PhD

The study aimed at identifying the production constraints of rice and
coconut and measuring the validity of identified constraints in selected
production centres.
The solutions to the identified constraints were also
collected and their feasibility rated in order to formulate appropriate
development strategies for increasing production of rice and coconut in
Kerala. The study was conducted in all the NARP regions of the State, namely,
Southern, Central, Northern, High Range and Problem Regions.
The
respondents of the study comprised of 160 farmers each for the identification
and validation of constraints and 100 Research Workers, 100 Extension
Workers and 57 Input Agencies for the indentification of constraints.
To identify the production constraints of rice and coconut, Delphi
technique – the methodology for elicitation of expert opinion – was used. Date
from the farmers were collected using pre-tested structured interview
schedules.
Conversion of lands, drought and lack of irrigation were the major
production constraints of rice ranked according to their importance in the
Southern Region while nonavailability of FYM, low profitability and high cost
of production were the constraints ranked high in the Central Region. High
difficulty in cultivation, nonavailability of FYM and fragmentation were the
production constraints of rice ranked high in the Northern Region. High wage
rate of agricultural labour, indebtedness and high cost of production ranked
high in the High Range Region.
In the Problem Region, floods, low
profitability and high cost of FYM were the high ranked production
constraints of rice.
In the case of coconut, lack of irrigation, drought and high wage rte of
agricultural labour were the high ranking production constraints in the
southern Region while low adoption of chemical fertilizers, high cost of
fertilizers and lack of irrigation ranked high in the Central Region. In the
Northern Region, the high ranking constraints were low adoption of plant
protection chemicals, high cost of fertilizers and low labour productivity
whereas high cost of seedings, high cost of fertilizers and pests and disease
incidence ranked high in the High Range Region. Root (Wilt) diseases, high
wage rate of agricultural labour and high cost of plant protection chemicals
were the high ranking production constraints of coconut in the Problem
Region.
In the Southern Region, the production constraints of rice, namely, low
adoption of chemical fertilizers, lack of knowledge about chemical fertilizers,,
negative attitude towards plant protection chemicals, absentee landlordism,
negative attitude towards HYV, low adoption of HYV and small farm size were
found to be individually significant in predicting the yield of rice. Negative
attitude towards HYV, low adoption of HYV, low labour productivity and lack
of irrigation were individually found to be significant in predicting the yield of
rife in the Central Region. In the Northern Region, the constraints namely,
high cost of chemical fertilizers, low adoption of chemical fertilizers,
indebtedness, lack of credit facilities and high incidence of pests and disease
were found to be individually significant in predicting the yield of rice. Low
adoption of HYV, incidence of pests and diseases, high cost of chemical
fertilizers, low adoption of plant progection chemicals were found to be
individually significant in prediction the yield of rice in the High Range
Region. In the Problem Region, the constraints, namely, low adoption of plant
protection chemicals, low adoption of chemical fertilizers, floods and incidence
of pests and diseases were found to be significant in predicting the yield.
The production constraints of coconut individually significant in
predicting the yield in the Southern Region were low adoption of chemical
fertilizers, drought and lack of irrigation.
In the Central Region, lack of
irrigation, lack of knowledge about plant protection chemicals, low adoption of
chemical fertilizers and incidence of pests and diseases were found to be
individually significant in predicting the yield of coconut. In the High Range
Region the constraints namely nonavailability of quality seedings, small farm
size, incidence of pests and diseases were individually significant in predicting
the yield while low adoption of chemical fertilizers, incidence of pests and
diseases and incidence of root (wilt) disease were significant production
constraints in the Problem Region.
Evolving varieties suited to different agro-climatic regions, promoting
group farming, popularising cultivation of green manure seeds, providing
fertilizer subsidy, providing crop insurance, fixing support price for paddy
were found to be the most feasible steps to be taken for increasing production
of rice in Kerala. Adoption of moisture conservation practices, decentralised
nursery for coconut, supply of seedlings through Krishibhavans, large scale
production of hybrid coconut, scientific replanting and underplanting
programme and subsidising chemical fertilizers are the steps to be undertaken
to increase the production of coconut in the State.
Based on the results of the study, certain important implications have
been spelt out.