Development of schedule caste farmers through integrated farming system in Ramanagara district of southern Karnataka

Abstract

The study was conducted in purposively selected Ramanagara district, a total sample of 275 Respondents were purposively selected for the study. Data was collected by using pretested structured interview schedule and analyzed by using appropriate statistical tools. The results revealed that, majority of the respondents belonged to low level of education, cropping pattern, livestock possession, innovativeness, mass media exposure, extension participation followed by medium level of cosmopoliteness, training undergone, willingness towards agriculture and high level of social participation, level of aspiration and risk orientation. It was observed that, Livelihood Security improved to 34 per cent from 28.33 per cent after implementation in „highly satisfied category‟ out of seven dimensions maximum increase It was observed that maximum per cent increase was noticed ecological security (49.45%), economic efficiency (47.97%), social equitability (46.15%), coping strategies against stress (44.53%), employment security (38.32%), assets (34.90%), living amenities (27.86%) and Overall Livelihood Security was found to be38.97 per cent after implementation of project. Livestock and crop component generated 428.32-man days of employment per annum and Rs.83580.52 net income to beneficiary farmers. The average gross income of Rs.119709.55 from both crop and livestock enterprises. As such, for every one-rupee investment under IFS farmers earned Rs.3.31 income. The characteristics such as such as land holding, cropping pattern, livestock possession, cosmopoliteness, innovativeness, mass media exposure, extension participation, level of aspiration, training undergone and willingness in agriculture had positive and significant relationship with livelihood security. The R2 value indicated that, all the 13 independent variables had contributed to the tune of 64.40 per cent of variation in livelihood security. Hence, encourage the farmers to practice IFS, which helps to increase their livelihood by organizing focused extension educational programmes by giving more emphasis towards amplification of these characteristics to enhance livelihood security of farmers practicing IFS by concerned developmental departments.