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Knowledge Level of the Farmer in System of Rice Intensification Cultivation

Practices in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu,India

Research · August 2014

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25642.93122

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Indian Journal Of Natural Sciences www.tnsroindia.org. © IJONS

Vol.4 / Issue 25/ August 2014 International Bimonthly ISSN: 0976 – 0997

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Knowledge Level of the Farmer in System of Rice Intensification

Cultivation Practices in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu,India.

Thatchinamoorthy,C1* and Rexlin Selvin2

1Department of Agricultural Extension, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai- 625 104,
TamilNadu,India.

2Faculty of Agricultural Extension, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Killikulam- 628 252,
TamilNadu,India.

Received: 22 June 2014 Revised: 22 July 2014 Accepted: 28 July 2014

*Address for correspondence

C.Thatchinamoorthy
Department of Agricultural Extension,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Madurai- 625 104, TamilNadu,India.
E.mail: [email protected].

This is an Open Access Journal / article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the
original work is properly cited.All rights reserved.

ABSTRACT

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is a method of increasing the yield of rice produced in farming.
SRI is considered to be a disembodied technological breakthrough in paddy cultivation. SRI involves the
application of certain management practices, which together provide better growing conditions for rice
plants, particularly in the root zone, than those for plants grown under traditional practices. This system
seems to be promising to overcome the shortage of water in irrigated rice. The study was conducted in
Vasudevanallur block of Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu. A total of 120 respondents were selected, and
interviewed using a well structured, pretested interview schedule. System of Rice Intensification
cultivation practices around Fifty percent of the SRI farmers had medium level of knowledge and
particularly cent per cent of the respondents possessed knowledge about the age of seedlings for
transplanting, the spacing recommended for transplanting, number seedlings planted in a hill and name
of the mechanical weeder. Around 50.00 per cent of the respondents had medium level of knowledge
followed by 38.30 per cent and 10.00 per cent who had high and low levels of knowledge in SRI
cultivation method respectively.

Keywords: System of Rice Intensification, Knowledge, and Crop management practices.

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Vol.4 / Issue 25/ August 2014 International Bimonthly ISSN: 0976 – 0997

Thatchinamoorthy and Rexlin Selvin

INTRODUCTION

SRI, the system of rice intensification is a system of production of rice. SRI is considered to be an intangible
technological breakthrough in paddy cultivation. SRI involves the application of certain management practices,
which together provide better growing conditions for rice plants, particularly in the root zone, than those for plants
grown under traditional practices. This system seems to be promising to overcome the shortage of water in irrigated
rice. It was developed in Madagascar in the early 1980s by Father Henride Laulanie, A Jesuit Priest, who spent over
30 years in that country working with farmers.

It has since been tested in China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with positive results. In Sri
Lanka, SRI cultivation was practiced in 18 districts with encouraging results of doubling the yields. In this method
synergic interaction leads to much higher yields. It offers increased land, labour and water productivity. In fact, it is a
less water consuming method of rice cultivation, which is suitable to poor farmers who have relatively more labour
force than land and capital.

The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) technique has received considerable attention globally including India due to
its potential for yield improvement and water saving. The main features of this system include transplanting of
young seedlings singly in a square pattern with wide spacing; using more of organic fertilizers; and keeping the
paddy field moist with intermittent drying and wetting during the vegetative growth of plants. SRI causes better
plant growth and development and economizes the use of seed, irrigation water, labour, plant protection chemicals
and fertilizers and hence increases the productivity of land, water capital and labour significantly over conventional
method of rice cultivation.

