FARMERS' ADOPTION OF MODERN MAIZE CULTIVATION

Abstract

he main objective of the study was to find out the extent of adoption of modem maize cultivation by the farmers, to describe the selected characteristics of the maize growers and also to explore the relationships between the selected characteristics of the growers and their adoption of modem maize cultivation. The study was conducted in a union named Sundalpur under Daudkandi upazila of Comilla district. A total of 100 farmers were selected as sample for the study from a population of 496. Data were collected from the maize growers by using personal interview schedule during the period from first January to 15 January, 2008. Apart from descriptive statistical methods, Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient analysis was used in order to analyze the data. Findings indicated that the majority (65 percent) of the growers had medium to high adoption of modern maize cultivation while 35 percent had low adoption. Out of nine selected characteristics of the growers, three, namely education, farm size and extension contact, had positive significant relationship. The rest of the variables namely: age, innovativeness, knowledge in maize cultivation, annual income, cosmopoliteness and agricultural training exposure did not show any significant relationships with their adoption of modern maize cultivation. Out of 12 problems faced by the farmers, two problems in order of importance were: (i) non-availability of hybrid seed and (ii) non-availability of storage facilities at framer's level.