FARMERS’ INFORMATION NEEDS FOR GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAPs) IN DINAJPUR DISTRICT

Abstract

The main objectives of the study were to assess the information needs of farmers for good agricultural practices (GAPs), to explore the relationship between farmers‟ selected characteristics with their information needs for good agricultural practices (GAPs), and to determine the problems perceived by farmers in adopting good agricultural practices (GAPs). The study was conducted in two unions namely Betdighi and Aladipur of Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur district. One hundred four (104) farmers were interviewed using an interview schedule from 9 March to 2 April 2023. Simple and direct questions and appropriate scales were used in order to measure the selected variables. To measure farmers‟ information needs of good agricultural practices (GAPs), 20 items under four dimensions were considered. The selected items were measured on a four-point rating scale. Scores were assigned as 3, 2, 1, and 0 for „high‟, „medium‟, „low‟, and „no‟ information needs, respectively. The finding of the study revealed that the highest proportion (68.3 percent) of the respondents had the medium information needs while 28.8 percent had the high information needs and 2.9 percent of them had low information needs. Among four dimensions of good agricultural practices (GAPs) farmers expressed their utmost need of information for „sustainable and healthy production‟ and based on the Standardized Information Needs Index (SINI), „appropriate cultivation practices according to GAP policies‟ (SINI=92.31) was ranked first. Correlation analyses indicate that age, educational qualification, agricultural training received, knowledge of good agricultural practices, and contact with sources of information had significant negative relationships with farmers‟ information needs while attitude towards good agricultural practices had the significant positive relationship with the focus issue. Moreover, “lack of specialized skills in practicing complex GAP technologies and methods” (SPPI=95.83) was found to be the major problem perceived by the farmers in adopting good agricultural practices (GAPs).