FARMERS’ EXTENT OF ADAPTATION STRATEGIES TOWARDS SALINITY EFFECTS IN AGRICULTURE

Abstract

The study was to about extent of adaptation strategies of farmers’ who were struggling to adapt salinity effects in agriculture day by day. The purpose of the study was to describe the socio-economic profile of the salinity affected farmers in the study area; to determine farmers’ extent of adaptation strategies towards salinity effects in agriculture and to explore contributing relationship between the selected characteristics of the salinity affected farmers and their extent of adaptation strategies towards salinity effects in agriculture. The study was undertaken purposively in Kalapara upazila under Patuakhali district. Validated and wellstructured interview schedule (questionnaire) was used to collect data from 131

farmers during 20 th February to 30 th March 2016. Data analysis was done using simple and inferential statistical tools such as frequency counts, mean, standard deviation, and multiple regressions. The findings showed that majority of the farmers (48.1 percent) had medium level adaptation, 28.2 percent of them had high level adaptation while 23 percent had low level adaptation strategies towards salinity effects in agriculture. The results also showed that farmers’ age, educational background, farming experience, agricultural extension contact and farmer’s category were significant factors for farmers’ extent of adaptation strategies towards salinity effects in agriculture; and within this, age, agricultural extension contact and farmer’s category were the most significant contributing factors. It is concluded that, the study farmers had opportunity to enhance their knowledge through proper school or mass education that made them enthusiastic and interested to take risk, and motivated them to come out from traditional behavior and practices in agriculture.