ROLE OF SOURCES OF INFORMATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK PERCEPTION OF CASH CROP GROWERS OF GUNTUR DISTRICT -A CASE STUDY ON PESTiCIDE USAGE

摘要

The study was conducted in Guntur district to know the role of sources of information in environmental risk perception of cash crop growers of Guntur district. The data was collected from male heads their spouses and their off springs (age above 15 years) through structured schedule after preliminary testing. Personal interview method was followed for data collection. The respondents were interviewed with questions in following areas viz., impact of pesticides on soil, water, air, beneficial insects,animals, human being and food chain. The results revealed that majority of the male heads (62.5) spouses (70%) and offsprings (62.5) used medium level of sources of information related to pesticides abuse. All the three categories of respondent's i.e. male heads, spouses and off-springs had medium level of environmental risk perception. Correlation analysis showed that sources of information was positively and significantly related to environmental risk perception related to pesticide abuse in case ofmale heads and off-springs, whereas in case of spouses sources of information was non-significantly related with environmental risk perception may be due to their less contact with sources of information, channels and outside world.