Profile of Women Dairy Farmers in Gandhinagar District, Gujarat: An in-depth Analysis

Dairy farming plays a crucial role in improving farmers’ income in India. Women are the backbone of dairy farming activities. This study investigated the personal, social, economic, psychological, and communication profiles of women dairy farmers in Gandhinagar district, Gujarat. The study used purposive and random sampling methods to select respondents who owned at least five dairy animals at the time of investigation. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents belonged to the middle-age group (72.00%) and had secondary level of education (41.20%). Further, 55.60% of the respondents had 10–20 years of experience in dairy farming and 48.00% had large family size. Additionally, 59.20% had-medium level of income and 60.40% had animal husbandry combined with agriculture as their occupation. Most respondents (44.80%) had small-sized herd (5 to 14 dairy animals), and 33.20% had up to one hectare of land. Regarding mass media exposure, 66.80% fell into the medium category. Moreover, 42.00% of the respondents had high level of scientific orientation, 42.40% had medium level of risk orientation and 44.80% had high level of credit orientation and innovativeness.

⓿ Majority of the women dairy farmers were from middle age group having education up to secondary level with medium experience in dairy farming and resident in large family.

⓿ Majority of the women dairy farmers had membership in one organization, had medium annual income with agriculture along with animal husbandry as main occupation.

⓿ Majority of the women dairy farmers were marginal farmers, had small herd size, medium mass media exposure and extension participation.

⓿ Majority of the women dairy farmers had high level of scientific orientation, medium risk orientation and high level of credit orientation and innovativeness.