WAGHMARE, S. K.THAKKER, BHARAT N.2018-04-242018-04-242001http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810044515The crop and livestock enterprises as mixed farming in Indian situation are highly inter related and symbiotically co-existing since long. They are considered to be -complementary and supplementary to each other. Livestock enterprise has been taken to utilize by products of crop farming. Livestock enterprise constitute the most important off-farm activity and provide vast opportunities for gainful employment and income to the farming community in general and to the weaker sections in particular. It provides a cushion effect to the earning of the farmer especially when he is passing through fiscal crises to meet day-to-day expenses and to lead the life comfortably and peacefully. Therefore, this investigation was planned keeping the following objectives in consideration. 1. To identify characteristics of the tribal farmers. 2. To evaluate the present income / status of mixed farming on the farms of marginal, small and medium tribal farmers. 3. To compare the marginal, small and medium tribal farmers with each other in respect to characteristics of farmers and income / status of mixed farming. 4. To find out the relationship between characteristics of the respondents and the income / status of mixed farming. 5. To predict the extent of variation in dependent variables caused by selected independent variables. 6. To invite the problems of the respondents in mixed farming. 7. To find out the suggestions of the respondents to overcome the existing problems. Research methodology To meet the above-prescribed objectives the present investigation was carried out in the six districts (Viz, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari, Valsad and Dangs) of South Gujarat. Population of these districts consists of three types of the respondent's i.e. marginal, small and medium farmers. These districts have tribal population in all talukas. The highest tribal populated talukas were selected from these districts. In the upper part i.e. Bharuch and Naramada district, Nandod and Dediapada talukas possess highest tribal* population, respectively. In middle part i.e. Surat district, Vyara taluka has highest tribal population. In lower part i.e. Valsad, Navsari and Dangs districts, Dharampur, Chikhali and Ahwa (only one taluka of Dangs district) taluka has highest tribal population, respectively. So, these talukas were selected for the study. For the final selection of villages, lists of villages were obtained from census of India. Three villages from each taluka were selected for present study. The lists of the farmers of each selected village were obtained from milk co-operative societies and village panchayat records. Other methodological procedure used for the study consisted of measurement of extension, participation, extension contact, attitude, management orientation, gross income from mixed farming, net income from mixed farming, measurement of relationship between the selected characteristics of farmers with their income from mixed farmiag and measurements of prediction of annual gross and net income from mixed farming by farmers with the independent variables. Major findings 1. All the land holding categories and part of South Gujarat were of middle age group, low level of education in the marginal land holding as compared to that of small and medium land holding categories and high level of education was found in middle part as compared to that of upper and lower* part. All farmers had medium family size. Middle part's farmer (2.234 ha) have more operational land holding than that of upper part (1.925 ha) and lower part (1.75) of South Gujarat. Less number of herd size was found with marginal (3.3) as compared to small (4.25) and medium (5.53) farmers. Middle part's (6.53) farmer had higher herd size than that of upper part (5) and lower part (3.21) of South Gujarat. Medium farmer (3.08) had higher level of extension participation as compared to that of marginal (2.43) and small farmer's (1.25) land holding group. Lower part (2.38) of South Gujarat's farmer had slightly higher level of extension participation as compared to upper part (2.15) and middle part (2.06) of South Gujarat. Medium land holding category (8.42) contacted more extension personnel than that of small (6.38) and marginal farmers casually contacted (2.98) extension personnel. Farmers of middle part (6.33) were more advanced in extension contact as compared to upper part (6.03) and lower part (5.72) of South Gujarat. Farmers of all the categories shown favourable interest in dairy farming. Management orientation was excellent of medium farmers (44.52) as compared to that of small (37.07) and marginal (31.8) farmers and good management orientation of middle part (57.10) farmer than that of upper part (41.75) and lower part (28.72) of South Gujarat. 2. The average bullock labour use per farm in a year is found consistently* increasing from marginal to medium farmer and bullock labour is more extensively used in middle part as compared to that of upper and lower part. Human labours utilized are consistently increasing from marginal to medium farmers, and higher in middle part than that of upper and lower part of South Gujarat. Increase in expenditure was found from marginal to medium farmers and higher to middle part than that of upper and lower part. Minimum quantity of cow dung was utilized as FYM by marginal farmers than that of small and medium farmers and maximum quantity of cow dimg was utilized by middle parts fanner than that of upper and lower part's farmers. Minimum quantity of milk yield was found by marginal farmer's animal and maximum quantity of milk yield by middle part's farmer's animals than that of upper and lower part's farmer. Consumption of milk was low by marginal farmers than that of small and medium farmers. Higher quantity of milk was consumed by middle part's farmers than that of upper and lower part's farmers. Minimum quantity of milk was marketed by lower part of South Gujarat as compared to that of upper and middle part of South Gujarat. Gross and net income from mixed farming of marginal farmers was low as compared to that of small and medium farmers and higher amount of income from mixed farming was found in middle part's farmers as compared to that of upper and lower part of South' Gujarat's farmers. 3. Contribution of management orientation was found significantly positive in increasing annual gross income from mixed farming of marginal farmers. Management orientation and manual labour in crop enterprise were found contributing positively and significantly to the annual gross income from mixed farming of small farmers. Bullock labour played significant role in contributing increase in the annual gross income from mixed farming of medium farmers. Management orientation, manual labour in crop enterprise and bullock labour were found significant and positive role in contributing increasing the annual gross income of pooled sample of farmers. 4. Management orientation and manual labour in crop enterprise were found positive and significant in independently contributing in the increases of annual net income jfrom mixed farming of marginal farmers. None of variable was found significant in contributing in annual net income independently from mixed farming of smaU farmers but, variables like milk production, milk consumption, FYM use, management orientation, manual labour for crop enterprise and bullock labour combinedly and positively contributed to the annual net income of small farmers except operational land holding, herd size, milk marketing, dairy farming attitude and manual labour in livestock enteiprise. Operational land holding and bullock labour were found significant and positive in contributing in annual net income from mixed farming of medium farmers. Significant role of operational land holding, cow dung used as FYM, management orientation and bullock labour was found in increasing annual net income from mixed farming of pooled sample of farmers. 5. 'Inadequate irrigation facilities', 'Inadequate supply of electricity', 'Irregular visit of doctors to different villages', 'Costly commercial cattle feed' and 'Lack of veterinary hospitals in villages' were major problems faced by the farmers'. Following major suggestion were made to resolve problems faced by farmer; Promotion of large-scale use of pump sets, can solve the problems of irrigation to a great extent. Further more, there should be adequate and regular supply of canal water and, electricity, animal's feed should be made available at subsidies rates through co-operatives and existing natural pasture and community or waste land should be improved with farmer's participation and Some area should be allotted to livestock owners for the cultivation of green fodder.enExtension Education, AgricultureA StudyThesis