The adoption of high-yielding varieties and fertilizer application among rice farmers in Tarai, Nepal
Date
1985
Authors
Ramesh L. Karna
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Abstract
The study tried to determine the relationship of some selected variables which influenced the farmers' acceptance of high-yielding varieties (HYVs) and fertilizer application (FA). It involved three hundred farmer-respondents from six village panchayats of Tarai. It had the following objectives: (1) to describe socio-economic characteristics of respondents; (2) to identify social, economic, diffusion, and support facilities factors associated with the adoption of HYVs and FA in rice production; (3) to determine the degrees and rate of adoption of said cultural practices; (4) to determine the relationship of selected variables to the adoption of HYVs and FA; and (5) to suggest communication channels suited to Nepalese (Tarai) conditions for rice production.
Data showed that farmer-respondents were males. Their average age was 40.66 years. The average rice farm size was 3.28 hectares. The 57.67 per cent of respondents adopted HYVs while 62 per cent had been applying fertilizer. The estimated rate of adoption of HYVs was 0.478 per year; while the adoption rate for FA was 0.624.
Results revealed that variables such as age, educational attainment, size of family, size of rice farm, income from rice farm, tenurial sttus, cost of inputs, information from neighbors, contact with extension workers, radio agriculture programs, farm demonstrations, irrigation facility, credit facility, and marketing facility were highly associated with the adoption of HYVs and FA. On the other hand, farming experience did not show significant relationship with the adoption of HYVs and FA.
Results further showed that the communication channels in rice cultivation were extension workers, neighbors, radio agriculture programs, Pradhan panchas (head of village panchayat), and friends and relatives.
Based on findings and observations made, the following recommendations are given: (10 a system of a continuing supply of farm information to extension workers for regular dissemination to farmers should be developed; (2) adaptive research should be conducted on the farmers' socio-economic environment and translated into a form more understandable to them; (3) facilities such as irrigation system, timely provision of inputs, superior quality of seeds, crop insurance, and crop protection programs need careful study for whatever implementation they deserve; and (4) related studies on psycho-social, cultural, political, institutional, and technological variables as these influencing adoption of particular farm practices should be done in the other regions of the country.