Role of agricultural labourers in decision making in paddy production by farmers in Thiruvananthapuram district

Abstract

A research study entitled, “Role of agricultural labourers in decision – making in paddy production by farmers in Thiruvananthapuram district” was under taken with a view to identify the areas of decision – making by agricultural labourers with the employer farmers in paddy production, to identify the role perception and role performance of male and female agricultural labourers in decision – making, to study the role of male and female agricultural labourers in decision – making as perceived by the farmers employing them and to analyse the characteristics of male and female agricultural labourers in relation to their role perception and role performance. The study was conducted in the three Agricultural sub – divisions of Thiruvananthapuram district, namely Attingal, Neyyattinkara and Nedumangad. Stratified two – stage random sampling was followed to select 60 farmers, 60 male Agricultural labourers and 60 female agricultural labourers. Data were collected from farmers and labourers using separate interview schedules. Suitable statistical techniques like percentage analysis, simple correlation analysis, step – wise regression analysis, path analysis and student’s t test were employed in the analysis of data. Thirty one areas of decision – making in paddy production were identified in which agricultural labourers had their role with the employer farmers. The study indicated that the role perception and role performance of agricultural labourers, though not excellent was generally good in activities they involve most frequently. A vast majority of male labourers were found to have considerably higher role perception in decision – making with the farmers in agricultural practices such as variety to be selected, type of manures and fertilizers to be used in basal application, type of fertilizers required for top dressing and irrigation of crop in the mainfield. Remarkably higher fractions of female labourers were observed to have significant role perception in decision – making areas namely, spacing to be adopted for transplanting, time of weeding and harvesting number of labourers required for transplanting, weeding, harvesting, threshing, winnowing and processing of straw. Significantly higher fractions of the male respondents were reported to have high role performance in deciding the variety to be selected, interval of irrigation required, type of fertilizers required in the nursery and mainfield, number of ploughing required for top dressing, time of weeding, time of application of plant protection chemicals and number of labourers required for weeding. Role performance of majority of female agricultural labourers was higher in deciding various aspects of transplanting, weeding and harvesting. Role perception and role performance of Agricultural labourers were found to be significantly correlated to each other. Significant difference was observed among male and female agricultural labourers with regard to overall role perception and role performance. Majority of farmers perceived the role of male agricultural labourers, ‘as important’ in deciding the number of labourers required for transplanting, type of manures and fertilizers to be used in basal application, irrigation of crop in the mainfield, time of weeding, number of labourers required for weeding operations, time of application of plant protection chemicals and quantity of plant protection chemicals. Role of female agricultural labourers in deciding various aspects of transplanting, weeding and harvesting was ascribed significant importance by the employer farmers. Significant positive correlation was observed for three characteristics of both male and female agricultural labourers, namely, attitude towards job, attitude towards scientific agricultural practices and knowledge of scientific agricultural practices with their role perception as well as role performance. ‘Period of employment under the farmer’, contributed as much as 53.84 per cent variation in the role perception of male agricultural labourers. ‘Knowledge of scientific agricultural practices’ accounted for 37.76 per cent variation in the role perception of female labourers. With regard to role performance, knowledge of scientific agricultural practices accounted for 46.06 per cent variation in the case of male agricultural labourers and ‘period of employment under the farmer’ accounted for 58.20 per cent variation in the case of female agricultural labourers. ‘period of employment under the farmer’ had maximum direct effect on the role perception of male agricultural labourers, whereas, it was ‘knowledge of scientific agricultural practices’ which had maximum direct effect on the role performance.