Diversification in agriculture for high valued crops for sustainable development
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Date
2009
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Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
A study entitled, āDiversification in agriculture for high valued crops for sustainable
developmentā, was carried in Faridabad and Gurgaon districts of Haryana with the objectives of (i) to
identify alternatives to those current farm practices those have the greatest potential to harm the
environment, (ii) to identify new crops for crop rotation to fit in farmers cropping system, (iii) to ascertain
the training needs of farmers for high valued crops diversification in farming system and (iv) to identify
constraints and prospects in the process of diversified sustainable agriculture. A total of 160 farmers were
selected as respondents and appropriate statistical tests were used to draw meaningful inferences.
The study revealed that maximum respondents were in middle age category. Majority of the
farmers were in high school level of education. Maximum respondents were of medium level of SES. In
land holding the frequency of marginal farmers were high. Wheat based crop rotation is maximum
followed by gram, mustard, vegetable and orchard in rabi season, and rice based crop rotation is maximum
followed by bajra, vegetable, jowar and orchard in kharif season. Maximum of the respondents were used
tubewell as source of irrigation. The farmers had high level of extension contacts. Cultivation farming is the
main source of income. In case of man power availability, males are in major category as compare to
female. In case of irrigation facility, mostly the farmers used sprinkler system. In case of other facility
available, 50 per cent of the primary agricultural implements were owned and 50 per cent were hired.
Regarding secondary agricultural implements, the frequency of hired is maximum as compare to owned and
the respondents had less number of storage system as compare to transport facilities.
The major prospects towards diversification were high price in diversified crops/enterprises, better
economic returns, demand is increasing, better technical support is available and better credit facilities are
available at present.
The major constraints towards diversification were lack of technical guidance, constraints related
to production, constraints related to inputs and finally constraints related to marketing.
In case of training needs the respondents were eager to take training mostly in vegetable growing
followed by dairy farming, flowers, mushroom growing, pulses, poultry and sugarcane. The status of farmer
was found to be medium towards diversification.
Age, family education, crop rotation pattern, man power availability and irrigation facilities were
positively correlated with prospects. Family education, man power availability and irrigation facilities were
positively correlated with the training needs. Family education, source of irrigation, man power availability
and irrigation facilities were positively correlated with the constraints. Family education, crop rotation,
source of irrigation, extension contacts, man power availability and irrigation facilities were positively
correlated with the status of the farmers. Age, land holding, socio-economic status, crop rotation pattern,
extension contacts, source of income and other facilities available were negatively correlated with
constraints. Age, land holding, socio-economic status, source of income and other facilities available were
negatively correlated with status of farmers. Land holding, socio-economic status, source of irrigation,
extension contacts, source of income and other facilities available were negatively correlated with the
prospects. Age, land holding, socio-economic status, crop rotation pattern, source of irrigation, extension
contacts, source of income and other facilities available were negatively correlated with the training needs.
All the eleven independent variables contributed to the extent of 74.36 per cent towards the
prospects, 85.16 per cent to the training needs, 90.37 per cent to constraints and 75.69 per cent to the status
of farmers towards diversification. All the respondents were aware of zero tillage machines, tested their soil
and water samples, practice seed treatment and maintaining farm records but were less aware of crop
insurance scheme, laser land leveler, vermicompost and storage facilities. In case of new crops for crop
rotation wheat, mustard, gram, vegetables and orchards were the crops which were prevalent in the crop
rotation in rabi season and rice, vegetable, jowar, bajra and orchard in kharif season.
Description
Keywords
Crops, Irrigation, Land resources, Productivity, Area, Livestock, Sowing, Biological phenomena, Markets, tillage equipment