namely education, attitude towards scientific agriculture, knowledge, adoption of improved agricultural practices innovativeness, information source utilization, information dissemination behaviour, economic motivation and management orientation, there was one unit increase in CAMI. Nearly two third of the total respondents belonged to the medium modernity level. None of the categories of farmers came under very high modernity level. Two third of the farmers under Category I, II, III belonged to the medium modernity level, and nearly one fourth belonged to the high modernity level. None of the farmers under Category III came under the low modernity level. Almost half of the respondents had high levels of satisfaction and calculability but had low levels of social participation. Nearly two third of the farmers were less environmentally oriented and less fatalistic. Increase in the psychographics, viz., satisfaction, calculability, social participation and environmental orientation enhanced CAMI and a decrease in fatalism enhanced CAMI. For every three unit increase in satisfaction, there was two unit increase in CAMI ceterisparibus. For every one unit decrease in fatalism ceterisparibus, there would be one unit increase in CAMI. For every two units increase each in calculability and social participation ceterisparibus, there were three units increase and one unit increase in CAMI respectively. For every one unit increase in environmental orientation, there were two units increase in CAMI ceterisparibus. Increase in the factors viz., farm size, number of enterprises, credit behaviour, cosmopoliteness, training and risk orientation increased CAMI and a decrease in farming experience increased the CAMI. For every one unit increase each in cosmopoliteness, training and risk orientation there was one unit increase in CAMI ceterisparibus.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Resource use management among coconut growers of Kerala
    (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara., 1995) Haridasan, V; KAU; Joy Mathew
    The present study was conducted during 1992-’94 to assess the resource use management among coconut growers of Kerala. The data were collected with the help of a pretested structured interview schedule from randomly selected 225 respondents representing the three major geographical zones of Kerala viz., North, Central and South. The dependent variable resource use management was measured using an index developed for the purpose of the study under eight identified components namely, ‘land management’, ‘water management’, ‘management of manures’, fertilizer management’, ‘pesticide management’, ‘labour management’, ‘information management’ and ‘capital management’. The analysis revealed that all the components were positively and significantly related to resource use management. However, the maximum contribution to income was found to be from water management, fertilizer management and capital management. Analysis showed that nearly 70 per cent of the respondents were in the medium category of resource use management. Only 18.67 per cent recorded high efficiency in resource use management. Zone-wise analysis revealed that central zone farmers were more efficient in the management of water, manures, fertilizers and pesticides. In the case of land management and labour management south zone was found more efficient. While north zone showed better efficiency in information and capital management. Among the selected 15 independent variables farm size, achievement motivation, knowledge on scientific management and extension participation were found to contribute significantly to the variations in resource use management. The highest direct and indirect effect on resource use management was due to achievement motivation and economic motivation. The major constraints perceived by the farmers in resource use management were in the order of ‘high labour cost’, ‘scarcity of irrigation water’, ‘high cost of fertilizers’ and ‘poor returns from coconut cultivation due to low market price’.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Cause and effect analysis of in-migration of agricultural labourers
    (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1995) Bijimol Baby, K; KAU; Kishore Kumar, N
    The present study entitled as ''cause and effect analysis of in-migration of agricultural labourers'' was carried out with the following objectives. (1) To study the patterns of migration of agricultural labourers. (2) To study the factors responsible for migration ie., (a) The push factors responsible for migration, and (b) The pull factors responsible for migration (3) To study the socio-psychological effects due to migration (4) To study the profile characteristics of migrated agricultural labourers. The over-riding objective is to study the patterns of in-migration of agricultural labourers by assessing the factors responsible for migration and to study the socio-psychological effects due to the migration. The study was conducted in six randomly selected panchayats (Krishi Bhavan) of the Kaduthuruthy subdivision, Kottayam district. A sample of 120 in-migrated agricultural labourers ie 20 migrant labourers under each panchayat were selected through accidental sampling procedure, formed the respondents of the study. Personal inteerview was conducted with the help of well structured and pre-tested interview schedule to collect data from the migrated agricultural labourer respondents. The profile characteristics selected were analysed and studied. The patterns of migration, factors responsible for migration and consequences of migration were also studied in detail. The results obtained by employing suitable statistical techniques were as follows. The study revealed that majority of the migrated agricultural labourers were found to have medium level of job experience, medium socio-economic status, medium level of indebtedness, medium knowledge about scientific agricultural practices, medium level knowledge about the development programmes of agricultural labourers, and medium level of innovativeness. Majority of the respondents had high level of Aspiration, high attitude towards labour-union, high economic motivation and high level of self-confidence. Most of the respondents belonged to middle age group and their purpose of indebtedness was mainly for agricultural purposes. Migration pattern-1 based on the permanency of stay and duration of residence was positively and significantly correlated with migration pattern-2 based on origin and destination of movement. Education is negatively and significantly correlated with migration pattern-1 based on permanency of stay and duration of residence. Migration pattern-2 based on the origin and destination of movement had a negative and significant correlation with migration pattern-3 based on the composition of migrants. Migration pattern-3 based on composition of migrants was positively and significantly correlated with knowledge about development of agricultural labourers and also with self-confidence. The migration pattern-3 based on composition of migrants had a negative and significant correlation with house types as well as with occupation. Migration pattern-4 based on the type of decision for migration was positively and significantly correlated with Economic motivation and also with Innovativeness. A positive and significant correlation was observed between age and consequences of migration. The major push factors responsible for migration were un-employment, low wage, indebtedness, small-holding, poverty, frustration, decline of natural resources etc. The push factors responsible for migration is positively and significantly correlated with pull factors responsible for migration, purpose of indebtedness and job experience. A negative and significant correlation was observed between Education and push Factors responsible for migration. The major pull factors responsible for migration were superior opportunity of employment and to earn higher income, better job security, preferable environment and living condition, better food, better social net-work, dependency movement etc. A positive and significant correlation was observed between pull factors responsible for migration and purpose of indebtedness. Major consequences on socio-psychological effects due to migration were social tension, high economic status, higher knowledge, labour shortage, intercast marriage, labour glut, low wage, more satisfaction etc. Majority of the respondents were of daily migrants as per migration pattern-1 based on the permanency of stay and duration of residence. Majority of respondents were of local area migrants as per migration pattern-2 based on the origin and destination of movement. Majority of respondents migrate in group and decision for migration was self- initiated. Majority of respondents migrate in group and decision for migration was self- initiated.