Assessing Challenges, Satisfaction and Agricultural Technique Preferences: Evidence from Smallholder Maize Farmers in Western Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i6.1643-1650.8685Keywords:
Subsistence, Food Security, Production, Midhill , TechnologyAbstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the major crop in Maize based cropping system in hilly areas of Nepal. Rolpa, a significant maize producing district in Nepal’s mid-hills has average productivity (2.4 mt/ha) far below the national (3.15 mt/ha). The study was conducted during summer of 2020 to assess the existing problems, satisfaction on the cultivation practices and technical intervention preferences among maize growing farmers. The data were obtained by the interview of 100 purposively selected farmers with the use of pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire prepared and validated via focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Ranking of the problems, preference and satisfaction were made using weighted average score and net satisfaction index respectively. Data were processed using MS-Excel. Agriculture was the major source of employment for majority (97%) of the farmers and maize was the dominant crop in their cropping system with 85% of them having more than 15 years of maize cultivation experience. Existing sowing time (66%), seed rates (46%) along with harvesting practices (49%) received higher satisfaction levels whereas existing fertilizer doses (-29%) and availability of variety (-5%) received critical dissatisfaction. Issues of pests (0.90) and draught (0.67) were reported as major biophysical problems whereas lack of improved variety (0.86) and unavailability of inputs (0.70) were cited as critical socioeconomic problems. Pests (0.89) and irrigation (0.73) were perceived as bottlenecks among production problems whereas fertilizer application strategies (0.72) along with seed quality and planting pattern (0.68) were of major concerns within technological problems. Regarding the preferences for technical adoption, irrigation (0.59), crop protection measures (0.39) and quality seed (0.37) were prioritized. Strong satisfaction in existing practices was seen as the reasons behind lack of strong motivation for modern technique adoption thus highlighting the need for direct, applicable and technically straightforward techniques promotion.
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