Browsing by Author "Ahamed, P"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6

Adoption of farm implements by the rice farmers of Kerala
(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1993) Ahamed, P; Tampi, A M
Decision support system on nutrient recommendations for rice - an end - user assessment
(Department of Agricultural extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2011) Swafah, C; Ahamed, P
Effective transfer of technology is very crucial in agricultural development of any nation. This is a challenge particularly for countries like India where diverse farming, highly fragmented land holdings, large number of farmers, several official languages are involved in the process. As a result only a fraction of farming community is largely benefited by utilizing the new technological advancements. The information needs of agriculture at large are diverse and complicated. Reaching right information at right time is a major challenge through conventional extension methods. Thus introducing modern information and communication technology is a better option. It is an established fact that fertilisers contribute up to 50 percent to total production. However, the prevailing communication gap between scientific groups and farming communities is making the task highly difficult for practical implementation of official fertilization practices in the field. Farmers are not fully aware of nutrient doses Vs fertiliser quantities resulting in improper fertilization practices in the field. Such improper practices are leading to imbalance in nutrient use and finally leading to soil fertility degradation. The major requirement in this communication process is compilation, classified arrangement and proper management of diverse information on various fertilisers, nutrient doses for a wide range of crops and cropping systems. This has to be done in such a way that the specific information is quickly accessible and easily translated in to a practical recommendation. Realizing this, Kerala Agricultural University through a collaborative research programme with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has come up with a decision support system entitled ‘Nutrient Recommendation Syatem for Rice’ (NRSR). The NRSR is a generic decision support system for rice capturing the selected seven rice cropping systems of Kerala, expected as an user friendly software package for choosing appropriate or available manurial and fertilizer options aiming sustainable yields and reasonable farmer’s profit. The NRSR will aid as a decision making tool for calibrating the required dose of fertilizers for a particular area of land in a specific cropping system, specific to soil test data and arriving at the total cost of each manures and fertilizers. This package supported with touch screen option, will act as an efficient extension tool for the agricultural officers, rice scientists, and other extensionists in decision making and prescribing appropriate nutrient management options (Ganesan, 2006). Developing a DSS software is a time consuming and resource intensive project. So a systematic user-participatory assessment exercise, prior to its large scale recommendation is imperative. The study was conducted to identify the gaps and to assess the technical quality, information efficiency, and userfriendliness as perceived by end- users. The research was conducted among the agricultural officers of Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala as they were two leading districts in rice cultivation in the state. The respondents from both the districts agreed that it could save the time of user in getting solutions for field problems, and also it is cheaper when compared to the process of seeking human expertise. An increase in knowledge level of respondents regarding nutrient management aspects of rice cultivation also happened after giving exposure to NRSR. The main suggestions obtained for the refinement of software were as follows: 1.The fertiliser calculator provided in NRSR is capable of performing straight fertiliser calculation only, and unable to calculate fertiliser dose for complex fertilisers like Factomphose which is commonly used and easily available nitrogen source. So it should also be included in the system. 2. The fertiliser calculator in the system was designed in such a way that it is according to lowmedium- high status of soil fertility, it should be sensitive to numerical data of soil test for getting more accurate results. 3. NRSR should be developed in local language so that maximum users could benefit. 4. NRSR should be linked and updated according to weather forecast and given in the web to access by all kinds of users at any time. 5. More clear photographs should be included to diagnose the symptom easily. 6.Demo videos for seed treatment, mat nursery preparation and other operations in rice should also included in the system. 7. The latest rice varieties with specific charecteristics and photographs should also be included in NRSR.
