PhD Thesis
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Item Effectiveness of certificate course on integrated nutrient management for fertilizer dealers(Department of Agricultural extension, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2025-01-21) Sathiswaran, R.; Helen, SThe fertilizer dealers are the prime source of agricultural information and suppliers of quality inputs to the farming community. However, majority of the fertilizer dealers do not have a formal degree or adequate knowledge on scientific practices in agriculture. Realizing the importance of equipping fertilizer dealers and enhancing their professional competency of fertilizer dealers, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare issued an amendment called Fertilizer Control Order in 1985. It is mandatory for all the fertilizer dealers to undergo a 15-day certificate course to obtain and renew their license for fertilizer dealership. Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) introduced online certificate course on Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in 2020 for fifteen batches and thereafter conducted nine offline batches till 2023. In this background, a study on “Effectiveness of certificate course on integrated nutrient management for fertilizer dealers” was carried out to assess the effectiveness of online and offline certificate course on Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) as perceived by fertilizer dealers, relationship of profile characteristics of fertilizer dealers with their perceived effectiveness towards online and offline certificate course on INM, identify constraints faced by fertilizer dealers in participating online and offline certificate course and formulate strategies to improve the certificate course for empowering fertilizer dealers. The seven districts of Kerala, viz. Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Thrissur, Palakkad, Alappuzha and Kollam were selected purposively for the study by considering the maximum number of fertilizer dealers participated in the certificate course. A representative sample of 150 respondents each from online and offline certificate courses was selected by adopting proportionate random sampling technique, thus making the total sample size of 300 respondents. The profile of online and offline trained fertilizer dealers revealed that, 46.00 per cent of online trained dealers were in the middle age group, while 36.00 per cent of offline trained dealers were in the young age group. It was found that for both categories of dealers, the majority were males, educated up to the graduation level, and had good computer proficiency. Most of the dealers were retailers, and more than half had business experience of less than five years. It was revealed that 35.33 per cent of online trained dealers had an annual income between Rs.50,001 and Rs.1,00,000, whereas 28.66 per cent offline trained dealers earned above Rs.2,00,000 annually. Among online trained dealers, 30.00 per cent dealt with any two types of inputs, while more than one-fifth of offline trained dealers (27.33%) dealt with any two and three types of inputs each. The data also showed that the government agencies were the major source of motivation for more than half of both the categories of dealers. It was revealed that the majority of both categories of dealers had a medium level of extension contact, mass media participation and information-seeking behaviour. Both categories of online as well as offline trained fertilizer dealers exhibited a medium level of management orientation, decision-making ability, economic motivation, risk-taking ability and level of aspiration. The perceived effectiveness of the certificate course using the Kirkpatrick's four-level hierarchical model revealed that, the ‘reaction’ level of the evaluation of the certificate course composed of the components viz; quality, course content, teaching methods, duration and time of training. It showed that the mean score of 4.36 secured by offline trained fertilizer dealers was higher compared to the mean score 3.78 gained by online trained fertilizer dealers towards the reaction level under the evaluation of the certificate course on INM. At the ‘learning’ level evaluation of the certificate course constituted the components viz; utility, coverage, knowledge gained and skill development. It clearly showed that the mean score secured under learning level of the offline trained fertilizer dealers 4.24 was higher in comparison to online trained fertilizer dealers with mean score of 3.83. The ‘behaviour’ level of the evaluation of the certificate course comprised the change in job performance, confidence level and management skills among the fertilizer dealers after completing the certificate course. It showed that the mean score 4.21 obtained by offline trained fertilizer dealers was higher compared to the mean score 3.76 secured by online trained fertilizer dealers. Finally, the ‘result’ level of the evaluation consisted of role of certificate course in moulding the respondents viz; professional competency, management of fertilizer dealership, transfer of technology and overall satisfaction. It showed that the mean score 4.25 obtained by offline trained fertilizer dealers was higher compared to the mean score 3.86 received by online trained fertilizer dealers related to the ‘results level of them after attending the certificate course. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rsp) analysis revealed that the variables viz; age, educational status, business experience, mass media participation, types of input marketed, computer proficiency, management orientation, information seeking behaviour, economic motivation, risk taking ability and level of aspiration were found to be positively correlated with perception towards the effectiveness of certificate course either 1% or 5% level of significance. The major constraints faced by online trained fertilizer dealers were: receipt of study materials after completion of online sessions, some lectures were too fast, internet connectivity issues and lack of communication and low interaction with other participants. Whereas, the major constraints faced by offline trained fertilizer dealers were: classroom session was too long to concentrate, no adequate follow-up and difficult to maintain work life balance during the course period. The specific strategies were developed to improve the effectiveness of the certificate course on Integrated Nutrient Management (INM). Based on the Kirkpatrick's level of evaluation model, strategies were framed viz. Reaction level: group discussion, method demonstration and group presentation may be organized. Learning level: enhancement of knowledge, upgradation of skills and favourable attitude towards the job. Behaviour level: Understanding market dynamics, disseminating technology and staying updated with latest technologies. Results level: sessions on conducting market research, encouraging to share knowledge with colleagues and farmers, networking with suppliers and manufacturers, evaluating new technologies and follow up may be adoptedItem Agricultural information support service vis-a-vis kisan call centre: a performance auditing(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2016) Shely Mary Koshy; Kishore Kumar, NItem Entrepreneurial behaviour of agri-business operators in Kerala(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1998) Senthil Vinayagam, S; Geethakutty, P SA study was conducted with the main objectives of developing index for measuring entrepreneurial behaviour and agri-business performance and identifying influence of behavioural and situational characteristics on entrepreneurial behaviour. The study was undertaken in Central NARP zone of Kerala, covering 240 agri-business operators. The agri-business operators were categorised into three groups viz., commercial farmers, on-farm and off-farm agri-business operators with 120, 60, 60 as sample size respectively. Entrepreneurial behaviour formed the dependent variable for the study. Agri-business performance was selected as criterion variable. Nineteen independent variables were selected in relation to the objectives based on review of literature and pilot study. