A STUDY ON TENANT FARMERS OF Bt COTTON IN GUNTUR DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
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Date
2018
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Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University
Abstract
Research study entitled “A study on tenant farmers of Bt cotton in Guntur
District of Andhra Pradesh” was under taken to study the profile characteristics
of Bt cotton tenant farmers, their knowledge level, adoption level, and their
relation with profile characteristics, constraints and suggestions faced by Bt
cotton tenant farmers. An ex-post facto research design was followed. The study
was conducted in Andhra Pradesh state during 2017-18. Guntur district was
selected as it has the highest area under cotton cultivation in Andhra Pradesh.
Out of 57 mandals in Guntur district, three mandals were selected randomly after
listing out the total number of mandals where tenant farmers are more in cotton
growing area. Three mandals namely Prathipadu, Veldurthi and Karempudi were
selected. Four villages were selected from each selected mandal randomly where
tenant farmers are more with cotton growing area. Ten tenant farmers were
selected from each village by simple random sampling procedure thus making a
total of 120 farmers for the study.
Data was collected with pre-tested interview schedule followed by
personal interview method by selecting the independent variables viz., age,
education, land taken for lease, farming experience, training received, extension
contact, social participation, annual income, credit acquisition and utilization,
possession of soil health card, innovativeness, economic motivation, mass media
exposure, risk orientation, market orientation and dependent variables with the
extent of knowledge and adoption of recommended package of practices by the
tenant farmers in Bt cotton cultivation.
For the purpose of statistical analysis of the coded data various statistical
tools were used viz., Arithmetic Mean, Standard Deviation, Frequency &
Percentage, Correlation coefficient, Multiple Linear Regression (MLR).
The detailed analysis of profile of the beneficiaries indicated that
majority of the beneficiaries were middle aged (55.00%), Functionally literate
(27.50%), Land taken for lease of about 1.1 to 2.0 hectares (35.00%) , 7 to 9
years of farming in Bt cotton (40.84%), 1 to 2 trainings received (50.00%),
medium extension contact (52.50%), low social participation (40.00%), low
annual income of Rs. 12, 307-71, 691 (60.83%), Credit acquisition from money
lenders (43.33%), Credit utilization for non agricultural purpose (55.00%),
Possession of soil health card (62.50%), medium innovativeness (70.83%),
medium economic motivation (64.17%), medium mass media exposure
(47.50%), medium risk orientation (53.33%), medium market orientation
(56.67%).
The detailed analysis of dependent variables indicated that majority
(65.83%) of the Bt cotton tenant farmers had medium level of knowledge on
production technologies, followed by low (17.50%) and high knowledge
(16.67%) categories.
Little more than half of the Bt cotton tenant farmers (52.50%) had
medium adoption, followed by high (24.17) and low (23.33%) adoption levels
with regard to adoption of Bt cotton production technology.
Out of fifteen independent variables studied namely education, land taken
for lease, training received, extension contact, social participation, annual
income, credit acquisition and utilization, possession of soil health card,
innovativeness, economic motivation, mass media exposure, risk orientation,
market orientation showed a positive and significant relationship with
knowledge of Bt cotton tenant farmers at 1 per cent level of significance.
Whereas, age showed negative and non-significant relationship and farming
experience showed positive and non-significant relationship with knowledge of
Bt cotton tenant farmers.
Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis revealed that all the selected
fifteen independent variables put together, explained about 78.80 per cent
variation in the level of knowledge for Bt cotton tenant farmers. Remaining
21.20 per cent was due to the extraneous effect of the variables.
Out of fifteen independent variables studied namely education, land taken
for lease, training received, extension contact, social participation, annual
income, credit acquisition and utilization, possession of soil health card,
innovativeness, economic motivation, mass media exposure, risk orientation,
market orientation showed a positive and significant relationship with adoption
level of Bt cotton tenant farmers at 1 per cent level of significance whereas, age
showed negative and non-significant relationship and farming experience
showed positive and non-significant relationship with adoption level of Bt cotton
tenant farmers.
Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis revealed that all the selected
fifteen independent variables put together, explained about 87.60 per cent
variation in the adoption level for Bt cotton tenant farmers. Remaining 12.40 per
cent was due to the extraneous effect of the variables.
Major constraints faced by the Bt cotton tenant farmers were inadequate
financial assistance from banks was ranked first, followed by non-availability of
crop insurance for tenant farmers ranked second, high interest rates by private
money lenders ranked third, high rents for the lands leased ranked fourth and
non-availability of loan waiver scheme for tenant farmers ranked fifth.
It also revealed that constraints such as no written lease agreements, non
availability of credit in time, input subsidy is not available, high cost of Bt cotton
seed, tenancy time is mostly short term, high cost of fertilizers and chemicals,
complex procedure in getting loans from banks for tenant farmer, lack of
remunerative minimum support price, insufficient availability of irrigation
facilities, lack of knowledge on pest and disease management, non-availability
of timely technical guidance, scarcity of labour at the time of picking, high
charges by commission agents, fluctuations in market prices, and non
availability of quality inputs were ranked from sixth to twentieth ranks
respectively.
Major suggestions given by the Bt cotton tenant farmers in percentage
decreasing order are sufficient financial assistance at low interest rate was
ranked first, followed by crop insurance should be available ranked second,
government should monitor the land lease rents ranked third and provide loan
waiver scheme for tenant farmers ranked fourth.
It also revealed that the suggestions such as written agreements should be
made, input subsidy need to be provided, tenancy tenure should be at least for 3
to 4 years, government should check the high interest rates by private money
lenders, simplification of procedure in getting loans from banks for tenant
farmer, providing remunerative minimum support price, provide irrigation
facilities, timely provision of quality inputs in the market at affordable price,
providing timely technical guidance, conduct trainings and demonstrations and
should decrease commission charges taken by commission agents were ranked
from fifth to fifteenth respectively.
Description
D5623
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