Abstract:
Agriculture is the mainstay of Sri Lanka's economy. However, inadequate farming
methods from production to the post-harvest stage adversely influence the safety and
quality of agriculture in Sri Lanka. Hence, this study intends to disseminate Good
Agricultural Practices (GAPs) through the “Govi Nena” mobile-based certification
model as a sound solution to overcome these challenges in this technologically
advanced era. Potato crop was selected as the first test crop and primary data were
collected using pre-tested structured questionnaires and discussions from 225 potato
farmers by random sampling technique and the model was developed using the
Design Science Research methodology. The survey findings indicate that the majority
of potato farmers, encompassing 90% of the respondents, rigorously adhere to proper
agricultural practices such as soil conservation, crop rotation, cropping methods, and
land preparation. Nonetheless, challenges persist, including the excessive use of
inorganic chemicals and fertilizers, inadequate soil fertility management, subpar
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) implementation, and unsatisfactory post-harvest
handling practices. In response, a certification model which covers all necessary
information for pest and disease management was developed. It was noted that
several factors significantly influence the development of the certification model,
including farmers' experience (p=0.000), age (p=0.000), education level (p=0.014),
awareness of GAPs, the willingness to acquire knowledge about GAPs (p=0.000),
and the eagerness to implement GAPs through a mobile-based application (p=0.000).
This application is designed to provide actionable information and guidance on
GAPs, offering a promising solution to mitigate improper farming practices in Sri
Lanka by disseminating knowledge and guidance effectively.
