Role of farm women in planning and management of watershed

Abstract

The present study under the tittle "Role of farm women in planning and management of watershed" was under taken to assess the role perception and role performance of farm women in planning and management of watershed, extent of participation of farm women in planning and management of watershed, extent adoption of watershed programmes and the constraints faced by the them in participation and adoption of watershed development programme. Thirty farm women each were selected from each selected watersheds of Kottayam and Kollam districts, thus forming a sample of 180 respondents. Data was collected using interview schedule and suitable statistical technique were employed in the analysis of data. The frequency distribution of farm women with respect to role perception, role performance and extent of participation was found high in the low group. Where as more number were seen in the high category with respect to extent of adoption. The distribution of farm women with respect to their personal and socio-psychological variables revealed that majority were in the high group in the case of age, education, annual income, cosmopoliteness, economic

2 motivation, risk performance, innovation proneness and attitude towards watershed programmes and in low group the variables like Farming experience, farm size, exposure to mass media, contact with extension agency, training, social participation and achievement motivation. The roles perceived by most of the farm women in watershed planning and management were planting seedlings, watering, weedin~plant protection, supervision of hired labours in the field, harvesting, processing, decision regarding number of animals to be maintained, feeding animals, care of sick animals, management and care of poultry birds and goat rearing as very important. The roles performed by the farm women in planning and .' ~ management of watershed were planting seedlings, watering, weeding, supervision of hired labours in the field, harvesting, processing, decision regarding number of animals to be maintained, feeding animals, care of sick animals, collecting fodder, management and care of poultry birds, goat rearing and selling of livestock produce as most frequently. With respect to extent of participation of farm women in planning and management of watershed was very poor. Except in the case of items like participation by way attendance in training programmes, melas and exhibitions, their participation is almost nil. The study revealed that majority of the respondents farm women have fully adopted the programmes like agro forestry tree planting, kitchen gardening, poultry rearing, feeding of animals and health care of animals.

3 The result of correlation analysis revealed that, a positive and significant relationship was found between all the dependent variables except role performance and extent of adoption. , With regard to • perception a positive and significant relation was found with the independent variables like exposure to mass media, contact with extension agency, training, cosmopoliteness, social participation, scientific orientation, economic motivation, risk preference, achievement motivation, innovation proneness and attitude towards watershed programmes. In the case of role performance variables like exposure to mass media, contact with extension agency, training, cosmopoliteness, social participation, scientific orientation, economic motivation, risk preference, achievement motivation, innovation proneness and attitude towards watershed programmes were seen to be positively and significantly correlated. The result of correlation analysis revealed that, a positive and significant relationship exist between, extent of participation and all the selected characteristics except Farming experience and Farm size. With regard to extent of adoption a positive and significant relationship was found with the independent variables like education, farm size, exposure to mass media, contact with extension agency, training, cosmopoliteness, social participation, scientific orientation, economic

4 motivation, risk preference, achievement motivation, innovation proneness and attitude towards watershed programmes. Lack of financial assistance given under watershed programme, non availability of quality planting materials, non availability of agricultural inputs, dely in implementation of programmes, political interference In selection of beneficiaries under watershed development programme, In adequate training and absence of location specific watershed development programmes were the major constraints faced by the farm women.