Are Spatial Factors Important in the Adoption of Eco-Friendly Agricultural Technologies? Evidence on Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Muhammad Humayun Kabir,Md Javed Azad,Ruslan Rainis

doi:10.4236/jgis.2017.92007

Muhammad Humayun Kabir, Md Javed Azad + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/jgis.2017.92007

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Abstract

Past studies on the adoption of integrated pest management (IPM), analyzed the significance of non-spatial factors (social, economic, institutional and management factors etc.) in influencing farmers’ decision to adopt IPM while the present study analyzed spatial factors in addition to these non-spatial factors to address the questions-i. Do the spatial factors significantly influence the farmers to adopt IPM? If yes, then to what extent they do affect IPM adoption? The data were collected from 331 vegetable farmers of Narsingdi district, Bangladesh, by conducting a household survey. Farmers’ nineteen characteristics under five broad groups, namely social, economic, institutional, management and spatial factors were analyzed. The result of the binary logistic regression model revealed that two spatial factors namely the distance of farmers’ house from the nearest market and the distance from agriculture office, along with some specific social, economic, institutional and management factors, significantly influenced the farmers’ to use IPM. It is also observed from the model that the role of spatial factors was important in influencing IPM adoption. However, with regard to the level of importance, their contribution was less than those of economic and institutional factors but more than those of social and management factors. The influences of these factors in practicing IPM are discussed individually as well as group based. The findings show significance in domestic policy making.

Highlights

It is observed from the model that the role of spatial factors was important in influencing integrated pest management (IPM) adoption
The results showed that IPM adoption is usually influenced by various social, economic, institutional, and management factors [11]-[16]
In order to increase the adopters of IPM, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) should take the initiative to facilitate more farmer field school (FFS) training and extension contact for the farmers

Summary

Introduction

Food production has increased three times in 2012 from 1980 though the land use was declining by 1% per year [1] [2]. Especially pesticides played an important role in this progress as pests (insects, pathogens, weeds etc.) are the most important threats to food production and pesticides are very effective to control pests. The use of chemical pesticides for controlling pests is very risky since they pollute environment by contaminating the soil, ground and surface water. The resistance of pest, the existence of new pests and the destruction of useful insects are the consequences of pesticide overuse. To keep the trend of increasing food production without harming the environment, the government has promoted integrated pest management (IPM)

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