Farmer s Perception Regarding IPM Technology in Cotton Crop in Sindh

Indus Journal of Biological Sciences, 2(4) Page 27-33, Supplementary Issue December 2005. Farmer s Perception Regarding IPM Technology in Cotton Crop in Sindh Aslam Memon, *M. Ismail Kumbhar, Ali Muhammad Khushk and *Muhammad Umar Mallah, ISSN 1811-1505 Technology Transfer Institute, (PARC) Tandojam, Pakistan * Sindh Agricultural University Tandojam, Pakistan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT This study was conducted to examine the perceptions of cotton growers regarding the adoption of IPM technology. Twenty five cotton growers were interviewed from each selected four Dehs, hence the total sample size consists of 100 cotton growers and. It was found that, majority (91 percent) of selected cotton growers was not familiar with IPM technology and most of them did not heard about IPM technology. Ranking the effectiveness of the information sources, it was found that television becomes 1 st in ranking for adoption of IPM technology and other sources radio, newspapers, extension worker and pesticide companies received 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, and 5 th position in ranking. Majority of the respondents were the opinion that the IPM training programmes should be launched in short term about 1-2 weeks and also respondents were of the opinion that such training programmes could be launched at village level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Key Words: IPM; Cotton; Farmer s perception ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is the second important crop of our country after wheat, in terms of area and value added earning. During 1991, Pakistan ranked third globally after China and US in the cotton production and was first in cotton export. Cotton is known as the silver fiber of Pakistan. In Pakistan, cotton crop is mainly cultivated in the southern Punjab and Sindh. It brings cash returns to the farmers, supplies raw materials to the textile industry and provides employment in both the rural and the urban areas. Cotton is also providing livelihood turn over 5 million people at the farm, industry and trade furnishes raw material for 1035 ginneries and about 5000 oil expelling units in the country, besides providing 400,000 tons of edible oil to the industry over the last several years. Raw cotton and its textile products have contributed on an average about 68 percent of the total annual national exports of raw cotton, yarn and cloth, besides providing employment to a sizeable manpower of the country. It also yields 3.4 to 3.6 million tonnes of cotton seed, which contributes over 80 percent of the local vegetable oil production domestically cotton seeds also used extensively in milk production in addition over 2 million tonnes cotton oil cake is also obtained which is used as livestock feed. Pakistan faces a tremendous challenge in modernizing agriculture and making its allied fields more productive. The objective to increase crop production and proper pest management can not be achieved without introduction of innovative technology. In Pakistan heaviest investment of capital inputs is spent on cotton, especially on pesticide. Over 90% Pakistan s pesticide consumption is applied to protect the cotton crop from the attack of different insect pests. The major insect pests affecting the production of cotton crop are sucking pests (whiteflies, jassids, thrips, aphids) and chewing pests, (Army worm, pink bollworm, American bollworm, spotted bollworm and cotton leaf roller). 27

