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The present study under the tittle "Role of farm women in planning
and management of watershed" was under taken to assess the role
perception and role performance of farm women in planning and
management of watershed, extent of participation of farm women in
planning and management of watershed, extent adoption of watershed
programmes and the constraints faced by the them in participation and
adoption of watershed development programme. Thirty farm women each
were selected from each selected watersheds of Kottayam and Kollam
districts, thus forming a sample of 180 respondents. Data was collected
using interview schedule and suitable statistical technique were employed
in the analysis of data.
The frequency distribution of farm women with respect to role
perception, role performance and extent of participation was found high in
the low group. Where as more number were seen in the high category
with respect to extent of adoption.
The distribution of farm women with respect to their personal and
socio-psychological variables revealed that majority were in the high group
in the case of age, education, annual income, cosmopoliteness, economic



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motivation, risk performance, innovation proneness and attitude towards
watershed programmes and in low group the variables like Farming
experience, farm size, exposure to mass media, contact with extension
agency, training, social participation and achievement motivation.
The roles perceived by most of the farm women in watershed
planning and management were planting seedlings, watering, weedin~plant
protection, supervision of hired labours in the field, harvesting, processing,
decision regarding number of animals to be maintained, feeding animals,
care of sick animals, management and care of poultry birds and goat rearing
as very important.
The roles performed by the farm women in planning and
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management of watershed were planting seedlings, watering, weeding,
supervision of hired labours in the field, harvesting, processing, decision
regarding number of animals to be maintained, feeding animals, care of
sick animals, collecting fodder, management and care of poultry birds, goat
rearing and selling of livestock produce as most frequently.
With respect to extent of participation of farm women in planning
and management of watershed was very poor. Except in the case of items
like participation by way attendance in training programmes, melas and
exhibitions, their participation is almost nil.
The study revealed that majority of the respondents farm women
have fully adopted the programmes like agro forestry tree planting, kitchen
gardening, poultry rearing, feeding of animals and health care of animals.

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The result of correlation analysis revealed that, a positive and
significant relationship was found between all the dependent variables
except role performance and extent of adoption.
,
With regard to • perception a positive and significant relation was
found with the independent variables like exposure to mass media, contact
with extension agency, training, cosmopoliteness, social participation,
scientific orientation, economic motivation, risk preference, achievement
motivation, innovation proneness and attitude towards watershed
programmes.
In the case of role performance variables like exposure to mass
media, contact with extension agency, training, cosmopoliteness, social
participation, scientific orientation, economic motivation, risk preference,
achievement motivation, innovation proneness and attitude towards
watershed programmes were seen to be positively and significantly
correlated.
The result of correlation analysis revealed that, a positive and
significant relationship exist between, extent of participation and all the
selected characteristics except Farming experience and Farm size.
With regard to extent of adoption a positive and significant
relationship was found with the independent variables like education, farm
size, exposure to mass media, contact with extension agency, training,
cosmopoliteness, social participation, scientific orientation, economic



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motivation, risk preference, achievement motivation, innovation proneness
and attitude towards watershed programmes.
Lack of financial assistance given under watershed programme, non
availability of quality planting materials, non availability of agricultural
inputs, dely in implementation of programmes, political interference In
selection of beneficiaries under watershed development programme, In
adequate training and absence of location specific watershed development
programmes were the major constraints faced by the farm women.