2012 Jiva April Page 38-42

RESEARCH ARTICLE

ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-PERSONAL PROFILE OF LIVESTOCKBASED SELF HELP GROUP MEMBERS OF THRISSUR DISTRICT* Anu George1, P.J.Rajkamal2 and Jiji.R.S3 College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Kerala *Part of M.V.Sc thesis submitted by the first author to Kerala Agricultural University ABSTRACT The personal, socio-economic and socio-psychological characteristics of selected livestock based Self Help Group (SHG) members were analysed in the study. Majority of the respondents were middle aged (86 percent), females (81 percent) and had formal education of 5-8 years (77 percent). Livestock rearing was the major occupation for most of the SHG members (72 percent) and majority had an income of less than 5000 per annum (62 percent). Maximum number of the respondents owned less than four animals (44 percent). None had more than one hectare of land. Family size of most of the respondents was less than five (72 percent). More than half of the respondents had less than five years of experience in livestock farming (58 percent).More than three-forth had less than 5 years of experience as SHG members (81 percent). Majority of the respondents were in the medium category with regard to the socio psychological variables such as economic motivation (71 percent), social participation (68percent), achievement motivation (65 percent) and cosmopoliteness (57 percent).Maximum number of respondents (43 percent) had medium level of risk orientation.

J. Ind. Vet. Assoc., Kerala. 10 (1)

INTRODUCTION Self Help Group (SHG) is a small group of rural people, usually 10-20 in number, gathered voluntarily to undertake some common income generating activities through mutual trust and mutual help (Arunkumar, 2005). Its formation in each block panchayat is envisaged through Swarnajayanthi Grama Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), a centrally sponsored, comprehensive rural development programme of Ministry of Rural Development.

Under SGSY, assistance is given to poor families, living below poverty line, for taking up self employment. The beneficiaries are called Swarozgaris.SGSY promotes group approach more than individual approach and majority of the funds

1

PhD Scholar, 2 Professor and Head and 3Associate Professor Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension

38

are given for SHGs. The major objective of SHGs is poverty eradication and their formation is facilitated by non-government organisations also. Furthermore, the poverty eradication mission of Kerala government, Kudumbasree is also organizing women SHGs including that of livestock based SHGs. In each block, 4-5 key income generating activities are identified based on the local resources, occupational skills of the people and availability of the markets. For successful self employment, it is necessary to take up the right activity. Training will be provided to the group members for micro enterprise development. Also income generating assets and inputs will be provided to the groups through a package of assistance in the form of subsidy and bank loan. In Kerala, SHGs are gaining more impetus nowadays and many are taking livestock rearing as the key activity.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

The SHG members can work together to address issues that affect not only their own members, but others in their community also. The SHG members reflect a diverse membership covering different social and economic categories.

Hence the present study was undertaken to assess the personal, socio-economic and socio-psychological characteristics of the SHGs involved in livestock rearing.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Characteristic

1

Age

2

Sex

3

Education

4

Caste

5

Family size

6

Experience in Livestock Farming

7

Experience in SHGs

Category

Percentage

<35 years 35-50 years >50 years Male Female <5 years 5-8 years >8 years Forward Community SC/ST OBC <5 members 5-8 members >8 members <5 years 5-10years >10years

12 86 2 19 81 15 77 8

<5years >5years

81 19

32 38 30 72 23 05 58 33 9

Issue 1 April 2012

Sl.No

n=100

JIVA Vol. 10

Table 1 Distribution of SHG members based on personal characters

39

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Table 1 shows that 86 percent of the respondents were in the age group of 35-50 years, 12 percent of them less than 35 years old and the remaining 2 percent were above 50 years old. Almost similar report was given by Anon (2009) where, 70 percent of the members were of age group 26-50 years. This trend is because, under SGSY, training is imparted to the age group of 35-50. It is evident that 81 percent of the members were female and the rest 19 percent were male. The finding was in close conformity with Anon (2009). According to the SGSY guidelines, atleast 40 percent of the swarozgaris should be female. More often than not, in a block half of the SHGs are exclusive women groups. It is clear in the table 1, that 77 percent of the members were having formal education of 5-8 years, 15 percent had less than 5 years of formal education and only 8 percent of the members had more than 8 years of formal education.

In general, SGSY prescribes no educational qualifications for the swarozgaris. Among the respondents, 32 percent belonged to forward community, 38 percent were SC/ST and the remaining 30 percent were other backward community. According to Anon (2006), the

proportion of SC/ST was 55 percent of the total members. SGSY focuses on the most vulnerable groups of the rural poor. As per the SGSY guidelines, atleast 50 percent of the members should be from SC/ST community and 15 percent should be from minority. Family size was less than five for 72 percent of the SHG members. In the case of 23 percent, family size was between 5-8 and for 5 percent it was large with more than 8 members.

Contradictory results were shown by Anon (2009), that is, 56 percent of the respondents had family size of 6-10 members. With regard to livestock farming, 58 percent of the members were having less than 5 years of experience, 33 percent had 5-10 years of experience and the remaining 9 percent only had more than 10 years of farming experience. Majority of them started livestock rearing after the SHG formation. Since capacity building through training is an important component of these group activities, even a non-experienced person can start a micro enterprise, if really motivated. Experience in Self Help Groups was less than five years for 81 percent of the members. The rest 19% had more than 5 years of experience as SHG members.

