Food Security through Crop Diversification: Farmers’ Adoption of Improved Practices in Vegetable Cultivation

The study was conducted to determine the extent of adoption of improved vegetable production practices by the farmers and to explore relationship between the selected characteristics of the farmers with their adoption. Data were collected through personal interview from 136 randomly selected vegetable growers of the four villages, viz. Bijaynagar, Char Nilakshiya, Sathiyapara and Bhatipara under Sadar Upazila of Mymensingh district during January to March 2011. In terms of overall adoption the highest portion (86.0%) of the respondents had low to medium level of adoption. On the basis of adoption index, use of recommended doses of fertilizer ranked first followed by use of improved variety, use of improved cultural practices and use of integrated pest management. Among the eleven selected characteristics of the farmers level of education, farming information exposure, knowledge on vegetable production, cosmopoliteness, innovativeness and organizational participation showed significant positive correlation and age showed significant negative correlation with their adoption of improved vegetable production practices.