PhD

The present study 'Social Cost Benefit Analysis in Vegetable
Production Programmes in Kerala through participatory approach' was aimed
to analyse the Social costs and Social benefits of vegetable production
programmes with special reference to KHDP and IVDP implemented through
SHGs and to suggest a strategy for effective SCBA in Agricultural
Development Programme to be implemented under people's plan. In; ~ line
with the objectives of the study, three categories of respondents viz. farmers,
scientists and extension experts were included in the study. To select
farmers, multistage random sampling procedure was used. The study was
conduc~d in three districts viz Thiruvananthapuram district from southern
zone, Thrissur district from central zone and Malappuram district from
Northern zone. Six taluks from three districts (two taluks from each district),
twelve panchayats from six taluks (two panchayat from each taluk), and from
each panchayat one SHG under KHDP and one SHG under IVDP were
selected, thus constituting a total of 24 SHGs. From each SHG fifteen
farmers were selected. Thus the total number of farmers selected was 360.
Secondly, ten scientists, ten extension experts and ten progressive farmers
each who are actively associated with the vegetable production programmes
were randomly selected to delineate the dimensions of social cost and social
benefit. Thus, totally 420 respondents were included in the study. The data
were collected using a well-structured pre-tested interview schedule.
Statistical techniques such as mean, percentage analysis, correlation,
Principal Component Analysis and '1' test were used to analyse the data.

Six dimensions of social cost VIZ. perishability, conversion of paddy
land, displacement of agricultural labourers, exploitation by middlemen, time
constraint and involvement at the cost of education and eight dimensions of
social benefit viz. family labour utilization, increased living standard, self
confidence, dignity of farmers, equity, satisfaction, sociability and knowledge
in vegetable cultivation were delineated using Nominal Group Technique and
Policy Delphi Technique and these dimensions formed the dependent
variables of the study. Dimensions, exploitation by middlemen, displacement
of agricultural labourers and time constraint among social costs and dignity of
farmers, sociability, satisfaction and self confidence among social benefits
contributed higher magnitude of variation. Among the selected three districts,
Thrissur district had the maximum Benefit Cost ratio in case of KHDP as well
as IVDP. Malappuram district had the maximum percentage of respondents
who had experienced maximum social costs and least social benefits where as
Thrissur district has the maximum percentage of respondents who had
experiencel.maximum social benefits and least social costs. The study also
revealed that the two group members (KHDP and IVDP) significantly differ
with respect to independent variables namely experience in commercial
vegetable production, risk orientation, management orientation, market
perception, extension orientation, group cohesion, credit orientation and lack
of marketing and storage facilities, dimensions of social cost such as
conversion of paddy land, exploitation by middlemen and dimensions of
social benefit viz. increased living standard, equity and knowledge III
vegetable production. Based on the results of the study, a strategy IS
suggested for effective SCBA in ADP to be implemented under people's plan.