ASSESSING ADOPTION OF ORGANIC PEPPER CULTIVATION IN KANDY, MATALE AND KEGALLE DISTRICTS
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Date
2015
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Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
Increased domestic and international demand for organic products, along with environmental and safety issues have stimulated policymakers and governments in some parts of the world to provide incentives for converting from conventional to organic farming. There is growing evidence that increased adoption of such systems can offer numerous environmental, social and financial benefits. Sri Lankan agriculture industry is developing its potential to address it. The country is trying to be a quality organic supplier to the world market. This study was conducted to investigate the level of the adoption of organic pepper farming and to identify the factors affecting on intension to conversion of conventional cultivation of pepper to organic cultivation of pepper in Kandy, Kegalle and Matale districts, The data used in the study were collected from a sample of both organic and conventional farmers. A total of 126 respondents were randomly selected from the three different cultivated areas to obtain main objective and 72 respondents were randomly selected from the three different cultivated areas to obtain second objective. Probit model was used in this study to categorize the organic farming into adoption and non-adoption. Age of the household head, experience, land area and number of awareness sources have significant effect on the adoption of organic pepper farming. Gender, age of the household head, primary education, attitude on cost of non-organic farming and price per one kilogram of pepper have significant effect on intension to conversion. Forty three percent of farmers in Kandy, Kegalle and Matale districts have adopted organic cultivation of pepper. Assessing the intension to conversion, conventional farmers show some potential for converting to organic practices. Seventy eight percent of the farmers in Kandy, Kegalle and Matale districts are having an intension to convert their farms into organic. The institutions related to organic farming are , very useful in providing information about organic farming. Government agencies, extension and research institution should play a vital role to strengthen the awareness and advantages of organic farming.
Key words: Organic farming, intension to conversion, adoption, probit model
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Export Agriculture Degree Programme (EAG)