For the control of pests, farmers use highest quantity of pesticides without proper pest scouting at the initial stages of the crop. Due to high rate of illiteracy and lack of awareness, our farming community does not know about the adverse effects of pesticides. It was soon realized that the miracle chemicals have serious draw-backs. Some target pests develop resistance doses, resurgence of pests, minor pests acquire the status of major pests and causes serious environmental pollution. It was therefore, concluded that chemical method of pest control alone was not the solution to the pest problems. The other methods of pest control were blended with the chemical methods thus curtailing reliance on any single method and the concept of Integrated Pest Control later designated as Integrated Pest Management by broadening the scope to ecosystem and agro-ecosystem. In our farming community, it is common concept that by controlling insect pests, maximum production can be achieved from the crop through the use of high toxic pesticides, while these pesticides are more expensive and dangerous for human health as well as pollute the environment. Due to heavy use of pesticide it has polluted our environment, and has developed resistance power among the pests of cotton, because of those cotton growers applying 7 to 8 sprays on the cotton crop and field to control these pests. Modern research has proved that the pesticides which are used on the crops containing dangerous toxics. The effect of these toxics remains on the crops for many days even for the months. This toxic chemical not only control the harmful insects, but also kill the beneficial insects (predators and parasites) and also leaves adverse effects on human health, animals, birds, wild life, water animals etc. Pesticides have direct and indirect effect on natural enemies of pests. Direct effects include contact with a toxic pesticide or feeding on pesticide laiden pollen, nector, honey dew. Indirect effects occur with predators such as orius species which take moisture from plant and as a result are adversely affected by feeding on the juice of the plants treated with systemic insecticides. The application of pesticides in agroecosystem is probably primary factor which causes the most drastic reduction of natural enemies of pests in these systems. Their effects have been demonstrated by resurgence of target pest and the change of status of formerly, economically unimportant species into important pests. The spread of H. armigera in Asia is related to wide scale use of broad spectrum pesticides. In Pakistan, recently aphids are emerging as important pests because of increased use of pesticides. Many insects have now developed resistance to pesticides. Plant protection is a biological process, regulated by the natural process, and the pests can not be controlled by toxic chemicals which have created most major problems with global agriculture. For example, the reports in 1994 indicated that over 500 Arthropode species, mostly insects have become resistant to most chemical pesticides, creating major economic losses and embarrassment to the commercial agriculture industry. Now days in developed countries, the crops are saved from different pests by applying integrated pest management (IPM) technology. Many scientists have defined the term Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in many ways but perhaps the most suitable one is a 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 as possible manner and maintains pest population at level below those causing economic injury. Since the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is exploitation of components of agroecosystem comprising of crops in a particular area, the pests and diseases, presence of predators and parasites, other biotic and abiotic factors and the social behaviour of man so as to modify the behaviour of pests and diseases to harvest economic yields. This program starts from the study of plant it self. 28

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a management system which uses combination of crop protection strategies and the best agronomic practices to achieve economically favourable crop production by using biologically sensitive and environment responsible agro-ecosystem pest management strategies. It is a multidisciplinary integrative approach to crop protection, which integrates the skills of all agriculture researchers, extension personnel and the growers to produce the most sustainable productive agriculture ecosystem. The extensive use of pesticide on cotton and other crops started during late 1970's at the same time concepts of IPM were debated and discussed in advanced countries of the world. Realizing the importance of IPM in a modern food production and protection, research on the IPM was started at the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), at Islamabad in 1980's. Scientists working in provincial agricultural research institutes and Agricultural Universities were encouraged to initiate research projects on IPM on different major crops. The result of those research projects were disseminated to farming community through extension workers, and through radio and T.V. communications and publications of Agricultural Departments at Federal and Provincial Levels (Khuro, 1998). However, the research on Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M) projects are being run by the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC), the Provincial Agricultural Departments and the Agricultural Universities of the country making useful contributions for controlling pest infestations. The proper and systematic development on Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M) programme requires a good scientific background and the development of information. The successful implementation of Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M) requires properly trained personnel at all levels. The programme is developed slowly and step by step and should be taken as a process. The Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M) has been already adopted by Agricultural Extension System in Pakistan where the farmers have been given the awareness through seminars, exhibitions, video films and trainings about pest scouting and monitoring techniques and identification of pests and beneficial natural enemies. The detail of successful examples of I.P.M. programme in Sindh province is started with the coordination of F.A.O. and A.D.B. in which the agriculture field staff getting training regarding adoption of I.P.M. technology. In Sindh province initially two centres have been selected for the training of I.P.M. Programme, which are Khairpur Mirs and other one is Sakrand. The proper trained field staff of Agricultural Extension in adoption of I.P.M. technology is responsible to train the progressive cotton growers of above mentioned selected areas (Khairpur Mirs and Sakrand). They will give training to the cotton growers for proper pest scouting, identifying of beneficial insects (predators and parasites), agronomic practices, cultural control, physical control, biological control, pheromone control, botanical pesticides and biopesticides. This training programme will remain continued for 3 more years. The specific objectives of the study are as under: To know the extent of adoption of Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M) practices. To find out the effectiveness of the selected sources of information regarding adoption of IPM by the farmers. 29