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis and factor analysis were employed for data analysis and interpretation. Ten dimensions were identified and used to develop entrepreneurial behaviour index. Factor analysis revealed that innovation proneness, achievement motivation, risk orientation, economic motivation, management orientation and personal efficacy were the important dimensions to measure entrepreneurial behaviour which can be grouped into a single factor termed 'entrepreneurial behaviour efficiency' . Agri-business performance was measured usmg the indicators VIZ., capacity utilisation, hired labour, cost-benefit ratio, perceived profitability, labour relationship, extent of diversification and social contribution from enterprise. Majority of the respondents exhibited moderate to very high entrepreneurial behaviour, whereas they had high to very high agri-business performance. Comparison of the three categories of respondents revealed that there was no difference among them with respect to both entrepreneurial behaviour and agri-business performance. Age, age at entry, scientific orientation, vocational diversification, self confidence, self concept, orientation towards competition, rational orientation, self:' reliance and media utilisation emerged as most important variables in predicting the variation in entrepreneurial behaviour of agri-business operators. High rate of interest, seasonality of demand, high cost of raw material, scarcity of electric power, high labour cost, ineffective consultancy service provided by the government agencies were the major constraints perceived by agri-business operators in influencing the entrepreneurial behaviour. The study established the relationship between entrepreneurial behaviour and agri-business performance which brings out the need and importance for organising Entrepreneurship Development Programme for farmer entrepreneurs.Item Group management in rice production an action research(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1992) Mohammed Hussain, M; Menon, A G GThe study “Group management in rice production – an action research” was conducted in Punchakari of Kalliyoor Panchayat, Trivandrum. The study was aimed at to analyse reasons for the success or failure of earlier group approaches and also to analyse the constraints in increasing rice production. It was planned to develop and implement an action programme to overcome the identified constraints through group management. 34 farmers in an area of 10 acres were selected for the study. The research design followed in this action research study was that of ‘before and after experiment’ type, in which the experiment had the respondent’s participation in planning, implementing and evaluation and with an action research component of utilizing the results of the study for further refinement of the group management approach through continuous monitoring and evaluation of the entire programme. A suitable technology package was identified to overcome the selected constraints and introduced in the study area. The impact of the action programme on the selected socio psychological and economic variables was closely monitored and evaluated. The most important reasons for the failure of earlier group approaches were : ‘the political system does not permit’, /group approach ‘possible only when there is continuous leadership’, ‘group approach dies out when external leadership is withdrawn’, ‘no knowledge about group-mamagement’, ‘farmers are not co-operative’, ‘heterogenous group members are more in villages’, ‘no proper machinery to popularize group management’, less scope for unanimous decision’, ‘no proper extension guidance’, ‘no proper guidance from Government side’, ‘inadequate number of voluntary organisations’, ‘public involvement is less’. The nature of content reflected in the results on the constraints in increasing rice production were : ‘non availability of inputs’, ‘high cost of inputs’, ‘incidence of pests and diseases’, labour related problems’, ‘marketing’, ‘drainage’, and ‘lack of technical advice’. There was a significant change on the favourable side in the use of information sources by the respondents exposed to group management approach. The changes brought in the adoption of package of practices through group management approach were significant. Group management approach had brought in favourable changes in the character of social participation of respondents. Group management approach had played a vital role in enhancing the knowledge level about high yielding varieties of rice cultivations. There occurred a gradual but a favourable improvement in the cosmopoliteness of the respondents over group management approach period. There was a significant favourable change in the extension orientation of respondents through group-management. The respondents in the study area had changed significantly with regard to their management orientation due to group management efforts. Group management approach had influenced the attitude of respondents favourably towards it. The group cohesiveness was improved among the members of farmers as a result of group activities. There was a positive significant relationship developed between the yield obtained by the respondents and group management efforts. The net income from rice cultivation was increased considerably due to continuous exposure to group management approaches. There was marked significant reduction in the cost of cultivation of rice noticed for all the operations selected for/the study except harvesting over the four crop seasons as a result of group management. However a slight increase in the cost of cultivation of different operations noticed other than transplanting and manures and manuring during the follow up crop season when the Researcher’s supervision was withdrawn. The extension method, field visit was preferred much for all the package of practices of high yielding varieties of rice cultivated in the study area. Farmer’s training, group discussion and individual contact were found to be preferred next best in their sequence during the post exposure periods of group management approaches.