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Farmers Attitude Towards Safe Food Production in Bangladesh: a Study in Bogra District

Rebeka Sultana
Rural Development Academy, Bogra, Bangladesh.

Noor Muhammad
Rural Development Academy, Bogra, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Safe food production is a holistic way of agriculture, which tries to bridge the widening gap between man and nature. The present study was to determine the attitude of farmers towards safe food production, to explore the relationship between selected characteristics of the farmers and their attitude towards safe food production, to investigate farmer’s awareness on safe food production and to find out the constraints of safe food production in Bangladesh. Data were collected using an interview schedule from a sample of 100 farmers of two Upazilas of Bogra District. The duration of the study spanned a period of 6 months from October 2016 to March 2017. Descriptive statistical parameters and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used in this study as data analyzing tool. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software was used for data management and analysis. Nearly all the respondents (92.4%) have a favourable and highly favourable attitude towards safe food production. Only 4.6% of farmers have an unfavourable attitude toward safe food production. The level of awareness about safe food production is low and did reveal that both farmers and consumers are aware of the toxic effect of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Lack of knowledge and understanding of the principles of safe food production was the highest constraints faced by the farmers. The proper ways should be taken to overcome the problems. The Farmer's level of education, farm size, extension media contact, agricultural training received and farming experience of the respondent showed significant positive and Constrains faced producing safe food showed significant negative relationships with their attitude towards safe food production. So these characteristics should be taken into consideration. Due to the increasing amount of using pesticides, safe food production should be increased and it might be possible by the favorable attitude of the farmers towards safe food.

Keywords: Attitude; Safe food, Constraints of safe food production

Location: Shajahanpur and Sherpur Upazila of Bogra districts of Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-10-2016

End Date: 00-03-2017

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Performance

Objectives:

1. To determine the attitude of farmers towards safe food production 2. To explore the relationship between selected characteristics of the farmers and their attitude towards safe food production. 3. To investigate farmers' awareness of safe food production 4. To find out the constraints of safe food production in Bangladesh

Methodology:

Shajahanpur and Sherpur Upazila of Bogra districts of Bangladesh was selected as the location of the study. These two Upazilas consist of safe food-producing farmers. Radhanagor and Chupinagor village in Shajahanpur Upazila and Shibpur and Kanpur village in Sherpur Upazila of Bogra districts were selected by simple random sampling method. 100 participants were selected as a sample for eliciting responses to a set of questions on different aspects of safe foods taking 25 from each village that had an experience of practicing IPM (Integrated Pest Management). IPM farmers engaged for different durations of short and long times in producing pesticide-free vegetables. Care was taken to select the respondents of different categories who could contribute ideas relevant to the theme of the study. To provide a focus, the study concentrated only on fresh agricultural foods vegetables, and fruits coming directly from the crop fields. The respondents were briefed on the background, objectives, and expected outcomes of the study. Data were collected from safe food producer villages (practicing IPM) Radhanagor and Chupinagor in Shajahanpur Upazila and Shibpur and Kanupur in Sherpur Upazila of Bogra districts selected using the stratified random selection process where the IPM villages were considered as strata. A combination of methods including review of literature, face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire, and focus group discussion (FGD) was used. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software was used for data management and analysis. The duration of the study spanned a period of 6 months from October 2016 to March 2017. Age, level of education, family size, farm size, organizational participation, annual income, extension media contact, agricultural training received, land under fruits and vegetable cultivation, farming experience, and constraints faced for producing safe food was selected as the independent variables of the study. Farmer's attitude towards safe food production was the focus variable of the study. For measuring the attitude of the respondents, a 5 point Likert scale [11] was used. There were 15 statements including both positive and negative to avoid the biasness of the respondents. Each respondent was asked to indicate his extent of agreement or disagreement against each statement along with a 5 point scale: strongly agree, agree undecided, disagree, and strongly disagree [12]. Weights assigned to these responses were 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 respectively. The total score of a respondent was determined by summing up the weights for responses against all 15 statements.

Source of Information: Asian Research Journal of Agriculture - 8(4): 1-9, 2018

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: 10.9734/ARJA/2018/40213

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Most of the respondents have a favorable and highly favourable attitude towards organic vegetable cultivation. Safe food production is in the way of increasing its acceptability and cultivation trends. Lack of knowledge and understanding of the principles of safe food production was the highest constraints faced by the farmers. The proper ways should be taken to overcome the problems. The Farmer’s level of education, farm size, extension media contact, agricultural training received and farming experience of the respondent showed significant positive and Constrains faced producing safe food showed meaningful negative relationships with their attitude towards safe food production. So these characteristics should be taken into consideration.

Knowledge Management: Journal