Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology
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Assessment of Knowledge and Adaptation Strategies of Farmers on Climate Change Regarding Turmeric Cultivation
No full textAn alarming global phenomenon that refers to the long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns on earth is climate change. It has recently been widely discussed in all spheres of society. Climate change has a huge impact on turmeric cultivation which prefers rich and wet soils in a protected and shady location. At the same time, climate change has become major concern for turmeric growing cultivars in Manipur as its contribution in the production of the turmeric is decreasing. Adaptation strategies to cope up with climate change and the related impacts have drawn a considerable attention. This paper was carried out to study the socio-economic profile of the turmeric farmers and how it affects the farmers’ knowledge and adaptation strategies on climate change in turmeric cultivation in Thoubal District of Manipur. Data for the study were collected from 111 turmeric growing farmers through personal interview. The ex-post-facto research deign was used and the respondents were selected purposively. The study found that only 88 farmers were using adaptation strategies and 23 farmers were not adopting anything in accordance with the climate change. Correlation was calculated in order to find out the relationship of the socio-economic characteristics with the farmers knowledge and adaptation strategies. The study has shown that occupational engagement, level of education and mass media exposure had more positive correlation with the farmers’ knowledge on climate change. Similarly, mass media exposure, level of education and social participation had shown more positive correlation with the farmers’ adaptation strategies respectively than other variables
Economics of Layer Poultry Production in West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India
No full textThe study aims to analyze the economics and profitability of layer poultry farming in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The data was collected from three small, eleven medium and sixteen large layer poultry farms using purposive random sampling. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data from poultry farmers. The economic analysis reveals a positive net present value and benefit- cost ratio greater than one for small, medium and large layer poultry farms, indicating economic viability. The internal rate of return for small firms is 39.15 per cent, while medium firms exhibit 72.07 per cent and large firms exhibit 78.03 per cent indicating substantial profitability in layer poultry units. Based on NPV, BCR and IRR, large layer farms were most profitable followed by medium and small layer farms. A layer produces a minimum of 22, 21 and 20 eggs in small, medium and large farms, respectively. The margin of safety stood at 277.51, 279.80 and 283.19 for small, medium and large farms, respectively. The higher margin of safety is on large farms over medium and small farms. The study revealed that poultry layer farming is a profitable business in West Godavari district. However, challenges such as adverse climatic conditions affecting birds with attack of viral diseases and high cost of inputs are major production constraints. High price fluctuations and lack of co-operating marketing facilities are major marketing constraints
Growth, Instability and Decomposition Analysis of Chilli Cultivation in India
No full textThis study analyzed the growth, instability and decomposition of chili cultivation in India over a period of 30-year using secondary data. The study was divided into three sub-periods: 1993–2002, 2003–2012 and 2013–2022, examining variations in area, production, and yield. Growth trends were measured using the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), and variability was assessed through the Cuddy-Della Valle Instability Index (CDVI). Despite a decline in cultivated area, the results showed that chili production and yield increased, especially during the period 2013–2022. The decomposition analysis revealed that improvements in yield were the primary driver of production growth, although fluctuations in area and the interaction between yield and area impacted overall production. The study emphasized the importance of stabilizing production and enhancing farming practices to sustain growth in chili cultivation
Assessing Socio-economic Conditions and Fisheries Management Strategies in Cooperative Societies of Niwas Block, Madhya Pradesh, India
No full textAims: The present study aims to assess the socio-economic status of fishery cooperative societies in Niwas Block, Madhya Pradesh, India. Fisheries cooperative society plays a significant role in upliftment of rural economy by creating fair utilization of fisheries resources while ensuring economic benefits to the members.
Study Design: The study covered all the six fisheries cooperative societies existing in the Niwas Block namely, Gouri Shakti, Maa Durga, Maa Narmada Adiwasi, Maa Narmada, Adiwasi, and Maa Reva Fisheries Cooperative Societies with 171 members in total.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Niwas Block, Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, India during the month of June-August, 2023.
Methodology: The socio-economic status of the fishery cooperative societies was studied through a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques.
Results: The study finds that most members are male (67.25%) and married (90.30%), with the majority in the 31-40 age group (28%). Education levels are low, with 21 per cent illiterate and only 1.5 per cent graduates. Most members belong to Scheduled Tribes (57.50%) and Other Backward Classes (30%). For the year 2021-2022, the average annual income of members was Rs. 28,086. The study also highlights housing conditions, with 35.5 per cent of members living in kachcha houses, 38.18 per cent in semi-pucca houses, and 26.32 per cent in pucca houses. Regarding insurance coverage of the members, 32.17 per cent of members are insured under a government policy, while 67.83 per cent are not covered by any insurance. Nearly, 95.33 per cent of the members are supported through Kishan Credit Cards. The societies produced approximately 2,100 Kg of fish annually. The government supports the societies by providing boats, nets, vehicles, and fish seed. A lack of interest in record-keeping, auditing, and maintenance of files was observed among the society members.
