Abstract:
The Sri Lankan tea industry greatly depends on the Tea Smallholding sector,
where public and private sector organizations operate in Public, Private,
Producer, and Society-oriented Partnerships (4PS) models to address social
challenges and drive economic growth. This study investigated the
effectiveness of the 4PS model in the technology outreaching process,
determined key challenges and success factors, and proposed measures to
strengthen the partnership model for sustainable land productivity of Tea
smallholders. Further, this study was conducted with 100 tea smallholders in
the Ratnapura region using a cluster sampling technique. Primary data was
collected through pre-tested questionnaires, focus group discussions, and indepth
interviews and the reliability analysis showed the survey instrument
used in the study was reliable and with good internal consistency
(Cronbach‟s Alpha = 0.904). Descriptive analysis and ordinal logistic
regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The descriptive
results indicated that 57% of farmers believe the 4PS model is moderately
effective, 32% consider it highly effective, and 11% of respondents agree
that it is very highly effective. The ordinal logistic regression indicated that
the overall model was significant (P<0.05). Further, it exhibited that the
effectiveness of the model is 63.5% and showed a positive correlation with
smallholder‟s access to resources, participation in training programs, access
to extension services, degree of satisfaction with the model, and adoption of
sustainable farming practices, increase the probability of positive income.
Therefore, these findings suggest that policymakers should focus on
improving access to resources, training programs, and extension services to
increase the likelihood of positive income outcomes for tea smallholders
through the 4PS model.
