Adoption of Agricultural Technology and Socio Economic Impact of Super Straw Management System in Haryana, India

Abstract

Super straw management system is a machine in which an additional equipment attached   with combine harvester so it cut standing stubble in small pieces on the soil surface in which  crop harvesting and  residue management both can be done in a single operation. A research involving 120 farmers who were adopters (60 adopters) and  non adopters (60 non adopters) of the Super straw Management system was conducted in rural areas of the Fatehabad district of the Indian state of Haryana in 2021–2022.  This paper's main goal is to investigate Super Straw Management System adoption as a viable, innovative solution to rice residue burning in rice-wheat cropping systems, as well as the socioeconomic effects of adoption on farmer’s livelihoods. The reasons for not implementing the super straw management system were also evaluated. According to the findings, medium adoption of SMS was discovered among farmers (41.67%), followed by low adoption among farmers (38.33%) and high adoption among just 20% of the farmers. Factors like age, size of land holding, size of family, annual income, participation in social organisations, media exposure, and socioeconomic status were found significantly associated with adoption of SMS among farmers. While caste, level of education, the family's secondary occupation, and the type of family were not found to be significant with farmers' adoption levels, Results about the reasons why the Super Straw Management System was not adopted clearly demonstrated that there is no alternative for ex-situ straw management while using SMS (rank I). At the same time, farmers (rank II) did not show a readiness to pay additional custom charges. More than 3/5 of the respondents agreed that conventional combines are easily available for hiring (rank III); combine harvesters with SMS used more fuel (3 to 3.25 l/ha) and required higher engine power (8–10 hp) than conventional combine harvesters. Cumulative socio-economic impact of SMS was reported  increased  with respect to increase in decision making powers  which is  ranked Ist,  followed by increased in  extension contacts (IInd rank) and change in attitude for  quality education of children (IIIrd rank).