PhD

he study on “Participatory technology intervention and its assessment
through environmental scanning of high range home gardens in Idukki district:
Action research” was conducted during 2017 to 2020 with the objectives to
identify the crop dominance cum its technology gaps through environmental
scanning of the high-range home garden systems and thereafter conduct action
research for assessing the technology adoption through participatory technology
intervention.
Kerala is often consecrated as the 'Mecca of home gardens', owing to its rich
species diversity, sustainability, ethnic values and as a means of livelihood. It
contributes to the food, nutritional, economic needs and biodiversity security of
the state fulfilling the different pillars of socio-economic and environmental
stability in almost 70 lakhs home gardens in the state.
In this study, Idukki district was selected with the intention to identify the
variability in the structure and cropping pattern of the home garden systems of the
high range areas. The numerical and economical dominance of crops were worked
out in different crop based high range home gardens on a seven-point continuum
and the results revealed that banana, black pepper, cardamom and cabbage were
the most dominant crops in the high range home gardens. However, there were 25
crops in banana-based, 22 crops in black pepper-based, 23 crops in cardamom
based and 37 crops in vegetable-based home gardens.
An exploration on the diversity profile of high range home gardens under
four agro ecological unit of Idukki revealed that significant variability existed in
the crop diversity in high range home gardens. The diversity for the four major
crop based home gardens viz., ‘banana, black pepper, cardamom and vegetables’
based home garden was calculated using Shannon-Weiner index of diversity and
the highest total mean diversity index (2.185) was recorded in banana-based home
gardens whereas the lowest diversity index was noted in vegetable-based home
gardens (1.034).
On enumerating the crop wise diversity index for different crop based high
range home garden system, maximum biodiversity was observed for spices
(1.425, 1.548 and 1.274) respectively in banana based, black pepper based and
cardamom based high range home gardens. However, in vegetables-based home
gardens maximum biodiversity (1.252) was observed for vegetables. The lowest
biodiversity index was recorded in forage crops (0.054) for banana based high
range home gardens, medicinal plants (0.417) in pepper-based home gardens,
tubers (0.282, 0.019) respectively in cardamom and vegetables based high range
home gardens.
On comparing the region wise diversity index, it was observed that the
courtyard had maximum biodiversity (2.596, 2.455, 2.312 and 1.189) respectively
in all the four dominant crop based high range home gardens. However, the
diversity index for banana and vegetable based high range home gardens did not
vary much for courtyard and mid-region biodiversity.
The technology need assessment for top seven dominant crops was done
and the results revealed that production technology was the most needed
compared to protection and value addition technology in banana and vegetables
based high range home gardens. However, in black pepper and cardamom based
high range home gardens, protection technology was the most needed compared
to production and value addition.
On assessing the perception of farmers for the technology needs of
different crops under the four attributes viz., technology not available; technology
available but not applicable; technology available, applicable but not sustainable;
and technology available, applicable but sustainable, it was noted that highest
weighted mean score was observed for the attributes viz., technology not available
and technology available but not applicable for both production and protection
technologies. The practice wise technology needs studies also reconfirmed the
above findings with maximum technology need reported for nutrient management
(5.50, and 5.00) in the case of banana and vegetables-based home gardens
respectively, whereas for black pepper-based home gardens, maximum
technology need was reported for foot rot disease (5.30). In the case of
cardamom-based home gardens, maximum technology need was reported for
cardamom thrips (4.40).
Maximum of three levels of vertical diversification was observed in
banana itself in banana-based home gardens, whereas in black pepper based home
gardens maximum diversification was noted for black pepper and turmeric with
three levels of vertical diversification. In cardamom-based home gardens,
maximum vertical diversification was recorded in cardamom with four levels of
diversification whereas in vegetable based home garden maximum diversification
was noted in cabbage, strawberry, potato and carrot with two levels of vertical
diversification.
The study on the extent of horizontal diversification revealed that about
40 per cent of the banana-based home gardens exhibited 5-tier horizontal
diversifications. About 46.67 per cent of black pepper dominant home gardens
showed 4-tier of horizontal diversification whereas cardamom based home
gardens exhibited 3-tier diversification. In case of vegetable based home gardens,
more than 50 per cent of the home gardens exhibited more than 6-tier of
diversification. About 75 per cent of the home gardens were comprised under the
category of 4, 5 or 6 tier horizontal diversification.
Based upon the technology needs of the dominant crops in different
cropbased home gardens, frontline demonstrations were conducted in four home
gardens on production aspects of banana and cabbage, and protection aspects for
black pepper and cardamom. The study clearly highlights that adoption of
scientific approach in banana cultivation and correct use of technology in
accordance to KAU POP will help the farmer to derive more profit (BC ratio2.06)
through improved production and also will enable the farmers to learn the skill of
judicious use of fertilizers and pesticides. The adoption of scientific plant
protection operations in black pepper also aids the farmers to counteract the
impact of foot rot disease. However, in cardamom, farmers practice was more
effective and it may be due to the usage of new generation insecticides and the
frequent application of pesticides. The lower efficacy exhibited by KAU practice
may owe the factors viz., development of resistance to quinalphos and also due to
longer application intervals. The adoption of KAU POP practices increased the
yield in cabbage compared to farmer practices, but the yield / plot was highest in
farmers field as compared to KAU practice that can be substantiated by the
additional plant number maintained by the farmer due to the adoption of lower
spacing.
