Socio-economic status of chickpea growers under scientific intervention in Samba district of Jammu & Kashmir

Abstract

The study was conducted in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir U.T. A list of respondents to whom scientific interventions were imparted was procured from officers/scientists, Pulse Research Station Samba (PRSS). About 60 chickpea growing respondents were selected randomly without replacement from the given project list. Another 60 non-beneficiaries chick pea growing respondents were selected randomly from the adjoining villages of the sampled respondents. By this way total sample farmers of 120 (60 project beneficiary respondents and 60 non- beneficiary respondents) were selected for the study purpose. The result showed that average age of respondents was 49.98 (±1.04) years which was 53.7 (±10.33) years among non-beneficiaries, average number of formal schooling years completed was 8.68 (±0.24) years, whereas it was 9.35 (±2.91) years among non-beneficiaries. Overall average farming experience of the respondents were 27.71 (±9.01) years. years and 29.88 (±5.48) years among non-beneficiaries. average family size was 5.97 members (±0.34) whereas it was 5.27 members (±0.23) in case of non-beneficiaries. Overall average operational land holding was 1.97 (±0.04) hectares with an average irrigated area of 0.12 (±0.03) hectares. The primary occupation of majority of the respondents (56%) was agriculture. Majority of the beneficiaries as well as non-beneficiaries farmers were dependent on agriculture for their income.