Factors Influencing The Adoption Of Integrated Pest Management (Ipm) By Vegetable Farmers In The Narsingdi District, Bangladesh

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Date
2015-09
Authors
Kabir, Muhammad Humayun
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
The objectives of the study are to determine the factors that significantly influence vegetable farmers’ decision to adopt IPM, to examine the influence of locational factors in IPM adoption and to identify the major barriers of IPM adoption. The study was conducted at Belabo upazila of Narsingdi district which is a hot spot for vegetable cultivation as well as pesticide application. Data were collected from vegetable farmers through conducting a household survey, field observation and discussion. The survey of the study indicates that less than one third of the farmers (30%) adopt IPM. The binary logistic regression model which was performed to find out the factors that determine the adoption of IPM, showed significant influence of several factors including farmer field school training, land ownership status, perception towards IPM, distance from farmers’ house to the nearest market, use of improved variety, frequency of extension contact and distance from farmers’ house to agriculture office. Out of two important locational factors, distance to market was one of the total three most important factors. Locational factors improved the validity of the model especially in the context of correct prediction or accuracy. They improved model accuracy by 11% (percent). These findings indicate that locational factors role is important in influencing vegetable farmers’ decision to use IPM. However, with regard to the level of importance, their contribution is lower than those of institutional and economic but higher than those of social and management factors. The majority of farmers did not adopt IPM because of several reasons, such as availability of pesticides, lack of knowledge about IPM, labour intensive, lack of training facility, inadequacy of IPM materials, lack of coordination between farmers and the extension agents, outcome from IPM practices is time being, similar price of IPM and non-IPM vegetables, fear about IPM programs and influence of pesticide agents. Among these, lack of knowledge about IPM, lack of training facility and inadequacy of IPM materials are top three important barriers. Explanations are provided for the role of significant factors in the adoption of IPM, and the ways to overcome barriers are also suggested. The findings can contribute towards the development of a strategic policy on increasing the adoption of this environmentally friendly approach (IPM).
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The factors that significantly influence , vegetable farmers.
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