Farmer satisfaction towards bio-control agents in Kalady grama panchayat

Abstract

The study was undertaken to analyse the level of awareness of farmers towards various biocontrol agents available in the market, To analyse the buying behaviour of farmers towards bio-control agents and To identify the major challenges for adoption of bio-control agents. Bio pesticides are certain types of pesticides that are derived from natural materials like plants (Botanical origin), bacteria, fungi, virus (Microbial origin) and certain minerals. The Bio Pesticides control pests / diseases either selectively or with broad spectrum approach. The study was conducted among weaker farmers in kalady Panchayat in Emakulum District. The sample consist of 30 farmers who are cultivating Elephant foot yam, paddy, vegetables or banana were selected from Kalady Panchayat of Emakulum district in Kerala state by using purposive sampling. The sample size 30, were farmers using bio-control agents. The data collected were analysed with the help of appropriate tools such as percentages analysis, attitude index and satisfaction index method. Main source of income for farmers in Kalady Grama Panchayat is from agriculture. Krishibhavan provide adequate subsidies to individual farmers well as through panchayat schemes. Vegetable Cluster Scheme, Paddy Development Scheme, Coconut Development Scheme are the main schemes provided by krishibhavan to farmers linked with panchayat. Now a day the kudumbasree unit in this panchayat are using bio-control agents in their unit, for the purpose of increasing the awareness about bio-control agents in the mind of farmers &also the improvement of women community in the panchayat. Kalady grama Panchayat provide all facilities and support to the farmers for their sustainable development, because the main source of revenue of this panchayat is agricultural. Elephant foot yam is the main crop cultivated in this Panchayat, now a day Banana is also cultivated. All the farmers are cultivating multiple crops in their land. Almost all sample farmers have 10 years of experience in farming. 3.33 per cent of respondent farmers have good experience in farming. 80 per cent of the respondents obtained financial assistance from government for vegetable cultivation. All those who availe fmancial assistance from government stated that subsidy through krishibhavan is the only source of financial assistance obtained by them. All the sample farmers reported use of Bio-control agents in farming activities. However none of the are totally depended on bio pesticides only. Rather 'They use chemical pesticides also'. The respondent farmers are not fully aware about the advantage of bio-control agents. It should be specifically noted that none of the respondents are aware about the advantage of use of bio-control agents. 49 83.3 per cent of the respondents consider price of bio-control agents as very high, compared to that of chemical pesticides. All the bio-control agents which are generally known to the farmers are traditional in nature. However responses on question relating to knowledge of preparation, application method and price details revealed that the actual level of awareness about all these bio-control agents is very poor; the respondent just beared know the names of various bio-control agents. Private agencies are the main source of bio-control agents for the farmers.70 per cent of the respondents prepare some bio-control agents for their use at their homes itself. Dependence of Krishibhavan, Fertilizer depot of co-operatives and Fellow farmers for purchase of bio-control agents is limited. The respondents are not at all aware about policy of government of Kerala to promote organic farming and to convert Kerala state to a organic farming state. Agricultural related magazines are the most popular source of awareness regarding bio-control agents. All India Radio seeme to be the least popular source of awareness among the sample respondents. Most regularly used sources of awareness creation among farmers is magazines related to agricultural. It should also be noticed that a few farmers regularly use multiple sources for gaining knowledge on agriculture in general and bio-control agents in specific. Data collected from respondents revealed that farmer awareness of KAU bio-control agents in the study area is very very poor. Majority of the respondents (53.4%) apply bio-control agents on weekly basis, rest of the respondents (46.6%) have no specific periodicity in using bio-control agents. Yield (93.3%), Suitability to crops (86.6%) and Cost (70%) are the major (in the order of ranks) are significant factors influencing farmers use of bio-control agents. The data collected reveals that none of the farmers have any brand preference for bio-control agents. All of them are using leaf of neem tree only. No other leaf extract is used by respondent farmers. The study reveals that the sample farmers have not adopted any innovation of there on in the usage of bio-control agents. The sample farmers have, in general, a favourable attitude towards bio-control agents. In other words they feel that use of bio pesticides is difficult than using chemical pesticide, use of bio pesticides is costly and it requires more care and attention. The respondent farmers have very high level of satisfaction on Yield of agricultural products obtained through use of bio pesticides (SI-96%) and Demand for organically produced items (Sl-96%). The respondent farmers are highly dissatisfied on Cost of bio-control agents (Sl-23.3%). 50 Poor economic condition of farmers (100%), Lack of support from financial institutions (100%), High capital investment (100%), and High market price (100%) are the major financial constraints faced by the user farmers in adopting bio-control agents. Lack of subsidy (80%) is also a serious financial issue. Lack of awareness about the benefit of bio-control agents (100%), Lack of awareness about bio-control agents available in the market (100%), Lack of awareness about pest control methods (100%) are the major technical constraints. Inadequate availability of bio-control agents (100%), Existence of fake organic vegetables and fiuits in the market (100), Lack of information of organic price details (93.3%), and Competition from inorganic products (93.3%) are major marketing constraints faced by almost all the respondent farmers. The Kalady Panchayat provide all the support& facilities to the farmers for improving the use of bio-control agents in this panchayat.