Participatory action research for renumerative rice production
(Department of Agricultural extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2004) Parvathy, S; Ahamed, P
As with the Complex, Diverse and Risk- prone (CDR) rice systems of many Asian countries, the Kerala state of peninsular India suffers from the fast depleting paddies and the ' high cost- low remuneration syndrome'. Crucial rice technologies have been blamed by stakeholders for the insensitivity to micro farming situations A multidisciplinary stakeholder Participatory Action Research (PAR) of emancipatory type and collaborative mode was done for three years (2001-2004) on identification and prioritization of constraints to profitable rice production to explore the available cost-reducing and productivity increasing technological options. The project focussed on screening of technological modules through farmer participatory field assessment and arrived at locally adaptable and remunerative technology packages. The project also developed and standardised an extrapolatable stakeholder participatory assessment model and protocol. The programme had a blend of extension approaches, research designs and tools like "ex-post facto", benchmark appraisal through Participatory Learning and Action (PLA), exploratory, diagnostic, evaluative, field experiments and analytical studies. The PAR was done in two rice ecosystems (irrigated and rainfe:l) of the midland, laterite belt of Kerala state, India. Fourteen technology modules were fitted into the PAR, under .. , each of the three treatments, viz., farmers' practice, recommended packages of the formal research system and location specific I technology components" jointly decided by the research team extensionists and farmers. Each technology component was subjected to five types of analysis viz., agronomic, statistical, economic, farmers perceptions and reactions, post-trial follow up analysis of adoption in the succeeding cropping seasons. The participatory interventions significantly influenced the level of technical knowledge and extent of adoption of adaptable technology modules, typifying the cognitive impact of an emancipating action research. The short duration red rice varieties "Kanchana" (Ptb 50) and "Kairali" (Ptb 49) proved to be the best first crop and second crop varieties respectively, to replace the ruling cultivars. The technology modules recommended by the formal research system viz., seed treatment with fungicides for the first crop season and Pseudomonas fluorescence for the second crop season were adaptable technologies. The PAR came out with an efficient planting density and crop geometry package (line transplanting; 15 x 10 cm; 67 . , hills/m'; 2-3 seedlings/hill) to replace the conventional planting system. The existing formal recommendations including IPM and INM practices could enhance and combat weeds, pest and diseases thereby enhancing crop yield. Harvesting with self- propelled reaper and threshing with mechanised thresher were cost effective, drudgery alleviating and time saving. The net result of the action research was a set of adaptable technological package for remunerative rice production in the CDR rice production systems. Cognitive and behavioural impact on the participants; and the standard methodology and protocol for participatory technology validation for rice in particular, and for any farm enterprise in general, with extrapolative effect.
Rationalisation of indigenous technical knowledge on pest management in the farm production systems of Palakkad District
(Department of Agricultural extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2003) Swapna, T R; Ahamed, P
The study on "Rationalisation of Indigenous Technical Knowledge on pest m.anagement in the farm production systems of Palakkad district" was conducted with the over-riding objective of compiling. and cataloguing the Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK) including contemporary farmers' innovations in pest management in the major production systems, and analysing the evaluative perception and rationality of ITK items. The respondents of the study comprised of 150 farmers, 84 extensionists (including agricultural and veterinary departments) and 60 scientists, from agricultural and veterinary faculties. The study was conducted as a phased programme. The analysis of data elicited through Key Informant Workshops (KIW's) and Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) sessions were subjected to various statistical analyses. The results of the study confirmed that farmers have rich knowledge on pest management developed by their ancestors and peers. The results established that the farmers did not perceive all the traditional practices as good or sound. They defended their opinions based on multi- faceted technology evaluation attributes and field realities. The ITK's screened through KIW's when subjected to the researchers and extensionists showed high difference of opinion, though some sort of similarity was also observed, when the ITK attributes were considered separately. On combined effect of perceived effect and scientific rationality of ITK items, similarity of opinion was observed in high potential and low potential ITK's as perceived by researchers and extensionists. The ITK's screened through Key Informant Workshops, when subjected to the researchers and extensionists, received differential perceptions in many cases and agreement on others. Besides these, there existed high correlation and significant relationship between the perceived effect and scientific rationality of each ITK as perceived by researchers and extensionists. Hence it could be concluded that majority of the ITK items with high perceived effect were perceived to have high scientific rationality also, though a few showed no relation at all. This indicated that perceived effect of an ITK is highly influenced by its scientific rationality and vice versa. While analysing the combined response of researchers and extensionists on the perceived effect and scientific rationality of ITK items, separately, majority of the items seemed to be non significant. This shows that both researchers and extensionists differed greatly in the perception of an ITK on its perceived utility. It could be further narrowed down that the attitude and viewpoints of researchers were different from the extensionists. The critical examination of the data analysed proved that there existed some sort of agreement in response pattern given by the farmers, researchers and extensionists. There were some ITK's which showed similarity in the response of high ranking and low ranking ones as given by all the three-respondents. At the same time a few ITK's clearly discriminated the perception of researchers and extensionists. This means that there were a few ITK's that discriminated the researchers and extensionists widely and a few others which exhibited agreement. Results of the study indicated the need for indepth assessment and validation of ITK's at laboratory and field levels through multidisciplinary approach, other than mere documentation and romanticization of all traditional knowledge without reasoning. While doing so, all the dimensions related to each specific technology must be worked out.
Rice seed production and distribution strategies in Palakkad district
(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture, 2002) Jinesh Jills George; Ahamed, P
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.
User centered design and testing of a bilingual website prototype for thedirectorate of extension Kerala Agricultural University
(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2014) Mridula, N; Ahamed, P