Assessing the Influence of Socio-Demographic profile Characteristics of Farmers on the Oilseed Yield Gaps

Abstract

Yield gaps in agriculture remain a critical challenge to enhancing farm productivity, even in the context of significant advancements in crop management technologies. While agronomic and environmental factors have been widely studied, the role of farmer-specific characteristics in influencing the gap between potential and realized yields has received comparatively less attention. This study investigates the association between selected farmer profile characteristics and yield gaps among 120 oilseed growers in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. Fourteen variables encompassing demographic, socio-economic, communication, and psychological dimensions including age, education, size of landholding, annual income, farming experience, trainings undergone, irrigation potential, social participation, input acquisition pattern, information-seeking behaviour, achievement motivation, risk-taking ability, knowledge, and market intelligence were analyzed. Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested interview schedule, and Pearson’s product–moment correlation coefficients were computed to determine the direction and strength of relationships. The findings reveal that several characteristics, such as education, farming experience, trainings undergone, social participation, input acquisition pattern, information-seeking behaviour, risk-taking ability, and knowledge, have significant associations with yield gaps, highlighting the importance of human and informational factors in achieving higher productivity. Other characteristics, including age, size of landholding, annual income, achievement motivation, and market intelligence, showed non-significant relationships, suggesting that their influence is less direct. These results underscore the need for extension strategies that not only provide technological inputs but also strengthen farmers’ knowledge, decision-making capacity, and access to information. Enhancing these human factors can substantially contribute to minimizing yield gaps and improving oilseed productivity.