FARMERS’ KNOWLEDGE ON GROUNDNUT CULTIVATION IN DEBIGANJ UPAZILA UNDER PANCHAGARH DISTRICT

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to determine the relationships between the selected characteristics of groundnut growers with their knowledge on groundnut cultivation, to determine the extent of farmers’ knowledge on groundnut cultivation and to identify the problems faced by the farmers in groundnut cultivation given by the farmers. Data were collected from the farmers of seven villages of Debiganj Upazila of Panchagarh district during 5 April to 5 May 2018. The sample size of the study was 102 farmers and it was drawn from a population of 1024 using random sampling technique. Out of 14 questions covering seven areas of groundnut cultivation ‘plant protection measure’ was accorded 1st rank by the groundnut farmers and ‘sowing method of groundnut cultivation’ 7 th rank possessed poor possessed of knowledge. About three-fourths (75.49 percent) of the farmers had fair knowledge compared to 14.71 percent poor knowledge and only had 9.80 percent good knowledge on groundnut cultivation. Among the nine selected characteristics of the farmers four characteristics namely, education, farming experience, cosmopoliteness, and extension media contact showed significant and positive relationship but marketing orientation showed significant and negative relationship with farmers’ knowledge on groundnut cultivation. On other hand age, farm size, annual income and scientific orientation were failed to show any relationship with farmers’ knowledge on groundnut cultivation. The groundnut farmers mentioned many problems among them advance rainfall in harvesting time was the most serious problem (80.39 percent). Over rainfall during harvesting period hampered production was mention minimum number of farmers (4.90 percent).