Land Size Research Articles

Forest Owner Attitudes and Preferences for Voluntary Temporary Forest Conservation

This study explores attitudes and preferences of Finnish non-industrial private forest owners for voluntary temporary forest conservation. The survey data, collected with the best–worst scaling and discrete choice methods, focus on a conservation program that incentivizes forest owners for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. Forest owners are willing to conserve simultaneously biodiversity and forest carbon. They prefer non-profit organization as implementer of program, suggesting alternative to current implementation of forest conservation by authorities. Forest owners’ interest in forest conservation program increases with shorter contract and higher payment, both aspects being subject to preference heterogeneity. Forest owners differ in terms of the perceived importance of ecological, economic and social aspects of sustainability of forestry. Heterogeneity in attitudes and preferences stems from the size of forest land, gender, freetime home located on forest site, and place of residence.

Agricultural extension and farm entrepreneurship: evidence from small-scale farmers of high-density plantations in Kashmir

ABSTRACT Purpose The study examines the transformative trends in agriculture by analysing the adoption patterns of high-density plantations (HDP) among small-scale apple farmers in Kashmir. It explores the factors shaping the adoption process and the role played by extension services in fostering this adoption. Design Employing a mixed-method approach, this study investigates how extension services influence the adoption of high-density farming and farm entrepreneurship. Utilising cross-sectional data from 160 small-scale farmer households, the research employs a recursive bivariate probit regression model to unveil the relationship between extension services and the adoption of high-density farming. Findings The findings reveal a crucial link between small-scale farmers’ adoption decisions and their access to agricultural extension services. Land size, credit, and subsidies play key roles in influencing both HDP adoption and extension service accessibility, highlighting the interconnectedness of financial support in promoting sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, early adopters showcase innovative behaviour driven by production advantages and sustainability concerns. Practical implications It underscores the need for targeted interventions to promote sustainable agricultural practices and enhance extension service accessibility. Recognising the positive impact of credit and subsidy availability on both HDP adoption and access to extension services emphasises the interconnected role of financial support in driving sustainable practices. Theoretical implications The paper integrates theoretical frameworks from agricultural adoption, extension and entrepreneurship while contributing a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable and transformed food systems. Originality This study develops a crucial framework that underscores the significance of public extension services for small-scale farmers in the Himalayan regions. Additionally, it enhances understanding of the potential benefits of high-density farming and farm entrepreneurship for sustainable agriculture and transforming food systems for rural development globally.

Impact of cluster farming on wheat productivity and net benefit among smallholder farmers in Lemu-Bilbilo and Hetosa districts of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

This study focuses on identifying the determinants of cluster farming participation decisions and the impact of cluster farming on smallholder wheat farmer’s productivity in the two districts of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. The study utilized cross-sectional data and a multistage sampling procedure to select a total of 381 respondents from the two districts of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia. The endogenous switching regression model was employed to achieve the research objectives. The study result indicates that sex of the household head, education level, size of cultivated land, access to training, membership in a farmer's cooperative, access to information and social responsibility of the household head influenced cluster farming participation positively and significantly, while distance from the nearest market had a negative and significant effect on cluster farming participation. Furthermore, the study shows that, if participants had decided not to practice cluster farming, their wheat yield and net benefit would have decreased by 33.57 and 40.08%, respectively. Similarly, had non-participants decided to participate, their wheat yield and net benefit would have increased by 46.79 and 102.49%, respectively. The study recommends that policymakers and development organizations should consider cluster farming as a main strategy to increase smallholder farmer’s productivity. Moreover, the study calls for government and institutional assistance in the areas of education services, training, extension services, infrastructure (particularly access to markets), and cooperative development. Moreover, policy and development measures should address the issue of gender disparities in cluster farming participation.

