ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE GAP AND CONSTRAINTS OF POTATO GROWERS IN TAWANG DISTRICT OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH

NITIN KUMAR PANDEY¹, D.S. CHHONKAR², DHIRAJ KUMAR SINGH³*, MEHI LAL^4
1Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tawang, 790 140, Arunachal Pradesh, India
²Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tawang, 790 140, Arunachal Pradesh, India
³ICAR- Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, 171 001, Himachal Pradesh, India
⁴ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute Campus, Modipuram, Meerut, 250110, Uttar Pradesh, India
* Corresponding Author : dhirajextension@gmail.com

Received : 05-07-2016     Accepted : 01-08-2016     Published : 27-10-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 51       Pages : 2224 - 2226
Int J Agr Sci 8.51 (2016):2224-2226

Keywords : Knowledge gap, Constraint analysis, Potato cultivation
Academic Editor : Rajarshi Roy Burman
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

Potato is grown as cash crop in North East Hill (NEH) region of India. The current study was planned in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh to study the knowledge level, gap in knowledge of farmers and constraints in potato cultivation and marketing. A total of 120 farmers from five villages of Tawang were randomly selected as respondents for this study. Data was collected through survey method using a structured interview schedule. Suitable statistical tools like frequency, mean and percentage were used for analysis of data. Results revealed that a majority of farmers (80-90%) had good knowledge in areas like ‘land preparation’, ‘time and method of sowing & harvesting’, ‘spacing’ and ‘earthing up’ operations followed in potato. The highest gap in knowledge was observed in the field of ‘plant protection’ (52.5%) followed by ‘correct doses of fertilizer and chemical’ (46.6%), ‘method of fertilizer application’ (42.5%) and ‘water management’ (40%). Radio was found to be the most important source of agricultural information for farmers. This gap should be bridged through organization of trainings, demonstrations, awareness camp and mass media programmes on potato cultivation in the selected region. Among production constraints, ‘small size of land holding’, ‘unavailability of sufficient labour’, ‘unavailability of quality seed of improved variety’ and ‘lack of technical knowledge’ were identified as major constraints for farmers. Among marketing constraints, ‘Lack of regulated market’ and ‘lack of storage facility for potato’ were major constraints.