Author(s): Janaki Rani A, Sangavi M and Murugan PP

Abstract: Vegetables are the important constituents of Indian horticulture and nutritional security due to their short duration, high yield, nutritional richness, economic viability and ability to generate on-farm and off-farm employment. Even though the vegetable production is high, the farmers are struggling a lot to come up well to meet out the demand of growing population. One of the reasons is non-adoption of recommended scientific practices in which improper communication network among the farmers in seeking and sharing the information. In this connection, Social Network Analysis was worked out to assess the internal networks from vegetable cultivation to marketing by using UCINET 6 software. With regard to communication network among farmers, the highest in degree centrality score for getting seeds/seedlings was Agri-depots (39) followed by friends and relatives (33). With regard to inclosenesss centrality, the high score was progressive farmer (254) and private nursery (210). The high score on in closeness centrality for fertilizer purchase was co-operative society and agri depots (175) followed by private consultancy (172) and progressive farmer farms (170). The in closeness centrality for getting fertilizer were fertilizer shop (163). The highest in degree centrality score on plant protection was pesticide shop (54). The maximum between ness score for marketing was 3470.9 which indicated the source on whole saler/retailer. Only 5-7% of the information is shared among the farmers. The farmers identified for sharing in the network system which will be used as a channel for sharing the information related to agriculture and horticulture.

Pages: 1047-1054 | Views: 133 | Downloads: 4

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