Title : Assessing adoption of good agricultural practices in protected house vegetable growing farmers in Badulla district, Sri Lanka: Perceptions, challenges, and pathways for sustainable farming
Abstract:
The agricultural sector in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Badulla District, plays a pivotal role in the national economy, contributing significantly to food security, employment, and export revenues. Despite the growing emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices, the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) among protected house vegetable farmers in Badulla has been notably limited, primarily due to a lack of awareness and the perceived complexity of these practices. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of these farmers toward Good Agricultural Practices, focusing on identifying the perceived benefits, challenges, and influencing factors that ultimately affect their decision to adopt GAP standards. A structured survey was employed to gather data from a purposively selected sample of 105 protected house vegetable farmers in the Badulla District who have been exposed to GAP. The analysis of the data utilized descriptive statistics and binary logit models to ascertain the determinants influencing farmers' perceptions and their subsequent decisions regarding the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices. The findings indicate that farmers exhibit favourable perceptions toward the adoption of GAPs. Specifically, factors such as age, farm income, and engagement with extension services positively correlate with the perception of GAPs. Additionally, perceived benefits—including increased income, enhanced productivity, reduced production costs, improved worker well-being, and positive environmental implications—serve as significant motivators for farmers. Conversely, challenges such as limited market access, financial constraints, insufficient technical knowledge and support, and the inherent complexity of GAP implementation negatively impact their perceptions. This study elucidates the critical barriers hindering the adoption of GAPs and emphasizes the necessity for enhanced technical support, improved market access, and the simplification of GAP processes to facilitate greater acceptance of sustainable agricultural practices. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and agricultural extension services, enabling them to devise targeted interventions that effectively promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices among vegetable farmers in Sri Lanka.
Keywords: Good Agricultural Practices; Sustainable Farming Practices; Perceptions; Vegetable Farmers
