Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology
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Effect of Socio-economic Factors on Level of use of Improved Maize Varieties in Bungoma County, Kenya
No full textMaize is Kenya’s primary staple food, where 75% of producers are smallholder farmers. Maize consumption exceeds production with imports bridging the gap. Improved maize varieties have been adopted by smallholder farmers but the deficit gap still exists. The study’s objective was to determine factors influencing the adoption intensity of improved maize varieties in Bungoma County. Primary data was collected from 500 smallholder farmers using a structured questionnaire. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 27 software and a fractional logit model applied. Factors influencing adoption intensity of improved maize varieties were personal characteristics of the farmer (age, and household size), institutional factors (extension service) and varietal factors (early maturity, pest and disease resistance, drought resistance). Age, household size and extension services reduced the intensity of adoption, while varietal factors increased the intensity of adoption of improved maize varieties. The recommendations from the study is that even if the extension agents discouraged increased acreage under maize, they need to address and manage risk aversion among the old farmers through providing information and support groups. Counties should nurture a strong research-inkage with researchers to demonstrate demonstrate technology benefits
Optimization of Implementation Scale to Measure the Attitude of Farmers towards Jalyukt Shivar Campaign
No full textAdoption behaviour for a particular technology is mainly affected by the attitude held by intended farmers towards it. The present study aimed at developing and standardizing attitude scale on Jalyukt Shivar Campaign based on Likert’s technique of summated rating. The steps included item collection, item edition and selection, relevancy test, item analysis and calculation of “t” value, testing reliability and validity. A total of 45 items (statements) were pooled initially covering various aspects of Jalyukt Shivar Campaign and were subjected to item relevancy checking to 90 experts through email, WhatsApp and handed over personally by visiting to the experts. Based on the 90 experts responses, 28 items were screened out for item analysis. The reliability of the scale was measured by using test-retest method and the reliability coefficient was found to be 0.88 which was satisfactory. The validity of the scale was examined with the help of content validity. The scale developed finally consisted of 27 items. This standardized scale can be used by academicians with or without modifications to measure attitude of farmers towards Jalyukt Shivar Campaign and other water conservation programmes
Mushroom Cultivation MOOC at Kerala Agricultural University: Garrett Ranking Analysis of Constraints to Enhance Online Agriculture Learning
No full textParticipants in this extensive Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on mushroom cultivation will gain a wealth of knowledge and useful skills necessary for cultivating a wide variety of mushrooms. In this study, the Center for e-learning at Kerala Agriculture University will analyse the barriers to mushroom growing as part of a MOOC. 30 participants in the MOOC course were chosen at random to participate in the study as responses. Using the specified sampling size and data collection methodology, an ex post facto research design was employed for the study. The requirements in the MOOC course were prioritized using the Garrett ranking technique after the data were statistically analysed. Results revealed that 55.06 per cent of the respondents have the economic constraint that is the power/ electricity usage costs more to them, of the technological challenges encountered, interacting with the resource person less frequently comes in the rank first with 60.13 per cent, the biggest personal challenge is developing skill-oriented knowledge, which is difficult and it has been ranked first with 67 per cent, Personal commitments, such as employment, family duties, health concerns etc., ranks first with 62.53 in terms of situational limitations and 66 percent of the respondents rranked first that there is more number of theory classes with minimum hands-on experience in psychological challenge
A Framework for Data Collection and Management to Support the Comprehensive Development of African Agriculture
No full textAgriculture is a key source of food and health for humanity. However, the hazardous way this activity is still cared for in some developing countries like the Republic of Benin, with poor quality farming data collection mechanisms, can guarantee neither quality and sustainability of production, nor comprehensiveness and efficiency of agricultural interventions. Such shortcomings ineluctably contribute to the limited success of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) promoted by the African Union and its regional chapters, in most African countries. Based on these preliminary remarks, this paper suggests a systematic and automated monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation (MEL) framework that will further be tested, consolidated, validated, and promoted, first in the Republic of Benin, and later in other African countries. This framework is made of local, regional, and national geographic information systems (GIS) which will further serve as databases for planning and interventions in the agricultural sector. The proposed GIS