MSc

The present study entitled "Entrepreneurial behaviour of lease land vegetable growers in Thiruvananthapuram district" focused on the entrepreneurial behaviour,
profile characteristics, nature and extent of lease land farming and the constraints
faced by the lease land vegetable growers. The study comprised of eighty respondents
who were selected randomly from four panchayats of Thiruvananthapuram district.
Entrepreneurial behaviour of lease land growers with ten entrepreneurial attributes
was the dependent variable. Twelve independent variables were selected based on
judges’ rating.
A structured interview schedule was used for data collection. Statistical tools
such as arithmetic mean, standard deviation, frequency, correlation analysis and
ANOVA were used for the analysis.
Based on the analysis of data, it was found that majority (62.5%) of the
farmers were having medium entrepreneurial behaviour. On comparison of four
panchayats, it was found that there was no significant difference between the
panchayats which means all the respondents of four panchayats had similar level of
entrepreneurial behaviour.
Distribution of respondents based on their entrepreneurial attributes was done
using mean and standard deviation, it was found that majority (72.5%) of the
respondents belonged to medium category of risk taking (72.5%), hope of success
(61.25%), persuasibilty (61.25%), feedback usage (62.5%), self confidence (68.75%),
knowledgeability
(61.25%),
persistence
(60%),
manageability
innovativeness (60%) and achievement motivation (61.25%).
(61.25%),
In order to study the nature and extent of lease land farming, respondents were
classified into different categories based on structure of tenancy, type of agreement,
size of leased land, mode of rent, amount of rent paid and major vegetables under
lease land cultivation. It was found that 66.25 per cent of respondents had informal
and verbal contract followed by 25 per cent of them in the formal and written
category. It might be due to the fact that owners are reluctant to go for formal/written
agreement because of the fear of losing ownership of land since there is no
government policy or procedure existing to protect their right over land. Majority
(51.25%) of the respondents had leased an area of less than 1 acre. The probable
reason might be because that the land owners fear that they might lose ownership of
land and so are prepared to give only small stretch of land for lease. It was found that
all the respondents paid their rent as cash. Over 67.5 per cent of the farmers paid their
rent in the range Rs.18,640- Rs. 64,000 per acre per year. This variation in the rent
amount was seen because of the difference in the pattern of lease land. Most of the
farmers cultivated cucurbitaceous crops followed by cowpea.
Majority (66.25%) of the respondents belonged to age category of more than
55 years. Majority (58.75%) of the farmers had an annual income of Rs. 50000-
100000. Majority of the respondents were in the medium category of problem solving
ability (72.5%), market orientation (73.75%), information seeking behaviour
(73.75%) and deferred gratification (73.75%). Three forth of the respondents had
medium level of credit orientation and self reliance. Majority (66.25%) of the farmers
used creative ideas to solve problems. With respect to environmental orientation and
decision making, majority (56.25%) were in the medium category. The findings
revealed that 50 per cent of the farmers were recycling their farm resources.
Result of the correlation analysis between ten attributes of entrepreneurial
behaviour and twelve independent variables revealed that four of the variables viz.,
problem solving ability, information seeking ability, creativity and decision making
ability had positive and significant correlation with all (ten entrepreneurial attributes).
With respect to overall entrepreneurial behaviour, problems solving ability, creativity,
deferred gratification, market orientation, credit orientation and self reliance were
found to have positive and significant correlation with entrepreneurial behaviour.
Constraints faced by lease land farmers were found based on discussion with
the respondents and ranking was done accordingly. High lease rent and owners
demanding payment of rent before the cropping season got first rank among the lease
land constraints. No fixed lease rent was the second most important constraint
followed by lack of timely and sufficient credit facilities from banks, short tenure
period, no voucher for payment of rent and lack of legal structure for agreement in
the order.
The major general constraints faced by farmers were instability in prices and
lack of provision of vegetable crop insurance, high labour charges, inadequate
extension service, lack of proper technical knowledge, failure of development
departments to offer trainings to farmers, lack of proper marketing facilities, high cost
of inputs and non availability of labour.
Extension of land tenure to a period of three to four years, periodic evaluation
by Krishibhavan officials, providing technical guidance by extension officials, timely
availability of loans and insurance, provision of vegetable insurance based on the cost
of cultivation of concerned crop were some of the suggestions given by respondents.
Legalization of land leasing, creation of land bank, provide better extension
agent support to adopt improved practices and technologies, timely and need specific
training to farmers by developmental departments, improve marketing and
transportation facilities without intermediaries, better availability of government
subsidies and schemes, providing timely and sufficient credit facilities, promotion of
value addition technologies were suggestions given by experts.
Thus the study revealed that majority of the lease land vegetable growers
belonged to the medium category of entrepreneurial behaviour. The constraints
experienced by the farmers need the attention of government agency, policy makers,
and extension organisation of the state for their redressal to boost up vegetable
production.