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Department of Agricultural Extension Education, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU, Tirupati-517 502.
The present investigation was carried out in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The study was purposively conducted in the Chittoor district as it is the hub for many Agri and allied sector based enterprises and as well as it stood first in a number of agro-based enterprises. Ninty agripreneurs were selected based on Krejcie and Morgan formula. The analysis of data revealed that majority of the agripreneurs were belonged to ‘middle aged group having high school education with medium levels of ‘occupation’ (agriculture + enterprise), medium levels of annual income, extension contact, economic orientation, mass media exposure, decision making ability, social participation, achievement motivation, innovativeness, risk orientation and market orientation. Further the study revealed that majority of agripreneurs have not undergone any training.
KEYWORDS: Profile, agripreneurs, entrepreneurial behaviour, enterprise, Krejcie and Morgan formula.
Agriculture is an important sector of the Indian economy. The economy of India is primarily based on agriculture. India, occupying 2.40 per cent of the planet’s surface, is home to 17.50 per cent of its people. India has 15 agro-climatic zones and are spread across the country and have unique climatic and soil conditions, which impact the agricultural practices and productivity of the region. India boasts the second largest amount arable land resources globally (FAO, 2022). Additionally, 46 of the 60 global soil types are found throughout the nation. Agriculture is the primary source of income for about 45.80 per cent pf rural households. Agriculture and related industries saw growth in Gross Value Added (GVA) of 3 per cent in 2021–22 and 3.90 per cent in 2022–23 (Economic survey, 2023). More than 70.00 per cent of the population was dependent on agriculture at the time of independence and it generated more than half of the nation’s income. Studies indicated 18.30 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, 12.00 per cent of all exports and 45.80 population were employed in agriculture, either directly or indirectly (Economic survey, 2023).
Agripreneur is defined as Entrepreneur whose main business is agriculture or agriculture related. It focuses on providing them with the latest technologies. It includes raising awareness about available incentives and upgrading agricultural practices from traditional methods to the latest techniques.
The present study indicate the entrepreneurial behaviour of agripreneurs and attempt was made to study socio-economic characteristics of agripreneurs which may be useful to the extension functionaries in addressing the problems of agripreneurs.
Ex post facto research design was selected for the study. The study was conducted in Andhra Pradesh state during 2023 -24. The study was purposively conducted in the Chittoor district as it is the hub for many Agri and allied sector based enterprises and also it stands first in a number of agro-based enterprises. From the district, 90 agripreneurs were selected based on Krejcie and Morgan formula. The agripreneurs were categorized based on the mean and standard deviation for data analysis. The Krejcie and Morgan formula was widely used statistical tool designed to determine the sample size necessary for a given population size in research studies;
𝒙𝟐𝑵𝑷(𝟏𝑷)
Sample size (n) = (𝑵𝟏) 𝒙(𝟏𝑷)
Where x2 is the chi square value corresponding to the 95 per cent confidence interval (3.8416), N represents the population size (120) from the table 3.1, p is the population proportion (0.50) and d refers to the margin of error or degree accuracy (0.05) at 95 per cent
confidence interval. Using the above mentioned formula, the required sample size for the study was approximately 90 agripreneurs.
The agripreneurs were distributed into different categories based on their selected profile and results were presented in the Table 1.
Majority (70.00%) of the agripreneurs belonged to middle age group followed by those belonging to old age (15.55%) and young age (14.45%) categories. The reason might be the passion of youth towards government jobs and their perception towards agro based enterprises as risk intensive and non-profitable ventures. Similar findings were reported by Sindhu (2015) and Deepthi et al. (2016).
From Table 1, it was concluded that 28.80 per cent of the agripreneurs were educated upto high school followed by graduation and above level (26.70%), Intermediate (21.20%), primary school (17.80%), functionally literates (3.30%) and illiterates (2.20%). The results suggested that many agripreneurs have attained higher levels of education, especially among middle- aged and younger groups. This academic background likely motivated them to pursue agrienterprises. Similar findings were reported by Shivacharan et al. (2017).
Majority of the agripreneurs (51.10%) were practicing both agriculture + enterprise. Whereas, 32.20 per cent of agripreneurs were depend on only single enterprise, while 16.70 per cent of agripreneurs practices horticulture + enterprise. This trend might be attributed to the fact that most agripreneurs rely on agriculture in conjunction with their enterprise for their livelihood. Similar findings were reported by Naik (2017).
Majority (64.45%) of agripreneurs belonged to medium annual income level followed by those with high (27.78%) and low (7.77%) levels of annual income. The medium-level income of most of the agripreneurs could be attributed to diverse investments across multiple enterprises, changing prospects in agricultural enterprises and subsidiary occupations. The findings were in line with the findings Siddeswari (2018).
