Organic agricultural practices in coconut based homesteads in Thiruvananthapuram district
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Date
2007
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Department Of Agricultural Extension, College Of Agriculture, Vellayani
Abstract
The study entitled “Organic agricultural practices in coconut based homesteads in Thiruvananthapuram district” was conducted to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude and adoption of organic farming practices, to find out the relationship between the profile characteristics and awareness, knowledge, attitude and adoption of organic farming practices and to identify the constraints in the adoption of organic farming practices and to suggest solutions to them.
The study was conducted in Kalliyoor, Venganoor and Kuzhimilum Panchayats of Nemon, Adiyanoor and Chirayinkeezh blocks respectively of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala. Multi stage random sampling technique was administered to select 105 coconut based homestead growers from the study area at 35 per block.
An explorative methodology was employed to identify the organic farming practices for the study. Twenty organic farming practices based on judges relevancy rating were finally selected. Eleven independent variables were selected based on judges’ relevancy rating which included age, experience in coconut cultivation, education, livestock possession, training attended, risk orientation, self confidence, innovativeness, market perception, environmental orientation and information seeking behaviour. All these variables were quantified with the help of available measurement procedures. The dependent variables selected for the study were awareness, knowledge, attitude and adoption. These variables were also quantified using available measurement devices. The relationship between the dependent variables and independent variables was studied using correlation analysis. Constraints in the adoption of organic farming practices were also recorded as perceived by the coconut based homestead farmers.
The data were collected using a pre-tested structured interview schedule prepared for the study and non-participant observation technique by the researcher. The statistical tools like mean, percentage analysis, and correlation analysis were used to analyse the data.
The salient findings are presented below.
Majority of the coconut based homestead farmers (80%) belonged to old age category. Most of the coconut based homestead farmers had (42%) primary school education. Thirty eight per cent of the respondents were having more than 25 years of experience in coconut cultivation. Nearly three fourth of the respondents had medium level of livestock possession. Ninety two per cent of the respondents had not attended any training programme followed by seven per cent undergone only one training. Majority of the respondents (66%) had medium level of risk orientation. Almost three fourth (71%) of the coconut based homestead farmers had medium level of self confidence. More than half of the respondents (69%) had medium innovativeness. Sixty two per cent of the respondents had medium level of market perception. More than three fourth of the respondents (83%) had medium level of environmental orientation. Nearly half of the respondents (51%) had medium level of information seeking behaviour.
Majority of the respondents (73%) had medium level of awareness, sixty eight per cent of the respondents had medium level of knowledge, majority of the respondents (70%) had a favourable attitude and most of the respondents (60%) belonged to medium level of adoption followed by low level (26%).
Majority of the respondents (65%) applied inorganic fertilizer for coconut and 29 per cent of the respondents applied neither organic nor inorganic. Only six per cent applied organic fertilizer for coconut.
Awareness about organic farming practices showed significant and positive relationship with education, innovativeness, risk orientation, market perception, self confidence and information seeking behaviour. Seven variables, namely education, innovativeness, risk orientation, market perception, self confidence, information seeking behaviour and awareness showed a significant and positive relationship with knowledge about organic farming practices. Attitude towards organic farming practices showed significant and positive relationship with education, livestock possession, innovativeness, risk orientation, market perception, self confidence, information seeking behaviour, awareness and knowledge. Adoption of organic farming practices was found to have significant and positive relationship with nine variables, namely, education, innovativeness, risk orientation, market perception, self confidence, information seeking behaviour, awareness, knowledge and attitude of coconut based homestead farmers.
The most important constraint perceived by the coconut based homestead farmers was the high cost of inputs. The other important constraints were high labour charge, lack of ready package for homestead coconut farming, non availability of organic inputs, non availability of climbers, lack of subsidies and credit facilities and inadequate information about organic farming practices.
Organic agriculture in coconut based homestead is a practicable and viable technique, because coconut palm itself produces huge amount of biomass within the system for recycling. It strengthens the natural resource recycling, enhances soil fertility and sustains biological production. The effort from research, extension and supply of input through government sector especially through Coconut Development Board, finding and development of international market for organic coconut and value added products, tender nut production as natural beverage are needed to facilitate successful adoption of organic farming practices by coconut growers. Hence long term and short term development plans on organic farming in coconut cultivation should be the need of hour to increase the productivity of coconut and save this “Kalpavruksha” for future generation.
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172693