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Farmers Training Need for Increased Yield of Boro Rice Grown in Haor Areas of Sunamgonj

M Rokonuzzaman*
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh

M A Islam
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet-3100, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The main objective of the study was to assess the need of training for the haor farmers on different aspects of Boro rice production practices. Twelve yield contributing production practices of rice were taken as the bases for training need assessment. A total of 80 Boro rice farmers of Tahirpur upazila (administrative unit) of Sunamganj district were randomly selected and data were collected from them before and after training imparted using well-structured interview schedule during July – September, 2015 and May – July, 2016. The result revealed that haor farmers had gaps in all the 12 practices but significant gaps were identified in respect of the application of gypsum (96%), TSP (39%) and MoP (32%) fertilizers in the main field and urea fertilizer in the seed bed (95%). However, all gaps were reduced to a significant level from 30.67% to 13.00% through offering training. Training increased not only the resources use efficiency of the farmers but also the yield of BRRI dhan28 and BRRI dhan29 with an average of 17%.

Keywords: Training need, Practice gap, Boro rice, Yield gap, Haor.

Location: Tahirpur upazila (administrative unit) under Sunamganj district

Start Date: 00-07-2015

End Date: 00-07-2016

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Non-commodity: Adoption of technology

Objectives:

a) To explore farmers knowledge gap on modern Boro rice cultivation; b) To ascertain constraints involved in practice gap; and c) To assess the need of training for the haor farmers based on their knowledge and practice gap.

Methodology:

Haor farmers are usually lacking proper knowledge and skill regarding recommended Boro rice production practices. Besides, socio-economic conditions and some constraints keep them away from full swing use of recommended production practices. As a result farmers of the haor area cannot harvest potential yield of their cultivated varieties. In this context it is conceptualized that training of the farmers could substantially reduce gap between farmers practices and recommended practices that would finally increase yield of rice. A total of 12 yield contributing production practices of rice were taken as the bases for this assessment. A total of 80 randomly selected farmers of Tahirpur upazila (administrative unit) under Sunamganj district comprised the sample of the study. Pre and post training data on yield and production practices were collected during July – September, 2015 and May – July, 2016. Constraints were measured by using close-formed of 15 questions which were identified as the problems through FGD with the farmers during pre-testing of the questionnaire for the study. Each respondent was asked to indicate the degree of severity of each problem he faced. A four point scale such as ‘most severe’, ‘severe’, ‘less severe’, and ‘not at all severe’ was used to determine the response to each question. Weights assigned to these responses were 3, 2, 1 and 0, respectively. The total score of a respondent was determined by summing up the weights for responses against all the 15 questions. Constraints score of a respondent could, thus, range from 0 to 45. Training need of the farmers was assessed based on pre-training mean gap score of 12 selected rice production practices with the corresponding yield of particular variety compared to the post-training gap score of same practices with corresponding yield. The practice gap was calculated in the following manner: Practice Gap = Recommended rate of practice - actual applied rate of practice/Recommended rate of practice x100. Yield gap of a farmer = 1/pi∑²_i=1(Pi − Yi )×100 Where, Pi = Potential yield (obtained at demonstration plot) of a particular variety Yi = Actual yield of the same variety harvested by the farmer Student t-test was done to find out whether there was significant change in the practice and yield gaps after training. Multiple regression analysis was done to find out major yield gap contributing practice using R (R Core Team, 2017).

Source of Information: J. Sylhet Agril. Univ. 4(1):87-93, 2017 ISSN: 2308-1597

Article Link (Online Journal): www.jsau.com.bd

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Most of the farmers in the haor area lacking appropriate knowledge and skill regarding recommended Boro rice production practices. In addition to this, haor farmers experience great extent of constraints from uncertain flash flood to scarcity of laborer during transplanting and harvesting time, insufficient extension service, long duration crop variety with low quality seeds and lack of irrigation sources. These finally hinder the farmers to adopt recommended production practices and ultimately yield gap occurs. Farmers training improved knowledge, skill and resource use efficiency and thus 17% yield increase was evident among the respondent farmers. Training on different production aspects, particularly modern seedling raising, selection of variety according to land type, transplanting time and fertilizer management may have immense impact on life and livelihood of about 20 million haor people.

Knowledge Management: Journal