OPINION LEADERSHIP AMONG THE FARMERS IN THE VILLAGE PURBACHANDRAPUR OF DAGON BHUIYAN UPAZILA UNDER FENI DISTRICT

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of opinion leadership among the farmers and to explore the relationships between selected characteristics of the farmers with their opinion leadership. Purbachandrapur village under Dagon Bhuiyan Upazila of Feni District was the locale of the study. Data were collected from 90 farmers by using interview schedule during 16 October to 5 November, 2007. The findings revealed that about 56% of the farmers had no opinion leadership and 18% of the farmers had low opinion leadership compared to 9% having no opinion leadership while 17% had medium opinion leadership. The proportion of the farmers having no opinion leadership was the lowest (63%) in family affairs and the highest (74%) in politics. Proportion of the farmers having high opinion leadership in agriculture (10%) and it was the lowest in politics (2%). Computed ‘r’ value depicts that selected characteristics of the farmers namely, age, education, organizational participation, cosmopoliteness, agricultural knowledge and innovativeness had significant positive relationship with their opinion leadership. On the other hand, farm size, annual income and extension media contact had no significant relationships with opinion leadership.