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India has witnessed the most spectacular changes in the field of agriculture. From being a ‘begging basket to a saturated granary', the era of self-sufficiency was achieved through together termed as Indigo revolution. All these requisites necessitated the remodeling and development of new pedagogic tools in agricultural education, which is a foundation of agricultural for future development. In Indian scenario socio-economic status of the farmers has vital role in agriculture. It was found that socio-economic, psychological, situational factors are the major causes of suicides of farmers in India.

It was found that India showed that, 72% farmers like farming and out of them 60% of them traditional occupation is agriculture. At the same time 36% farmers feel that agriculture does not give a good income. Land holdings of the farmers have strong association with economic motivation of the farmers (Singh et al., 2016). The Department of Economic & Statistical Analysis, Haryana prepares the estimate of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). As per the advance estimates of year 2018-19, the GSDP of the State at current prices has been estimated as 7,07,126.33 crore, recording growth of 12.9 per cent in 2018-19 as against the growth rate of 12.5 per cent achieved in 2017-18 (Haryana at glance, 2019). This led to the development of a rigorous field programme that emphasis on practical reorientation of farm students to the rural agricultural operation system and totally of farm life. Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme (RAWEP) was introduced in the agricultural universities in our country, which is viewed as the best opportunity, which can orient and equip the required potential among farmers through the students of agricultural science. The Third Deans committee under the chairmanship of Keerti Singh advocated the introduction of RAWEP in all the State Agricultural Universities (SAU’s) in India and laid down specific objectives for the programme (Shivaramu, 2018).  In order to sharpen the knowledge and skills of agricultural students, RAWE is offered in final year of the B.Sc. (Agri/Hori) degree programme which includes, training, demonstration, observation, practice and participation in purposeful activities and to orient our agricultural graduates for participation in various rural developmental programme. This programme aim is to provide work experience to the students in rural areas. This experiential system in agricultural education has a strong potential to prepare a better agricultural technocrats with high level of skill in combination with the modern out-look and management capacity. However, RAWE is one of the best that means to produce well trained agricultural graduates with broad based knowledge and techniques to meet the emerging challenges for the welfare of farmers (IGKVR, 2014).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present investigation was carried out in villages were allotted to students during RAWEP. Thus, 120 host farmers were selected with whom the students attached for studying various aspects of agricultural activities and farm enterprise. The descriptive research design was followed for carrying out the study in the state of Haryana.  Further, data was collected with help of questionnaire of measuring within face to face contact with the farmers. In formulating the question and setting the particulars’ the investigator has taken opinion and guidance of the experts and extension personals. While, collected data was analyzed and tabulated by using the frequency and percentage.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

The data presented in the (Table 1) showed that majority (63.3%) of farmers were belonged to the medium age group (46-55 years) followed by (22.5%) were belonged to young age (up to 45 years) while (14.1%) were belonged to old age group (above 56 year). It was observed that majority (39.1%) of the farmers had primary level of education followed by (18.3%) had high school education remaining (08.3%) had middle level and can read only type of education. While, (06.6%) of illiterates were noticed in the study. However, study examined that (05.8%) graduates were found followed by (05.0%) of post graduates. Similar study declared that farmers had high school education level of education visualize the impact of RAWEP which revealed that less number of farmers were educated up to high school level (Ananthnag et al., 2014).
Majority (48.1%) of the farmers belonged to the other backward class and rest (30.0%) belonged to the general caste while (20.9%) were belonged to the SC category. It is indicated that due to RAWEP all group and weaker sections of the society helpful to optimizing the gap that remained significant impact on farmers’.
The data presented in the (Table 1) maximum (53.3%) were semi-medium land holder (2 to 4 hec.) and (19.1%) were small land holder category. While, (16.7%) farmers were large land holder, (15.9%) marginal land holder category (below 1 hec.). It is revealed that possible reasons that may be attributed to this result were those who had semi-medium land holder possessed more land and try to take on lease and that could be their ancestor’s property.
More than (20.00%) farmer had the membership in one organization and more than one organization followed by (16.7%) had no membership in any organization. Study declared that majority of the farmers were not interested and to be associated in any agriculture society, famers club. Indicated that farmers required more training programmer apart RAWE that could stretch their mental horizons’. 
The study confirmed that maximum (65.0%) farmers income level was between Rs. 30,000-45,000 followed by (19.1%) minimum farmers had income level of 45,000-60,000. The study found that vast majority of farmers’ income was average this might be done due to that farmers are not dependent to farming as the only source of their income other side they also have done agribusiness, kirana shops and rented the homes.
The  data presented in the (Table 1) majority (36.7%) of the farmers’ had medium level of change proneness followed by (35.0%) had low level of change proneness while minimum (28.3%) farmers’ had high level of change proneness. Where change proneness indicates inclination or readiness one has to modify his behavior, attitude, feelings and thought by flexible rather than restraining on self to be rigid. Hence farmers changed their decision and attitude, feeling as per their adequacy and students also (Verma, 2014).
The data mentioned in the Table 1 majority (55.9%) of the farmers’ had high level of fatalism followed by (25.0%) had low level of fatalism remaining (19.1%) had medium level of fatalism. Study indicates that farmers had significant effect for fatalism between students of RAWE (Maercker, 2019).
The study revealed that more than (45.0 %) farmers were medium risk oriented followed by (35.0%) were the low risk oriented remaining (20.0%) were the high risk oriented.

