Ph.D Theses
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Browsing Ph.D Theses by Subject "Home Science Extension Education"
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Item Agricultural Marketing Behaviour and Practices of Rural Farmers in Dibrugarh District, Assam(Avinashilingam, 2025-02) Sushmita Deori; Guide - Dr. S. RajalakshmiAgriculture is a fundamental pillar of Assam's economy, with agricultural marketing playing a crucial role in informing farmers about crop values across various markets. This study, conducted in the Barbaruah Development Block of Dibrugarh district, Assam, aims to analyze the socio-economic characteristics of vegetable farmers, examine their marketing behaviour and practices, assess the knowledge and opinion on agricultural marketing, identify barriers in vegetable marketing and assess the impact of educational awareness on agricultural marketing. A total of 600 vegetable farmers were selected from six villages across two Gram Panchayats using a stratified random sampling method. The study found that sixty-six percent of the farmers were male, while thirty-four percent were female, with forty-three percent classified as marginal farmers. In terms of marketing practices, most of the farmers (93%) harvested their produce early in the morning, sixty-six percent engaged in sorting and grading and forty-two percent washed their produce before sale. Electronic weighing machines were used by fifty-seven percent of the farmers and fifty-three percent traveled 11 to 30 km to reach markets. Weekly markets were the preferred selling point for thirty four percent of the farmers, whereas forty one percent relied on commission agents. For packaging and transportation, seventy-five percent used jute or gunny bags, with bicycles being the most commonly used mode of transport. Also, farmers opted for direct payment and sold their produce based on volume, ensuring efficient market transactions. The findings also revealed that forty-four percent of the farmers exhibited a moderate level of marketing behavior, with a significant relationship observed between e ducational qualifications and marketing behaviour. Among the various influencing factors, income generation and sustainable livelihoods had the highest mean score of 3.00, while age showed a significant correlation at the 1% level. Factor analysis identified key elements shaping farmers’ opinions on vegetable marketing, including knowledge of preservation, transportation facilities, market accessibility and promotional activities. Major barriers reported by farmers included the high cost of inputs, low profitability, limited access to market information, poor road infrastructure and the high perishability of produce. Furthermore, an assessment of the impact of the educational awareness programme on farmers' knowledge, opinions and marketing behavior indicated a significant improvement with a highly significant change at the 1% level (p < 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of integrating both digital and traditional marketing strategies to enhance market access, improve price realization and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Keywords : Agriculture, Behaviour, Farmers, Marketing, Practices, VegetablesItem Analytical Study on Social Networking among the Youth(Avinashilingam, 2025-10) Sinjitha V; Guide - Dr.R.Jansi RaniSocial networking sites have gained prominence as powerful digital platforms that have crucial influence on the social, emotional and scholastic development of youth. Social networking platforms have become necessary tools for communication, education and career development. This present study aims to explore the knowledge, attitude and usage patterns of social networking among youth from rural and urban settings, in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. The research incorporates a mixed method design that incorporates quantitative and qualitative approaches based on interview, case studies and awareness programmes. To assess the effectiveness of awareness initiatives, pre test and post test assessments were conducted to measure changes identified in respondents understanding. Among the 600 sample, from student youth and employed youth, 150 samples were fragmented from the rural student youth and 150 samples from rural employed youth. Similarly, 150 samples were selected among urban student youth and 150 from urban employed youth. Among rural student youth, 89 percent demonstrate adequate knowledge of Facebook, 76 percent were capable of profile creation and 88 percent used these platforms primarily for communication. Furthermore, 84 percent recognized social networking as a source of knowledge development and 64 percent employed it for educational purposes. The study also revealed that 87 percent of rural youth reported improvement in language proficiency, 73 percent in personal calibre and 83 percent in photography and creative skills. Meanwhile, 81 percent refrained from chatting with strangers. Among urban youth, a higher proportion 61 percent spend time on online games, whereas 79 percent of employed youth believed that social networking has enhanced their employment opportunities. The analysis highlights a vital association between the location of youth and their levels of social networking knowledge, emotional and behavioural responses and overall attitudes. The findings affirmed that potential of social networking sites to promote youth empowerment and socio economic development. The study concluded that structured education and awareness programmes can guide youth toward responsible, productive and balanced use of social networking. Furthermore, the increasing internet accessibility in rural regions is helping bridge the digital divide, facilitating equal participation in the nation’s development process. The study faced challenges due to COVID-19–related restrictions, which constrained fieldwork, participant interaction, and the inclusion of respondents beyond one district and age group. Key words: Youth, Social Networking, Rural Students, Rural Employed, Urban Students, Urban Employed,