The System of Rice Intensification technique is promoted under World Bank assisted project Irrigated Agriculture
Modernized Water Bodies Restoration and Management (IAMWARM) in Tamil Nadu. During 2007-08, 912
demonstrations at the cost of Rs. 36.48 lakhs were organized. In 2008-09, a sum of Rs. 122.04 lakhs was spent for
conducting 2034 demonstrations. In the present study knowledge denotes the respondent’s level of understanding of
SRI practices in the cultivation of Paddy. To measure the knowledge level of respondents, they were asked straight
questions in respect of nursery preparation, main field preparation, irrigation management, weed management and
nutrient management in line with SRI technologies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research was carried out in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Tirunelveli district consists of eleven taluks,
Sivakiri taluk was purposively selected this taluk 23 blocks Vasudewanallur block was purposively, as it has larger
area under paddy. Out of 26 panchayat villages in Vasudevanallur blck, 4 villages were randomly selected namely
Vasudevanallur, Sivagiri, Rayagiri and Ullar. The respondents were selected a list of farmers practicing SRI was
obtained from the Assistant Director of Agriculture office of Vasudevanallur Block. There were more than 100
farmers practicing System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in each villages of the block. By considering the sample size of
the study, it has been decided to select 30 farmers from each of the four villages, where the highest number of
farmers practicing System of Rice Intensification (SRI) extensively. Accordingly the sample has been fixed as 120 SRI
farmers. The respondents were selected by employing simple random sampling technique in each village. Ex post-
facto design was followed in this study. The data were collected by personal interview with respondents in their farm
and home.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In the present study, knowledge has been operationalised as the body of understood information possessed by the
respondents on cultivation of paddy under SRI method. The overall knowledge level and technology-wise

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Vol.4 / Issue 25/ August 2014 International Bimonthly ISSN: 0976 – 0997

Thatchinamoorthy and Rexlin Selvin

knowledge level of the respondents were studied and the findings were presented in this section. The knowledge
level of respondents in SRI cultivation technology was measured by using a teacher made knowledge test consisting
of SRI techniques. The test included 16 items relating to various SRI techniques. In order to assess the overall
knowledge level of the respondents, necessary data were collected and they were categorized into three groups viz.,
low, medium and high using cumulative frequency method and the results are shown in Table 1.

A glance at the Table 1, revealed that around 51.70 per cent of the respondents had medium level of knowledge
followed by 38.30 per cent and 10.00 per cent who had high and with low levels of knowledge in SRI cultivation
method respectively. In general it could be concluded that there existed medium to high level of knowledge with
majority (90.00 per cent) of the respondents.The appropriate reason for medium to higher level of knowledge on the
recommended SRI cultivation practices might be due to their higher literacy, area under rice cultivation, medium
level of credit orientation and medium to high level of economic motivation and scientific orientation. The
respondents’ ambition to increase their farm income; would have motivated them to gain more knowledge on SRI
cultivation practices. Further, the agricultural scientists also played an important role in the dissemination of
knowledge on SRI techniques through TN-IAMWARM project. This would have contributed for the medium level of
knowledge among majority of the respondents. The practice wise knowledge level of the SRI farmers in different
technologies of SRI cultivation is as follows.

Practice wise knowledge level of respondents in different technologies of SRI cultivation

The result of respondents’ knowledge level in different technologies of SRI cultivation is assessed and the results are
depicted in Table 2.

Knowledge level of the respondents in nursery preparation

It is evident from the Table 2 that among the three selected nursery practices of SRI technology in rice cultivation. a
vast majority (94.16 per cent) of the respondents had knowledge on seed rate per acre. As the recommendation of
seed rate (2 kg) is easy to remember, most of the respondents had acquired high knowledge score.More than fifty per
cent of the respondents (52.50 per cent) had knowledge about size of nursery area. The medium level of farming
experience of respondents in farming could be the reason for medium knowledge level. Since the mean percentage
score on knowledge level of the nursery preparation is 80.27 per cent, it could be inferred that most of the
respondents possessed adequate knowledge on most of the nursery preparation technologies.

Knowledge level of the respondents in main field preparation

It is observed from the Table 2, that cent per cent of respondents possessed knowledge about the age of seedlings for
transplanting, the spacing recommended for transplanting and number of seedlings planted in a hill. More than
(94.00 per cent) of the respondents had knowledge about per hill in one square meter. This may be due to the regular
contact of respondents with extension agency.

Cent per cent of the respondents obtained high knowledge score for the ‘seedling per hill’. This may be due to its
local name viz., “single seedling” which could be easily understood and remembered by the respondents. Since the
mean percentage score on knowledge level of the main field preparation is 96.00 per cent, it could be inferred that
most of the respondents possessed adequate knowledge on most of the main field preparation technologies.

Knowledge level of the respondents in irrigation management practices

An overwhelming majority (71.66 per cent) of the respondents had knowledge about the time of irrigation in SRI
cultivation. Majority of the respondents (47.50 per cent) was found to have knowledge on height of water level to be

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Vol.4 / Issue 25/ August 2014 International Bimonthly ISSN: 0976 – 0997

Thatchinamoorthy and Rexlin Selvin

maintained in the main field. Since the mean percentage score of the knowledge level on irrigation management
practices was 59.58 per cent, it could be inferred that most of the farmers possessed adequate knowledge in the
irrigation management practices practiced in SRI cultivation method.

