Abstract of the interim report

This interim project is in continuation with earlier project report for the period 2009-10. This report examined six problems : (a) psychometric properties of questionnaire assessing self-efficacy of agricultural farmers; (b) block wise differences in self-efficacy levels; (c) association between self-efficacy and other measures; (d) socio-economic and agricultural conditions of the farmers; (e) awareness of the improved agricultural practices and (f) pattern of adoption of prescribed technology. One 50-items Likert type questionnaire was constructed to assess 5 domains of farmer’s self-efficacy. These domains are (a) Monitoring environmental uncertainty; (b) Enactive Mastery experience; (c) Self-regulation; (d) Vicarious experience and (e) controlling physiological and emotional states. Analysis of the psychometric properties of the questionnaire revealed significant item-item and item-total correlation coefficients suggesting good content validity of each sub scale. Cronbach’s alpha value for each sub scale varied from 0.64 to 0.78 suggesting high internal consistency among the item responses. Data were collected from 286 farmers of 8 blocks of 6 districts in West Bengal. One way Analysis of variance revealed significant mean differences across the blocks on all the 5 measures of self-efficacy. Farmers who used organic fertilizers were more self-efficacious than their counterparts. Results revealed significant positive correlation between self-efficacy and 5 measures as (a) Self-esteem clusters of GHQ-12; (b) Educational level; (c) Housing conditions; (d) Size of Farming Land area and (e) Multiple Crop production. Most of the farmers reported that they possessed less than 2 bighas of land; their monthly expenditure was higher than the monthly income; they maintained conservation following traditional practices of cultivation. They cultivated non-fine quality of rice and did not follow cultivation of hybrid quality of rice. They collected water from shallow tubewells and deep tubewells for irrigation. Though they applied pesticides over the land, they still used organic and inorganic fertilizers. Results based on interview schedule revealed differential patterns of technology adoptions among the farmers.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Professor Bimal Kumar Roy, The Director, ISI, Kolkata for Administrative support.	Professor Shankar Pal, Former Director, ISI. Kolkata for Administrative support.
Professor Madhura Swaminathan Professor -in-Charge, Social Science Division for Administrative support.	Professor Avirup Sarkar Ex-Professor-in-charge, Social Science Division ISI, Kolkata for Administrative support.
Dr. Anjali Ghosh, Head, Psychology Research Unit, ISI. Kolkata for Administrative support.	Dr. Pabitra Banik, Agricultural and Ecological Research Unit, Kolkata for academic support
Dr. Bhola Nath Ghosh, Sociology Research Unit, ISI, Kolkata for academic support.	Dr. Shubhendu Chatterjee, Ex-Director, Department of Agriculture, Govt. of West Bengal for administrative support.
Ms. Deblina Chatterjee, Belgharia, Kolkata for collection and analysis of data as project assistant(2009-10).	Ms. Rupa Roy, Dumdum, Kolkata for collection and analysis of data as project assistant(2010-11).
Dr. Sumit Ghosh, Addl. Director of Agriculture Agri Evaluation office, 17, S.P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata for academic support.	Dr. Madhab Chandra Dhara, Agronomist, Rice Research Station, Chinsurah, Hooghly,West Bengal for academic support.
Prof. Sunil Kumar Maity, Bidhan Chundra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, Nadia for academic support.	Dr. F.H. Rahaman, Sr. Scientist (Prog. Co-ordinator), Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Budbud, Burdwan for organizing training programs to collect data from Burdwan.
Professor Amiya Saha, Bidhan Chundra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani, Nadia for organizing training programs to collect data from Nadia.	Mr. Aditya Bhattacharya, Education Officer, CBWE, Kolkata for organizing training programs to collect data from Hooghly.
Mr. Sabyasachi Sarkar, Education Officer, Central Board for Workers Education, Kolkata for organizing training programs to collect data from Midnapore.	Mr. Nilangshu Gain, Swanirbhar Baduria for organizing training programs to collect data from North 24 paraganas.
Mr. Prabir Chatterjee, Transport unit, ISI, Kolkata, for organizing training programs to collect data from Midnapore.	The fellow farmer participants who spent their valuable time during collection of data.