Landge, S. P.Waigaonkar Sanket Jagdish2024-02-022024-02-022023-04-03https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810206677The present study entitled “GROUP DYNAMICS OF GOAT BASED SELF HELP GROUPS (SHGs) IN VIDARBHA REGION OF MAHARASHTRA” was studied in the purposively selected Nagpur, Wardha, Chandrapur, Bhandara districts of Maharashtra. The present study was carried out in all four districts to study the group dynamics and socioeconomic profile of the members of SHG involved in goat rearing. With 60 goat farmers involved in goat rearing from each district, a total of 240 SHG members were studied through pretested interview schedule and observations. Group dynamics refers to a group's internal processes, including how it is formed, how it functions, and how it influences both its members and other groups. Self Help group, the meaning itself tells all about “help yourself, do yourself.” It is a group generally of 10-14 members which are having homogeneity in activity or standard of living between members formed by the participation of group members. The results showed that the majority percentage of members (66.66%) were from middle age, with an average group size of 11 members, having family size of 3-4 members from nuclear family type (67.08%) with primary education (46.25%) with an annual gross income of Rs.30000-50000/- having marginal landholding, with low herd size, medium extension contact and moderate mass media exposure (55.41%). The results showed that homogeneity in standard of living and participation of group members was likely for 47.92 per cent and 40.42 per cent SHG members respectively. The reason for joining SHG was mostly found to be early access to land and women empowerment. The studies regarding factors hindering the success of SHGs revealed that members strongly disagree with strict rules and regulations and conflicts in groups. Communication among members of SHGs was recorded as very good. Most of the members (86.25%) attended meetings regularly, monthly SHGs meetings were held during evening time for 1- 2 hours. The place of meetings was as per the convenience of the group members and most of the members get chance to speak in group meetings. The penalty for the absentee in the meetings was reported as Rs.11.31, problems of group members was found to be the major discussion in group meeting followed by discussions about the loans. Most of the members (62.92%) received financial benefits after joining SHGs. As far as decision making is concerned, majority decisions were taken democratically and were perceived as transparent. Constraints faced by beneficiaries in implementing scientific goat management practices were studied along with general, social and personal constraint. Problem in taking group decisions in general, lack of training in personal constraint, lack of mutual understanding among group members in social constraints were found to be the major constraints faced by beneficiaries. Constraints in implementing in scientific goat management practices was also recorded and it was revealed that lack of knowledge about balanced feeding in feeding constraints, lack of knowledge about prevalent common diseases in health care constraints, inadequate availability of breeding buck in breeding and middleman not providing remunerative prices in marketing constraints were the major constraints faced by SHG members in implementing scientific goat management practices. From the current study, it can be concluded SHGs are the core part for empowerment of rural women. The issues pertaining to the forming, norming and performing of the SHGs should be taken on priority for the effective management of the SHGs to ensure farmers overall growth through socioeconomic empowerment for livestock farmers in general and especially for the women involved in the goat farming.EnglishThesis