Study on the role of leadership in agricultural development in rural areas in Kerala

Abstract

This study on the role of leadership in agricultural development was designed to measure the role perception and 1 f role performance of different categories of leaders, as well as the factors associated with the role performance of leaders. This study was conducted in Arayoor I.P.D. Unit in Trivandrum District. This study covered five categories of leaders viz., Agricultural, Political, Co-operative, Ela committee and Panchayat leaders. The important findings were the following: 1. There was no significant difference among all categories of leaders regarding their age, educational level, communication skill, attitude towards agriculture and knowledge of the programme and improved agricultural practices. . 2. Agricultural and Ela committee leaders had higher farm size, higher income and had adopted more practices when compared to other categories of leaders. . 3* Agricultural, Panchayat and Co-operative leaders had high value orientation, high achievement motivation and had more favourable attitude towards high yielding varieties than other categories of leaders. 4. Co-operative leaders had more favourable attitude than other categories of leaders towards fertilizers* Panchayat, Agricultural and Political leaders had more favourable attitude than other categories of leaders towards plant protection. 5. Ela committee leaders had more mass media exposure than other categories of leaders. Ela committee, Agricultural and Panchayat leaders had more frequent contact with extension agency than other categories of leaders. ■ 6. The results revealed that Panchayat and Agricultural leaders had more perception of agricultural development roles than other categories of leaders. Agricultural leaders performed more roles in agricultural development than other categories of leaders. 7. When the pooled ranks were worked out the role "Accept improved agricultural practices before others" emerged as the most important role perceived as well as performed by the leaders. 8. Mass media exposure was significantly correlated with the role performance except in Political leaders. Caste also had influence in role performance. 9. Six variables viz., farm size, income, knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour were correlated, with role performance . significantly when the pooled data were considered. 10. Inter-correlation analysis lead to the conclusion that farm size had significant correlation with income, knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour. Income was significantly correlated with knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour. Knowledge was significantly correlated with contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour. There was also a significant correlation between mass media exposure and contact with extension agency. 11, It was also observed that the proportion of role performance explained by the variables viz., farm size, income, knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour was 50 percent.