Table 1: Distribution of the respondents according to impact of RAWEP on socio-economic status of host farmers

 

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that 63.3 per cent of respondents were belonged to the young age group while it was observed that majority (39.1%) of the farmers had primary level of education. The result showed that (48.1%) of the farmers belonged to the other backward class and maximum (53.3%) were semi-medium land holder (2 to 4 hec.). Further, high level of (20.00%) farmer had the membership in one organization and more than one organization followed by (16.7%) had no membership in any organization. However, (65.0%) of farmers had income between Rs. 30,000-45,000 followed by (19.1%) farmers had income level 45,000-60,000. However, 36.7 per cent respondents had medium level of change proneness. It was found that 55.9 per cent respondents had high level of fatalism while 45.0 per cent medium level of risk orientation. Keep in view of the socio-economic condition of the farmers’ in village who were involved in the RAWE. Survival of farmers in the region has somewhat improved as compared the past trends. With increasing awareness several farmers’ have made their survival easy by some agribusiness and entrepreneurial activities for the development of livelihood. It was also discovered that; by imparting the information by students among the farmers helped to take some essential steps to adopt modern technologies, verities for batter future prospects. 

REFERENCES

Ananthnag, K., & Mahatab Ali, K. M. (2014). Vinaya Kumar H. M., A study on socio - economic status of farmers practicing organic farming in eastern dry zone of Karnataka, Online Journal of BioSciences and Informatics, 1(2), 75-84.
Haryana at glance, (2019). Department of Economic and Statistical Analysis, Haryana, Economic Survey of Haryana, Department of economic and statistical analysis, Haryana Yojana Bhawan, sector-4, panchkula. pp.1.
IGKVI, (2014). Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, Rural Agricultural/Horticultural Work Experience Programme. Practical Manual For B.Sc. (Agri./Horti.), pp.1.
Maercker, A., Ben-Ezra, M., Esparza, O. A., & Augsburger, M. (2019). Fatalism as a traditional cultural belief potentially relevant to trauma sequelae: Measurement equivalence, extent and associations in six countries, European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 10, 1-13.
Shivaramu, K., Venkataranga, K., & Naika & Suresh, D. K. (2018). Perception of Students and Teachers on Achievement of Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme Objectives, Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 24(2), 1-13.
Singh, T. P., Kumar, V., & Kumari, S. (2016). Study of Socio-economic Status of farmers in Drought Prone Regions of Maharashtra, India a Case Study. International Journal of Current Science, 8(6), 33304-33306.

Verma, S. (2014). Work Motivation as Determinant of Change Proneness in Male and Female School Teachers, Journal of Business & Economic Policy 1(1), 1-3.