Effectiveness of integrated pest management technology through farmers’ field schools on vegetable production in Nawalparasi and Kavrepalanchok districts of Nepal.

Adhikari, K. P., N. P. Gupta, B. B. S. Dongol and R. B. Thapa. 2007. IAAS Research Advances Vol. 2. Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. pp. 119-126.

Keywords: Vegetable production, IPM-FFS, knowledge and adoption level, pesticide problem

A study on effectiveness of IPM-FFS in vegetable production was conducted in Nawalparasi and Kavreplanchok districts of Nepal in 2005. A household survey of 104 farmers (52 in each district) was conducted selecting 13 respondents randomly from each of eight FFS groups (4 groups from each district). Majority of the respondents were found to have high level of knowledge on harmful insects (72.1%), followed by predators (56.7%), and pesticides and environmental phenomenon (63.5%). Similarly, there was a high level of adoption of IPM technology by 66.3%. The average vegetable production increased by 39.6% after the introduction of IPM-FFS. The study showed that agricultural training, farmers’ contact with extension workers and group memberships had positively significant association and were responsible to adoption of IPM technology. The study indicated that IPM technology induced through FFS tool in vegetable production was a profitable, eco-friendly as well as suitable approach for vegetable growers.