Indigenous practices in rice farming in Thrissur district

Abstract

A research study was conducted to identify and codify the indigenous practices in rice farming in Thrissur district. The study also aimed at analysing the relationship of knowledge and adoption of indegenous practices of rice farmers with their personal, socio-psychological and socio-economic characteristics. The evaluative perception of the identified indigenous practices by the rice farmers, extension personnel and rice scientists was also done. The study was conducted in two phases - phase I and phase II. The sample selected for the study consisted of 135 rice farmers and all available extension personnel and rice scientists of Thrissur district. The phase I of the study was conducted in 12 selected panchayaths and the phase II was conducted in 3 selected panchayaths of Thrissur district. The research endeavour identified 80 indigenous practices and 20 indigenous beliefs related to rice cultivation of Thrissur district. The identified practices and beliefs were documented and described along with its scientific rationale. The phase II revealed significant variation in knowledge score of rice farmers in indigenous practices. It varied from 4.6 to 90.9 per cent. Adoption index too showed significant variation with a range of 1 to 92.5 per cent.

Statistical analysis reveal that 27.05 per cent of the variation In knowledge of rice farmers about indigenous practices was influenced by six variables namely fatalism-scientism, annual income, area under rice cultivation, main occupation, personal-localite exposure and risk preference, while 43.46 per cent of variation in adoption of indigenous practices of rice farmers was explained by their age, main occupation, farming experience, personal-localite exposure, economic motivation, social participation and risk preference. The indigenous practices were perceived as sustainable by 100 per cent of the respondent categories whereas only 38.58 per cent of the respondent categories perceived them as efficient. The knowledge in indigenous practices and their extent of adoption are found to be medium in 50 per cent of the rice farmers. This implies that most of the old farming traditions are being gradually lost by farmers. Hence a systematic and organised effort to document these indigenous practices is an urgent need to improve the efficiency and productivity of crop cultivation. This calls for a multi-disciplinary approach to comprehend and analyse the identified folk wisdom to enhance its potentiality and accelerate the pace of technological change.