Decision making ability of agri- entrepreneurs at Jammu and Kathua districts of J & K state, India

The concept of entrepreneurship has assumed prime importance in research and development for accelerating economic growth in developing countries. The Entrepreneurship development institution has been focusing its attention on developing programmes for entrepreneurship development and innovative training technique for trainers. The entrepreneurs are responsible for many economic decisions that rests on anticipating demand and bearing risks. The investigation on 210 agri-entrepreneurs thirty each from seven agri-enterprisesnamely vegetable growing, strawberry growing, dairy farming, mushroom growing, bee-keeping, poultry farming and flower growing, selected purposively from Jammu and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir state revealed that one-half (50.48%) of the agri-entrepreneurs were in the high category of decision making ability followed by medium (46.19%) and low (3.33%) levels. Majority (76.67%) of vegetable entrepreneurs were in the high level of decision making ability followed by poultry entrepreneurs (56.67%). Majority (61.43%) of entrepreneurs had not received any training. Only 38.57% of entrepreneurs had received training. Bee-keepers were highest (66.67%) who received training regarding their enterprise. Majority (61.72%) of entrepreneurs received training for a period of seven days followed by 23.46% of entrepreneurs who got training for fifteen days and 14.81% who attended thirty days training. The study inferred that high level of decision making ability of agri- entrepreneurs might be due to individual ownership, high achievement motivation and high risk taking capacity. The appropriate decisions with regard to finalizing different technical, financial and marketing aspects at right time, results in the progress of the enterprise

Resource management for apple scab and sanjose scale control of apple in Kashmir Valley of J&K State

The study on resource management for apple scab and sanjose scale of apple in Kashmir Valley of J&K State was conducted purposively in Sopore and Patten tehsils of Baramulla district covering 4 villages with a sample size of 200 apple growers selected through random sampling method. The study revealed that all the apple growers (100%) from rainfed and irrigated areas were applying the resource management practices such as checking the expiry of chemical before purchase, undertake precautions while using chemicals and sprayers, purchaseeconomical and convenient packing’s of plant protection chemicals, check the working condition of the sprayers on regular basis, undertaking care and maintenance of sprayers regularly and were able to repair the minor defects of sprayers by self followed by (66%) apple growers who had decided to planed plant protection schedule in advance. The data further showed that hired labour for disease and pest management of apple were available easily and locally, and as per requirement (100%). As regards prevailing wage rates (88%) farmers from rainfed and (91%) from irrigated area reported that these were reasonable. Plant protection chemicals needed for control of disease and pest of apple were found adopted by cent per cent farmers. The plant protection chemicals were also available in suitable packings (97%) and before the expiry date (96%). The critical evaluation of the plant protection chemicals and equipments before their use with regard to their quality being taken care by all the apple growers would help in eradication of the disease from the region

Analytical study of training needs of olive growers in various subject matter areas of olive cultivation in Uri Block of district Baramulla, J&K, India

The main purpose of this study was to know the training needs of olive growers in different subject matter areas of olive cultivation undertaken in Uri block of district Baramulla of Jammu and Kashmir State. A sample size of 150 respondents was randomly selected from 5 villages and from each village 30 farmers were selected randomly. It was observed during the study that majority of farmers require training and with emphasis on latest transfer of technology in establishing olive farm, procurement of root stocks of improved varieties, soil management,proper spacing and planting, manures and fertilizers, irrigation and drainage, insect-pests and diseases, harvesting and marketing, etc. The area of insect-pests and diseases require high training need followed by soil management, selection of varieties, manures and fertilizers, harvesting and marketing, irrigation and drainage, establishing olive farm and procurement of root-stocks of improved varieties. Therefore, the study has highlighted the need for restructuring the training programme to benefit the olive growers in the region. Such an approach would boost production and generate additional income for the orchardists

Correlation analysis for adoption studies of rice growers in district Baramulla of Kashmir Division, India