Conclusion: The study shows that in Niwas block the fisheries management of the available water bodies solely depends on the government initiatives and support and the societies faced several challenges due to lack of infrastructure and skill members. Education and awareness on financial and organizational management would enhance the overall effectiveness of these societies
Effect of the Hunger Safety Net Programme on Household Food Insecurity: Lessons from Marsabit County, Kenya
No full textThis study assessed the effects of the Hunger Safety Net Programme in reducing household food insecurity in Marsabit, County, Kenya. Worldwide, social safety programmes have largely been implemented in the drylands targeting vulnerable households. However, poverty and food insecurity remain high, especially in arid and semi-arid lands. The study employed a survey research design. Data was collected between October 2023 and December 2023 targeting 334 households who had graduated from the Hunger Safety Net Programme in Marsabit County, Kenya. The findings indicate that 10.8% of the respondents were food secure, 3.3% were mildly food insecure, 2.7% were moderately food insecure and 83.2% were severely food insecure. Simple regression analysis indicates that cash transfer amount, adequacy of cash transfer, and duration of support had a statistically significant (p<0.05) effect on food insecurity. Multiple linear regression further reveals that households whose main livelihood was business, b=-0.171, p=0.007, casual labour, b=-0.119, p=0.036, and remittances, b=-0.140, p=0.039 were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of food insecurity. The study concludes that despite a slight improvement in households on their food security through Hunger Safety Net Programme support, the majority were still food insecure. The study suggests an increment of the cash transfer amount, a longer duration of beneficiaries in the programme, and the introduction of conditional seed capital to the beneficiary to start income-generating activities to enhance food insecurity
Farmers’ Satisfaction with the Use of AgriTecH in Disseminating Improved Oil Palm Production Technologies in Western Tanzania
No full textThis study assessed the level of farmers\u27 satisfaction with the use of AgriTecH in disseminating improved oil palm production technologies in Tabora and Katavi regions in the Western parts of Tanzania. The study adopted a cross-sectional mixed-methods research design involving quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from a sample of 120 respondents, while focus group discussions and key informant interviews were employed to obtain qualitative data.The collected quantitative data were analysed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to yield descriptive statistics while content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study found that the majority of the farmers expressed high level of Satisfaction with the use of AgriTecH in dissemination of improved oil palm production technologies across all measurement indicators including responsiveness (93.3%), assurance (90.8%), reliability (89.2%), empathy (89.1%), timeliness (85.0%), access (65%) and tangibility (60.8%). Although farmers showed that they are satisfied with the AgriTecH in the dissemination of improved oil palm production technologies, the lower positive percentage scores in access (65%) and tangibility (60.8%) indicators implied that there is a need for improvements in the components of these indicators.
Based on the findings of the study, TARI should make some improvements in the physical component of the AgriTecH to ensure more efficiency in service delivery. Also, both TARI and the Local Government Authorities through the Division of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries should provide convenient ways to increase farmers’ regular visits to the AgriTecH by either supporting their visits at least once per each cropping season or decentralizing the services to the grass root level where farmers are found by strengthening the linkages between the AgriTecH and the Ward Agricultural Resources Centres (WARCs
Impact of Wage Rate and Employment Days on Labour Productivity in Dairy Industry in India: An Empirical Analysis
No full textIndia is the largest consumer as well as producer of milk in the world which holds nearly 25 per cent share in overall world’s milk producers. The dairy industry in India creates huge employment opportunities whether direct or indirect engaging family members in rural areas. There is a growth of 6.6% in dairy Industry over last decade. One of the most important factors which are responsible for growth in dairy industry, particularly in rural areas is labour productivity. Previous studies indicated that labour productivity is much higher in Indian Dairy industry than in the agriculture sector in India. Thus, there is a need to examine the growth of labour productivity in Indian dairy Industry and its possible determinant factors. Hence, the present study is an attempt to study the growth in labour productivity, employment and wage rate in Indian Dairy industry in India. Further, the study aims to explore the impact of wage rate and employment days on labour productivity in aforesaid industry. The secondary data from ASI provided by MOSPI from 2011-12 to 2020-21 of 3- digit NIC 2008(Code- 105) has been taken to achieve the fore mentioned objective. Results indicated that there has been positive association between wage rate, labour productivity and employment in Indian Dairy Industry. Further, it was found that wage rate act as significant factor which determines labour productivity. However, employment was not found to be significant determinant of labour productivity. The study will be helpful for future researchers and policymakers as Dairy industry is one of the main employment generator and poverty reduction measure especially in rural India. Govt. has also been promoting/ supporting it through various schemes. It can be a better alternative for up liftment of rural people and remove disguised unemployment in agriculture sector
