Sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation in Thiruvananthapuram district: a multidimensional analysis
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Date
2017
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Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
The present study entitled ‘Sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation in Thiruvananthapuram district: a multidimensional analysis’ was conducted in the two blocks of Thiruvananthapuram district with objectives : to assess the sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation in Thiruvananthapuram district, measure the commercial vegetable grower’s scale of knowledge and rate of adoption of KAU practices in selected vegetables, measure the perception about the feasibility of commercial organic vegetable cultivation and to identify the constraints faced by the commercial vegetable cultivators. The selected vegetables were amaranthus, cowpea and bitter gourd. The study was carried out in the four Panchayats of Thiruvananthapuram district (Pallichal, Kalliyoor, Kottukal, Venganoor) from two blocks having maximum area under commercial vegetable cultivation. A sample size of 100 was selected for the study with 25 farmers from each Panchayat. The findings of the study revealed that more than 50 percent of the respondents belonged to medium category in respect to sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation. Among the five dimension of sustainability, economic dimension of sustainability contributed 72 % of the total sustainability followed by socio – psychological dimension (36%), environmental dimension (7%), technological dimension (5 %) and temporal dimension (4%). In the case of total sustainability 55 % of the respondents belonged to the medium category followed by 23 % in high category and 22 % in low category. With respect to knowledge about the KAU practices in amaranthus, cowpea and bitter gourd 60 % of the respondents were having higher level of knowledge whereas only 40 % of respondents belonged to low knowledge category. In the case of adoption of KAU practices in amaranthus, cowpea and bitter gourd 54 % respondents belonged to medium category whereas only 27 % had high rate of adoption. Only 19% respondents had higher level of perception about the feasibility of commercial organic vegetable cultivation, whereas 58 % of them belonged to medium category. Sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation was positively and significantly correlated with annual income, knowledge about KAU practices, adoption of KAU practices, farming experience, economic motivation, market orientation, exposure to mass media, entrepreneurial behaviour, training undergone and incentives received for commercial vegetable cultivation and it was negatively and significantly correlated with perception about the feasibility of commercial organic vegetable cultivation. Scarce water resources, extremity in weather conditions, non-assurance of premium price for organic products, incidence of pest and diseases, were the important constraints faced by the commercial vegetable growers. The suggestions put forward by the farmers were inclusion of accessible and low cost technologies, ensuring of premium price for the product especially for organic vegetables, improve the marketing and transport facilities without intermediaries, promotion of value addition technologies, providing training programmes to youth and support from the extension agents for the adoption of improved practices. The study therefore revealed that, economic dimension of sustainability stands first among the various dimensions affecting sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation. To maintain the sustainability of commercial vegetable cultivation in Thiruvananthapuram district a comprehensive strategy is needed focusing on productivity enhancement, market - led extension approach with less number of intermediaries, which will have an impact on the economic side of sustainability. More investment in research and extension should also be undertaken to meet the upcoming challenges of commercial vegetable cultivation especially for pest and disease incidence.
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