Publication Details
Abstract
An important component of Karnataka's agricultural economy is coconut farming, gives many farming households a source of income and jobs. Farmers' understanding the implementation of better growing techniques are critical to the sustainability and productivity of coconut farming. The current study evaluates Karnataka's coconut growers' understanding and use of contemporary coconut farming techniques. Additionally, it looks how certain socioeconomic conditions affect adoption behavior. The study is based on primary data collected from coconut growers using a structured interview schedule, supplemented by secondary data from official reports and published sources. Descriptive and analytical tools were employed to evaluate awareness levels, adoption patterns, and associated factors. The results reveal that most coconut growers possess a moderate level of awareness regarding improved practices such as recommended varieties, nutrient management, plant protection measures, and irrigation methods. However, the adoption of these practices remains uneven, with many farmers adopting them partially rather than fully. The analysis shows that the adoption of improved agriculture practices is strongly influenced by factors such as education, farm size, access to irrigation, interaction with extension, exposure to the media, and financial motive. High input costs, labor shortages, and a lack of technical assistance were found to be significant obstacles to broad adoption. The study emphasizes how important it is to improve extension services, enhancing farmer training programmes, and improving institutional support to promote wider adoption of modern coconut cultivation practices in Karnataka.