Applicability of K-Means and Genetic Algorithm in Clustering of Indian Mustard Genotypes
No full textThe purpose of the study was to check the efficacy of K-means and Genetic Algorithm methods for clustering of Indian mustard genotypes. The secondary data for the growth and yield characteristics of 80 Indian Mustard genotypes were used to identify patterns and best genotypes for plant breeders through K-means and Genetic algorithm clustering methods. The maximum RV-coefficient criterion was used to find best subset size of 3 variables. The clustering was done using K-means and Genetic Algorithm methods based on subset size of 3 variables and all 12 variables. The applicability of both methods was compared from obtained results. It was concluded that the quality of clusters based on the percentage of between sum of squares (BSS) was best in case of K-means method using a subset of the variables
Agrarian Change, Migration, and Livelihood Diversification in Rural Tamil Nadu
No full textThis study examines the dynamics of agrarian change and livelihood diversification in Semboothi, a village located in the Ponnamaravathi block of Pudukottai district, Tamil Nadu. Drawing on primary data from a detailed household survey covering 100 households (462 individuals) across six caste groups, the research investigates the intersection of caste, migration, education, and occupational shifts within a transforming rural economy. The study reveals that the rural economy is undergoing a significant transformation marked by the declining viability of agriculture, a sharp rise in non-farm employment, and increasing dependence on migration. While agriculture remains symbolically important, only 73% of households own land, with average holdings of 1.67 acres and limited irrigation access—factors that contribute to agrarian distress and push even landowning castes towards alternative livelihoods. Caste continues to strongly mediate access to land, education, and mobility. Scheduled Caste (SC) and Muslim households, historically excluded from agrarian privilege, now report higher average per capita incomes (₹63,731 and ₹70,800 respectively) than some dominant castes, driven by greater integration into urban labor markets and higher educational attainment. Intergenerational data show marked improvements in education among SCs and intermediary castes like Konars, while groups like Ambalakarars and Maravars display stagnation or decline. Migration, particularly among SC, Konar, and Maravar households, has emerged as a central strategy for livelihood security: migrant households earn 55.6% more on average than non-migrants, with the highest gains recorded among SCs (101.1%) and Maravars (154.5%). Even among landowning households, 27.4% reported sending members for migrant work due to declining returns from farming. Occupational diversification is evident across caste lines, yet remains stratified; while some move into skilled urban jobs or overseas employment, others remain confined to low-paying informal labor. The study concludes that while Semboothi\u27s rural transformation offers new avenues of mobility—particularly through education and migration—these gains are uneven and mediated by caste, land, and access to infrastructure, reinforcing the need for targeted, caste-sensitive policy interventions to ensure inclusive rural development
Constraints Faced by NGO Workers in Agriculture & Rural Development Sector: Insights from Jaunpur District of Uttar Pradesh, India
No full textNGO workers in agriculture and rural development sectors face a wide range of constraints worldwide and India is not an exception in this case. This research study highlights the key constraints faced by NGOs as identified by 120 NGO workers in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India and provides suggestions to deal with those intense constraints. Some descriptive statistics like frequency, percentage etc. were used to analyze the collected data. The data analysis revealed that undemocratic behavior of the boss (95.5%), lack of sound planning (95.83%), absence of united synchronized efforts (87.5%), absence of incentives for good work (79.16%) etc. are mostly faced administrative constraints by the NGO workers. Some of the most prominent infrastructural constraints faced by the NGO workers are non-availability of sufficient training facilities (97.50%), non-availability of inputs i.e. seeds/fertilizer (93.33%), lack of mobility/communication (89.16%), inadequate funds for carrying out the activities (85%) etc. For improving the situation and dealing with these constraints, NGOs should focus on fostering a democratic and inclusive organizational culture, implementing effective planning processes, encouraging collaboration and teamwork, providing incentives for performance, seeking expert guidance, conducting regular evaluations, enhancing government partnerships, investing in training and resources, improving communication infrastructure, diversifying funding sources and addressing housing needs etc. These steps should help NGOs overcome the identified constraints gradually and achieve greater effectiveness in their mission