Constraints Perceived by Farmers in the Adoption of Eco-Friendly Conservation Practices in the Satpura Plateau of Madhya Pradesh
Abstract
Eco-friendly conservation practices are important for sustainable agricultural development because they contribute to natural resource conservation, improvement of soil health and reduction of environmental degradation. However, farmers face several constraints in adopting and implementing such practices. The present study was undertaken to identify and rank the constraints perceived by farmers in the adoption of eco-friendly conservation practices in the Satpura Plateau agro-climatic zone of Madhya Pradesh. The study was conducted in Betul, Chhindwara and Narmadapuram districts, from which 295 farmers were selected through proportionate random sampling. Data were collected through a structured interview schedule and analysed using the Garrett Ranking Technique. The findings indicated that difficulty in procurement of eco-friendly inputs was ranked first among the physical constraints, with a Garrett score of 75.86, followed by unavailability of eco-friendly inputs (74.64) and poor quality of eco-friendly inputs (67.93). Among the personal constraints, lack of skills regarding eco-friendly conservation practices ranked first (69.49), while lack of credit facilities was the major socio-economic constraint (70.03). Complexity of equipment and technology was the leading technical constraint (74.71), whereas soil erosion and drainage were the major environmental constraint (73.22). Limited availability of model farms demonstrating eco-friendly conservation practices ranked first among extension constraints (57.83). The findings highlight the need for improved availability of quality eco-friendly inputs, accessible credit, practical training, simple technologies and strengthened field-level extension support to promote wider adoption of eco-friendly conservation practices. Examining the influence of climate variability, institutional support, digital technologies and behavioural factors on farmers’ adoption.