Vol. 12, Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Rakesh Bhatthad, Raghuprasad KP, Ganesamoorthi S, Parashivamurthy and Patil SS

Abstract:
In this agrarian landscape, water plays a pivotal role, making the efficient management of water resources a matter of paramount importance where Water Users Associations (WUAs) have emerged as key entities responsible for the equitable distribution of water resources among farmers. The present study conducted during 2020-21 examines the profile characteristics of head reach and tail-end farmers of WUAs in the Tungabhadra Command Area of Koppal district. Ex-post facto research design was employed for the study and data was collected from 120 farmers across twelve WUAs in Gangavathi and Karatagi taluks. The results showed that majority of the head reach farmers had medium level of material possession, extension contact, mass media exposure, cosmopoliteness, social participation, achievement motivation, innovativeness, management orientation and high level of economic motivation, risk orientation, and low level of scientific orientation. Whereas, majority of the tail-end farmers had medium level of material possession, extension contact, mass media exposure, cosmopoliteness, social participation, economic motivation, achievement motivation, innovativeness, risk orientation, decision making ability, management orientation and scientific orientation. Therefore, the head reach farmers have been using more irrigation water at the cost of deprivation to tail-enders and this fact has to be constantly kept in mind while dealing with the problems and hence there is a need to maintain equity and harmony among the farmers.