Personal, socio-economic and psychological characteristics of women in relation to fruit and vegetable preservation

Abstract

The study was conducted in Satara district of Maharashtra during 2023–24 to investigate the knowledge and attitude of women towards fruit and vegetable preservation. Ex-post facto research design was followed, and data were collected from 120 respondents across 12 villages selected randomly from Satara and Jaoli tehsils. Data were gathered through personal interviews using a structured schedule and analyzed with frequency, percentage, mean, and range. Results revealed that the majority of respondents were middle-aged, with secondary education, married, belonging to nuclear families, engaged in household work plus farming, with low to medium annual income. Most respondents had medium levels of social participation, information-seeking behaviour, and achievement motivation, along with high risk orientation. The findings suggest the importance of training and capacity building to enhance scientific knowledge and innovative practices in fruit and vegetable preservation among rural women.