Socio-Personal, Economic, and Psychological Profiling of Rural Youth Engaged in Agriculture: Evidence from Telangana, India

Abstract

Understanding the characteristics of rural youth who remain engaged in agriculture can support locally appropriate extension planning. This study assessed 17 socio-personal, economic, communication and psychological characteristics of rural youth engaged in agriculture in Suryapet district, Telangana, India. An ex-post facto, cross-sectional design was employed. Data were collected from 120 respondents selected by simple random sampling from four villages using a pre-tested, structured interview schedule. Frequencies, percentages, arithmetic means and standard deviations were used for descriptive analysis. Most respondents were aged 26–35 years (60.83%), male (80.83%) and married (57.50%). Joint families accounted for 69.16%, while 58.33% reported family sizes of 4–7 members. Intermediate to postgraduate education was reported by 72.50% of respondents. Marginal and small landholdings accounted for 59.17%, and agriculture combined with animal husbandry was the most common occupational category (30.83%). Medium annual family income was reported by 55.84%. The medium category predominated for extension contact (67.50%), mass media exposure (55.00%), social participation (67.50%), economic motivation (73.34%), risk orientation (48.33%), scientific orientation (51.67%), innovativeness (50.83%) and achievement motivation (49.17%). The findings provide a descriptive profile of the surveyed farming youth and may guide the planning of locally relevant agricultural extension and capacity-development activities. Conclusions beyond the selected villages should be drawn with caution.