SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF BANANA GROWING FARM HOUSEHOLDS IN DIFFERENT SIZE GROUPS IN LUCKNOW DISTRICT OF UTTAR PRADESH

India has been predominantly an agriculture-based country and its economy largely depends upon agriculture since time immemorial. Developmental efforts over the last few decades have been doubtlessly strengthened our industrial base. However, agriculture continues to be the mainstay of our economy even today, as it occupies the central place in rural life. The contribution of agriculture towards country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was about 14.2 per cent in 2019-20 besides sector providing employment to 58.4 per cent of the work force. Banana plants are the largest plants on earth without a woody stem. Banana is the most delicious fruit used as subsidiary food. It is consumed as table purpose as well as culinary fruit, its leaves are universally used for serving meals in South India and chopped banana stems are used as cattle feed. Some species of banana yield fibre, which is used for making ropes. The tip of inflorescence is cooked as a vegetable in some places. It is used as raw material in industries for preparation of banana powder, chips, juices and beer. The juice of banana stem is used in making paper bond, tissue paper etc. The design of the study is a prerequisite for any scientific investigation, so this chapter seals with the material and methods adopted for conducting the present study. The present research had been taken up in Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh. The details regarding methodology adopted in selection of location, methods of data collection in the selection of the samples, the nature and source of data, and the various statistical analytical tools and techniques employed in achieving the objectives of the study.