Abstract
This study examined the comparative profitability of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) production between Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and non-Integrated Pest Management (non-IPM) farmers and tried to find out the policy recommendations for sustaining this practice in vegetable production. A total of 80 farmers (40 from each group) were purposively selected from Tangail district of Bangladesh through the interview schedule. To fulfill the objectives of this study, farmers’ attitude index, profitability and partial budget analysis were used. Hence, to know the complete picture of cucumber production using both IPM and non-IPM technology, the socioeconomic profile of farmers was examined and compared and found that IPM farmers were in better-off condition than that of non-IPM farmers. The result of the farmers’ attitude measured by Likert Scale showed that the majority of the farmers had a moderately favorable attitude towards IPM technology. According to the profitability analysis, the benefit-cost ratio of cucumber production was 1.9 for IPM farmers, while for non-IPM farmers, it was estimated at 1.6. It is evident from the partial budget analysis that per hectare net benefit was USD 1069.23 for cucumber production using IPM technology. Cucumber production was profitable for both IPM and non-IPM farmers, but IPM farmers were more beneficial than that of non-IPM. The researcher identified a weak socioeconomic profile of the farmers, inadequate training facilities, few NGOs participation and poor IPM disseminating staff and farmers’ ratio as the challenges of sustaining IPM technology in the study areas. Therefore, government attention needs to be increased on collaboration between different groups, including national and international organizations, social scientists and farmers for sustaining IPM practices.
Highlights
The demand for safe organic food has been growing significantly all over the world for the past several years due to increasing consumer awareness of health and environmental issues and this offers producers and exporters in developing countries opportunities to improve their incomes and living conditions (FiBL, 2006)
The percentage of illiterate (27.5%) farmers was comparatively high in non-Integrated Pest Management (IPM) farmers as well as no non-IPM farmers completed their higher secondary education which indicates that educated people are more innovative and more conscious about sustainable agriculture
It was found that the majority of the farmers had a moderately favorable attitude towards IPM technology by using attitude index (AI)
Summary
The demand for safe organic food has been growing significantly all over the world for the past several years due to increasing consumer awareness of health and environmental issues and this offers producers and exporters in developing countries opportunities to improve their incomes and living conditions (FiBL, 2006). The farmers are bound to increase their yield to meet the demand of the ever-growing population; on the other hand, they should keep the soil and environment safe and sound. In this dilemma, sustainable agriculture is the one and only solution. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Integrated Pest Management is: “A pest management system that, in the context of the associated environment and the population dynamics of the pest species, utilizes all suitable techniques and methods in as compatible a manner as possible and maintains the pest populations at levels below those causing economic injury.”
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