IMPACT OF PARTICIPATORY AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION PROJECT (PADP) IN IMPROVING LIVELIHOOD STATUS OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF PLAN INTERNATIONAL BANGLADESH

Abstract

The purpose of the research work was to determine the extent of impact of Participatory Agricultural Diversification Project (PADP) in improving livelihood status of the Beneficiaries of Plan International Bangladesh and to explore the relationships between selected characteristics. Angarpara Union under Khanshama Upazilla of Dinajpur District was the locale of the study. Data were collected from 105 randomly selected farmers by using interview schedule during February to March 2008. Appropriate scales were developed in order to measure the variables. Correlation test was used to ascertain the relationships between the concerned dependent and independent variable of the research work. About two-fifth (40.95 %) of the respondents opined that PADP had high impact in improving livelihood status while about the same number of respondents (40.00%) opined that PADP had medium impact. However according to the rest of the respondents (19.05%) PADP had low impact. From the coefficient of correlation result it was found that duration of project involvement, farm size, annual income, credit availability had significant and positive relationships with their impact of PAOP in improving livelihood status of the beneficiaries. On the other hand, age, education, satisfaction with PADP activities, basic agricultural knowledge, training exposure, problem faced by the beneficiaries did not show any significant relationship with impact of PAD P activities.