superposes lands’ details (sizes, soils’ characteristics, rainfall data, etc.), stakeholders’ details (demographics, crops, livestock, agricultural practices, etc.), and agricultural value chains’ details. Local, regional, and national agricultural value chains’ development platforms will bring stakeholders together, and serve as sources and co-users of the GIS data. Local, regional, and national MEL and GIS management skilled AEAS agents will facilitate systematic data collection and GIS database management. The data collection and treatment tools should allow the use of all kinds of data formats, including voice and image records, given the oral orientation of most agricultural stakeholders. This original idea emerged from observations during national and regional field experiences, and from the literature that revealed the efficiency of automated real-time and quality data for comprehensive and evidence-based decision-making in development interventions
A Study on the Constraints faced by the Vegetable Growers in Mallawan Block of Hardoi District in Uttar Pradesh, India
No full textTraining is the analytical process for human resource development as well as also playsan essential role in hastening of particular attitude among human behaviours. Moreover, training is a tool for accomplishingintervention of thelevel of human resource, that becomesincreasingly and pivotalfor the development substantially in all fields with an extending satisfaction in technology. The present investigation was aimed to observe the constraints faced by the vegetable growers in the production of vegetable cultivation. The data of constraints were assembled and analysed by using Garret’s ranking methodology to develop a quantitative position of each constraint. Likewise, data findings were showed that thevegetable growersfacedtechnological, resource, market and miscellaneous constraints. Among technological constraints, lack of knowledge about improved varieties, seed rate including sowing time were prominent. Similarly,regarding resource constraints, high costs of pesticides were more dominant. Furthermore, in case of market constraints, non- remunerative price and poor marketing facilities results, high risk which wasdominant. And last one is miscellaneous constraint, non-availability of labour during peak season and high wages. Therefore, numerous field level constraints faced by the vegetable growers had been recognized as well as categorized into the circumstances for training needs
Exploring the on-farm Potential of Improved Sorghum Varieties for Scaling in Dry Lowland Areas of Ethiopia
No full textFeeding the world\u27s growing population has become a global issue due to climate change, which has resulted in low agricultural productivity. Although an attempt has been made to feed this growing population by introducing improved agricultural technologies that boost productivity, the sustainability of these technologies is not promising as farmers insist to use traditional method of production. The study was conducted in the districts of Gololcha and Shanana Kolu to investigate the on-farm potentials of Melkam, Tilahun, and Argiti varieties. Melkam had a higher grain yield (3628 kg/ha) than Argiti (3234 kg/ha), Tilahun (3050 kg/ha), and the districts average sorghum productivity (2320 kg/ha). The mean yield comparison results of yield performances revealed a significant difference (p0.05). Melkam variety had the highest net benefit of 97,432 ETB. The higher gross margin (97,432 ETB per hectare) was received from Melkam with marginal benefit advantage of 57,306 ETB over the local, Argiti (44,698) and Tilahun (38,810 ETB) per hectare. The mean weight score of the selected traits revealed that grain yield and injera-making quality were the top priorities for women farmers, while grain yield and earliness were the top priorities for men farmers. The preference of the men and women found to be different which indicates considering gender needs during scaling of technologies. As a result, it is recommended that Melkam variety to be scaled up with the recommended production practices in the study areas and areas with similar agroecology to improve production and farmers\u27 income
Factors Influencing Success of Incubatees of ANGRAU POSHAN Agribusiness Incubator in Tirupati
No full textThe ANGRAU POSHAN Agribusiness Incubator was purposively selected for the research study (conducted in the year 2023) because it has a specific goal of nurturing agri-startups that are working towards improving the farming communities in the state of Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states. Ten successful incubatees trained at ANGRAU POSHAN agribusiness incubator was purposively selected for the study in the year 2023, based on category, product, service, R&D and achievements and case studies were recorded. The findings demonstrated that personal factors such as entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial capacity, social skills, alignment with personal values and achievement motivation play significant role in the success of agribusiness ventures and received mean scores of 3.0,2.9,2.9,2.9,2.9, respectively. Additionally, resilience, education level, passion for work, experience in the agriculture sector and access to formal and ICT sources of information contribute to entrepreneurial effectiveness and received mean scores of 2.8,2.7,2.7,2.6,2.6,2.6, respectively. The perception of agri-incubatees regarding the personal factors influencing their success is positive. While half of the incubatees (50.00%) rated these factors as moderate, nearly one third (30.00%) also considered them good.
