Consequences of Adoption of Dairy Farming Practices in Tribal Areas of Surat District of Gujarat State

No two individuals can think and behave alike in absolute terms even if provided with the same stimulus at a given point of time. The adoption of dairy farming practices and its consequences can differ from individual to individual because of their differences in age, education, size of land holding, type of family, social participation, and socio-economic status. Adoption of dairy farming practices is a mental process. It involves selection of goals to be attained and also alternative means to be evaluated for their efficiency in the attainment of the selected goals. It was necessary to measure the consequences (resultant changes) occurred due to adoption of dairy farming practices. For this purpose, the present investigation was carried out in tribal areas of Surat district of Gujarat state. An ex-post facto research design was adopted to conduct the study. Five talukas of Surat district viz; Mahuwa, Bardoli, Mandvi, Umarpada and Mangrol were selected by using simple random sampling technique for the present study. A list of best milk producer's co-operative dairies of each selected taluka was obtained from the office of Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (SUMUL), Surat. From the list, best four milk producers’ co-operative dairies from each taluka were selected for the study. Thus total 20 dairies were selected for the present study. The villages selected where these selected co-operative dairies are located. From each selected village of each taluka, 10 respondents (dairy farmers) were selected by using simple random sampling technique, out of total dairy farmers of that village. Thus, the sample for the present study composed of total 200 respondents. Twelve independent and three dependent variables were identified for the study. Out of which nine independent variables were measured by the scale developed by eminent scientists and for remaining three independent variables structured schedule was prepared. The dependent variables were measured with the help of structured schedule. The data collected were analyzed by using appropriate method of analysis viz., percentage, mean, standard deviation, paired‘t’ test and correlation coefficient (r). The findings of the study showed that, by and large the socioeconomic changes (consequences) occurred due to adoption of dairy farming practices were found admirable. Since, it has brought significant change in annual income from livestock (12.2716**). The findings also revealed the significant improvement in housing condition (2.1096*), household possession (12.9890**), clothing pattern (21.1200**) and savings and expenditure (27.5070**). The adoption of dairy farming practices thus played an important role in accelerating production and effecting a positive change in daily routine life of tribal dairy farmers.