This study about the correlation analysis for adoption and knowledge of rice growers was carried in 12 randomly selected villages of 3 tehsils prominently growing rice of district Baramulla of J&K state. After multi-stage random 10 rice growers from each village were selected randomly and systematic sampling technique a sample of 120 rice farmers was drawn.  It was found that Knowledge were found positively correlated with Education (0.449) Occupation (0.356), Social participation (0.205), annual income (0.229), Mass media exposure (0.375), Extension contacts (0.219) and Scientific orientation (0.341) and Adoption were  also found positively correlated with Education (0.447) Occupation (0.348), Social participation (0.301), Annual income (0.243), Mass media exposure (0.309), Extension contacts (0.243) and Scientific orientation (0.338) whereas Age, Family size, Land holding and Farming experience have no significance with knowledge and adoption level of famers. The significance at 0.01 level of variables like Education, Occupation, Social Participation, Annual income, Mass Media Exposure, Extension contacts and Scientific Orientation with dependent variable Knowledge and adoption level of rice growers. The results of the study indicated that these selected variables might play a very important role in increasing the Knowledge and adoption level of the package of practices by rice growers of Kashmir Division

Multiple regression analysis for adoption studies of potato growers in Jammu division

The research identified the significant and negative relationship between socio-economic parameters with the level of adoption of recommended crop production technologies reveals that such information could be useful to Department of agriculture, and concerned SAU who strive to maximize production and productivity levels of potato crop. They have to gear-up there extension wings for imparting correct and scientific knowledge of crop production. It also suggested to State Govt. officials to ensure adequate facilities for fertilizers to reap full benefits of this cash crop. The study on determining the correlation between socio-economic standards of potato growers with the level of adoption of the recommended crop production technologies was conducted in sub-tropical zone of Jammu division. Three districts namely Jammu, Kathua and Samba were selected purposively on the basis of maximum area under potato crop. Sample size of 225 potato growers was selected randomly from 15 villages from selected districts and their socio-economic standards were correlated with the level of adoption of crop production technologies as recommended by SKUAST-JAMMU, the concerned SAU. The study revealed that age, education, operational land holding, net income, mass media exposure and extension contact had significant correlation at p? 0.05 level of probability with the level of adoption. Studies revealed that 45.78% of respondents adopted recommended seed rate per hectare, whereas 57.33%, 40.89% and 8.89% respondents adopted recommended application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the crop. The study further highlighted highest adoption level for insecticide like dimethoate 30 EC (52.05%) and fungicide like metalxyl +mancozeb (57.38%) respectively

Impact of climate change and anthropogenic interventions on natural vis-à-vis human resources in Kashmir, India – An overview

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges the world is facing today and it has the potential to create havoc with the agrarian livelihoods across the globe. Therefore, this paper attempts to explain the probable impacts of human induced climate change on natural resources in Kashmir, India. An ample amount of literature was reviewed meticulously to ascertain the impacts of climatic variability on natural resources vis-a-vis agriculture, biodiversity and water bodies as well as other common issues related to human resources in Kashmir. Loss of certain indigenous food varieties (i.e. nick cheena), reduction in natural forest cover (less than 11%) and loss of important water resources has aggravated the already dilapidated situation in this most vulnerable state of India. Scientific evidences revealed that there will be more devastating climatic effects on natural resources in Kashmir- India, which will fall disproportionately on poor communities, particularly dry land farmers, forest dwellers and fishermen of the state

Influence of crop geometry on yield, yield attributes and glycoside yield of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni

Field experiments were conducted in a loamy sand soil during 2006 and 2007 at Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana to evaluate the performance of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni under varying planting geometry. The studies revealed that in case of row to row spacing, highest number of leaves per plant (533.0, 447.6), leaf area (8113.1, 6322.6 cm2/plant), leaf area index (5.1, 8.7) and dry matter accumulation per plant (86.0, 76.9 g/plant) during 2006 and 2007, respectively were found under wider row spacing of 75 cm. Which was significantly higher than narrower row spacing of 60 cm and 45 cm. Whereas, the fresh biomass yield (9861 and 11801 kg/ha), dry biomass (2080 and 2550 kg/ha), leaf yield (6129 and 4414 kg/ha) and stem yields (7611 and 5447 kg/ha) during 2006 and 2007, respectively and glycoside yield were registered higher under closer row spacing of 45 cm than the wider row spacing of 60 cm and 75 cm. In plant to plant spacings, the maximum number of leaves (5681.3 cm2/plant) was recorded under plant spacing of 45 cm which was statistically at par with plants spaced at 37.5 cm and 30.0 cm but significantly higher than 22.5 cm and 15.0 cm plant spacing, leaf area and dry matter accumulation per plant were highest with than other closer plant spacings.Whereas, the fresh and dry biomass, leaf and stem yields and glycoside yield were recorded highest under closer plant spacing of 15 cm which was statistically at par with 22.5 cm plant spacing