Contribution of Banana Production on Household Income Generation Among Smallholder Farmers in Kitagata Town Council, Sheema District

The study was about contribution of banana production on house hold income generation among Smallholder farmers in Kitagata town council, Sheema District. The specific objectives included to; examine the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder banana farmers, establish innovative strategies to improve banana production and income among smallholder banana farmers and identify the factors affecting banana production and income among smallholder banana farmers. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey that applied both quantitative and qualitative approaches for data collection. Data was captured from a sample of 302 respondents using both questionnaire and interviews. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 22.0 to generate both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study concluded that there were socio-economic characteristics of farmers which also affected banana production. Such characteristics included; age, marital status, level of education land size and gender. The study also concluded that there were innovative strategies to improve banana production and income among smallholder banana farmers in Kitagata town council, Sheema district. These included; Integrated Pest Management, use of hybrid varieties, Irrigation, mulching, climate-Smart Agriculture through use of drought resistant varieties, agro-forestry, use of fertilizer application and organic manure to replenish soil fertility. The study finally concluded that there were factors affecting banana production and income among smallholder banana farmers. Such as; access to extension and advisory services which had a significant effect on production and smallholder farmer’s income at (p=.004), access to financial services was a strong predictor of production improvement and farmer’s income at (p=.002), a positive and a significant relationship were observed between availability of quality farm inputs and banana production (at p=.023), The study further discovered that ready market was a strong predictor of production and small holder farmer’s income at (p=.003) and Lastly, a positive and a significant relationship were observed between banana varieties grown and banana production as well as income at (p=.005). The study recommends that the government, NGOs, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries in collaboration be established with the aim of implementing innovative agricultural strategies geared towards banana productivity increments, there is also a need for the government to provide enough facilities to extension agents that will help them facilitate enhanced training to farmers and inform them of new techniques in farming, there is a need for the government to provide some production inputs at subsidized cost.

Phases of adoption of One Acre Fund agricultural innovation among smallholder maize farmers, Bungoma County, Kenya

This study examines the adoption of One Acre Fund (OAF) agricultural innovations in Bungoma South Sub-County, Kenya, in response to declining maise production. Despite agricultural development programs aiding Kenya's economic growth, research shows low technological acquisition. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 204 out of 9,924 OAF-registered farmers using descriptive research design. Inferential statistics were employed to analyse the different phases of adoption, with quantitative data presented in tables. The qualitative findings were analysed using thematic analysis and incorporated into the results of the inferential analysis as narratives. A situational analysis was performed to assess the status of various types of OAF agricultural innovation among smallholder farmers in the study area. Pairwise ranking was implemented to identify advanced acquisition strategies. The findings revealed that the socio-economic characteristics of farmers, such as age (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.000), level of education (p = 0.001), family size (p = 0.047), non-farm work (p = 0.327), and size of land (p = 0.110), significantly influenced the adoption of the OAF agricultural innovations. The study also indicated that the adoption phases were impacted by factors such as group memberships (p = 0.047), farm visits (p = 0.012), and training (p = 0.000). Based on the findings, the study recommends the implementation of awareness programs, crop insurance, the establishment of farm cooperatives, and the strengthening of farmers' knowledge systems to enhance OAF maise output and achieve food security.

Explorando la eficiencia técnica de la producción agrícola en tres regiones de México

This work assesses the technical efficiency (TE) in agricultural production under irrigation of corn, alfalfa, sorghum, and plantain; the analysis is conducted for three hydrological subregions of Mexico: Río San Juan (north), Valley of Mexico (center) and Valle Bajo de Grijalva (South). The measurement was carried out by agricultural cycle (spring-summer, autumn-winter and perennial), and by land size. We use stochastic frontier analysis to corroborate whether the farmer's skills favor efficiency, with a production function that relates irrigated land as a basic element, and a set of explanatory socioeconomic variables. Despite limitations in the data, the results contribute to the knowledge of TE in Mexican agriculture. Indirectly, the contribution of irrigation is recognized, so identifying their economic relevance could help define strategies to improve agricultural production and support water management in agriculture.

Analyzing the determinants and extent of crop diversification among smallholder coffee farmers in Kirinyaga central and east sub-counties, Kirinyaga County, Kenya

Crop diversification is a potential strategy that farmers can employ to address household food insecurity and low farm incomes. Smallholder coffee farmers face low and insufficient levels of crop diversification in Kirinyaga East and Central Sub-Counties, Kirinyaga County, Kenya. This study examines those factors that influence household decisions to diversify crops and further attempts to analyze the factors that influence the extent to which diversification takes place among smallholder coffee farmers. The study was guided by utility theory and used a descriptive survey design. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the survey data and a sample size of 408 smallholder farmers was chosen using multistage sampling procedure. The crop diversification index was 0.390 on average. Cragg's double-hurdle model findings at the first stage of the model revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship at p < 0.05 between access to extension services (6.5%) and land size (8.8%) on the probability of the farmer participating in crop diversification. The extent of crop diversification was positively and significantly associated with land size (6.7%), where (p < 0.05), while gender (5.3%) had a negative influence. Farmers should be encouraged to diversify their crops to maximize land productivity through increased crop yields. Finally, the findings suggest that the government should allocate resources to supplement existing extension programs and policies that improve skills and knowledge of farmers concerning crop diversification.