METHODOLOGY The target population of the study consisted of cotton growers of Ghotki district. Four dehs (Revenue administrative units) i.e Rail, Rani, Choranwala and Kata were randomly selected from Taluka Dahrki for the study. A random sample of 25 cotton growers was interviewed from each selected four Dehs so as the total sample size consisted of 100 cotton growers. Total sample size comprised 100 respondents for the study. A detailed questionnaire was developed by reviewing the literature. The data were collected with the help of direct connect method in the shape of personal interviews with the selected sample of cotton growers and extension field staff. The data were analyzed by using the SPSS package (Statistical Package for Social Scientists). RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS This study was conducted to analyse the perceptions of cotton growers regarding the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technology. First of all it was important to see how many farmers were familiar with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technology. It was found that majority (91 percent) of the farmers was not familiar with IPM technology and only 9 percent of farmers familiar with. It was also found that up to 2% of cotton growers have adopted IPM technology. Moreover, survey results indicate that, 4 percent of the respondents heard about IPM application technology through radio, 2 percent heard from television, one percent heard from pesticide companies and 2 percent got information from agriculture magazines whereas, 91 percent did not know about IPM. In response to the question which source influenced more, majority (97 percent) did not respond and only one percent of the respondents were more influenced with radio, TV and agriculture magazines. Further, it was investigated that, television was the most effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology (ranked number one). Majority (63 percent) of the respondents were of the opinion that T.V is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and 33 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that T.V is some what effective source of information regarding the Agricultural programmes. Radio received second number in ranking of effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. Whereas, 55 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that Radio is highly effective source, 27 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that Radio is some what effective source of information and only 3 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that radio is not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Newspapers were ranked as number three effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. More than half of the respondents were of the opinion that news paper is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 23 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that news paper is some what effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and only 8 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that news paper is not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Extension worker was 4 th in ranking for effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 31 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that extension worker is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 39 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that extension worker is some what effective source and only 3 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that extension worker is not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. 30

Pesticide agencies were 5 th in raking of effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 20 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that pesticide companies are highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 39 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that pesticide companies are some what effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and 36 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that pesticide companies are effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Agriculture magazines obtained 6 th position in raking of effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 39 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that agriculture magazine is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 25 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that agriculture magazine is some what effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and only 15 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that agriculture magazine is not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Posters and wallpapers were 7 th in ranking of effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 38 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that posters are effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 29 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that posters are less effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and only 11 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that posters are not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Seasonal shows ranked 8 th in effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 21 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that seasonal shows are some what effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 28 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that seasonal shows are effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 22 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that seasonal shows are less effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and while 24 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that seasonal shows are not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes (table 1). Fairs and festivals ranked 9 th position in effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 22 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that fairs & festivals are some what effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 29 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that fairs & festivals are less effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and 30 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that fairs & festivals are not effective source of information. Exhibitions ranked 10 th regarding effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. About 24 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that exhibitions are effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes, 33 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that exhibitions are less effective source of information and 28 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that exhibitions are not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Films and motion pictures were last in ranking regarding effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology. 27 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that motion pictures effective source of information, 39 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that motion pictures are less effective source of information and 27 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that motion pictures are not effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. 31