Resource use efficiency of maize production in Jammu Region of J & K State

Maize one of the important crops of rainfed agriculture is grown in low, mid and high hill altitudes. The study was conducted on resource use efficiency of maize production in Jammu Region of J&K state during the year 2007-08. Jammu region of state observed a positive trend for area but negative for yield of maize. In sampleddistricts, area under maize cultivation contributed positively in production but yield and interaction effect of both factors contributed negatively during the overall period of twenty years. The allocative efficiency was 0.014, 0.668, 1.019, 3.244 and 13.38 respectively for labour, capital, irrigation and fertilizers (N and K), respectively and the allocative efficiency of fertilizer (P) was negative (-1.732). Maximum likelihood estimates showed that the value of variance parameters lambda (?) was 4.219 and that of sigma (?) was 0.455, which were significantly different from zero indicating a good fit and the correctness of the distributional assumptions specified and the value of gamma ( ?) was 0. 946 indicating 94 per cent of variation between the observed output and frontier output The estimated elasticities of the explanatory variables like labour (0.378), capital (0.336), irrigation (0.225), nitrogen (0.244) and potash (0.292) were positive while the value of phosphate (-0.383) was negative. The analysis of results showed that the returns to scale (RTS) was 1.092. Factors that affected on technical efficiency predicted the regression coefficient for education as 0.023 and farm size as 0.878 and for the proportion of female workers (0.062) in the family was also positively significant

Disease and pest management in apple: Farmers' perception and adoption in J&K state

Diseases and pests are one of the limiting factors for low productivity of the fruit crops in Kashmir valley, India. A study on management of resources with respect to disease and pest management of apple and extent of adoption of recommended plant protection technology was undertaken for increasing apple production in Kashmir valley of J and K State. District Baramulla was selected purposively on the basis of maximum area and production under apple crop. A sample size of 200 apple growers 50 each from 4 villages were selected randomly. The study revealed that the perception index regarding attributes of technology recommended in two diseases viz. San Jose Scale and Apple Scab was 68.88% and 80.76% in respect of profitability (83.97%), simplicity-complexity each 63.57% and 54.27 % for practicability attributes of technology. The data further showed that the farmers adoption level under Chemical control was high at silver tip to green tip stage (80%) and fruit let pea size stage (78%) and medium adoption was observed at pink bloom (bud) stage (74%), petal fall stage (74%) walnut size apple stage (70%) on Apple Scab similarly, the extent of adoption was low (45%) for mechanical and no chemical control measures under clean cultivation. In case of San Jose Scale the farmers adoption level regarding name of chemical, its dose, quantity of water required per acre for preparing spray solution and time of spray at late dormant spray, (feb, March) was high (80%). The findings will help to improve the level of farmers’ knowledge to increase apple production in Kashmir valley

Adoption of Recommended Package of Practices by Rice Growers in District Baramulla

The present study was conducted to measure the adoption levels of rice growers in 3 tehsils of Baramulla district namely Sopore, Bomai and Pattan. Four villages from each tehsil were selected randomly which makes a total of 12 villages and 10 rice growers from each village those were having above half an acre under rice were purposively selected that makes a sample of 120 rice growers for the study. It was found that majority (55.00 %) of the respondents had medium level of adoption. Majority of the respondents had full adoption of recommended rice varieties (55.83%), sowing time (93.33%), number of ploughings for puddling (71.66%) time of application nutrients for nursery (100%), dosage of nutrients (50.83%), time of application of FYM (97.50%) and time of application of weedicide(74.16%) whereas no adoption regarding seed treatment and dosage for seed treatment (76.66%) and none of respondents had adopted either disease management practices or pest management practices. The main reasons for non adoption were very poor knowledge about SKUAST-K recommendations (51.66%), producing only for consumption purpose (36.66%), poor contacts with officials of agriculture department about acquiring of knowledge regarding rice cultivation (27.50%) as mentioned by rice growers. The present study was not focused solely on adoption level of rice growers but also on constraints in adoption of recommended package of practices which can be the basis for further studies