Journal of King Saud University: Science (Oct 2022)
A multinomial approach to sustainable and improved agricultural technologies vis-a-vis socio-personal determinants in apple (Malus domestica) cultivation
Abstract
Background: Extreme poverty is widespread among farm families in the rural areas of developing countries including India. Farmers toil hard in their fields to meet the growing demands of their families. Different techniques and technologies have been generated at different research institutes, experimental stations, and farm science centers. However the same technology is not properly disseminated to the farmers and the farmers usually follow traditional practices at their farms leading to low production, productivity, and yield of major crops grown worldwide, hence threatening the livelihoods and food security of the world population in a general and farming community in particular. Methods: The present study described the socio-personal characteristics, identified the stages and categories of technology adoption with help of multinomial logistic regression. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted to collect the data from the concerned apple growers. The study used mixed methods, combining focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a household survey. Results: The study found that only nine out of fifteen technologies disseminated in the area have been fully adopted with a greater proportion (42.5 %) of the apple growers classified as early adopters of the recommended sustainable and intensified improved practices. The adoption of scientific technology is always the central focus of policymakers and planners in the developing world. Important to note is that the growers are in their active (42 years) farming age and have acquired 22 years’ experience which is long enough to understand that traditional practices are not as productive compared to the recently improved/recommended practices. The study also revealed that the determinants of technology adoption are age, experience, level of education, annual income, extension contact, and scientific orientation. Conclusion: The study, recommends that policymakers should capitalize on the determinants to design better programs relating to the adoption of sustainable improved technologies that will help in alleviation of poverty and ensure food security.
