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Type : Other Article

Knowledge and Adoption Level of Improved Vegetable Farming Practices of SHG Members and Non-members in Himachal Pradesh, India

Surinder Singh and B.S. Hansra

Abstract

Vegetable farming has found its way deeper in hill agriculture. Off-season vegetable production in hills enable consumers to get fresh vegetable all around the year along with harvesting more monetary value from small hill farms. As most of the land holdings are marginal in Himachal Pradesh, group action in vegetable production has emerged as new hope for clubbing efforts on small farms. Self-help groups are being promoted for taking vegetable production as a joint venture of farmers at village level. The present study was undertaken in the state of Himachal Pradesh to find out the socio-economic and communication profile of SHG members and non-members, to appraise and compare the knowledge and adoption level of improved vegetable farming practices of the members and non-members and to delineate the factors affecting the knowledge and adoption level of improved vegetable farming practices. From 30 randomly selected SHGs, 150 members were selected randomly and 150 non-members also selected randomly were included for the study. Most of the members were young while non-members were middle aged. SHG formulation was dominated by female members. Both members and non-members were marginal farmers. Members’ knowledge and adoption level of improved vegetable farming were found to be medium while non-members were in low knowledge and adoption category. SHG programme improved socio-economic status of the members and positively influenced knowledge gain and adoption of technologies in the farms.

Keyword: Adoption Level; Vegetable farming; Knowledge level; SHG;

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