Impact of Plant Clinics on Farmers‘ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice With Plant Health Issues

Abstract

Plant clinics in Nepal has been started in 2008 and has coverage in more than 40 districts of Nepal. A study has been conducted in Chitwan district of Nepal to assess the changes on farmer‘s knowledge attitude and practice due to implementation of plant clinics. Total of 175 clinic attendants and 175 non-attendants were selected by simple random sampling method and interviewed by using semi-structured questionnaire. By and large, this study found wider positive changes among clinic attendants than non-attendants especially on their knowledge and skills to identity pests and diseases with their causes and practice appropriate remedial measures against those problems. The study revealed positive impact to by increasing knowledge and skillset among attending farmers to assess the season of disease and pest occurrence, estimate economic threshold level as well as preventive and curative measures against the plant health problems. Plant clinic has made impressive positive changes on adoption of recommended dose of pesticides and organic control methods among attendants than non-attendants. The level of awareness and adoption of waiting period after pesticide use was found higher among attendants than non-attendants.