Rice seed production and distribution strategies in Palakkad district
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Date
2002
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Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture,Vellanikkara
Abstract
The present study on Palakkad rice seed system was basically aimed at
understanding farmer-preferred varieties and attributes, the constraints to rice seed
production and distribution at sub system level, public sector rice seed production
status of the district for five consecutive years (1996-'97 to 2000-'01) and streamline a
seed system strategy for Palakkad district. PRAIPLA investigations were conducted
in ten ADBs (except Mannarkad and Agali) with 330 farmers (FSS), 41 AOs/AAs
(ESS), 20 farm officials from the SSFs (SISS) and the rice researchers (RSS) of
central zone as the respondents of the study.
The analyses of data elicited through matrix ranking exercises was done
using special 'preferential indices' developed namely MRI, VRI, ARI, CRI, MSAI.
The results of the study confirmed the existence of a large number of rice
varieties/cultivars (54 nos) raised in diverse agro climatic and micro-farming
situations. Three unique systems apart from the traditional virippu and mundakan,
namely Koottumundakan, Karingora and Poonthalpadams were identified. The major
crop establishment system for virippu and mundakan were dry sowing and
transplantation respectively. There was a huge gap in the demand and supply of
quality rice seed facilitated by the SSFs, RARS, Pattambi, NSC unit, Alathur and
RSGP. Together they accounted only for around five per cent of the rice seed
requirement of the district. According to the latest estimates (2000-2001), 94.70 per
cent of the rice seeds were farmer-produced, 1.51 per cent was contributed by SSFs,
0.66 per cent by RARS, Pattambi, 1.98 per cent by the NSC unit, Alathur and 1.15 per
cent by RSGP.
The 34 farmer-preferred rice varietal attributes were classified into eight
categories namely, traits related to grain quality, multiple adaptability, pest/disease
tolerance, straw quality, traits related to harvest and post harvest operations and traits
related to inputs. The constraints to rice seed production and distribution at the
various stakeholder systems (FSS, ESS, SISS and RSS) were classified into eight
categories namely input constraints, socio-economic constraints, infra structural
constraints, technological constraints extension and policy constraints, biological
constraints, information constraints and psychological constraints. The constraints to
the evolution and spread of rice varieties perceived by the RSS of the district were
categorized into research, production and extension and policy constraints.
Comparison of the FSS and the ESS of Palakkad district on the ranking of rice
varieties, varietal traits and prioritization of farmers' constraints to rice seed
production and distribution revealed that there was significant disagreement between
the two sub systems, on the ranking of both virippu and mundakan varieties, while
their perception on preferred varietal traits and farmers' constraints were more or less
similar.
Results of the study indicate the need for decentralized participatory rice
varietal selection coupled with community level seed production, to tackle the
inadequacies and problems of Palakkad rice seed system. Hence, a decentralized
participatory nee varietal selection and seed production model was prepared for
Palakkad district.
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171939