ADOPTION OF SOYBEAN CULTIVATION BY THE FARMERS OF NOAKHALI DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to determine and describe the extent of adoption of soybean cultivation by the growers in some selected areas of Noakhali district of Bangladesh. Attempts were also made to describe some of the selected characteristics of the soybean growers and their relationship with their adoption of soybean cultivation. Data were obtained from 110 randomly selected farmers formed total of 1100 growers under 12 village, 6 unions of Sadar, Subama Char and Hatiya upazila of Noakhali district. An interview schedule was used for collecting data during the period time I September to 15 October 2009. The findings of the study indicate that majority (52.70 percent) of the growers had medium adoption while 30.90 percent had low adoption and 16.40 percent had high adoption of soybean cultivation practices. Correlation analysis indicate that among the selected characteristics age, education, farm size, extension contact, cossmopoliteness, innovativeness, and attitude of the growers showed non significant relation with their adoption of soybean cultivation. On the other hand, annual family income of the growers showed highly significant relationship and agricultural knowledge of the growers showed significant relationship with their adoption of soybean cultivation. Farmers mentioned that there were 12 problems, which hindered the adoption of soybean cultivation to a great extent. Among the problems three important problems were: less irrigation facilities, high impute cost (seed, fertilizer and pesticides) and non availability of credit.