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NOORHABIB*, S.V. PRASAD, P.V. SATYA GOPAL and A. PRATAP KUMAR REDDY
Department of Agricultural Extension, S.V. Agricultural College, ANGRAU,Tirupati -517502, Chittoor Dt., A.P.
The present investigation was conducted to study the relationship between profile characteristics of wheat farmers in Khas Kunar district of Kunar province in Afghanistan This province was purposively selected for conducting the study as the investigator hails from the same area. Ex-post- facto research design was followed for the study and a sample of 120 respondents was drawn. The results of the study revealed that the selected independent variables viz., farm size, farming experience, mass media exposure, extension contact, social participation, economic motivation, innovativeness, achievement motivation and de-ferred gratification had positive and significant relationship with farming performance. Age had negative and significant relation with the farming performance of wheat farmers. The variables education and scientific orientation had non-significant relation-ship with the farming performance of wheat farmers.
Profile characteristics, farming performance
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is the most exten-sively grown cereal crop in many parts of the world, cov-ered about 220.4 M ha, accounting for a total production of 420 MT with an average yield of 3289 kg ha-1. It was also known as “The King of Cereals”. Wheat originates from south East Asia countries and Turkey from where it was spread to European countries (Muntean et al., 2014). Agriculture is the mainstay of Afghanistan’s economy; it was the main source of national output and engagement. Main crops being wheat, rice, maize, and barley in Af-ghanistan. Among them, wheat was chief crop. The an-nual yield of wheat crop was approximately 3.8 MT but the country was not self-sustained due to many constrains. Every year Afghanistan imports nearly 2.5 MT of wheat from the neighbour countries majorly from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, currently Afghanistan has started trade with India through Chabahar port. Therefore, wheat was pre-dominantly cultivated crop in Kunar province grown both in rainfed and irrigated areas with the total productivity being 79000 MT.
The study was conducted in Khas Kunar district of Kunar province. Khas Kunar district was purposively selected as it stands first in area and production of wheat in the province. From the district four villages were se-lected purposively based on highest area of wheat culti-vation. From each village, 30 respondents were selected by following simple random sampling procedure thus, making a total of 120 respondents who were cultivating wheat crop. The data were collected by personal inter-view method through structured interview schedule and analyzed by suitable statistical tools like Descriptive Sta-tistics, coefficient of correlation and Multiple Liner Re-gression were used.
In order to study the nature of relationship be-tween the selected profile characteristics of wheat farm-ers and their farming performance, correlation co-effi-cient were computed and the values are presented in Table
This relationship between the farming performance and the selected variables were tested by relevant null and
Age Vs farming performance
From the Table 1, it is evident that computed co-efficient of correlation value (r = -0.324**) was found negatively and significantly related with farming performance of the respondents. Hence, null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. It could be, inferred that there was negative and significant relationship between age and farming performance. The probable reason for this might be that advancement in age might have negatively influenced the other characteristics of farmers like confidence, skills, motivation etc., and leading to poor farming performance.
Education Vs farming performance
From the Table 1, it is noticed that the computed co-efficient of correlation value (r =0.018NS) was found non-significantly related with the farming performance of farmers. Hence, null hypothesis was accepted and empirical hypothesis was rejected. It could be inferred that, there was a non-significant relationship between education and farming performance of wheat growers.
The reasons for this may be that, in Afghanistan most of the farmers were illiterate or less educated hence; this led to the non-significant relationship with farming performance.
Farm size Vs farming performance
The result presented in the table 1 indicated that the computed coefficient of correlation value (‘r’= 0.236**) was found to be positively and significantly related with the farming performance of wheat farmers. Hence null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. It could be, therefore, inferred that there was a positive and significant relationship between farm size and farming performance of wheat cultivators. A farmer with large farm size might have the opportunities for the use of innovations and improved technologies in his farm which might have increased different indicators of his farming performance. This finding is line with the findings of Sivasubramanian (2003) and Nagabhushana (2007).
Farming experience Vs farming performance
It could be observed from Table 1, that the com-puted coefficient of correlation value (‘r’= 0.366**) was positively and significantly related with the farming per-formance of respondents.
Hence null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted therefore, it could be indicated that there was a positive and significant relationship between farming experience and farming performance of wheat growers. The possible trend might be that whenever the farmers were having more experience in their farming they might know better farming to manage their farming, and they would use available resources. Due to their farming experience the farmers were able to forecast some of the problems related to pests and diseases and avoid them by changing the dates of sowing and taking preventive measures. Hence this trend was noticed.
