Abstract:
This study on the role of leadership in agricultural
development was designed to measure the role perception and
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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.