The crowdsourcing of knowledge was done in four stages for different
crops like banana, black pepper, cardamom and cabbage dominant home garden
systems. The results on the checklist monitored by the lead farmer through crowd
sourcing and percentage adoption of production activities of banana revealed that
86.30 per cent of the farmers fully adopted the technology. The high adoption of
almost all practices or activities can be attributed to the outcome of crowdsourcing
knowledge through farmer participatory approaches. The crowd sourcing studies
on management practices of foot rot disease of black pepper revealed that more
than 70 per cent of the farmers fully adopted the technology. The drenching of
potassium phosophonate 3ml per litre @ 5-10 litres per vine was the most adopted
practice (93.33 %) in black pepper based high range home gardens of Idukki
district. In case of management practices of thrips in cardamom, the results
showed that 70 per cent of the farmers fully adopted the recommended practices.
However, it was interesting to note that farmers used different type of new
generation pesticides, despite of its higher cost for the management of thrips to get
high returns for the produce. In vegetable-based home gardens, the study revealed
that 71.11 per cent of the farmers fully adopted the recommended practices. It was
also noted that among the nine prescribed cultural operations 100 per cent of the
farmers practiced earthing up operations, and 86.67 per cent of the farmers fully
adopted the techniques of split dose application of fertilizers in right quantity and
spraying of Pseudomonas.
A total of seven technological dimensions were identified as suitable for
the high range home gardens. The economical (7.79), environmental (7.87) and
psychological (7.80), dimensions were the most important ones perceived by the
participating farmers whereas economical (7.27), psychological (7.45), and
political (7.40) dimensions were the important dimensions as perceived by the
non-participating farmers. In case of extension personnel’s, economical (7.18),
environmental (7.14), and psychological (6.76) dimension were perceived as the
most important ones. The results of the cluster analysis revealed that the different
clustering of sub dimensions of different major dimensions invariably shows the
interaction effect.
The study on distribution of respondents based on the extent of adoption of
recommended practices revealed that about 40 per cent of banana farmers showed
higher adoption rate of recommended practices whereas 70 per cent farmers of
black pepper showed medium level of adoption. About 77.67 per cent and 60 per
cent of cardamom farmers and cabbage growing farmers exhibited medium level
of adoption.
The relationship between ten independent variables with the dependent
variable extent of adoption was worked out for the four major crop based high
range home garden systems. It was found that in case of banana growing farmers
five out of ten independent variable were positively and significantly correlating
with the extent of adoption, wherein innovativeness (0.598), irrigation potential
(0.665) and economic motivation (0.707) were significant at 1 per cent level of
significance and market orientation (0.431) and extension contact (0.369) was
significant at 5 per cent level of significance. In case of black pepper growing
farmers four out of the ten independent variables were positively and significantly
correlating with the dependent variable, wherein market orientation (0.541),
extension contact (0.464), irrigation potential (0.607) and economic motivation
(0.825) were significant at 1 per cent level of significance. Among the cardamom
growing farmers it was found that five independent variables were found to be
positively and significantly correlated with the extent of adoption, where market
orientation (0.817), extension contact (0.834), innovativeness (0.727), irrigation
potential (0.617 and economic motivation (0.533) were significant at 1 per cent
level of significance. In case of the vegetable growing farmers, it was found that
five out of the ten independent variables were positively and significantly
correlated with the extent of adoption, wherein land area (0.521), market
orientation (0.659), extension contact (0.579) and economic motivation (0.704)
were significant at 1 per cent level of significance and annual income (0.381) was
significant at 5 per cent level of significance.
This study on the gender roles in different crop-based high range home
gardens revealed that in case of banana, black pepper, cardamom and
vegetablebased home gardens men involved more in land preparation, planting,
crop protection and harvesting operations and women were involved in weeding
and value addition however in case of vegetable based home gardens women
engaged in irrigation also.
The constraints delineated were, unpredictable natural calamities related
crop loss (365) followed by extortionate cost of inputs (352), inadequate
knowledge on scientific crop production (347) and lack of extension services
(337) in the decreasing order of importance.
The major suggestions as perceived by extension personnel’s for
refinement of home garden farmers were, development of package of practices in
tune with the home garden system (94.16%) and follow up and assistance by
extension agencies on the adoption of recommended scientific practices (92.50%),
promotion of FIGs and FPO’S for post-harvest handling and marketing (96.00%)
and inclusion of market clusters to increase profit and to reduce the risk (92.50%).
To conclude, the study establishes different level of dominance and
diversity profile and delineated the technology needs, technology adoption and
different dimensions suited for high range home gardens. The extent of horizontal
and vertical diversification, the extent of adoption of technologies through crowd
sourcing and the relationship of independent variables with extent of adoption was
determined. The gender roles, constraints and suggestions for promoting
sustainable high range home gardens were delineated.