Prospects and problems in adoption and attitude of farmers regarding resource conservation technologies in Punjab
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Date
2019
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present study was undertaken with the objectives to study the status, prospects and problems in adoption and attitude of farmers towards resource conservation technologies in Punjab. Five resource conservation technologies were selected for the study. A total of 16 clusters were selected for the study. 50 adopters and 20 non-adopters for each RCT were selected using probability proportional to number of farmers in each cluster. Attitude of farmers toward resource conservation technologies was measured by developing attitude scales (Likert 1932). Data were collected by personal interview method. It was observed that majority of the farmers belonged to the age group 41-59 years, had gained education upto matric and fell in the category of large (>10 hectares) operational land holding. Social media was the most frequently used source of farm information and ADOs were the highly contacted extension functionaries. Laser Leveller had covered the highest area proportional to operational land holding followed by zero till drill, happy seeder and green manuring. PAU was identified as the first source of information in case of happy seeder and zero till drill. All the resource conservation technologies were easily available to the farmers and were simple to understand as observed by the farmers. Majority of the farmers (84.00%) observed a decrease in yield in adoption of happy seeder on the other hand constant yield were observed in green manuring, zero till and laser leveller. Expenditure on input was increased in case of green manuring and laser leveller while it decreased in case of happy seeder and zero till drill. Majority of the respondents had favourable attitude towards green manuring, laser leveller, zero till drill and happy seeder. Regarding prospects of selected RCTs, majority of the farmers want to continue use of green manuring and laser leveller on constant area. Similarly, in case of happy seeder about half of the farmers want to continue happy seeder on the same area. On the other hand, more than half of the respondents want to discontinue zero till drill as they want to shift to happy seeder. Among the problems faced by the farmers in adoption of different RCTs, availability of seed (30.00%) of green manuring crops, more row to row spacing (9 inches) in happy seeder sown wheat, lack of training were the major problems faced by farmers. In case of zero till drill, it can only be used after straw removal, and as such no economic method was available in management of loose straw were the major problems. High cost and rent of happy seeder and laser leveller technology were the major reasons behind non-adoption of these technologies. Majority of the non-adopters were unwilling to adopt zero till drill (70.00%).
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