Abstract:
Agriculture is a dominant field in Sri Lanka as the vegetable cultivation is a major part of it. This
study was conducted to find out the relationship between entrepreneurial skills and the farmers‟
performance which are measured by productivity and financial performance. This is a quantitative
research and accordingly, deductive approach has been applied in the study. A survey method was
employed. Researchers administered questionnaire was used in the data collection process from 7th
September 2020 to 20th September 2020. Simple random sampling was used as the sampling
technique. Polgahawela DS division in Kurunegala district is the study area of this research.
Vegetable farmers in Polgahawela DS division were selected as the target population and five Grama
Niladari divisions (GN) were selected randomly from the study area. Hundred farmers who cultivate
vegetable were selected and it consists of twenty (20) vegetable farmers from each GN division.
SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the data and Reliability Analysis, Multiple Linear
Regression Models including Diagnostic Tests were used as analytical techniques. Reliability
Analysis represents the internal consistency of the likert scale items and Cronbach‟s Alpha was
applied. Multiple regression models were applied to test the effect of entrepreneurial skills of
farmers on farming performances and to test their individual and joint effect. Several diagnostic tests
were applied to test the validity of the regression results and they are Heteroscedasticity,
Multicollinearity, Normality and independent of the residuals. According to the results opportunity
seeking, risk taking and decision making are highly significant and they are influencing positively on
farmers‟ performance. Decision making ability is the most influencing factor. Secondly opportunity
seeking and thirdly risk taking skill effect on farmer-performance. Innovation was individually
insignificant and it influenced jointly with other factors on farmers‟ performances. Higher
entrepreneurial skills give higher performances. Researchers suggested that authorities of agriculture
in Sri Lanka should take necessary initiatives to improve and develop farmers‟ entrepreneurial skills
to enhance the farmer-performance in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Agriculture; Entrepreneurial skills; Farmers; Performance; Sri Lanka
