Agrotechnology

Correlates of adoption of vegetables by tribal farmers of Keonjhar district of Odisha

2^nd International Conference on Agricultural & Horticultural Sciences

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Hyderabad, India February 03-05, 2014

Bibhu Santosh Behera

Posters: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

The present study entitled Correlates of adoption of vegetables by tribal farmers of Keonjhar district of Odisha was under- taken with a view to find out the socio-economic profile of tribal vegetable farmers; to find out the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents with the vegetable adoption and rejection. Further an attempt was made to identify the constraints that hinder the vegetable adoption by the tribal farmers. Accordingly, suggestions were collected from field level and formulation of suitable strategies for comprehensive study in near future. The number of respondents of the study was 145 tribal vegetable farmers of Keonjhar district. The data collected through a pre-tested structured interview schedule with employment of appropriate statistical measures for analysis and interpretation of the data. The major findings of the study from the socio-economic profile were majority of the tribal farmers belonged to young age category (44.82 percent). Most of the respondents were illiterate (51.72 percent), having big and joint family (57.24 percent and 60 percent respectively), and less social participation (74.48 percent). Being traditionals, most of the respondents were localites in nature (56.55 percent). Out of the sample only 18.62 percent farmers had vegetable trading as second livelihood option. The education land holding size, family size, outward orientation, housing pattern, occupation, social participation, ownership right, holding size, savings status and annual income are significantly correlated with adoption behaviour at 5 percent level of significance but age, family type, credit status have not significantly correlated with adoption behaviour. Out of all vegetables, chilli placed 1 st rank followed by tomato and okra. Out of the samples, 51.48 percent were using local varieties of vegetables due to their culture and trait; 54.48 percent were using chemicals for seedling and root dip treatment. Due to illiteracy, most of the farmers were following broadcasting method (53.80 percent) in seed sowing and most of them using their own way (46.89 percent) in seed rate innovations by neglecting scientific methods. Out of the sample 48.25 percent farmers were maintaining plant to plant distance in planting. In fertilizer innovation, 40 percent farmers are using nitrogen as major fertilizer by using 55.89 percent green manure and 44.11 percent were using FYM. From farm mechanization point of view, they were adopting both hand operated and machine operated equipments. From all total 54.48 percent farmers were using rose cane for watering and 67.58 percent were using hand sprayer. A total of 33.10 percent respondents were using IPM & IDM packages due to influence of goverment/NGOs. Vermi-compost and Amrit Pani, a typical ITK was adopted by 19.31 percent of the respondents. A total of 14.48 percent of respondents had rejected stubble burning in field preparation and rejection of Guamal variety of pumpkin (44.82 percent), VNR seed of okra (33.79 percent) and BT brinjal variety (57.24 percent) in varietal adoption, seed treatment by captain (17.24 percent), line sowing (33.79 percent), row to row planting in cole crops (40 percent), flood irrigation in root crops, chilly and leafy vegetables. (28.96 percent), wooden plough as implement (29.66percent), hand weeding (11.72 percent) in intercultural operation, plucking of fully matured vegetables (15.86 percent), traditional preservation (32.41 percent) in post harvest technology, use of endosulfan & DDT (86.20 percent), and use of pheromone traps and tricho cards (40 percent) perceived as final. Discontinuance was found in seed treatment by Gammaxene and Danadar (86.89 percent) and in variety Namdhari seed (hybrid) of bittergourd (32.41percent). The respondents were of view that ignorance and negligence by govt. (42.25 percent) were main social constraints, severe weed infestation (86.89 percent), more disease and pest attack (82.06 percent), in sufficient skill (31.72 percent) were main technological constraints. Poor quality seed (29.65 percent), unreasonable seed price (20 percent), unavailability of required fertilizer (17.24 percent) were main constraints of input supply, No support price for vegetable crop input (26.20 percent), insufficient credit facility (21.37 percent), lack of easy disposal of produce (16.55 percent) were main economical and policy support constraints. Insufficient training (21.37 percent), no exposure visits (17.24 percent) and lack of information (15.86 percent) in advisory service were constraints, harassment in payment (20 percent), lack of storage facility (46.89 percent), lack of processing industries (31.03 percent), lack of transport facilities (22.06 percent) were main miscellaneous constraints, Inadequate govt. support and guidance (46.89 percent) was organizational constraint.