An Analysis of Farmer Awareness for Banana Production from a Technological and Geographic Perspective in Indapur Tahsil of Pune District, India

Abstract

The Indapur tehsil an arid climate region is gaining recognition as a prime location for banana cultivation. The identification of water sources, fertile soil, favourable climate, and income resulted in a shift towards cultivating bananas. This research identified a gap between the practices of farmers and modern agricultural techniques. The study is the first to survey farmers' understanding of geography, farming techniques, challenges faced, and factors for successful production in the region. Data was gathered from 270 banana farmers in various villages using qualitative and quantitative research methods, official documents, and on-site observations. The findings indicated that the farmers displayed a good understanding of drip irrigation and the use of liquid fertilizer through this method. Farmers showed a moderate understanding of soil quality, organic farming, tissue culture plantlets, banana variety selection, year-round farming, and crop protection. Factors such as land ownership, gender of the family head, family size, age, education, farming experience, subsidies, crop insurance, and access to information influence modern agricultural practices which is evident in the perception index. The perception index also highlights the necessity for focused attention on aspects such as application of agrochemicals to leaves, bunch feeding, the use of humidity sensors in irrigation, mulching, crop rotation, diseases caused by fungus, intercropping, cold storage, and ISO certification. Dry environments and the adoption of plantlets grown through tissue culture can reduce the risk of pest and disease issues. Rise in fertilizer and raw material cost, price fluctuations, commissions, middlemen’s dishonesty, domestic and export market support and labour costs are major issues. It is recommended to offer awareness programs and training on modern farming techniques and banana export, along with strengthening of farmers organizations and communication channels. The findings will provide important information to support sustainable banana farming for researchers, farmers, policymakers, and agricultural services.