Awareness on Bio-Based Farming System: A Study in Four Districts of South West Bengal
Debabrata Giri*
Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva Bharati, West Bengal (731 236), India
Bidhan Chandra Roy
Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva Bharati, West Bengal (731 236), India
Debashis Sarkar
Dept. of Agricultural Economics, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva Bharati, West Bengal (731 236), India
Sourendranath Das
State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Narendrapur, Kolkata, West Bengal (700 103), India
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54083/ResBio/3.2.2021.110-115
Keywords: Awareness, Bio-based Farming System, Chemical farming, Sustainable agriculture
Abstract
To meet the demand for the growing population, post-independence Indian agriculture was highly based on synthetic based modern agriculture. Though there is a positive change highly contributed economic growth, this chemical-based agriculture was criticized from environmental aspects. Conflict arises between synthetic based agriculture and increasing demand for non-chemical agriculture like Bio-Based Farming System (BBFS), that are most important for maintaining soil fertility as well as soil health for sustainable agricultural production. To solve the conflict, awareness level of the farmers is more important between introducing any farming system like Bio-Based Farming System or maintaining a chemical traditional farming system. The present study is an attempt to study the awareness level of the farmers practicing bio-based farming system. Four districts of Southern West Bengal from which, four blocks and then four villages from those blocks have been randomly selected for the study. A total of 200 farmers have been selected (50 from each village). Results showed that 78% farmers strongly agree that quality of BBFS product is good than chemical based product; 67% respondents strongly agree that BBFS farming system is profitable. Similarly, about 70% respondents are aware about the use of crop rotation and recommended Package of Practice.
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