EXPLORATION OF PROBLEMS OF THE FARMERS IN T-AMAN CULTIVATION DUE TO FLOOD

Abstract

The main focus of the present study was to determine the problems faced by the farmers in T-aman cultivation due to flood and to explore the relationships between the problems faced by the farmers and their selected characteristics. The study was conducted at Patadaha and Gojaria villages as a flood affected area of Adarvita Union of Madargonj Upazilla under Jamalpur District. Data were collected from 125 flood affected T-aman farmers who were randomly selected as the sample of the study by using random sampling method from an update list of 1254 T-aman farmers that was prepared with the help of Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers of the study area. The researcher himself collected data through personal contact with a well structured pretested interview schedule during the period from 08 to 31 March, 2011. The study revealed that highest proportion (63.2 percent) of the respondents had medium problem in T-aman cultivation due to flood, while 20.8 percent and 16 percent of the respondents had low and high problems respectively. Pearson's Product Moment Correlation co-efficient (r) was computed to explore the relationships between the problems faced by the farmers in T-aman cultivation due to flood and their ten selected characteristics. The correlation analysis indicated that educational level, extension media contact, training exposure. innovativencss, decision making ability and farmers' knowledge on T-aman cultivation in flooding condition had significant negative relationships with the problems laced by the farmers in T-aman cultivation due to flood. Experience in T-aman cultivation, T-aman cultivation area, annual expenditure and commercialization had non-significant relationships with the problems in T-aman cultivation due to flood. A Problem Faced Index (FF1) for the 15 selected problems in T-aman cultivation due to flood was developed to measure the severity among the problems of which possible range was "0" to 300. The Problem Faced Index indicated that the farmers faced highest problem in "fully damaged field requires retransplantation". This was followed by "poor yield in the flood affected fields" and "high price of seeds and seedlings after flood". However, the less serious problems were identified as "high price of labor, fertilizers and pesticides after the affect of flood". "unavailability of labor after flood" and "shortage of fertilizers and pesticides in after flood condition". Individually they were positioned in the rank order as 14th and 15 " respectively.