Self-Help Groups in Indian Agriculture: A Case Study of Farmer Groups in Punjab, Northern India

Abstract

Self-help groups engaged in development activities have the potential to empower their members through the provision of knowledge, skills, motivation, and competencies that underpin sustainable agriculture. There is a shortage of empirical data on the role of self-help groups in India; this study attempts to identify the effectiveness of farmer groups in improving the economic and social status of members by conducting a case study on two self-help groups in Punjab, India. The analysis revealed that, besides contributing toward economic development, these groups are important for social networking. While social activities are more prominent among groups with members who are wealthier, larger groups with more wealthy members mainly sought access to advanced technical information. Group involvement helps to establish appropriate marketing relationships and to minimize input costs. The results of the analysis indicate that both case study groups have the essential characteristics for effective group operation and are working successfully.

Keywords:

• self-help groups
• social and economic development
• group learning
• participation
• Punjab
• India

Acknowledgments

R. Kalra acknowledges the Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), for the Endeavour Research Fellowship Award (postdoctoral) for undertaking this study. The authors acknowledge the Confederation of Potato Seed Farmers (POSCON) and the Global Self-Help Group, Punjab, India, for their support and responses to the questionnaire survey.

Notes

1. The infant industry argument refers to a development approach that favors supporting new or “modernizing” industries through various forms of production, subsidy, and intervention.

2. Chutney is a mixture containing fruits, spices, sugar, and vinegar eaten cold.

3. Sarson da saag is a coarse puree of mustard leaves, spinach, and chenopodium (optional) cooked together and fried with oil, chopped onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, salt, and served with makki di roti.

4. Makki di roti is an Indian bread containing cornflour and salt to taste.

5. The Krishi Vigyan Kendra is an extension project funded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for dissemination of technology and refinement of the available packages to suit the local environment and is part of the National Agricultural Research System in India.

6. The Agricultural Technology Management Agency is a part of a World Bank supported project aimed at strengthening and reforming the agricultural research and extension system in India.

7. Group motivation and group goal achievements had similar mean scores (31.12), hence, they were assigned ranks of 3 and 4, respectively. Since their mean was the same, their ranks were calculated by dividing their respective ranks by 2, that is, 3/2 + 4/2 = 3.5.

8. Economies of scale in a production sector are said to exist when the unit cost of production falls as the volume of production increases.