Problems in the Adoption of Paddy Straw Management Technologies in Punjab, India

Abstract

The study was conducted across five agro-climatic zones in Punjab, the study randomly selected one district from each zone: Moga, Ferozpur, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar. Two villages were selected randomly from four villages which were adopted by particular KVK in 2018-19 and one non-adopted village from each selected district was selected. From all selected villages, 20 respondents were selected randomly. Thus, a total of 300 respondents were chosen for study. The data was collected by the respondents with interview schedule. The study revealed that high diesel consumption was the problem faced by 40.11 per cent of respondents in adopted villages and 40.98 per cent in non-adopted villages. Attack of insect pests in wheat was highest for Happy Seeder, with 71.34 per cent of respondents faced in adopted villages and 81.4 per cent in non-adopted villages. Rodent problems in wheat field were also faced by 54.26 per cent of respondents in adopted villages and 90.7 per cent in non-adopted villages. While adopting mulcher in the field, 16.09 per cent of the respondents from the adopted village faced the problem that the effectiveness of mulcher decreases in moist soil, as the blades slip and can’t cut the straw effectively whereas, in the non-adopted village, the same proportion of respondents faced the same problem. Among adopted villages, 91.78 per cent of respondents identified that this machinery required a high Hp tractor, while a slightly lower proportion, 82.97 percent of respondents in non-adopted villages reported the same issue in Mould Board plough.