A Study on Entrepreneurial Behavior of Watermelon Growers of Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone (CBVZ), Assam
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Date
2023
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Abstract
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.