FARMERS` KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE FARMING UNDER BARAIGRAM UPAZILA OF NATORE DISTRICT

Abstract

ABSTRACT The major purpose of this research study was to asses farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practices on commercial vegetable cultivation and also to explore the relationships between each of nine selected characteristics of the farmers with their knowledge, attitude and practices on commercial vegetable cultivation. The study was conducted in 6 villages of Baraigram upazila under Natore district. The populations of farmers in these villages were 1187, from which 120 samples were drawn by using random sampling technique. An interview schedule was used for data collection. The information was collected during 15th December 2020 to January 15th 2021. Appropriate scales were developed so as to live the variables. With respects knowledge, it had been found that the bulk (61.67 percent) of the farmers possessed medium knowledge, while 20 percent of the farmers possessed low knowledge and only 18.33 percent of the farmers had high knowledge on commercial vegetable cultivation. Regarding attitude, the study showed that 63.33 of the respondents had neutral attitude towards the commercial vegetable cultivation, while the proportions of unfavorable and favorable were 26.67 and 10 percent, respectively. In case of practices about 57.5 percent farmers possessed medium practice, 25.83 percent of the farmers possessed low practice and only 16.67 percent of the farmers had high practice. Thus, 83.33 percent of the farmers had medium to low practice on various aspects of commercial vegetable cultivation. Out of nine selected characteristics of the farmers, level of education, and agricultural aining exposure of the farmers had significant positive relationship with their knowledge on commercial vegetable cultivation, while problem faced by the farmers had significant negative relationship with their knowledge on commercial vegetable cultivation. Rest characteristics i.e., age, farm size, annual family income, income from vegetable cultivation, agricultural extension media contact, and vegetable cultivation experience had no significant relationship with their knowledge on commercial vegetable cultivation. No characteristics of the farmers had significant relationship with their attitude towards commercial vegetable cultivation. Level of education and agricultural training exposures had significant positive relationship with their practices on commercial vegetable cultivation while age and problem faced in vegetable cultivation had significant negative relationship with their practices on commercial vegetable cultivation. Remainder of the characteristics of the farmers had no significant relationship with their practices on commercial vegetable cultivation.