Factors affecting the choice of soil conservation practices adopted by potato farmers in Nuwara Eliya district, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Potato is an economically attractive crop, but it causes soil erosion in the hill country. Nuwara Eliya contributes about 27% of the national potato production and about 58% of the potato-cultivated land is prone to severe soil erosion. In spite of the seriousness of the soil erosion and the need for effective soil conservation practices, there is an absence of research on soil conservation practices and the level of adoption by potato cultivators. Therefore, the purpose of this research project was to find out the dif ferent soil conservation practices, level of adoption by potato farmers and influence of socio-economic factors on farmers’ decisions in the Nuwara Eliya district. Data were collected from a multistage strati fied random sample of 50 potato farmers in five Agrarian Service Centers (ASC) in the Nuwara Eliya district during 2007. Judgmental scaling method was used to assess the different levels of soil conserva tion methods adopted by the potato farmers. Multinomial Logit model was used to determine the choice of soil conservation practices. Likert - scaling method was used to assess the potato farmers’ perception on adopting appropriate soil conservation methods. Results reveal that 30, 52 and 18% of the potato cultivators were practicing good, average and poor level of soil conservation practices respectively. Good level of soil conservation practices has increased the farmers’potato yield and income. The cost of cultivation inversely affected the soil conservation practices adopted by potato cultivators. The prob ability of adopting good level of soil conservation was affected positively and significantly by education and land size. About 60% of the potato farmers have a positive attitude towards the importance of im proving soil conservation. Land ownership is a crucial factor for this. Appropriate training, extension and effective soil conservation subsidy are recommended to improve soil conservation for sustainable potato cultivation.