Awareness of farmers regarding Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) practices in Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS)

Abstract

Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS) is an important cropping system of Haryana. Over the decades, its intensification into a monocropping system has resulted in various issues, including soil health deterioration. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, especially nitrogen is said to be the major cause. A sustainable solution for this is integrated nutrient management (INM). The present study was conducted to ascertain farmers’ awareness about INM practices in RWCS during 2021-22 in Haryana using the ex-post facto research design. The total sample size for the study was 120. It could be concluded that two-third of respondents (66.67%) belonged to medium category of awareness, while 21.67 percent of the respondents had high awareness and about 11.66 percent of the respondents had low awareness about recommended INM practices in RWCS. The correlational analysis between awareness and independent variables revealed that age, education, land holding, farming experience, social participation, farm power, mass media exposure, extension contact and risk orientation were significantly correlated with awareness indicating their role in raising awareness of the INM practices.