Assessing the Role of Appropriate Technology in Agricultural Sector in Gujarat with reference to Entrepreneurship: An Evidence from Field Survey

Abstract

This study identifies the drivers and barriers in the adoption of Appropriate Technology in agriculture sector in Gujarat using farm level data. Thereupon, it examines the significance of appropriate technologies in farming activities. It shows that application of technologies has different usages such as ploughing, seeding, weeding, field preparation of seed planting, fertilizer application, multipurpose tool seed cum fertilizer drill, manual seed transplanter, and water conservation. Most farmers have also reported several benefits of technologies such as saving water, reduce human efforts, effective to prepare land for seed planting, increase in germination of seed, reduce cost of cultivation, increase in crop yield, increase in soil quality and fertility, increase the minimum use of water and fertilizer, better marketing and reduce negative impact of various activities on ecosystem and reduce waste materials in cultivation. It infers that 64.17%, 89.17% and 63.33% farmers are familiar with economic, social and environmental viability of appropriate technologies respectively. Empirical results imply that technology cost, arable land, cropping intensity, irrigated area, use of fertilizer and agricultural labour, annual income of farmers and use of appropriate technologies in cultivation are seemed crucial drivers for agricultural production. It is also observed that farmers do not have significant contribution in entrepreneurship activities. Thus, it is suggested that government organizations need to make a policy and programmes to promote participation of farmers in entrepreneurial activities.