Participation in voluntary institute’s programmes and extent of benefits gained by the beneficiaries of Konkan region of Maharashtra

Introduction

Voluntary institutes have an important place in rural development because of their capacity to work closely with communities, identify local needs and support development activities through participatory approaches. Their role is particularly relevant in areas where geographical conditions, fragmented holdings, limited infrastructure and uneven access to services create difficulties for rural households. In agriculture, voluntary organizations may support farmers through training, demonstrations, input support, natural resource management, livelihood development and market-oriented activities (Bhaskar et al. (2001) [1] . The Vivekanand Research and Training Institute (VRTI) is a voluntary organization working in rural development, agriculture, water resource management, women empowerment, education, environment, animal husbandry and health care. In Maharashtra, VRTI operates in Raigad and Ratnagiri districts. The institute's activities in Roha and Lote include farmer training, agricultural demonstrations, land development, water conservation, livelihood and skill development, environmental activities, educational support, animal husbandry and health-related programmes. The institute also works in collaboration with government departments, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, universities and other organizations. Participation of beneficiaries provides an important indication of the reach of development programmes, while assessment of benefits helps to understand the outcomes perceived by the people who received or participated in the interventions. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine participation in VRTI programmes and the nature and extent of benefits reported by beneficiaries in selected operational areas of the Konkan region of Maharashtra.

Methodology

The study was conducted in the Konkan region of Maharashtra state in the year 2025-26. Raigad and Ratnagiri districts were selected because VRTI undertakes rural development activities in these districts. Roha tehsil of Raigad district and Lote section of Khed tehsil of Ratnagiri district were selected as major op erational areas having a comparatively larger number of beneficiaries. All the twenty-three villages from the Roha section and nine villages from the Lote section were considered purposively on the basis of developmental work undertaken by VRTI. From the beneficiary lists obtained from the institute, 60 respondents from each section were selected purposively in consultation with VRTI field personnel, giving a total sample of 120 beneficiaries. An exploratory research design was used. A structured interview schedule was developed in consultation with experts and institute officials. The beneficiary schedule covered participation in VRTI activities, benefits obtained from different programmes and expectations from the institute. Data were collected through personal interviews. Frequencies and percentages were used for presentation and interpretation of participation and benefit responses. Since participation and benefit items permitted multiple responses, percentages do not necessarily total 100 per cent.

Results and Discussion

Participation varied considerably across programme sectors and between the two operational sections. The participation pattern indicates that agricultural activities formed an important point of contact between VRTI and the beneficiaries, particularly through training and input support. The data presented in Table 1 indicates that the voluntary institute implemented a diverse range of programmes and activities in Roha and Lote, covering agricultural development, livelihood promotion, women empowerment, education, natural-resource conservation, health and community welfare. In Roha, agricultural training was prominent, particularly improved agricultural crop technology (35 respondents, 58.33%), organic farming (41, 68.33%), and irrigation facilities (32, 53.33%). Inputs were also provided for improved crop technology (22, 36.66%), organic farming (35, 58.33%), fruits/vegetables (19, 31.66%), irrigation facilities and plant distribution (18, 30.00% each), while implements were reported mainly for improved crop technology (2, 3.33%) and water conservation (2, 3.33%). Similar results were reported by Gutta (2010) [2] and Sharma et al. (2020) [3] .

Benefits gained by beneficiaries from VRTI programmes

The findings with respect to benefits gained by the beneficiaries of VRTI is presented in Table 2.

The data revealed that the programmes of the voluntary institute generated multidimensional benefits in agricultural, economic, environmental, educational, livestock and health-related aspects among respondents of Roha and Lote. Overall, the most prominent benefits were improved farming techniques and training (54.17%), high yield in crops (52.50%), increased income (47.50%), improved knowledge of farming (45.00%) and increased water availability (45.83%). and Malini (2021) [5] .

Conclusion

The study showed that beneficiary participation in VRTI programmes was concentrated particularly in agriculture-related activities, with training and input support forming important modes of engagement. Participation in agriculture was prominent in both Roha and Lote, although the specific activities varied between the two locations. The benefits reported by beneficiaries were also more pronounced in agriculture and water resource management. Improved farming techniques and training, high crop yield, increased income and improved farming knowledge were the major agriculture-related benefits reported by the respondents. Increased water availability for crops and reduced water scarcity were the principal benefits reported from water resource management activities. Other sectors, including rural development, animal husbandry, environment, education and health, also generated reported benefits, although their frequencies varied.

The findings indicate the importance of continuing need-based training, demonstrations, input support and water-related interventions while strengthening participation in sectors where beneficiary engagement was comparatively limited. Periodic beneficiary feedback and systematic outcome monitoring may help VRTI align programme design with local requirements and document changes over time.

References

1. Bhaskar I, Geethakutty PS. Role of non-governmental organizations in rural development: A case study. Journal of Tropical Agriculture. 2001;39(1):52-54.
2. Gutta. Building bridges to self-reliance, adapting the graduation model to optimize benefit for tribal populations in Orissa: 1-55. 2010.
3. Sharma K, Yogi DK. Promoting sustainable agricultural practices through NGO-corporate partnership: Successful Indian experiences. Indian Journal of Adult Education. 2020;81(4):161-162.
4. Gomes L, Manna S. Role of NGOs in rural development: An exploratory study in West Bengal. Asian Journal of Research in Business Economics and Management. 2012;2(12):214-231.
5. Malini P. Analysis of Constraints Faced by NGO Personnel in Effective Transfer of Agriculture Technology in Udaipur District of Rajasthan. M.Sc. (Ag.) thesis, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur; 2021.