Table 2 Distribution of SHG members based on socio-economic characters n=100 Sl.No 1

J. Ind. Vet. Assoc., Kerala. 10 (1)

2

40

3

4

Characteristic

Category

Percentage

Major occupation

Agriculture

10

Livestock rearing

72

Business

03

Labourer

15

< Rs.5000

62

Rs.5000-10000

37

>Rs.10000

01

<4numbers

44

4-8 numbers

30

>8 numbers

26

<1Hectare

100

Income from Livestock

Livestock Owned

Land owned

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Table 2 shows that livestock rearing was the major occupation for 72 percent of the SHG members, 15 percent were labourers, 10 percent agriculturists, and 3 percent were doing business.

While studying the SHGs in the country, Anon (2006) reported that 38 percent of SHG members worked as casual labourers, 29 percent worked in own agriculture, and 17 percent were engaged in a non-farm enterprise. For 62 percent of the members, income from livestock was less than Rs.5000 per annum and 37 percent had Rs.5000-10000. One percent of the SHG members claimed to earn more

than Rs.10000 annually from livestock. Cent per cent of the respondents were having less than one hectare of land. As per the SGSY guidelines, small and marginal farmers are the target groups in the scheme. It is shown that 44 percent of the respondents were rearing less than four animals, 30 percent reared 4-8 numbers, and 26 percent reared above 8 animals. Less availability of land may be the reason for small holding units. But now a days there is a new trend that even though small holdings are reducing, there are many new entrepreneurs coming to the sector to start commercial farms.

Table 3 Distribution of SHG members based on socio-psychological characters N=100

Social participation

3

Achievement motivation

4

Cosmopoliteness

5

Risk orientation

It is seen in the table 3, that 71 percent of the SHG members were in the medium category for economic motivation, 19 percent were in the high category and only 10 percent were in the low category. For social participation, 68 percent of SHG members were in the medium, 22 percent in high and 10 percent in low categories. Similarly for achievement motivation, 65 percent of the members were in medium 20 percent in high and 15 percent in the low categories. This finding is in close

Percentage 10 71 19 10 68 22 15 65 20 21 57 22 37 43 20

conformity with that of Devalatha (2005) and Arunkumar (2005). For cosmopoliteness, 57 percent of the members were in medium, 22 percent in high and 21 percent in low categories. Finally for risk orientation, 43 percent in medium 37 percent in low and 20 percent in high category. The pattern is almost similar in the case of the first four sociopsychological characters. Above half of the SHG members were in the medium category. This finding was in close agreement with those of Sreedaya

Issue 1 April 2012

2

Category Low Medium High Low Medium High Low Medium High Low Medium High Low Medium High

JIVA Vol. 10

Sl.No Characteristic 1 Economic motivation

41

RESEARCH ARTICLE

(2000) and Fayas (2003). More than three-forth of the members were in the medium and high categories taken together. But in the case of risk orientation, only less than half of them were in the medium category. Surprisingly, 80 percent of the SHG were in the low and medium categories taken together. This shows that risk taking behaviour of innovators are not shown by SHG members of these blocks. Only recognized profitable businesses are taken by them.

REFERENCES Anon 2006 Self Help Groups in India-A study of the lights and shades. Executive summary of EDA Rural systems Pvt.Ltd in association with APMAS for CRS, USAID, CARE, GTZ/NABARD 20p

42

Devalatha, C.M 2005 Profile study of women self help groups in Gadag District of Northern Karnataka, M.Sc (Agri) thesis ,University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad 74p Fayas, A.M 2003 Viability of Self-Help groups in vegetable and fruit promotion council Kerala An multidirectional analysis. MSc (Agri) Thesis, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 126p Sreedaya,G.S. 2000 Performance analysis of the Self-Help groups in vegetable production in Thiruvananthapuram District. MSc (Agri) Thesis, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur 154p

OBITUARY

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana Guidelines, retrieved from http:// megcnrd.gov.in/forms/ SGSY.pdf on 10/03/2012

Dr. K. S. Jayaram, Retired Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Kerala passed away on 06/01/2012 at Ambalavayal , Wayanad. He belongs to 1972 batch of Veterinary College, Mannuthy. He was the member of First General Council of Kerala Agricultural University. He held different positions in Animal Husbandry Department , Kerala and Retired from Service as Chief Veterinary Officer , District Veterinary Centre , Kalpetta. He was an active member of IVA and held various positions in the association including that of state vice president.

He was also the district president of KGOA Wayanad during 1983-84. He is survived by his wife Dr.Radhamma Pilla (Professor and Head, KVK Ambalavayal), two daughters and one son. May his soul rest in peace.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

J. Ind. Vet. Assoc., Kerala. 10 (1)

Anon 2009 Evaluation Report on Swarnajayanthi Gram Swarozgar Yojana(SGSY), Jammu & Kashmir, Planning Commission, Government of India, 68p.

Arunkumar D 2005 A critical analysis of Swa-Shakti programme in Karnataka, M.Sc (Agri) Thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, 112p

Dr. P.V. Pradeepan, remembrance day was arranged at Valancheri MES college auditorium on 19/01/2012 at 3pm.Dr Ajayakumar P N President IVA Malappuram district welcomed the gathering. Dr K R Arunkumar IVA State President presided over the function. Dr K Udayavarman, Director Zoo and Museum inaugurated the function. IVA State President in his presidential address mentioned about the formation of Pradeepan Memorial Trust to offer a helping hand for the best students of Irumblium Govt. High School, where Dr Pradeepan had studied. Dr Haroon Abdul Rasheed, Dr Abdul Asees, Dr Pradeepanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s friends Mr Madhu, Abdu salam and Radhakrishnan shared their memories about Dr Pradeepan.