Abstract

The Self Help Groups are generally formed by promoter agencies as a facilitating mechanism in extending micro finance and have been used to generate income and employment and alleviate poverty, especially in the developing countries.  Review of previous literature indicated that they also contributed in other areas of economic development and growth such as poverty eradication, social transformation and empowerment. The present study used across sectional data to measure the empowerment of farmer members of SHGs formed by Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam.  Empowerment index was calculated for sample farmers using the information collected on the dimensions of empowerment such as leadership  propensity, self confidence, employment generation, increase in income and decision making power. The farmers were classified based on the empowerment index score. It was found that the members of the older self help groups scored better in empowerment index measurement. Any intervention from the promoter agency should include the empowerment of the new members as one of its objectives. Further research should focus on issues of creating a legal framework that sustains the SHGs activities and developing them as agents of rural development.

Key words: Self help group, fruit and vegetable farming, empowerment, participation, vegetable and fruit promotion council Keralam.