A STUDY ON PERCEPTION AND ADAPTATION OF POTATO GROWERS TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN EAST KHASI HILLS DISTRICT OF MEGHALAYA
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Date
2011
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ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
Abstract
The study was conducted to assess “Perception and adaptation of potato growers
to climate change in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya”.
Ex-post facto research design was followed for the study. The investigation was
carried out in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya where potato is predominantly
grown. Samples of 120 potato growers from twelve villages of two blocks in East Khasi
Hills district were selected randomly. The data were collected by a personal interview
method through structured interview schedule and analyzed employing suitable
statistical methods.
The profile analysis of potato growers indicated that majority of the respondents
were female, illiterate, had large family size, marginal farmers, medium farm income,
very low non-farm income, medium farming experience, medium farmer-to-farmer
information exchange, medium knowledge about local agro-climate, low level of credit
and subsidy orientation, medium Information seeking, medium preparedness for
adaptation and low resistance to change.
The findings with regard to Perception of potato growers towards climate
change indicated that majority of the respondents had medium perception towards
climate change, majority of the respondents perceived that annual rainfall had been
decreased, majority of the respondents perceived that monsoon rainfall (June to
September) had been increased, majority of the respondents in East Khasi Hills
perceived that temperature had been increased, majority of the respondents perceived
that occurrence of drought had been increased, majority of respondents had high level of
perception towards physical effects, biological effects and economic effects whereas
their perception towards chemical effects is very low.
The findings with regard to adaptation of potato growers to climate change
indicated that majority of the respondents had medium adaptation to climate change. It
was also found out that there were twelve (12) adaptation practices which were
followed by majority of the potato growers, namely, use of improved high yielding and
resistant varieties, bun and nur method of land preparation, planting pit method, use of
well decomposed FYM in summer crop cultivation, use of grasses/stubbles in autumn
potato crop, early planting, minimum use of chemicals, crop diversification, rearing of
livestock, off-farm diversification, terracing and earthing up (traditional way).
Correlation analysis of independent variables with perception of potato growers
towards climate change revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship
between independent variables, namely, education, farming experience, knowledge
about local agro-climate, preparedness, size of household, farm income, farmer to
farmer information exchange, credit and subsidy orientation and information seeking
behaviour and perception. In the case of the relationship between independent
variables and adaptation, there was a positive and significant relationship between
independent variables, namely, farming experience, knowledge about local agroclimate,
preparedness for adaptation, size of household, farm income, farmer to farmer
information exchange, credit and subsidy orientation and information seeking behaviour
and adaptation of farmers to climate change. The relationship between perception of
farmers towards climate change and their adaptation was a positive and significant
relationship.
Lack of quality seeds, non availability and high cost of production inputs, high
incidence of disease, price fluctuation in the market, higher cost of cultivation using
scientific methods, less technical knowledge of potato cultivation, lack of information
about weather and climate, lack of efficient transport facility, lack of efficient marketing
facility at village level, non-availability of credit and subsidy facilities, etc. were the
major problems encountered by the cotton farmers.
The major suggestions offered by the potato growers to overcome the listed
problems were the provision of better marketing facilities in the locality or its nearby
areas, timely available of quality seeds at subsidized price, training on scientific
methods and adaptation options, fixing of minimum support price, arrangement for
availability of credit and subsidy, availability of weather and climate information up to
the farmers’ village, implementation of weather related insurance scheme, etc.
Accordingly, based on the problems faced by the potato growers, suggestions given by
them and also on major findings of the study a suitable strategy was developed.
Description
Keywords
climate, adaptation, climatic change, biological phenomena, potatoes, precipitation, crops, tillage equipment, marketing, cultivation, EAST KHASI HILLS, MEGHALAYA