Impact of farm ponds on its beneficiaries in terms of technological and economical changes

Abstract

The present study was undertaken in a purposively selected Aurangabad District of Marathwada region as the number of farm ponds were increasing since last few years. Four talukas viz, Paithan, Aurangabad, Gangapur and Vaijapur were selected purposively and from each taluka 5 villages and 4 respondents from each village were selected randomly thus sample size of 80 respondents were selected for the present study. The respondents were interviewed with the help of structured schedule prepared for the purpose. It is concluded that the respondents were in middle age group up to 30 to 48 years with higher secondary education, land holding up to 4 hectare and farming experience (6-17 years), mostly living in nuclear family of 4 to 6 members with medium social participation, use of information sources and medium utility perception with high extension contact. It was noted that all the crops including vegetables exhibited changes in positive direction for average productivity i.e. increases in productivity. Construction of farm pond created remarkable changes among beneficiaries in terms of technical, economical and social aspects. These changes were in the form of cropping pattern, cultivating more crops per unit area, increased productivity of crops including vegetables, which increased their annual income as compared to before. This brought cent per cent area under micro irrigation, construction of houses and found changes in their consumption pattern as compared to before.