Utilization of communication sources by dairy entrepreneurs of Ollukkara block in Thrissur district

Abstract

The utilization of communication sources and the information and skill needs of 60 dairy entrepreneurs in Ollukkara block of Thrissur district were studied. A multistage random sampling procedure was adopted to select the respondents. The socio-personal, socio-economic and socio-psychological characteristics of the respondents were studied along with •availability, preference, utilization pattern, credibility of communication sources and information and skill needs of farmers by using a structured schedule. Suitable statistical tools were used for analysing the data collected. Dairy entrepreneurs were seen utilizing information source in their system, both institutional and media. Of the various sources, the most accessible to them comparatively were milk co-operatives, radio and newspaper. Though veterinary hospital, veterinary college and other professionally qualified persons were the comparatively most preferred for information regarding dairying, yet these sources were not seen utilized adequately, Instead, the sources comparatively utilized were radio, newspaper and friends. The reasons for this strange finding are to be understood. Feature stories and question-answer items in the farm pages of dailies, farm news, Kerala Agricultural University news and farm and home programme of radio were seen frequently read or heard. Hence, the utility of these items/programmes such as training, symposium and farm clinics were found to be less available and evidently less utilized. These programmes need to be adequately organized inorder to address to the needs of dairy entrepreneurs. It was in general observed that availability or access and preference for communication sources influenced their frequency of utilization. The first three most important and trustworthy communication sources mentioned were other professionally qualified persons, veterinary college and veterinary hospital, those most preferred for information, even as the same were

comparatively less utilized by the entrepreneurs. This situation obviously demanded for a more entrepreneur friendly approach adopted by these sources. Of the information needs, the most needed ones were heat detection and artificial insemination followed by bread characteristics and source of good dairy animals for purchase. Hence information on these felt needs are to be imparted through appropriate extension methods preferably through the most utilized media sources such as radio and newspaper but regularly and repeatedly. Skills were most needed about first aid measures, preparing concentrate feed and handling milking machine. Demonstrations can help in this regard. Similarly, proper understanding of the importance of skills such as making milk products, preparing silage and urea treatment of straw which are very relevant to economic dairying is to be developed through suitable extension methods. Although all the independent variables studied had together explained considerable and significant variation in the frequency of utilization of communication sources, yet fixed investment, economic motivation and levels of aspiration were found to be the strong determinants of the frequency of utilization of communication sources. While considering information and skill needs together, the strong determinants were educational status, land holding, fixed investment, innovation proneness and marketing orientation.