Browsing by Author "Shubhadeep Roy"

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Current challenges and solutions for sustainability of Farmers Producer Organisations through grassroots organisational ecosystem
(Indian Academy of Sciences, 2025) Anirban Mukherjee; Shubhadeep Roy; Kausik Pradhan; Vinod Kumar Yadav; Kumari Shubha; Dhiraj Kumar Singh; Shreya Anand; Sukanya Barua; Shantanu Rakshit; R. K. Raman; Ujjwal Kumar; Banda Sainath; Ajeet Kumar Pal; Anup Das
India’s agricultural landscape is largely dominated by marginal and small farmers, who constitute approximately 67% and 18% of the total farming community respectively. This translates to a staggering 92 million marginal farmers with less than 0.40 hectares of land and 24 million small farmers with an average landholding of 1.42 hectares. Despite their higher productivity compared to large farmers, these smallholders face significant resource constraints and market challenges. While the formation of Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) has partially addressed these issues, newly established FPOs continue to encounter significant sustainability challenges. These include limited volumes, low capital, low member engagement and a subsidy-oriented rather than market-oriented approach. The present article identifies critical challenges such as limited capital, low member engagement and a predominant subsidy orientation. Currently, over 8875 FPOs are registered nationwide, but only 16–30% are sustainable. A significant issue is the inability of the majority of FPOs to raise more sizable amount of paid-up capital, highlighting the urgent need for a robust grassroots organisational ecosystem. This study proposes an eight-component ecosystem model for FPO sustainability, encompassing market, policy, infrastructure, services, inputs, HRD, finance and innovation. This model aims to create a comprehensive support structure for FPOs, facilitating better market access, financial resources, member participation and innovative practices. The implementation of this model, along with suggestive measures for strengthening FPOs, is crucial for their long-term viability in India’s evolving agricultural sector. © (2025), (Indian Academy of Sciences). All rights reserved.
Development and Standardization of a Scale to Measure Vegetable Growers’ Attitude towards Safety Measures in Pesticide Application
(Indian Society of Extension Education, 2025) Prashish Singh; Kalyan Ghadei; Shubhadeep Roy; Jaydeep Halder; Jagriti Kumari; Harshit Paliwal
The study aimed to develop a scale for assessing the attitude of vegetable growers towards safety measures in pesticide application was conducted during 2024. A total of 110 statements were initially framed under eleven dimensions: Selection and Transportation, Storage, Precautions during Preparation and Application, Precautions after Application, Disposal of Containers, Environmental Protection, Health and Safety, Record Keeping and Monitoring, Pesticide Regulations, Education and Training, and First Aid and Emergency Response. These were evaluated by 60 judges, based on their judgment and subsequent item analysis, 52 statements were retained after calculating the t-values. The scale was constructed using the Likert methodology, yielding an overall mean relevancy score of 2.50. A pilot test was conducted with 60 vegetable growers from a non-sampled area, setting the cut off value for item selection at equal or more than 1.75 t-value. Reliability was assessed using the split-half method, which yielded a coefficient value of 0.82. This result was further verified using the Spearman-Brown formula, producing a value of 0.89, thereby confirming the reliability of the scale. In addition, the Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.86 indicated a high level of internal consistency in the developed scale. © The Indian Society of Extension Education.