Thumbnail Image

Theses

Browse

20063
Reset filters
Subject: Agricultural Extension × End date: 2006 × Start date: 2006 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Agricultural labour in rice based farming system:gender based multidimensional analysis
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2006) Prasidha, P R; KAU; Anilkumar, A
    The study entitled “Agricultural labour in rice based farming system: A gender based multidimensional analysis” was undertaken to study the female and male labour participation in the major operations of rice based farming system, their employment pattern and profile characteristics. It also aims to study the influence of labour organizations among agricultural labourers, the constraints experienced by the female and male agricultural labourers and their attitude towards improved farm practices. The study was conducted at Kunnathukal panchayat and Karode panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district. A list of agricultural labourers in the two selected panchayats was prepared. From each panchayat 40 male and 40 female labourers were selected randomly. Thus totally 160 labourers were selected as the respondents of the study. The data were collected using a pre-tested and well-structured interview schedule. The study indicated that agricultural labourers in rice based farming system constituted mainly of old age people. Almost 90 percent of the respondents don’t possess land for own cultivation. Extension agency contact was almost nil for landless labourers. Kerala State Karshaka Thozhilai Union (KSKTU) was the only labour union functioning in the location. The study revealed that regarding gender roles, exclusively females performed transplanting in rice. None of the female labourers were employed for banana cultivation. Operations like land preparation, plant protection measures, fertilizer application and transport of harvested produce were operations segregated absolutely for male respondents. Men never perform picking and women never perform sowing in case of rice fallow pulse cultivation. Only males were employed as hired wage labour dairy sector, provided paid on a monthly basis. The maximum extent of labour participation of females was in the order of rice, vegetables and pulses and among males it was rice, banana, vegetables and pulses. The total number of employment days obtained by male respondents in a year was 112 days (67 days of agricultural labour + 35 days of non-agricultural labour). The total number of employment days obtained by female respondents in a year was 68 days (51days of agricultural labour + 17 days of non-agricultural labour). Men received more days of agriculture labour in the months of October and November and more days of non-agriculture labour during April. Women received more days of employment in agriculture during June. They experience slack of employment in non-agricultural sector during the months of Febrauary, May, June, July, August, September and October. In the case of rice farming male and female labourers performed 23 and 33 labour days respectively. Male labourers obtained 22 labour days of work in banana cultivation. In the case of vegetable cultivation male and female labourers performed 20 and 13 labour days of work respectively. Male and female respondents respectively received 2 and 5 labour days of work regarding pulse farming. The agricultural operation, which consumed maximum time, was transplanting in rice (10 hrs) followed by rice harvesting and staking in banana (8hrs). The non-agricultural operation that consumed maximum time was roadwork (9hrs). The total wage received by male labourers in a year was Rs.13862 ((Rs.8354 from agricultural labour + Rs.5508 from non-agricultural labour). The total wage received by female respondents was Rs.7795. (Rs.5748 from agricultural labour + Rs.2047 from non-agricultural labour). Wage discrimination was not much prominent in agricultural sector, whereas non-agricultural sector witnessed absolute wage discrimination between genders. In general, the constraints encountered by the agricultural labourers were reduced employment opportunities within agricultural sector, conversion of rice farming land for commercial crops cultivation and other non-agricultural purposes, and pressure to shift in non-agricultural sector. Seasonality of labour and drudgery prone tasks were the constraints experienced exclusively by the female labourers
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Performance effectiveness of teachers in the agricultural colleges of Kerala Agricultural University
    (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2006) Mercy Bella, M; KAU; Mothilal Nehru, S
    The study entitled “Performance effectiveness of teachers in the agricultural colleges of Kerala Agricultural University” was undertaken to assess the performance effectiveness of teachers. It also aimed to delineate the factors that influencing the performance effectiveness of teachers and also to identify the constraints to make suggestion for enhancing their performance effectiveness. Performance effectiveness was the dependent variable while the independent variables, at organizational level and at individual level were assessed. The organizational factors included recognition and reward, fair and impartial administration, facilities and resources, job security, scope for job enrichment, job status, salary structure, freedom for expression and career development opportunity. The individual factors included job satisfaction, job involvement, self-confidence, job perception, achievement motivation, positive thinking, leadership and sociability. The study was conducted in the three agricultural colleges of Kerala Agricultural University. A sample of sixty respondents was selected using probability proportionality size sampling. Data were collected through well structured questionnaires. The study revealed that the overall performance effectiveness of teachers were towards the better side. Most of the factors at organizational level and at individual level showed positive and significant relationship. The distribution of respondents based on profile characteristics was found non significant with their performance effectiveness. The major constraints faced by the respondents were the excessive dependence on funding agency oriented research, cumbersome procedures of office administration, lack of team work in research/extension activities, research agenda prioritization with out considering farmers problem, poor accountability and responsibility on the part of university administration and inadequate administrative support. Hence for enhancement of their performance effectiveness, application of modern principles of management, decentralization of administration, leadership in managerial efficiency and scientific quantification of work performance can be suggested.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Impact of rural agricultural work experience (RAWE) programe on agriculture graduates of Vellayani campus, KAU
    (Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2006) Shifa Dhas, Y; KAU; Sharief, A K
    The study entitled ‘Impact of Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) programme on agriculture graduates of Vellayani campus, KAU’ was undertaken to assess the impact of RAWEP in empowering the B.Sc. Agriculture graduates, their profile characters and their relationship with empowerment. The study also aimed to analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the programme, identify the constraints and make suggestions for improving RAWEP. The study was conducted in College of Agriculture, Vellayani campus of Kerala Agricultural University. A sample of 100 respondents from the first four batches who underwent RAWE programme were selected using stratified random sampling with equal allocation. Data were collected through well structured questionnaires and interview schedule. The study revealed that the entrepreneurial behaviour and aspiration were high with the respondents. Most of the respondents were in the medium category for the other dimensions such as risk orientation, achievement motivation, knowledge gained, competency, professional contact and leadership qualities considered for empowerment in the study. The distribution of respondents based on profile characters was found high with female sex, nuclear family type, rural background and non-agricultural occupation. The employed and unemployed category were almost equal in distribution. Progressiveness was found to be high among of the respondents. Though there was no significant difference between batches with respect to empowerment index, which was observed to be the highest with the batch III. Among the dimensions of empowerment, self confidence and achievement motivation was high with batch I. Aspiration, leadership quality, knowledge gained and competency were high with batch IV. Professional contact was high with batch II. Risk orientation was high with batch III and IV. The dimensions of empowerment, viz., leadership quality, entrepreneurial behaviour, knowledge gained, professional contact and risk orientation had shown positive and significant relationship with empowerment index. The profile characters viz., family type, innovativeness, occupation of the respondents and progressiveness had shown positive and significant relationship with empowerment index. The strength of RAWEP indicated, that it blended the technical as well as the personal characters of the students. Lack of time for the full fledged completion of the programme was the major weakness. Exposure to various village level institutions, research stations and enterprises were considered as the opportunities. The major threat was the limited exposure to contact village. The predominant constraint faced by the respondents was the lack of time for the completion of RAWEP. Hence for future improvement of RAWEP, the splitting RAWEP to two phases or increasing the duration of RAWEP can be suggested for an improved usefulness of RAWEP.