“KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION OF COCONUT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY IN JUNAGADH DISTRICT OF GUJARAT STATE”
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Date
2012-01
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jau,junagadh
Abstract
Agriculture as the largest private enterprise in India and will continue to be the life line of the Indian economy least in foreseeable future. It contributes nearly 22 per cent to national G.D.P. In food sector alone agriculture contributes about 250 thousand crores rupees annually. Also provide direct employment to about 234 million people.
The Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera Linn.) is supposed to be one of the five legendary Devavrikshas and is eulogised as Kalpavriksha - the all giving tree - in Indian classics. All parts of the palm are used in some way or another in the daily life of the people of the west coast; the traditional coconut growing area. Its fruit is called Lakshmi Phai and is used in social and religious functions in India irrespective of whether palm is locally grown or not.
Coconut is one of the important plantation crops of Gujarat state particularly in coastal area. The coconut plant having high economic potential for coconut growers. The plant is unique in the sense that it is capable of meeting all the basic needs of food, fiber, fuel, timber and even animal feed. Still the growers are getting disenchanted with it.
Total production of coconut in India is 101.48 million nuts and productivity is 5231 nuts per hectare (Anonymous, 2009), whereas, in Gujarat, coconut grown in 16674 hectare with production 172466 M.T.
Among all the fruit crops, coconut is the most thrived age old major cash crop of Junagadh district. Considering the area and production of coconut in Gujarat, Junagadh is first. In Junagadh district, the area under the coconut is 7076 hectare producing 77836 M.T. of coconut every year. Considering the taluka wise area of coconut in Junagadh district, Mangrol ranked first having an area 1632 ha. under coconut, followed by Maliya Hatina taluka having an area of 900 ha. and Veraval taluka having an area of 328 ha.
The improved crop technologies in coconut are developed. The improved varieties are also available to the farmers. Various farmers training programmes are being conducted by the government and other agencies; however there has been no major breakthrough in coconut production.
The technology of growing coconut crop is complex and sophisticated. It requires through understanding and repeated practice of different skills on the part of farmers reap rich harvests. Therefore, farmers should be trained in specific operational and technical know-how and skill embracing all phases of production for maximizing their economic returns.
Keeping all these facts in mind the present research problem “KNOWLEDGE AND ADOPTION OF COCONUT PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY IN JUNAGADH DISTRICT OF GUJARAT STATE” was undertaken.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To study the selected characteristics of coconut growers.
2. To measure the level of knowledge of farmers about the coconut production technology.
3. To know the extent of adoption of coconut production technology.
4. To ascertain the association of knowledge about coconut production technology with their selected characteristics.
5. To ascertain the association of adoption of coconut production technology with their selected characteristics.
6. To identify constraints faced by farmers in adoption of coconut production technology.
7. To seek the suggestions from the respondents to overcome the constraints in adoption of coconut production technology.
In order to realize the above objectives, a sample of 108 coconut growers, representing 6 villages of two talukas (Mangrol and Veraval) of Junagadh district was drawn by using multiple stage purposively sampling technique. To know the various characteristics of coconut growers the scales developed by various researchers were used with some modifications. Measurements of knowledge about recommended production technology of coconut the teacher made knowledge test was used. A measurement of adoption was done by using scale developed by chattopadhyay (1974) with slight modification. A simple ranking technique was applied to measure the constraints faced by coconut growers. The data were collected with the help of well-structured, pre-tested, Gujarati version interview scheduled through personal contact and data were compiled, tabulated and analyzed to get proper answers for objectives of the study. The statistical tools used were; percentage, mean score, standard deviation and coefficient of correlation value.
MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
The important findings of the study are summarized as below:
Characteristics of the coconut growers
1. Majority (62.04 per cent) of the coconut growers were found in the middle age group.
2. More than one-third (34.26 per cent) of the coconut growers had education up to secondary level of education.
3. Majority (60.19 per cent) of coconut growers were found in large size of family.
4. More than two-fifth (44.44 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium level of experience in coconut cultivation.
5. Slightly less than three-fifth (59.26 per cent) of the coconut growers were medium size of land holding (2.01 to 4 ha).
6. About 57.41 per cent of the coconut growers had medium land holding (1.1 to 3.0 ha) under coconut cultivation.
7. More than half (52.78 per cent) of the coconut growers were found with medium annual income.
8. Majority (73.15 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium coconut yield index.
9. Majority (75.00 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium social participation.
10. Majority (63.89 per cent) of coconut growers had medium extension participation.
11. More than three-fifth (63.89 per cent) of coconut growers had medium exposure to mass media.
12. Less than three-fifth (57.40 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium level of risk orientation.
13. Majority (58.33 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium level of scientific orientation.
14. More than half (56.48 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium level of market orientation.
15. More than three-fifth (62.96 per cent) of coconut growers had medium innovativeness.
16. Majority (64.81 per cent) of the coconut growers had medium level of knowledge regarding recommended practices of coconut.
17. Majority of the coconut growers (66.67 per cent) had medium level of overall adoption regarding recommended practices of coconut.
18. The independent variables viz., education, experience in coconut cultivation, land holding, annual income, yield index, social participation, extension participation, mass media exposure, risk orientation, scientific orientation, market orientation and innovativeness had positive and significant correlation with knowledge level of coconut growers regarding recommended production technology of coconut crop. The variables viz., age, size of family, area under coconut showed non-significant relationship with knowledge level of the coconut growers.
19. The independent variables viz., education, experience in coconut cultivation, land holding, area under coconut, annual income, yield index, extension participation, mass media exposure, risk orientation, scientific orientation, market orientation and innovativeness had positive and significant correlation with adoption level of coconut growers regarding recommended production technology of coconut crop. The variables viz., age, size of family and social participation showed non-significant relationship with adoption level of the coconut growers.
20. Major constraints faced by coconut growers in adoption of recommended production technology were; unavailability of healthy seedlings, non-availability of labours, high cost of inputs, lack of market facilities, high rates of labours, lack of knowledge about control measures of pests and diseases, high cost of transportation, lack of timely technical guidance, lack of knowledge about recommended dose of fertilizers and fluctuations in market rate.
21. Coconut growers suggested that price of planting material should be minimized, timely technical guidance should be provided to the farmers, sufficient knowledge should be provided regarding recommended dose of fertilizer, insecticide/pesticides, good and healthy seedlings should be provided, proper marketing facility should be established, guidance should be provided to raise nursery, coconut co–operative marketing society should be started in potential coconut growing area and training on new technologies should be imparted to the farmers.
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extention education