The Impact of Forest Products Demand on Deforestation in Rwanda: A Case Study of Burera, Gakenke, Gicumbi, Musanze, and Rulindo Districts

The world’s forests play an integral role in not only the well-being of their inhabitants but also in the overall health of other lifeforms on the planet. Some of the major benefits of forests include climate stability, ecological benefits, biodiversity and economic importance. Deforestation is one of the major challenges to gain the above benefits in the long run. It involves the permanent end of forest cover to make that land available for residential, commercial or industrial purposes. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of forest products demand on deforestation in Rwanda. A case study of Burera, Gakenke, Gicumbi, Musanze, and Rulindo Districts. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design as its framework to guide the process of data collection. The target population was households living closer to the forest products demand. The study adopted a purposive sampling approach to select five districts. Twelve (20) households were randomly selected from each sector making a total sample size of 120 respondents. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS version 20, and regression using STATA version 12. The results of the study indicated that the forest products used by the households were firewood, stakes, timbres, charcoal, building scaffolds, fodder, poles, and medicine. The results of the logit model showed that land size, family income, household size, occupation, education level, and fodder were statistically significant and positively influenced forest product demand in the study area at (p< 0.01). The result of the regression analysis also revealed that eight variables out of nine were positively significant and influenced deforestation in the study area. Agricultural activities, urbanization, forest fires, and overpopulation were statistically significant at the P ≤ 0.01 level. Despite the roles provided by forests all over the world, the results of this study showed deforestation effectively causes climate change, wildlife extinction & habitat loss, decline in the life quality of people (100%). After these results of the study, the best solution to overcome deforestation is to curb the felling of trees by enforcing a series of rules and laws to govern it. Supporting research, extension and training for more sustainable grazing systems, including silvopastoral techniques that can simultaneously increase livestock production and protect the soil against nutrient depletion, compaction and erosion.

Socio-economic determinants of climate change perception in the uMkhanyakude district of Kwazulu-Natal province, South Africa

Climate change is an emerging stressor that impacts negatively on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in developing countries. This study assessed the socio-economic determinants of climate change perception in the uMkhanyakude district in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Assessment of the determinants of climate change perception is imperative in the design for effective climate change communication and policy formulation at the country and regional level. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to collect data from a sample of 400 smallholder farmers. A binary logistic regression model was used to analyse the determinants of climate change perception. Descriptive statistics revealed that 95.5% of the sampled farmers perceived climate change in the study area. Farmers perceived long term increases in temperatures and a decrease in rainfall. The results of the binary logistic regression revealed that climate change perception is influenced by the age of the household head, adult equivalents in the household, land size, involvement in farmers’ organisations, access to irrigation, and level of education. Policies aimed at addressing the impacts of climate change should place an emphasis on dealing with drought, which has been a prominent phenomenon in the study area and in the Southern African region. In addition, it is recommended that government policies geared toward the support of extensive educational programmes should consider the determinants of climate change perception.

PERCEPTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THEIR DETERMINANTS AMONG THE SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN MACHAKOS COUNTY

Climate change is expected to affect the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Machakos County due to their overdependence on rain-fed agriculture. Farmers perception of climate change and variability influences their understanding and management of climate change-induced risks and uncertainties, especially in rain-fed agriculture. The study was carried out to evaluate smallholder farmers awareness and perception of climate change and the factors influencing the perception of climate change in Machakos County. Data was collected from 400 farmers from six locations sampled through a multistage and simple random sampling procedure. The Heckman probit model was fitted to the data to avoid sample selection bias since not every farmer who may perceive climate change responds by adapting. The analysis revealed that 96% of smallholder farmers in Machakos County were aware of climate change, 87.3% perceived that temperature was rising, and 96.8% perceived that rainfall was decreasing. In this regard, the age of the household head, Gender, education, household size, group membership, distance to the nearest input sellers, distance to the closest market access to insurance, land size, off-farm income, access to information on climate change, access to extension services, access to credit, changes in temperature and rainfall were found to have a significant influence on the probability of farmers to perceive and/or adapt to climate change.