Mass media exposure Vs farming performance
It could be observed from the table 1 that the computed coefficient of correlation value (‘r’=0. 0.382**) was found positively and significantly related with the farming performance of respondents. As such, the null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. Therefore, mass media exposure had positive and significant relationship with farming performance of wheat cultivators. Mass media is powerful source reaching large number of people in short period of time making them know about innovative practices and motivates the farmers and hence such a trend is noticed. This conclusion is supported by the finding of Kohistani (2018).
Extension contact Vs farming performance
It could be concluded from Table 1that computed coefficient of correlation value (‘r’=0.345**) was found positively and significantly related with the farming performance of respondents. Hence, the null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. Therefore, it could be confirmed that there was a positive and significant relationship between extension contact and farming performance of wheat farmers. This clearly implied that the farming performance was more with increased extension contact. Extension personnel and agencies were considered as best and reliable sources of information for the farmers and they were making the farmers to know about advanced methods of cultivation and extension personnel were sharing their knowledge and experience with farmers with regard to wheat cultivation. This conclusion is supported by the finding of Kohistani (2018).
Social participation Vs farming performance
coefficient of correlation value (r =0.225*) was positively and significantly related with the farming performance of respondents. Hence, the null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. Therefore, it could be certified that there was a positive and significant relationship between social participation and farming performance of wheat growers. Most of the farmers were interested to participate in various meetings for the purpose of getting more information regarding their farming. The present finding is in conformity with the finding of Naidu (2012).
Scientific orientation Vs farming performance
From the 1table noticed that the computed coefficient of correlation value (r =0.078NS) was found to be non-significantly related with farming performance of the respondents. Hence, null hypothesis was accepted and empirical hypothesis was rejected, therefore it could be inferred that there was non-significant relationship between scientific orientation and farming performance of wheat growers The possible reason is that Afghanistan is a country where there were still farmers more illiterate and they were following traditional methods of cultivation, usage of local varieties and also they were not getting training on specific technologies and advanced cultivation methods which were related to wheat crops.
Economic motivation Vs farming performance
It is clear from the Table1, that the computed coefficient of correlation value (‘r’= 0.627**) was found positively and significantly related with the farming performance. Hence, the null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. Therefore, it could be mentioned that there was a positive and significant relationship between economic motivation and farming performance of wheat cultivators. It is indeed that the farmers with high economic motivation would try their best to get more produce which is directly related to farming performance. Most of the farmers were with subsistence economy and were trying to improve the ways to gain more income through different means including other allied activities. Consequently, the above relationship was revealed.
Innovativeness Vs farming performance
It is indicated that, the computed coefficient of
correlation value (‘r’ = 0.313**) was positively and signi–ficantly related with the farming performance of the re-spondents. Thus, null hypothesis was rejected and em-pirical hypothesis was accepted. Therefore, it could be concluded that there was a positive and significant rela-tionship between innovativeness and farming performance of wheat farmers. Innovativeness is personally related with individuals who are adopting and accepting new ideas earlier than any others. Most of the respondents were trying their best to achieve more knowledge and informa-tion from the available sources (Table 1).
Achievement motivation Vs farming performance
It is noticed from the table 1 that, the computed co-efficient of correlation value (r =0.439**) was a positively and significantly related with farming performance of respondents. Hence, null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. Therefore, it is mentioned that there was a positive and significant relationship between achievement motivation and farming performance of wheat farmers. Individual with high achievement motivation would be determined to reach his destination and he knew the importance of recommended practices and this effort lead him for high farming performance.
Deferred gratification Vs farming performance
It could be observed from the Table 1 that the calculated co-efficient of correlation value (r =0.214*) was positively and significantly related with farming performance of respondents. Hence, null hypothesis was rejected and empirical hypothesis was accepted. It is inferred that there was positive and significant relationship between deferred gratification and farming performance of wheat cultivators. Currently every farmer is struggling to get better yield. Producers were selling their produce immediately in order to purchase the inputs for next season and meet the immediate family expenses and needs.
Conclusion
Correlation analysis revealed that the selected independent variables viz., farm size, farming experience, mass media exposure, extension contact, social participation, economic motivation, innovativeness, achievement motivation and deferred gratification had positive and significant relationship with farming performance. Age had negative and significant relation with the farming performance of wheat farmers. The variables education and scientific
