Profitability and sustainability of vegetable cultivation under the multi-cropping system in the Nuwara Eliya district

Abstract

Food is a basic and vital requirement of human being for survival. When population increases, the food production should also be increased to meet food demand of the people. Food production has been increased by expanding cultivated land (horizontal way), increasing per unit of production (vertical way) or in both ways. Limiting the cultivable land, they have been experimenting new ways of production systems to increase of agricultural production. Some of them have applied traditional or modern systems to overcome the constraints and achieved different results. Accordingly, it is possible to identify different farming systems with different production and productivity which are based on spatial differentiation (agro-climatic), crop wise, cultivator wise, methods of cultivating and use of technology as well in the world. In this study, the researcher attempted to examine such peculiar farming system which is known as ‘Multiple Cropping System’ (MCS) in upcountry. The major objectives of the study were to find the profitability and sustainability of multi- cropping. system in vegetable farming in the area. In addition, it was attempted to examine the nature of the farming system, approaches, practices and marketing of the vegetable farming in the area. The ‘Galpalama village’ which produced the highest vegetable production in Nuwaraeliya district was selected for the study. A finding of the study reveals that the MCS is practiced by 75% of the vegetable cultivators in the study area. Most of them cultivate either three or four crops under the system. Vegetables such as leaks, carrot, beet and lettuce are grown in the same beds of soil with highly intensive cultivation system. All farmers who practice MCS were able to increase their farm production by 10-15% and minimized risk by 25-30%. The farmers have been applying agro-chemicals over than recommended level which adversely affect for the production, soil beds, water, human being and environment. The study found that the vegetable productivity and sustainability have inverse relationship. They are far away from sustainable vegetable production system but only achieving profit maximization in short runs.