Knowledge level of the respondents in weed management aspects

It is observed from the Table 2, that cent percentage of respondents had knowledge about the name of the mechanical
weeder (100.00 per cent). The extension efforts coupled with supply of Cono-weeder by State Department of
Agriculture to the individual respondents, would have made them to remember the name of the weeder.

Knowledge level of the respondents in nutrient management aspects

It could be seen from the Table 2, majority of the respondents (62.50 per cent) had knowledge on recommended
inorganic fertilizers. This might be due to the possession of more years of experience in rice cultivation. About 46.00
per cent of the respondents had knowledge on purpose of leaf colour chart and 35.00 per cent of the respondents had
knowledge on quantity of bio-fertilizers. Nearly 27.00 per cent of the respondent had knowledge on preferred time
for taking observation using LCC. Knowledge on the nutrient management aspects would have been contributed by
the training given by the extension officials in promoting SRI technologies.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge is an indispensable criterion for the adoption of any innovation, as it enables the farmers to understand
completely and clearly the recommended technologies. The rate of adoption of an innovation is directly linked with
level of knowledge of user about the same. It can be concluded Around 50.00 per cent of the respondents had
medium level of knowledge followed by 38.30 per cent and 10.00 per cent who had high and low levels of knowledge
in SRI cultivation method respectively. While analyzing the knowledge it was found that less than one fourth of the
respondents had poor knowledge on Size of the nursery area, preferred time for taking observation using leaf colour
chart and maintenance of recommended height of water level. Hence, intensive training with demonstrations on
these above technologies may be given by the extension personnel of the State of Department Agriculture.

REFERENCES

1. Anonymous. 2008. Policy notes on Agriculture-2008, Government of Tamil Nadu. http://www.tn.gov.in/

policynotes/pdf/agriculture/agriculture.pdf
2. Balakrishnan. 2010. Knowledge level of system of rice intensification technology among farmers in cuddalore
district of Tamil Nadu, research paper, department of agricultural extension, faculty of agriculture, Annamalai
University, Annamalainagar.
3. Jayalakshmi, M. 2000. Existence of knowledge and technological gap between systems and contributing Factors -
An Analysis. Unpub. M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis, TNAU, Coimbatore.Johnson and Vijayaragavan, 2011. Diffusion of
System of Rice Intensification (SRI) Across Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India.
4. Rajasekaran. 1995. Knowledge, Adoption and Communication Behaviour of TANWA Trainees. Unpub. M.Sc.
(Ag.) Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Chidambaram.
5. Rao, D. 1983. Statistical techniques in agricultural research. Oxford and IBH Publishing co. New D elhi.
6. Ray, G.L. and Mondal sagar. 1999. Research Methods in Social Sciences and Extension Education.
Naya Prokash, Calcutta.
7. Santhi, S. 2006. A Study of System of Rice Intensification (SRI) among rice farmers of Tirunelveli District.
Unpublished M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar.

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Thatchinamoorthy and Rexlin Selvin

Table 1. Distribution of respondents according to their knowledge level.

(n=120) *
S.No. Category Frequency Per cent
1 Low 12 10.00
2 Medium 62 51.70
3 High 46 38.30
Total 120 100.00

Table 2. Practice wise knowledge level of respondents in different technologies of SRI cultivation .

(n=120) *

S.No. Items Number of Percentage of

respondents respondents
1 Seed rate per acre 113 94.16

2 Size of the nursery area 63 52.50

3 Seedling age 120 100.00

4 Spacing 120 100.00

5 Seedling per hill 120 100.00

6 Name of the mechanical weeder 120 100.00

7 Purpose of leaf colour chart 55 45.83

8 Preferred time for taking observation using LCC 32 26.66

9 Recommended bio-fertilizer 42 35.00

10 Per hills one square meter 113 94.16

11 SRI method boots up productive tillers 103 85.83

12 Maintenance of recommended height of water level 57 47.50

13 Time of irrigation 86 71.66

14 Recommended inorganic fertilizer 75 62.50

15 Use of markers in SRI cultivation 120 100.00

16 Percentage of yield increase 113 94.16

* (Multiple responses obtained)

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