Nearly half (43.34%) of the agripreneurs have undergone training and more than half (56.66%) of them have not undergone the training. This might be due to the as most of agripreneurs entered into business at middle age category continuing their fore fathers business hence they might have been well trained and got the experiences from their forefathers and hence they have no exposure to training programmes. This finding was in conformity with Deepthi (2016) and Mubeena (2017).
More than half (61.11%) of the agripreneurs have medium extension contact followed by 26.67 per cent of with high extension contact and only 12.22 per cent with low extension contact. Agripreneurs frequently interact with KVK scientists, DAATTC staff, RARS scientists, bank officials, and fellow progressive members to enhance the outcomes of their business endeavors.. This might be the possible reason for the above trend. The similar finding was also confirmed by Siddeswari (2018).
More than half (52.23per cent) of the agripreneurs had medium level of economic orientation followed by high (28.89per cent) and low (18.88per cent) levels of economic orientation. The investigation found that the primary motivation for becoming an agripreneur was the aspiration for self-employment and greater economic returns.
These results were in accordance with the findings of Siddeswari (2018). Mass media exposure
The study revealed that 43.33 per cent of the agripreneurs had medium level of mass media exposure, succeeded by those with high (36.67%) and low (20.00%) levels of mass media exposure. In the study area, the agripreneurs were educated, either middle-aged or young, and were enthusiastic about gathering information from diverse sources to develop and successfully run their enterprises. This finding was in agreement with the findings of Mubeena (2017).
Nearly half (42.22%) of the agripreneurs had medium level of decision making ability followed by 35.56 per cent with a high level of decision making ability and only 22.22 per cent with low level of decision
making ability. Timely decisionmaking is crucial in entrepreneurial endeavors. Educated respondents, equipped with knowledge and access to information, frequently demonstrated effective decisionmaking skills. This might be the reason for the observed high percentage of agripreneurs who were with moderate level of decision-making ability. This result was in agreement with Shewale (2017).
From the study it was evident that 40.00 per cent of the agripreneurs had medium level of social participation succeeded by high (37.78%) and low (22.22%) levels of social participation. As owners of their enterprises, the agripreneurs focused primarily on expansion of their businesses, dedicated the remaining time in participating in meetings of enterprise development associations. The results were in congruence with the findings Raghunath (2014) and Shewale (2017).
Nearly half (44.44%) of the agripreneurs had medium level of achievement motivation followed by 32.23 per cent with high and 23.33 per cent with low levels of achievement motivation. The respondents’ inner drive to succeed in their enterprises, along with strong contacts with extension agencies and increased exposure to mass media, contributed to their moderate level of achievement motivation. The result supported by the findings of with Siddeswari (2018) and Akshitha (2022).
Nearly half (43.32%) of the agripreneurs had medium level of innovativeness followed by 37.78 per cent with high and 18.90 per cent with low level of innovativeness. The results showed that the majority of agripreneurs demonstrated medium innovativeness. The results derived support from the findings of Siddeswari (2018).
A little more than half (52.22%) of the agripreneurs had medium level of risk orientation followed by 25.56 per cent with high and 22.22 per cent with low levels of risk orientation. The results indicated that the majority of agripreneurs were moderately oriented toward risk. The possible reason might be the inability to accept risk, as they were not financially secure i.e., their medium economic status and moderate extension contacts, which discouraged them from taking high risks. The results derived support from the findings of Raghunath (2014).
Among the respondents 41.11 per cent of the agripreneurs had medium level of market orientation followed by 37.78 per cent with high market orientation and 21.11 per cent with low market orientation. Smart phones and internet accessibility, agripreneurs can easily obtain information on market prices. Smartphones have become the primary source for staying informed about changing market trends and opportunities. These findings were in consistent with the findings of Sindhu (2015).
The analysis of data revealed that majority of the agripreneurs belonged to category of the profile viz., age, education, ‘occupation’ included both agriculture + enterprise, annual income, extension contact, economic orientation, mass media exposure, decision making ability, social participation, achievement motivation, innovativeness, risk orientation, market orientation and more than half of the agripreneurs not undergone the ‘training’. The above findings from the study highlighted the need for encouraging the agripreneurs to be more educated, to be more socially participated and to have greater extension contact and further there is also urgent need for conducting more number of skill oriented training or developmental programmes those envisioned for the agripreneurs and linking them to financial institutes for getting loans and also improving their marketing orientation. Hence finally, there was every need for the policy makers and planners to take up need-based efforts that help in improving those characteristics which contribute to the development of the entrepreneurial behaviour of agripreneurs.
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