MSc

The study entitled ‘Adoption of organic farming technologies in banana and vegetable crops in Kasaragod district’ conducted in Kasaragod district covered 120 respondents with 30 from each Panchayath having maximum area under banana and vegetable crops under organic farming. Objective is to assess the extent of adoption and constraints in the adoption of organic farming technologies by banana and vegetable farmers, analyse the sustainability of cluster based approach of organic farming, constraints perceived by the extension functionaries and the role of KAU in promoting of organic farming in Kasaragod.
Nine independent variables viz., age, education, experience in organic farming, area under organic farming, livestock possession, trainings attended, market perception, environmental orientation and information seeking behaviour were selected through judges rating. Dependent variables were awareness, knowledge, attitude and adoption.
The result of study revealed that majority of the respondents had medium level of awareness (67%) and (75%), knowledge (70%) and (73%), attitude (72%) and (65%), and adoption (80%) and (72%) in vegetable and banana crops respectively.
Results of path analysis of organic vegetable cultivation revealed that educational status, livestock possession, trainings attended, information seeking behaviour had direct effect on awareness.
Knowledge of organic vegetable farmers were directly influenced by educational status, trainings attended, market perception and environmental orientation.
Educational status, area under organic farming, livestock possession, market perception, and information seeking behaviour had direct effect on the adoption of organic farming technologies by vegetable growers.
Livestock possession, trainings attended and environmental orientation had direct effect on all the dependent variables of organic banana cultivation. In addition to that information seeking behaviour had direct effect on awareness. Experience in organic farming and information seeking behaviour had direct effect on the knowledge. Area under organic farming had direct effect on adoption.
Major constraints perceived by the extension functionaries were lack of marketing facilities, lack of sufficient funds, non availability of quality inputs, high cost of inputs, yield loss in the initial years,
Organic farming programme is implemented through a system of the farmer cluster formed under each Krishi bhavan of the panchayat. The programme is well received and the result indicated that 92 % of the vegetable growers and 60 % of the banana growers had responded high sustainability of this system.
Major constraints perceived by the farmers were lack of premium price for organic products, difficulty in selling the produce, high prevalence of pest and diseases, non-availability of quality planting materials, non-availability of organic inputs, high labour charge, and high cost of organic inputs.
Kerala Agricultural University plays a vital role in the promotion of organic farming in the state, like publishing an adhoc POP for organic farming, tied-up with FACT for marketing of microbial inoculant and bio fertilizers, production and supply of organic inputs, on-learning programme for organic farming and initiating research and extension works on organic farming. Periodic bulletins from Pesticide Residue Research and Analytical Lab informing the residual level in vegetables acted as a catalyst in the boosting up of organic farming in the state.