A study on entrepreneurial potential of beekeepers in Tamil Nadu
Loading...
Date
2015-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
About half of India’s population is supported by agriculture. Hence, India’s development continues to be determined by agriculture sector and this situation is unlikely to change in the near future. The country recorded impressive achievements in agriculture during three decades since the onset of Green Revolution in the late sixties. But, in recent years, these had been a sharp decline in the average size of operational land holdings in India and the average farm size has been reduced to half (from 2.28 ha in 1970-71 to 1.16 ha in 2012-13). Small and marginal holders face several problems in agriculture like shortage of good quality seeds, lack of mechanization and irrigation facilities, inadequate warehousing, scarcity of capital, absence of marketing network, lack of value addition technology, etc. which makes agriculture economically unviable. However, small scale agriculture can be made profitable through product diversification and entrepreneurship. In rural India, there is a tremendous scope for developing agri-enterprises such as mushroom cultivation, lack culture, horticultural seedling production, sericulture, ornamental plants production and paddy cum pisiculture, etc. which can not only increase the farmers’ income but also help in making agriculture sustainable. Beekeeping is one such remunerative agri-enterprise.
Tamil Nadu has a high potential for developing apiculture due to large scale cultivation of horticultural crops which are the main source of nectar. In Tamil Nadu, beekeeping is being promoted among farmers on a large scale. At present, a number of co-operative societies, NGOs, government agencies and research and educational institutions are engaged in popularizing beekeeping among farmers in the state by providing training and inputs at subsidized rates. Hence, the present study was undertaken with the following objectives; viz: to study the socio-economic and communication characteristics of beekeepers, to find out the extent of adoption of scientific beekeeping technologies by beekeepers, to assess the entrepreneurial potential of beekeepers, to find out the relationship between extent of adoption of scientific beekeeping technologies and entrepreneurial potential of beekeepers, to assess the relationship between socio-economic and communication characteristics and their entrepreneurial potential and to identify the constraints experienced by beekeepers in the study area. The present study was conducted in Kanniyakumari district of Tamil Nadu state. Kanniyakumari district was selected purposively as several agencies are actively involved in promoting beekeeping in the district, it accounts for more than 70% of honey produced in the state and receives both south-west and north-east monsoon which is conducive for cultivation of horticultural crops. Kanniyakumari district has nine blocks and village having maximum number of beekeepers was selected from each block. In the next stage of sampling, 50 per cent beekeepers from each village were selected using simple random sampling. Thus, a sample of 213 respondents was selected for data collection using a pretested interview schedule.
The findings of the study revealed that majority of the respondents were educated up to primary level, had land holding of less than one hectare, belonged to medium size family, and earn up to Rs. 50,000 per annum. Majority of the respondents also have medium level of mass media exposure, extension agency contact, extension participation, credit orientation and have attended more than three training programmes. Regarding extent of adoption of scientific beekeeping technologies by the beekeepers, it was found that majority (72.77 per cent) of the beekeepers have a high level of adoption. It was found that 84.51 per cent beekeepers have high overall entrepreneurial potential. Further, it was found that majority of the respondents also have a high level of risk taking ability (98.12 per cent), economic motivation (83. 57 per cent), and need for achievement (63.38 per cent) but medium level of selfconfidence (88.26 per cent) and innovativeness (57.75 per cent). Extent of adoption of scientific beekeeping technologies had significant negative relationship with entrepreneurial potential of beekeepers. Correlation analysis between socio-economic and communication characteristics of beekeepers and entrepreneurial potential revealed that educational status and size of the land holding have significant negative relationship with entrepreneurial potential of beekeepers. Lack of technical-know about disease management technologies, absence of specific government schemes for beekeepers, lack of minimum support price, absence of organized market and shortage of storage facilities at reasonable price were the major constraints faced by beekeepers.
Description
Keywords
null