Constraints Faced by NGO Workers in Agriculture & Rural Development Sector: Insights from Jaunpur District of Uttar Pradesh, India
Prashant Mishra
Awakening Foundation Trust, Department of Agricultural Extension, Tilak Dhari P.G. College, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Samrat Sikdar
*
School of Human Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, United States.
N. K. Mishra
Department of Agricultural Extension, Tilak Dhari P.G. College, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
NGO workers in agriculture and rural development sectors face a wide range of constraints worldwide and India is not an exception in this case. This research study highlights the key constraints faced by NGOs as identified by 120 NGO workers in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India and provides suggestions to deal with those intense constraints. Some descriptive statistics like frequency, percentage etc. were used to analyze the collected data. The data analysis revealed that undemocratic behavior of the boss (95.5%), lack of sound planning (95.83%), absence of united synchronized efforts (87.5%), absence of incentives for good work (79.16%) etc. are mostly faced administrative constraints by the NGO workers. Some of the most prominent infrastructural constraints faced by the NGO workers are non-availability of sufficient training facilities (97.50%), non-availability of inputs i.e. seeds/fertilizer (93.33%), lack of mobility/communication (89.16%), inadequate funds for carrying out the activities (85%) etc. For improving the situation and dealing with these constraints, NGOs should focus on fostering a democratic and inclusive organizational culture, implementing effective planning processes, encouraging collaboration and teamwork, providing incentives for performance, seeking expert guidance, conducting regular evaluations, enhancing government partnerships, investing in training and resources, improving communication infrastructure, diversifying funding sources and addressing housing needs etc. These steps should help NGOs overcome the identified constraints gradually and achieve greater effectiveness in their mission.
Keywords: Constraints, NGO, agriculture & rural development, training facilities, collaboration, teamwork, funding