Article Gold Open Access 2024

Farming is charming: Informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

International Review of Education
Journal · Vol. 70 · Issue 3 · pp. 497-518
Abstract

The agricultural sector in India has come to prominence as a source of employment and livelihood. It is one of the most significant informal sectors in the country, and one in which informal learning plays a major role. This article analyses the informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. In the course of this research, qualitative interviews with 34 farmers in Coimbatore were conducted and analysed with regard to informal learning. The findings show that informal learning is lifelong and chiefly takes place at home in a family and peer group context. Informal learning is facilitated by training courses specifically adapted to farmers’ needs, which can help them improve their situation on their respective farms. However, not every farmer attends these courses, indicating a need to strengthen the programmes, conduct information campaigns to raise awareness, and improve accessibility, especially for farmers and agricultural labourers. © The Author(s) 2024.

Keywords

Author Keywords

informal learning skill formation India Informal sector Farmers

Index Keywords

learning livelihood accessibility informal sector India employment generation agricultural development farmers knowledge Coimbatore Tamil Nadu
Author Affiliations
Universität zu Köln, Koln, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Adhiparasakthi Agricultural College, Kalavai, India
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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