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Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat

Assam Agricultural University is the first institution of its kind in the whole of North-Eastern Region of India. The main goal of this institution is to produce globally competitive human resources in farm sectorand to carry out research in both conventional and frontier areas for production optimization as well as to disseminate the generated technologies as public good for benefitting the food growers/produces and traders involved in the sector while emphasizing on sustainability, equity and overall food security at household level. Genesis of AAU - The embryo of the agricultural research in the state of Assam was formed as early as 1897 with the establishment of the Upper Shillong Experimental Farm (now in Meghalaya) just after about a decade of creation of the agricultural department in 1882. However, the seeds of agricultural research in today’s Assam were sown in the dawn of the twentieth century with the establishment of two Rice Experimental Stations, one at Karimganj in Barak valley in 1913 and the other at Titabor in Brahmaputra valley in 1923. Subsequent to these research stations, a number of research stations were established to conduct research on important crops, more specifically, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. The Assam Agricultural University was established on April 1, 1969 under The Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968’ with the mandate of imparting farm education, conduct research in agriculture and allied sciences and to effectively disseminate technologies so generated. Before establishment of the University, there were altogether 17 research schemes/projects in the state under the Department of Agriculture. By July 1973, all the research projects and 10 experimental farms were transferred by the Government of Assam to the AAU which already inherited the College of Agriculture and its farm at Barbheta, Jorhat and College of Veterinary Sciences at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, College of Community Science at Jorhat (1969), College of Fisheries at Raha (1988), Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali (1988) and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur (1988) were established. Presently, the University has three more colleges under its jurisdiction, viz., Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Chapar, College of Horticulture, Nalbari & College of Sericulture, Titabar. Similarly, few more regional research stations at Shillongani, Diphu, Gossaigaon, Lakhimpur; and commodity research stations at Kahikuchi, Buralikson, Tinsukia, Kharua, Burnihat and Mandira were added to generate location and crop specific agricultural production packages.

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20231
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Subject: Agricultural Extension Education × Author: BHARADWAJ, KANGKANA × Start date: 2020 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    A Study on Entrepreneurial Behavior of Watermelon Growers of Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone (CBVZ), Assam
    (2023) BHARADWAJ, KANGKANA; Borah, D.
    The present study entitled “A Study on Entrepreneurial Behavior of Watermelon Growers of Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone (CBVZ), Assam” was carried out with following objectives: 1. To analyse the Entrepreneurial Behaviour of Watermelon growers of the Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone. 2. To determine the factors influencing Entrepreneurial Behaviour of watermelon growers. 3. To identify the problems faced by the watermelon growers in relation to scientific watermelon cultivation. The study was undertaken in both the districts of Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone (CBVZ) i.e. Nagaon and Morigaon. A purposive cum random sampling design was used to select 180 respondents from 18 villages of both the districts. The primary data for the study was collected during February-April, 2023 through personal interview method with the help of a structured schedule. The findings of the study revealed that majority (66.11%) of the respondents belonged to middle-aged category, majority (38.34%) of the respondents had secondary level of formal education and comes relatively from medium sized family (53.33%). The study also revealed that majority of the respondents (41.12%) were small farmers with medium (68.34%) annual family income. Majority of the respondents had medium (69.45%) farming experience in watermelon cultivation. It is viewed that majority 76.12 per cent of the respondent did not get any training on watermelon cultivation. 72.22 per cent of the respondents had medium level of mass media exposure. In case of source of information majority of the respondents‟ main source of information was social media. Medium level of labour availability within household is viewed in the study area. About 62.22 per cent of the respondents had moderately favorable attitude towards watermelon cultivation. In case of various components related to entrepreneurial behaviour, the study revealed that majority (77.22%) of the respondents had medium level of innovativeness, medium level of achievement motivation (51.67%), moderate decisionmaking ability (67.78%), medium level of risk orientation (68.88%), medium level of coordinating ability (61.11%), moderate level of planning ability (47.77%), medium level of information seeking behaviour (73.33%), medium level of cosmopolitness (58.88%) and medium level of self-confidence (64.44%). The overall entrepreneurial behaviour of watermelon growers were found medium (68.33%) followed by low entrepreneurial behaviour (17.22%) and high entrepreneurial behaviour (14.45%). To determine the factors influencing entrepreneurial behaviour of the watermelon growers, multiple regression analysis was used where annual family income, net annual income from watermelon cultivation, training exposure, attitude towards watermelon cultivation were found to contribute significantly towards variation in the entrepreneurial behaviour of watermelon growers at 0.01 level of probability. Operational land holding and farming experience in watermelon cultivation contribute significantly towards variation in the entrepreneurial behaviour of watermelon growers at 0.05 level of probability. The contributory factors may be given more emphasis by the concerned agencies while formulating any project or related programmes on watermelon cultivation in the study area. With regards to the major problems, the study showed that „High cost of quality inputs‟ was the most important problem (ranked first) faced by the watermelon growers followed by perishable nature of watermelon, adverse effect of natural calamities, non availability of quality seed and non availability of irrigation facility, lack of credit facility, pest attack, lack of extension services. It is imperative to call for attention from government, policy makers, and planners to design effective watermelon production policy/strategy that would ensure to overcome the problems faced by the farmers for promoting watermelon production and to ensure economic development.