Study on the Relationship Between Personality Characteristics and Attitude of Students in Science and Technology

The study intends to find out the relationship between profile characteristics and attitude of polytechnic students towards diploma programme. A sample of 240 students were selected from three polytechnics viz., Agriculture, Seed technology and Organic farming using simple random sampling procedure. The study revealed that out of seventeen profile characteristics of polytechnic students, Academic achievement, Education of father, Education of mother, Size of land holding, Caste, Family occupation, Participation in Extracurricular & co - curricular activities, Mass media exposure, Achievement motivation and Self - confidence showed positive significant relationship with attitude. On the other hand left over variables like Gender, Medium of instruction in Xth class, Annual income, Type of family, Rural urban background, Library exposure showed positive non - significant and infrastructure facilities showed negative non - significant relationship with attitude. The multiple linear regression equation with seventeen selected profile characteristics put together contributed 70.60 percent to the total variance in the attitude of polytechnic students towards diploma programme.

Nature’s food – the contribution of edible insects to household nutrition and income in Western Kenya

Abstract This study investigates the nutritional contribution of insects to the diets and income of an entomophagous region in western Kenya. We used a random sample of households from two sub-counties in western Kenya and collected quantities harvested, consumed, and sold of three common insects (termites, dung beetles, and grasshoppers). We then estimated the nutritional composition from literature and determined the household nutrient requirements for proteins, vitamin A, iron and zinc to understand the contribution of insects. Insects were found to be a source of protein, vitamin A, iron, and zinc, with average contributions of 2%, 14%, 20% and 4% of the recommended (household) dietary intake of each nutrient, respectively. Households that earned income from insects had 24% higher household income compared to those that did not earn income from insects. The study further examined factors influencing the contribution of insects to diets and found that household size and wealth (measured by land size) have an inverse relationship with insect contribution to diets and income while attaining primary level of education and being a farmer as the main occupation are associated with a higher contribution of insects to diets. For future research, understanding factors influencing entomophagy is vital for promoting sustainable and nutritious food systems that incorporate insects as a viable protein source, particularly in regions where alternative protein sources are limited.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELECTED PROFILE OF THE POTATO GROWERS AND THE KNOWLEDGE LEVEL OF BENEFICIARY FARMERS ABOUT POTATO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

The present study was undertaken in KVK at Deesa of Banaskantha district. Out of 14 talukas Banaskantha District seven talukas falls under the jurisdiction of KVK, Banaskantha-I (Deesa). Among the seven talukas four taluka was purposively selected on the basis of maximum numbers of activities carried out by KVK. From each selected talukas three villages were selected purposively on the basis of maximum numbers of beneficiary farmers. A comprehensive list of the beneficiary potato growers of each adopted village was obtained from KVK. From this list, ten beneficiary potato growers from each village were selected randomly for the study. Thus, 120 beneficiary potato growers were selected for the study. To know the impact of KVK, the same numbers of non beneficiary potato growers were selected randomly from same villages. Thus, altogether 120 beneficiary and 120 non beneficiary potato growers were selected for the study. Thus, total 240 potato growers were selected. Among the selected variables, the variable viz., education, extension participation, source of information, scientific orientation, risk orientation, economic motivation and attitude had exerted positive and highly significant relationship while farming experience, size of land holding, occupation, yield and social participation had positive and significant relationship. Whereas, age exerted negative and non-significant relationship and annual income had positive and non-significant relationship with knowledge level about potato production technology.

PERCEPTION OF ANIMAL OWNERS TOWARDS VETERINARY CLINICAL COMPLEX

The Veterinary Clinical Complex is a leading centre for animal treatment and serves as a reference Veterinary Clinic, with the main goal of training students to attain academic excellence and become successful veterinarians. Many clinical cases of small and large animals are presented to the veterinary clinical complex, which gives undergraduate students plenty of instructional material. The placement of multiple clinical departments and Veterinary Clinic units in one site has allowed for a well-integrated and coordinated approach to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in small and large animals. The research was conducted at the veterinary clinical complex (VCC), CVS & AH, Kamdhenu University, Junagadh. An interview schedule was used in accordance with the objectives of the research in order to gauge how animal owners respect the VCC. In order to conduct a statistical analysis based on mean, frequency and percentage, 200 animal owners who visited VCC every day from 2021 to 2022 were randomly selected. The result indicated that majority of the animal owners had a medium level of perception towards Veterinary Clinical Complex services. Variables like education, experience as an animal owners, herd size, social participation and extension contact were positive and significant association with perception of animal owners about veterinary clinical complex and the variables like type of family, size of land holding, annual income and occupation had non-significant relationship with perception of animal owners about VCC services. Major constraints experienced by animal owners are vaccination and free of cost medicine is not provided by the VCC centre. Major suggestions given by the respondents to overcome the constraints were; medicine should be provided free of cost in veterinary clinical complex.

