A novel framework for identifying the interactions between biophysical and social components of an agricultural system: a guide for improving wheat production in Haryana, NW India

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework with related analysis methodologies that identifies the influence of social environment on an established cropping system.

Design/methodology/approach: A stratified survey including 103 villages and 823 farmers was conducted in all districts of Haryana (India). Firstly, technical efficiency (TE) was modeled using biophysical data including grain yield, seeding rate, wheat varieties, tillage, sowing date, seed source, harvesting method and the application of fertilizer, herbicide and irrigation. The relationship between TE and social community factors such as farm size, farmer age, level of education and agricultural support programs was analyzed by regression tree.

Findings: TE was lower with the farmers who only have education to a primary standard. Farmers with high TE scores were mostly between 35 and 40 years of age, and a higher TE association was common for farmers who use technical publications. Social individual factors such as farmers’ views on the future of farming were also analyzed across different TE levels.

Practical implications: Farmers with lower TE are an obvious target for production improvement, particularly given the understanding that the overall production yield gap is small in Haryana.

Theoretical implications: Our conceptual framework shows a quantitative way to establish the socio-ecological linkage, and to identify the opportunities for changes in management with extension services leading to productivity improvement.

Originality/value: This paper provides a novel framework with detailed methodology to effectively identify the socio-economic factors that limit the biophysical production in an agricultural system.

KEYWORDS:

• Farmer survey
• extension
• technology adoption
• technical efficiency
• education
• regression tree analysis

Acknowledgments

This study was possible with the excellent collaboration provided by the many farmers who participated in the surveys in 2010. We thank B. S. Duggal (Additional Director) and staff from the State Department of Agriculture, Haryana, and Dr. R. K. Malik, Director Extension Education, CCSHAU, Hisar and KVK staff, for their commitment to the surveys undertaken. We gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance provided by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research for this study project number: CIM/2006/094.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

D. R. Coventry, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

R. S. Poswal, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, KAB-1, Pusa, New Delhi, India.

Ashok Yadav, IRRI, Patna, Bihar, India.

Yi Zhou, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Amritbir Riar, Department of International Cooperation, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) Ackerstrasse, Postfach, Frick, Switzerland.

Anuj Kumar, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana, India.

R. K. Sharma, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana, India.

R. S. Chhokar, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana, India.

R. K. Gupta, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Karnal, Haryana, India.

A. K. Mehta, CSS Haryana Agricultural University, Cotton Research Station, Sirsa, Haryana, India.

Ramesh Chand, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi, India.

M. D. Denton, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

J. A. Cummins, International Agriculture for Development, South Australia.

ORCID

M. D. Denton http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2804-0384

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.