Factors influencing the entrepreneurial behaviour of the contract and non-contract farmers in Haveri district

Abstract

The present study aims to understand the personal, economical and communication factors which influences the entrepreneurial behaviour of sunflower and marigold farmers who are practicing contract and non-contract farming. The study was conducted in Haveri district in the year 2024. Two crops namely, sunflower, marigold were selected based on highest area under contract farming. Totally four villages were selected from four taluks and from each village 25 respondents, each from contract and non-contract farming using simple random sampling technique. Thus, the total sample from one taluk was 50 and total sample for one crop was 100. The total sample for the study was 200 in which 100 respondents from sunflower and 100 respondents from marigold. For sunflower Hirekerur and Shiggaon were selected and for marigold Haveri and Ranebennur were selected based on highest area under contract farming. The primary data were collected randomly from farmers from each of the villages practicing contract and non-contract farming. The findings of the study revealed that most of the farmers belonged to middle age group having education up to middle school. The farmers belonged to the medium level of market orientation, credit orientation, annual income, information seeking behaviour and extension participation. Factors like age, education, farming experience; extension participation, market orientation, and credit orientation were significantly influencing the entrepreneurial behaviour of farmers in both contract and non-contract farming in sunflower. Whereas, land holding (18.16) and information seeking behaviour (12.37) were significantly influencing entrepreneurial behaviour in contract farming but non-significant in case of non-contract farming. In case of marigold age, education, family size, extension participation market orientation and credit orientation were significantly influencing the entrepreneurial behaviour of both contract and non-contract farmers. Whereas, farming experience and land holding were non-significant with non-contract farmers but significantly influencing the entrepreneurial behaviour of contract farmers.