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Farmers’ Willingness to Use Innovative Indigenous Technical Knowledge for Plant Protection in Major Crop Zones of Bangladesh

Md. Ektear Uddin*
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Bangladesh

Abdul Quader
Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Md. Shah Alam
Department of Plant Pathology, PSTU, Dumki, Bangladesh

A K M Kanak Pervez
Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Md. Shariful Islam
Upazila Agriculture Office, Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar, Department of Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Tasnim Ara
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Dumki, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The article assessed the farmers’ willingness to use selected innovative crop protection Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK). Regarding these, data were collected from purposively selected 150 farmers from12 villages of Jessore, Bogra and Comilla districts through a structured interview schedule. It was found that about seventy percent (68.67%) of farmers are willing to use innovative ITKs. However, their awareness was high on ordinary and easy ITKs. Farmers were willing to use ITKs because these are safe for man and crops, low cost and use available local resources. Those who were unwilling to use ITKs (31.33%) found them unknown, lack confidence on performance and difficult in use. Farm size (B= -6.186, p=.015), annual family income (B= -.042, p=.003), information need (B=.194, p=.001) and awareness on ITKs (B=-11.664, p=.000) found the important determinant for shaping farmers’ willingness to use innovative crop protection ITKs. Therefore, state extension should promote ITKs for smallholder farmers with sufficient information delivery program and extensive awareness building campaign.

Keywords: Awareness; Field crops; Pest Management Practice; Sustainable Environment; Traditional Knowledge

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Pest Management

Commodity: Willingness, Extract (plant, seed)

Objectives:

In this circumstance, the present study assumes that innovative ITKs would attract more attention of the users than that of routine-type one. Such innovative ITKs deserve more extensive farmers’ awareness for use. Extension of such innovative ITKs use may lessen the pesticides dependency in crop pest management. The farm inputs cost will go down significantly. The improved bio-safety and ecosystem health will ensure a sustainable environment and development as well. Therefore, this supposition needs verification through the users’ willingness survey. The study also attempts to describe the factors that shape the willingness of the users.

Methodology:

The study was conducted in some 12 villages of Jessore, Comilla and Bogra districts of Bangladesh. Historically these three districts are the most famous for all sorts of agricultural production and thereby selected purposively. Jessore as a floodplain area is situated in the southwest part of the country and bordering with India. Bogra covers an extensive area of rivers floodplain and tract of Barind area placing at the northern part of the country. Comilla remains close to the center of the county with good communication with the capital city. Cropping intensity of these three districts is almost double than that of the national average (186%). Therefore, pest management activities with ITKs are more visible in these areas of Bangladesh. The researchers purposively identified 150 farmers are taking 50 from each of the three districts for an interview. The interview was administered with a structured interview schedule. Data was collected with the pre-tested instrument from January to March of the year 2017. The collected data were then processed for analysis.

The independent variables considered for this study were age, education level, family size, family farm size, annual household income, training experience, information need and awareness of the farmers on selected innovative ITKs. Independent variables were measured through an appropriate scale depending on the nature of the variables. The dependent variable was farmers’ willingness to use selected innovative ITKs. Farmers’ willingness to use (WTU) was measured through binary choice questions- “yes” for willing and “no” for not willing to use some of those selected innovative ITKs. Before judging the willingness of the farmers, list of 20 selected innovative ITKs were explained for their awareness. WTU assumed the value 1 for willing and 0 for otherwise. Descriptive statistics such as mean (M), standard deviation (SD), mode etc. were used to assess the characteristics of the respondent. Logistic regression model were employed for determining the factors influences the willingness of the farmers. Uddin et al. (2016) in a Bangladeshi study also used a logit model in analyzing a binary willingness of the farmers. The logistic regression model is established on the principle that the likelihood of willingness to use, Pi rests on a vector of known variables (Xi) and vector of the unknown variable (β).

Pi = F (Zi) = F (α+ βXi) =1/ [1+exp( -Zi)]................(1) Where, F(Zi) –Normal density function for the likely value of Zi; α – Intercept; and βXi– Accommodation of explanatory variables, in a manner that: Zi= log[Pi/(1-Pi)] = β0+β1X1+.....+ βnXn+ ε .................(2)

Where, Zi = Natural logarithm of choice for the ith observation; ε = Error term. All through the analysis process computer software SPSS (statistical package for social science) 16.0 version was used.

Source of Information: International Journal of Development and Sustainability Vol. 7 No. 10 (2018): 2585-2596

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

ITKs are innovative in creation but used traditionally. Though not all, some ITKs seek farmers’ attention due to their innovative actions. Majority of farmers of the study areas are willing to use innovative ITKs for crop protection although their awareness is high on less innovative ITKs. However, among them, small farmers with less income are more willing to use ITKs because of low cost, easy to learn and use of locally available resources. Information need and awareness level are also significant determinants of farmers’ willingness to use innovative ITKs. Considering the need and preference of smallholder farmers who are the majority, state extension should promote ITKs for crop care. Information needs of the farmers should be meet up and extensive awareness building programme should take for supporting crop protection ITKs in Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Journal