Table-1: Farmer s Perception Regarding Effective Source of Information for Adoption of IPM Technology Sources of information Degree of effectiveness Total Mean Rank 1 2 3 4 5 TV 63% 33% 4% - - 100 1.41 1 st Radio 55% 27% 14% 1% 3% 100 1.70 2 nd Newspapers 53% 23% 13% 3% 8% 100 1.90 3 rd Extension worker/agent 31% 39% 15% 12% 3% 100 2.17 4 th Pesticide companies / Seed 20% 39% 36% 4% 1% 100 2.27 5 th agencies Agriculture magazines 39% 25% 14% 7% 15% 100 2.34 6 th Posters/wall posters 3% 19% 38% 29% 11% 100 3.26 7 th Seasonal shows 5% 21% 28% 22% 24% 100 3.39 8 th Fairs & Festivals 2% 22% 17% 29% 30% 100 3.63 9 th Exhibitions 2% 13% 24% 33% 28% 100 3.72 10 th Motion pictures or films - 7% 27% 39% 27% 100 3.87 11 th 1= Highly effective, 2 = Some what effective, 3 = Effective, 4 = less effective, 5 = Not effective Source: Survey data 2002 Educational programmes for farmers are the best method for adoption of IPM technology. In this regard, it was investigated that what kind and duration of educational programmes would be beneficial for IPM technology adoption. Survey results revealed that, majority (65 percent) of the respondents were of the opinion that the IPM training programmes should be launched for short term about 1-2 weeks, 30 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that the IPM training programmes should be launched for long term above one month duration and remaining 5 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that the IPM training programmes should be launched in the shape of seminars, workshops & meetings. During survey, it was found that majority (59 percent) of the respondents were of the opinion that such type of training programmes should be launched at village level, 32 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that such type of training programmes should be launched at union council and very few i.e. only 9 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that such type of training programmes should be organized at taluka & district level. Conclusion Majority (91 percent) of selected cotton growers was not familiar with IPM technology. The majority (91 percent) of the cotton growers have not heard about IPM technology. Television becomes 1 st in ranking as effective source of information for adoption of IPM technology and other sources were: radio, newspapers, extension worker and pesticide companies were ranked 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, and 5 th. The majority (63 percent) of the respondents were of the opinion that T.V is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes and where as 55 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that Radio is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. Where as 31 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that extension worker is highly effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. The majority (65 percent) of the respondents were of the opinion that the IPM application training programmes should be launched in short term about 1-2 weeks. The majority (59 percent) of the respondents were of the opinion that such type training programmes should be launched at village level. 32

Recommendations Results of the study revealed that majority 91% of cotton growers were not aware of the concept of IPM technology. So it is recommended that the government should take appropriate measures to popularize this technology among the cotton growers of the province. Study indicates that the majority 63% of cotton growers were of the opinion that TV is the best effective source of information regarding the agricultural programmes. It is therefore recommended that additional programmes about agriculture be launched on PTV in the local languages of their areas. Study findings indicated that majority 65 percent of cotton growers were of the opinion that the IPM training programme should be launched in short term duration about one to two weeks, while majority 59 percent of cotton growers were indicated that such type of programmes about the adoption of IPM technology should be organized at the village level. It is recommended that short term programmes about adoption of IPM technology should be organized at village level with the help of extension field staff of their respective districts. REFERENCES Birthal, P.S., O.P. Sharma, Sant-Kmar, and S. Kumar, (2000). Economics of integrated pest management: evidences and issues. Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics. 55 (4): 644-659. Eavy, A.L. (1995). "IPM Philosophy. Consultant ARP-II Winrock International Hyderabad. Eveleens, K.G. (2000). The FAO/FU cotton IPM programme in Asia: problems and prospects. The BCPC Conference: Pests and diseases. Volume-1. Proceedings of an Int. conf. held at the Bridhton Hilton Matropole-Hotel. Brighton, UK, 13-16 Nov. 2000. 185-192. Fitt, G.P., J. Katan (ed.), N. Aharonson (ed.), E. Cohen (ed.), B. Rubin (ed.), and G.A. Matthews, (2000). An Australian approach to IPM in cotton: Integrating new technologies to minimise insecticide dependence. XIVth International Plant Protection Congress, Jarusalem, Israel. July 25-30, 1999. Crop Protection, 19 (8-10): 793-800. Reddy, D.B. (1982). Integrated Pest Management an overview Asia & pacific region information letter FAO Plant Protection Committee for the South East and Pacific Region. (1980), No.122, 8. February 1982, Volume 70 No.2 Review of Applied Entomology UK. 33