TRIVEDI, J. C.Prajapati, M. R.2018-04-112018-04-111993http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810043246The overall objective of this investigation was to study the socio-economic impact of social forestry programme on beneficiaries of Kheda district, Gujarat State. The specific objectives of the study were as follows : 1. To study the personal-social economic, psychological and communication characteristics of the beneficiaries. 2. To study the extent of adoption of social forestry practices in respect of plantation of various types of plants by the beneficiaries. 3. To study the innovation-decision process of selected component of social forestry programme in the area i.e. farm forestry. 4. To assess the socio-economic impact of social forestry programme on the beneficiaries. 5. To find out the relationship between selected independent and dependent variables. 6. To know the extent of contribution of independent variables on dependent variables. 7. To analyse the problems and seek suggestions from the beneficiaries for effective acceptance of the programme. The study was conducted in Kheda District of Gujarat State. Out of twelve forest ranges, fifty percent ranges were selected randomly viz. Nadiad, Anand, Mahemadabad, Kapadvanj (South), Borsad and Matar. Out of 58 villages of these ranges where the plantation was raised in the year 1985-86 i.e. this year was kept as base year, 20 villages were selected randomly. Ten beneficiary farmers from each village were selected at random which constituted total sample of 200 respondents. To assess the impact of village woodlot at community level, one member of each selected village panchayat, was considered as a respondent which consisted a sample of 20 village panchayat sarpanchs/secretaries. On the basis of review of pertiment literature having direct or indirect bearing on the problem, a theoretical orientation and conceptual model was developed. the hypotheses were formulated on the basis of theoretical orientation and literature reviewed. The interview schedule was developed in accordance with the objectives of the study for the data collection, the data were analysed in terms of the specific objective. Major findings : The Important findings of the study are summarised as under : 1. The innovation decision process was found to be an important intervening variable between antecedents and extent oi adoption. 2. Majority of the beneficiary farmers were found in medium to high level of overall adoption of social forestry practices. 3. Majority (68.50 percent) of the beneficiary farmers were found in medium level of socio-economic impact 4. The programme had generated income and employment opportunities. Very few farmers had diverted their cropped area to plantation crops, majority of the farmers expressed that there is an increas in their savings and investment, standard of living, social status, social relationship and self sufficiency due to adoption of social forestry programme. 5. There was positive and significant relationship between beneficiaries's education, social participation, participation in social forestry, size of land holding, annual income, credit orientation, economic motivation, innovativeness, attitude towards social forestry programme, knowledge about social forestry programme, image of the programme, extension contact and utilisation of source of information with their extent of adoption of social forestry. 6. Beneficiary farmers education, participation in social forestry, market orientation, economic motivation, risk orientation, aspiration level, attitude towards social forestry programme, knowledge about social forestry programme, overall modernity, image of the programme, extension contact and utilisation of sources of information had positive and significant relationship with their innovation-decision process. 7. There was positive and significant relationship between beneficiaries's education, social participation, size of land holding, herd size, annual income, credit orientation, innovativeness, risk orientation, aspiration level, attitude towards social forestry programme, knowledge about social forestry programme, overall modernity, image of the programme, extension contact and utilization of sources of information and their socioeconomic impact implicit through adoption of social forestry programme. 8. Three variables viz. annual income, knowledge about social forestry programme and extension contact with extension agencies combinely contributed to 81.49 percent of the total variation in the extent of adoption by beneficiaries. 9. Market orientation, knowledge about social forestry programme and image of the programme were accounted 81.79 percent for influencing innovation-decision process. 10. Five variables viz. social participation, annual income, aspiration level, overall modernity and extension contact together accounted to 61.88 percent of the total variation in the socio-economic impact implicit after adoption of social forestry on beneficiaries. 11. Majority (70.00 percent) of the village panchayats were found in medium level of impact of woodlot programme. 12. There was significant relationship between different aspects of physical structure of the village viz. area under waste land, area under village woodlot and number of seedlings survived and the impact of village woodlot programme. 13. There was non-significant relationship between different aspects of structural composition of the community and the impact of village woodlot programme. 14. Some of the most important constraints in adoption of social forestry by the beneficiaries were (1) long gestation period (2) fear of damage caused by stray animals (3) non-availability of immediate returns (4) fear of adverse effect of soil (5) lack of market facility (6) lack of supporting price (7) no cash incentives (8) Tree shade mars crop production and (9) high protection cost. 15. Some of the most important suggestions offered by the beneficiaries to overcome the constraints in adoption of social forestry were (1) financial help should be provided to the farmers at initial stage of tree plantation (2) marketing infrastructure should be created in collaboration with the forest department and (3) technical support and guidance should be provided at spot level to decrease mortality rate.enExtension Education, AgricultureA STUDYThesis