A STUDY ON THE TECHNOLOGICAL GAP IN CROP BASED FARMING SYSTEMS IN DIFFERENT AGRO-ECOLOGICAL SITUATIONS IN BISWANATH DISTRICT OF ASSAM
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Date
2018-07
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Publisher
AAU, Jorhat
Abstract
The study entitled as ‘A study on the technological gap in crop based
farming systems in different agro-ecological situations in Biswanath district of
Assam’ was conducted with the following objectives:
1. To identify the major crop based farming systems practised by the farmers
2. To find out the technological gap in major crop enterprises in crop based
farming systems practised by the farmers
3. To identify the problems in adoption of recommended technologies in selected
major crop enterprises in different farming systems as perceived by farmers
The present study was conducted at Biswanath district of Assam. A multistage
purposive cum random sampling design was followed for selection of district, agroecological
situations and villages for the study. A proportionate-cum-random sampling
(probability proportionate to size) technique was followed for selection of 150
respondents which constituted the sample for the study. The head of each farm
household was the respondent of the study. The major tool used for collection of
primary data in the study was a pretested schedule by personal interview method. The
statistical tools used for analysis and interpretation of data included frequency,
percentage, mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
Findings revealed that (52.67%) belonged to middle aged category with higher
secondary level of education (42.00%), single family (66.00%), small family size
(70.00%), with membership of 1 organization (38.00%), ‘only cultivation’ as
occupation (50.00%), medium information exposure (64.00%), marginal size of land
area (50.67%), with medium level of working capital availability (66.00%), medium
level of farm mechanization (69.33%) and medium gross annual farm income
(86.67%).
Findings revealed that 6 different types of crop based farming systems across
the five agro-ecological situations were identified, viz., Crop-Hort- Dairy (FS-1),
Crop-Hort -Pig-Poultry (FS-2), Crop- Pig- Fish-Poultry (FS-3), Crop-Hort-Fish-Dairy-
Poultry-Duck (FS-4), Crop-Dairy-Hort-Goat-Poultry (FS-5) and Crop-Hort-Fish-
Dairy- Goat (FS-6).
After identification of different types of major crop based farming systems
prevailing in the study area, the crop enterprises which were found to be practiced by
more than 50 per cent of farmers in each of the five AES were considered as major
crop enterprises in the respective AES. In both the case of AES I and AES II, major
enterprise selected were Sali rice, potato and mustard. In case of AES III, three crop
enterprises selected were Bao rice, potato and mustard. In case of AES IV, three crop
enterprises were Ahu rice, potato and mustard and in case of AES V, three selected
crop enterprises were Bao rice, Ahu rice and Mustard.
In case of AES I, in Sali rice, full gap was found with respect to the practices,
viz., seed treatment (86.84%), water management (52.63%), pest management
(21.05%) and disease management (21.05%). In potato, full gap was found with the
ii
farmers with respect to the practices, viz., mulching (100.00%), seed treatment
(83.33%), varieties (41.66%), disease management (25.00%) and pest management
(16.67%). In mustard, full gap was found with respect to the practices, viz., land
management (100.00%), micronutrient (68.18%) and pest management (18.18%).
In case of AES II, in Sali rice, full gap was found with respect to the practices,
viz., seed treatment (85.71%), disease management (20.00%) and pest management
(14.28%). In potato, full gap was found with respect to the practices, viz., mulching
(100.00%), seed treatment (70.00%), varieties (25.00%), pest management (11.76%)
and disease management (10.00%).In mustard, full gap was found with respect to the
practices, viz., land management (100.00%), micro nutrient (64.29%), pest
management (28.57%) and water management (21.43%).
In case of AES III, three crop enterprises which were cultivated by more than
50 percent of the respondents were Bao rice, potato and mustard. In Bao rice, full gap
was found with respect to the practices, viz., seed treatment (100.00%), dose of
fertilizer (100.00%), pest management (31.81%) and varieties (18.18%). In potato, full
gap was found with respect to the practices, viz., mulching (100.00%), seed treatment
(70.00%), dose of fertilizers (70.00%), method of application of fertilizers (70.00%),
varieties (41.67%) and pest management (10.00%). In mustard, all the mustard
growing farmers (100.00%) found to have full gap with respect to the practices, viz.,
land management, water management, micro-nutrient, method of application of
fertilizers, dose of fertilizer and followed by pest management (23.07%).
In case of AES IV, in Ahu rice, full gap was found with respect to the practices,
viz., seed treatment (83.33%), water management (41.66%) and pest management
(16.67%). In potato, full gap was found with respect to the practices, viz., mulching
(90.00%), seed treatment (65.00%), disease management (10.00%) and pest
management (10.00%). In mustard, full gap was found with respect to the practices,
viz., land management (100.00%), micro nutrient (100.00%), pest management
(43.75%) and water management (31.25%).
In case of AES V, in Bao rice, full gap was found with respect to the practices,
viz., seed treatment (100.00%), dose of fertilizers (100.00%), pest management
(68.18%) and varieties (18.18%). In Ahu rice, full gap was found with respect to the
practices, viz., dose of fertilizer (100.00%), seed treatment (100.00%), method of
application of fertilizers (100.00%), weed management (100.00%) and pest
management (40.00%). In mustard, full gap was found with respect to the practices,
viz., land management (100.00%), micro nutrient (100.00%), water management
(66.67%), pest management (66.67%) and dose of fertilizer (50.00%).
The problems in adoption of recommended technologies in Sali rice in different
farming systems as perceived by farmers were non availability of quality seed, poor
economic conditions, fragmented and small size of land holdings, low availability of
farm power, poor irrigation facility, poor sale price of the produce/products, scarcity of
labour during peak period, poor and irregular extension service and flood damage.
iii
The problems in adoption of recommended technologies in potato in different
farming systems as perceived by farmers were lack of scientific knowledge of
cultivation, high cost of cultivation, high fluctuation in market prices, non- availability
of quality seeds, lack of irrigation facilities, poor and irregular extension contact and
non-availability of any suitable local method of storage.
The problems in adoption of recommended technologies in mustard in different
farming systems as perceived by farmers were lack of scientific knowledge of
cultivation, lack of HYV varieties and non availability of quality seed at proper time,
inadequate availability of irrigation and poor and irregular extension contact.
The problems in adoption of recommended technologies in Ahu rice in
different farming systems as perceived by farmers were weed infestation, small and
fragmented land holdings, low and erratic rainfall, scarcity of labour during peak
period and poor and limited resource with farmers, poor animal draft power, stray
cattle menace and poor and irregular extension contact.
The problems in adoption of recommended technologies in Bao rice in
different farming systems as perceived by farmers were small and fragmented land
holdings, non availability of suitable varieties, scarcity of labour during peak period
and poor and irregular extension contact.