Factors influencing agri-preneurial success among rural women entrepreneurs: An empirical analysis

The study was purposively conducted among 97 women agri-preneurs of Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. Measuring precisely the success/failure of the rural women entrepreneurship is difficult and complex in the absence of a well developed scale. Women agri-preneurs were grouped into four categories of success/failure by administering a measuring scale. As high as 47.43% of agri-preneurs were found to be in 'somewhat success' category, whereas 16.49% agripreneurs were in 'high success' category and 9.27% of them were found to be in 'high failure' category and 26.81% of the agri-preneurs were found in 'somewhat failure' category. The Garrett ranking showed that successful women agri-preneurs perceived 'self, 'family', 'skilled labour', 'credit transaction in time' and 'demand', whereas unsuccessful agri-preneurs perceived 'spouse', `NGOs', 'friends', Government incentives' and 'family' as the five most important factors for success. Discriminant Function Analysis is a statistical tool used to discriminate between two classes of individuals on the basis of characters which are considered to be relevant. Stepwise procedure was used to identify the relevant variable and the significant ones were identified based on the 'F' test. The Fisher's discriminant function equation established 'achievement motivation' generalperceived self-efficacy', 'collective efficacy', 'proactive attitude' and 'self-esteem' as the top five most discriminating variables. Hence, trainings in achievement motivation development, team building, collective efficacy and developing personal managerial competencies like 'proactive attitude' need to be incorporated in women agri-preneurship development programmes for success in rural women agri-preneurships.