Extent of adoption of sweet corn cultivation in South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha

Sweet corn is becoming very popular in different parts of the country. The present study was conducted during 2019-20 in two blocks of Malkangiri district comprising 120 numbers of farmers from four adopted villages of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Malkangiri in South Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha. In previous years (2017-18 and 2018-19) KVK, Malkangiri has conducted FLD programmes on sweet corn cultivation by providing the critical inputs with support of production technologies. Conducting front line demonstrations on farmer’s field help to identify potential of the sweet corn in specific area as well as it helps in improving the economic and social status of the farmers. The ex-post facto research design was used for the study. Majority of the respondents (83.3%) were found to possess medium to high level of adoption behavior regarding different recommended package and practices about sweet corn cultivation. It means that the respondents were more energetic, progressive and adopting the sweet corn as cash crop keeping the market demand in mind and practicing the technologies for better production and higher net return. The study revealed that socio- economic variable like education, extension contact, communication material used and holding size were the pertinent variables exhibiting influence towards adoption behaviour of the respondents. Different extension agencies like KVK, ATMA, NGO’s of the district need to provide more technical support to the farmers for increase in area and production of sweet corn.

• Majority of the respondents (83.3%) were found to possess medium to high level of adoption behavior regarding different recommended package and practices about sweet corn cultivation.

• Socio-economic variables like education, extension contact, communication material used and holding size were the pertinent variables exhibiting influence towards adoption behaviour of the respondents.