Feasibility and utilization of agricultural technologies among scheduled caste farmers

Abstract

A Study was conducted in Kerala State with the over-riding objective of analyzing the feasibility perception and utilization pattern of agricultural technologies by the scheduled caste farmers of the state and the constraints in and the consequences of utilization of technologies by them. The study was conducted covering all the five agro-climatic regions of the state, using probability proportionate to size random sampling procedure. Three hundred and thirty seven scheduled caste farmers from five panchayaths coming under five Blocks with the highest scheduled caste population representing each agro-climatic region were selected as the respondents. Five enterprises viz, coconut cultivation, tuber crops cultivation, banana cultivation, cattle rearing and goat rearing were selected and five specific practices for each of these enterprises were selected for assessing the utilization pattern of farmers. Feasibility of technology was analysed in terms of different attributes. Fifteen attributes viz., initial cost, availability of raw materials, availability of supplies and services, physical compatibility, efficiency profitability, availability of technology, simplicity suitability time utilization pattern, social acceptability, rapidity of returns, income generation potential, regularity of returns and viability, were selected for the study. The characteristics of the farmers such as education, family size, experience in farming, farm size, annual income, indebtedness, social participation, extension guidance, extension participation, cosmopoliteness, achievement orientation, development orientation, risk orientation, economic motivation, market orientation, self confidence, level of aspiration, rational orientation and innovativeness were selected for the study. These variables were quantified using standardized procedures. Statistical methods such as mena, percentage analysis, zero-order correlation, Kruskallwalli’s one-way analysis of variance, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, spearman rank order correlation and stepwise regression analysis were employed for analyzing the data. The major findings of the study were: 1. Goat rearing was perceived as the most feasible enterprise while cattle rearing was perceived the least feasible enterprise by the respondents in general, 2. Agro-climatic differentiations caused variations in the perception of feasibility of the enterprises. 3. Simplicity, initial cost, physical compatibility, suitability, availability of raw materials, efficiency and availability of technology were found to be the crucial determinants of feasibility of agricultural technologies in general. 4. More than 50 percent of the respondents were distributed in the medium category with respect to the level of utilization of the selected enterprises, 5. Feasibility perception of the enterprises and its utilization by the respondents were found significantly related with respect to only coconut and cattle enterprises. 6. There was marked inter regional differences in most cases with respect to feasibility perception and utilization of practices for the five enterprises studied, 7. Lack of technical knowledge, lack of necessary supporting services and unavailability of raw materials were reported as the major constraints in the utilization of agricultural technologies in general. 8. Untimely and ineffective utilization of inputs and inclusion in the defaulters list of credit agencies were reported as the major consequences of utilization of agricultural technologies in general. 9. The characteristics of the respondents viz., extension guidance, risk orientation, self confidence, education, economic motivation, market orientation and cosmopoliteness were found to be significant in influencing and explaining the variation in the utilization of the enterprises by the scheduled caste farmers. Based on the findings of the study, a model for the effective implementation of agricultural development programmes among scheduled caste farmers in the state has been suggested.