The participants in this study highly valued psychological factors such as innovativeness, self-efficacy, risk-taking ability and the need for affiliation in their agribusiness endeavors. These factors received higher mean scores of 3.0,2.9,2.9,2.9, respectively when compared to resource mobilization, need for power and pro-activeness. These findings highlighted the significance of personal traits and motivations in driving success in the agri-business sector. The perception of incubatees regarding the psychological factors influencing their success is positive. While half of the incubatees rated these factors as ‘moderate’ (50.00%), a significant proportion also considered them high (40.00%)
A Study on Savings Behaviour in Households of Small Farmers in Raipur District, Chhattisgarh, India
No full textEvery economy relies heavily on the savings generated by the household sector to expand. They are the primary driver if capital accumulation and the determinants of economic investment possibilities. Numerous factors, both internal connected directly to a certain household and external unrelated to it influence how families behave financially in terms of conserving money. The aim of this paper was to analyse savings behaviour of households of farmers in Raipur district (Chhattisgarh) in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Analyses were conducted on saving ability, saved, Extent able to survive to event to no income, Objectives and Forms of savings accumulation by households of various socio-economic groups. Analyses showed that in saving ability of household was maximum in year 2021, compared to year 2019, 2020. Most people were saved between 20-40% of their total income. Most of people can survive for over 6 months up to annual without any income using their saved income. Presents the savings preferences of different categories of farmer households. The analysis concludes that the primary savings objectives for households were covered. Households that had savings often declared that they deposited it as fixed expenditure, medical bills and Purchase for durable goods. Most people were like to save in banks. This may be because households find banks safer than other savings options
Extraneous Shocks Affecting Agribusiness Loans Default Rate in Agricultural Finance Corporation, Mount Kenya Region
No full textAgro-shocks create stochastic disturbances to agribusiness performance, which spills over to the performance of credit markets. Farm loan beneficiaries domiciled in the Mount Kenya Region of the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), have recorded a poor loan repayment rate of 20.33% versus 10%, which is the Central Bank of Kenya benchmark for all types of loans in Kenya. Given that agribusiness is a priority sector for addressing food and employment concerns, the performance of agri-loans is sacrosanct. This study aimed to determine the effect of extraneous shocks on the default rate of agribusiness loans disbursed by AFC in the Mount Kenya Region. The region has 11 branches with a population of 3,002 agribusiness borrowers. A sample of 300 respondents was drawn using systematic random sampling with an interval of ten. In a descriptive design using a structured questionnaire, primary data were collected on the effect of extraneous shocks on the default rate of AFC loans. To analyse the data, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V.27) was used. The effect of variables in predicting the default rate was estimated using regression analysis. To derive the F-statistic to test the adequacy of the regression model, ANOVA was performed. A multiple regression model was used to determine the statistical relationship between extraneous shocks and AFC loan default. The model estimates revealed that the three indicators (agroclimatic extremes, market volatility and biological hazards) of extraneous shocks explained 23.90% of the AFC loan default rate. The findings revealed that the statistical significance of the extraneous shocks was positive and significant at 5% (p values=0.00<0.05), implying that their occurrences presented performance challenges to the funded farming projects, thus plunging the loan beneficiaries into repayment challenges. The level of association of each of the indicators with the default rate is as follows: agroclimatic extremes (21.7%), market volatility (30.6%) and biological hazards (17.3%). This study contributes to the existing body of facts in agricultural finance and risk management by bringing to the fore that agro-shocks are sources of far-reaching menaces that constrain the sustainable production process further hindering the repayment of agricultural loans. The study recommends the need for strategic imperatives pointing to interventionist policies through protectionism, partnerships and the mitigation strategies to internalize the resultant negative externalities; loan actors should provide for contingencies and be alert to absorb risks emanating from shocks; penultimately, credit players should collaborate in pursuit of bespoke insurance schemes that can suitably cover farmer projects; ultimately, credit stakeholders should adopt coping strategies to cushion the societies from emerging distresses and devastating constraints
Socio-Economic Profile of Onion Growers of Kanpur Nagar of Uttar Pradesh, India
No full textThe study was conducted in 5 villages block in Kakwan block of Kanpur Nagar district was selected purposively for the study because of the criteria of nearness to researcher’s village and their accessibility. To ensure comprehensive coverage, a complete list of all onion growers in each selected village was compiled. Using a proportionate random sampling technique, 120 farmers were selected for the study. The majority of respondents exhibited various socio-economic characteristics: most fell within the age category of 32-51 years (62.50%), were literate (71.66%), belonged to other backward castes (50.00%), resided in nuclear families (60.84%), had family sizes ranging from 5 to 8 members (66.66%), were married (95.00%), and were marginal farmers with land holdings below one hectare (52.50%). Agriculture was observed as the primary occupation, with subsidiary agricultural labor occupations being prevalent (89.16%). Housing predominantly followed a kaccha type pattern (43.34%). Regarding income distribution, the highest proportion of respondents (44.17%) reported an annual income of 1 to 2 lakh. Material possessions varied among the respondents, with the majority owning farm power equipment such as diesel engines (79.16%) and agricultural implements like khurpi (84.16%). Transportation means mainly consisted of bicycles (88.34%), while household items such as gas cylinders and crockery were ubiquitous (100%), along with coats (99.16%). Economic motivation and scientific orientation were found to be at a medium level across the surveyed population