Voices in numbers: A psychometric scale for decoding farmers perception of FPOs

Abstract

The study was conducted in academic year 2024-25 with the primary objective of constructing a reliable and valid instrument to measure the farmers perception of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). Employing the Likert method of summated ratings, a total of 74 perception statements were initially drafted, of which 52 were retained after rigorous editing. These were evaluated for relevancy by 100 subject experts and further screened using the Standard Normal Deviate (z) test, resulting in the selection of 40 items. Discriminatory power of statements was established through a critical ratio (t-test) with responses from 60 farmers, leading to the finalization of 30 highly discriminative items. The reliability of the scale was confirmed through Cronbach’s alpha (? = 0.82), suggesting good internal consistency. Content validity was verified through expert judgement. The final scale enables nuanced understanding of farmers’ cognitive and affective orientations towards FPOs and is a valuable tool for researchers, policymakers, and extension professionals to assess FPO-related interventions.