ASSESSMENT OF LIVELIHOOD SECURITY OF FARMERS IN COASTAL AREA

India is a developing nation where the vast majority of people rely on agriculture as their primary source of income. The means by which people maintain, thrive, and survive is known as their livelihood. A person’s ability to support himself is a result of how and why they organize to use labor, technology, power, knowledge, and social relationships to change their environment and meet their needs. In the state of Gujarat, coastal salinity is and will remain the biggest threat to sustainable crop production. The main causes of improved livelihood security are issues with the salinity of the soil and water. A study was conducted in Porbandar, Junagadh and Gir Somnath district to assess the livelihood security of coastal area farmers and to ascertain the relationship between livelihood security and profile of the coastal area farmers. A sample of 120 respondents were selected from 12 different villages on the basis of 5 km from the coastal belt of three districts by applying multistage purposively random sampling technique. Majority (61.67 per cent) of the farmers had medium level of overall livelihood security index, followed by 20.00 per cent of them had low level of livelihood security index and 18.33 per cent of them were with high level of livelihood security index.There was positive and highly significant relationship between education, size of land holding, occupation, annual income, economic motivation, resource use management behavior and their livelihood security and also had positively and significant relationship between management orientation and credit orientation with their livelihood security.

The Environmental Conservation Strategies Used in Secondary Schools Align with Guidelines of United Nations Environmental Program: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in a City Setting

The climate change crisis might soon be the biggest threat to global human existence if immediate action is not taken to overpower it. In Eastern Uganda, Mbale city is among the most affected areas, and the burden manifests in form of disasters such as long dry spells and floods. One of such floods in this city recently destroyed 5,000 acres of crops and homes of 5,600 people, killed over 30- and cut off clean water for 400,000 people. Schools can create environmentally responsible communities that are able to address this threat, but persistence of the burden in this area depicts unclear gaps in the roles played by these academic institutions. This study therefore examined the environmental conservation strategies used in addressing climate change and related calamities by students and staff of secondary schools in Mbale city, to unravel intervention-gaps and guide the way forward. Conservation strategies, plus factors promoting their adoption and challenges, as well as the perceptions, attitudes, awareness, and knowledge about environmental conservation and climate change were examined in a random sample of 384 secondary school students and staff. Pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were used under the guidelines of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), supplemented with observational surveys and photography. Data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA version-15.0. Graphs were plotted with GraphPad Prism® version 9.0.0. Conservation strategies in schools were found to be diverse, involving mainly tree planting (N=339, 91.2%), preservation of green spaces (N=310, 83.3%), harvesting rain water and not damping wastes in water resources (N= 372, 100% each). Reuse of waste plastic bottles to fabricate dustbins was a novel observation. KIIs showed that the use of the school curriculum to support environmental conservation and climate change action was also prominent (N=12, 100%), but was not significantly different from other key strategic approaches such as incentives (χ2 = 0.992, p = 0.319), and aid from some agencies (χ2 = 3.200, p = 0.074). Interventions against air pollution were scarce. Determinants of choice of conservation measures were mostly; the school curriculum (N=381, 99.2%), costs (N= 381, 99.2%), land size (N= 352, 91.7%) and education level (N=250, 65.1%). Commonest perceptions on why conservation is vital were; to avert ecological threats (N=372, 100%), and the urge for a clean environment (N=372, 100%). Good attitudes towards conservation were in 269 (70.1%) of the participants; 48.4%, 7.8%, and 7.1% were not aware about biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution respectively. 58.1% lacked sufficient conservation knowledge. Long dry seasons (100%), financial scarcities (94.8%), and high population (98.9%) were the commonest barriers, while low political will (N=12, 3.1%), was minimal. In conclusion, environmental conservation strategies in secondary schools in Mbale city are diverse, largely align with guidelines of UNEP, and are based on the geography, resources, policies, and sociodemographic factors. The commonest challenges were; long dry spells, financial scarcities, population pressure. Redress to these anomalies is desired to enhance the use of secondary schools as hubs for environmentally responsible communities that can address environmental crises like climate change sustainably.

