Thesis Abstract of AGS Students

Determinants of fodder tree adoption in the mid-hills of Nepal

Milan Adhikary (1994)

Assessing the low acceptance of private plantation program launched by government and non government agencies to alleviate the shortage of fodder in the mid hills of Nepal is the major concern of the study. The main objectives of the research are: to describe adoption of fodder trees, to evaluate the performance of adoption and to analyze the factors influencing adoption.

Employing multistage sampling technique, 4 village development committees of Kavre district were selected on the basis of availability and non-availability of nurseries and markets. Survey

data of the year 1993 was collected from 216 sampled households. Of the total sample size, 90 households were identified as adopters and 126 as non-adopters.

Adopters fodder trees could serve 78.5% of the demand of the farm households tree fodder. Increment in milk production ranges from 46% to 146%, saving time for fodder collection over 56% were the positive effects of adoption. Only less than 5% reduction in crop yield was reported in two village development committees.

A Logit model with Maximum Likelihood Technique was employed in investigation of deter-minants of fodder trees. Farmers' knowledge (purpose of fodder tree growing, skill in production, opinion about tree fodder in livestock feed, awareness in terms of scarcity problems, environment, market prices, sources of availability and agencies) is the most important factor. Social participation, distances to nursery and market and supply of fodder per livestock unit are the significant determinants in adoption of fodder trees on farm land. While total gross income, education, land per ruminants, family size and distance to forest are found insignificant.

Ranking and scoring techniques were used for understanding farmers' opinion and perception on fodder trees and distribution programs. Results indicate that high biomass fodder trees were preferred by majority of sampled households. Unknown about the importance of fodder trees followed by land constraints were investigated as the main reasons of non-adoption while mortality of seedlings was found as the barrier for the further adoption.

Hence, the study urges for the immediate improvement of a regular monitoring program through effective extension to improve the farmers' understanding of the importance of fodder trees growing and to create awareness regarding source, agencies and market prices. While a com- prehensive government program for distribution of resistant and desirable species and establish-ment of nurseries should be include in future plans for overcoming the encountered problems.

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