Abstract
The present study aimed to analyze the relationship of profile characteristics with group performance of tribal FIGs. The survey was purposively conducted in Erode district as it contains more number of tribal Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs). A total of five Tribal FIGs were randomly selected from 16 Tribal FIGs belonging to Dhimbam Dhaniya Farmer Producer Company Limited (DDFPCL) and the total sample size was 100. A well-structured interview schedule was prepared and employed to collect the data from the respondents. The findings showed that majority of the respondents were young aged with high school education, female marginal farmers receiving low level of annual income with medium level of farming experience. They had also received medium level of support from institution. The findings of the study also revealed that majority of the members of tribal FIGs had 76.00, 75.00, 73.00, 67.00 and 55.00 percentages of self-confidence, economic motivation, group leadership, group communication and information seeking behaviour respectively.To improve the performance of tribal FIGs, measures should be taken to increase the level of group communication, group leadership and group cohesiveness. This can be increased through organizing regular meetings for members, proper selection of leaders and making the members to understand the importance of group action
Highlights
Small and marginal farmers are the primary contributors to agricultural production in India and 85% of farmers possessed less than or about two hectares (Sharma et al (2011))
Profile characteristics of the members of tribal Farmer Interest Groups (FIGs) were studied through sixteen variables such as age, gender, educational status, annual income, farm size, farming experience, institutional support, training has undergone, economic motivation, information-seeking behavior, group communication, group leadership, group cohesiveness, decision-making pattern, selfconfidence and self-reliance
Group-related variables such as group communication, group leadership and group cohesiveness were positively associated with group performance of tribal FIGs and variables viz., age, farm size, farming experience, group communication and group leadership were positively contributed to group performance of tribal FIGs
Summary
Small and marginal farmers are the primary contributors to agricultural production in India and 85% of farmers possessed less than or about two hectares (Sharma et al (2011)). The productivity of small and marginal farmers is superior to that of medium and big farmers, but their economic condition is worse. They face problems such as poor bargaining power, lack of technical services and insufficient research – extension - farmer linkages and poor implementation of improved technologies and innovations. Self Help Groups (SHGs,) FIGs, co-operatives producers associations, marketing associations etc. Farmer’s confidence level was increased through the establishment of Farmers Interest Groups (FIGs) (Singh and Srinivasan (1998)). A Farmer Interest Group (FIG) is a self-managed, independent group of farmers with a shared goal and interest (Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (2013)
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