Analysis of green total factor productivity in China's forestry industry: Technological, organizational, and environmental framework for sustainable economic development

AbstractAs a green industry, forestry plays a pivotal role in economic and ecological development. Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) is a crucial indicator of forestry progress. This paper employs the Non‐Radial Distance Function (NDDF) model to measure forestry GTFP in forestry comprehensively. Additionally, it utilizes fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore pathways for enhancing forestry GTFP across technological, organizational, and environmental (TOE) dimensions. The study reveals the following outcomes: Government financial support and six additional antecedent conditions offer three distinct avenues to boost forestry GTFP in forestry. Regional disparities emerge, with technology‐driven pathways predominantly found in eastern provinces, dual‐driven routes centered on average forest land size and forestry carbon sinks (FCS) taking precedence in central provinces, and dual‐driven paths driven by government support and FCS coming to the forefront in western provinces. Under specific circumstances, government financial support and foreign investment exhibit potential interchangeability, facilitating the attainment of elevated forestry GTFP in forestry. However, a constraint arises from operating entities' low average forest land size. Ultimately, this study equips policymakers with a nuanced understanding of the factors shaping forestry GTFP in forestry, enabling them to craft compelling, regionally tailored policies that foster adaptability and contribute to the sustainable development of the forestry sector, recognizing that a one‐size‐fits‐all approach may not be suitable for all regions.

Determinants of urban agriculture market participation decision and intensity in eastern Ethiopia

Small-scale urban farmers' active involvement in the urban agriculture (UA) output market is one strategy to ease an urban food shortage while sustaining their livelihoods and income. Enhancing market participation and intensity requires identifying the factors that affect UA market participation. Thus, the study aimed to determine the factors influencing UA market participation decisions and intensity in Eastern Ethiopia. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, the study utilized primary data collected from 270 randomly selected urban farmers. The Double Hurdle (DH) Model was used to determine the factors influencing urban farmers' participation and intensity in the UA output market. According to the first stage DH Model results, age, education, occupation, family size, farming experience, UA-related training, dependency ratio, and market information, all had a significant impact on the decision to participate in the UA output market. The second stage DH Model of Truncated regression indicated that the intensity of UA output market participation decision was significantly affected by the education, land size, UA-related training, and market information are all important factors determine the intensity of UA output market participation. Improving the ability to use the land for UA purposes, awareness creation through short-term training, and improving information access are important recommendations to enhance UA output market participation and intensity of participation.

Perception of tribal farmers towards KVK scientists

The present investigation was conducted in Chikhaldara and Dharni taluka of Amravati district (Vidarbha region) of Maharashtra state. The main objective of the study was to assess the relationship between the profile of the tribal farmers with their perception towards KVK scientists.Apre-structured interview schedule was used to collect data from 120 tribal farmers from 10 villages which were selected by usingex-post facto design of the social research during 2022-2023. The statistical methods such as frequencies, percentage, mean, standard deviation and correlation were used. The data of research study show that variables namely age, farming experience, size of land holding and annual income were negatively non-significant with perception of tribal farmers. The variables education and training received were found positive and significant level of probability of 0.01 with perception of tribal farmers toward KVK scientists.While variable namely extension participation, mass media exposure and innovativeness were positively significant with perception of tribal farmers at 0.05 level of probability.

The Profile Characteristics of Muga Silkworm Rearers of the Sonitpur District of Assam, India

A study was conducted during 2020-2021 to analyze the profile characteristics of 120 muga rearers of the Sonitpur district of Assam. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents (42.50%) belonged to the middle age group. Most of the respondents (47.50%) belonged to the category OBC (Other Backward Class) and had their (35.00%) education up to middle school. Among the respondents, medium-sized (50.00%) family was found to be dominant and farming was their primary occupation with a medium level of income ranging from Rs. 52,000-1,71,000. Regarding the size of operational land holding, the majority (40.83%) of the muga farmers owned operational land holding of 1-2 ha. The majority of the respondents (48.33%) had farming experience between 10-20 years. It was also observed that most of the respondents had a medium level of extension contact (73.33%), medium risk-bearing ability (65.83%), medium decision-making ability (60.83%), and a medium level of marketing orientation (69.17%). As regards training exposure, only 27.50 percent of the respondents had received any training.