1. BY
V.PUALRAJ RAO
ED, BIRDS

3. AGE WISE SUVEY SAMPLING
The total survey, 518 farmers were covered in the 26-40 years age group, the next place
is 341, >40 years age group. The remaining farmers 153, covered in 10-25 years age
group.

4. MALE AND FEMALE SURVEYED
Male 78% (790) & female 22% (222) of the total farmers (1012) were surveyed
in the second phase of the project.

5. CASTE WISE SURVEY
Caste Composition:
Majority (689) of farmers surveyed inhabiting in Project Area are classified as
Backward Castes (BC). Scheduled Castes (SC) constitute the next biggest chunk of
number with 217. Other Castes (OCs) is slightly lesser (104) than SCs Scheduled
Tribes (ST) contribute only 2 of the total surveyed farmers in the Project Area

6. PERCENTAGE OF LITERACY
Most (62%) of farmers are illiterate, 18% of the farmers studied up to
primary, 15% of the farmers studied 6th to 10th of the total surveyed.
Remaining 3% is studied Intermediate, 2% studied Degree and less than
1% of the total surveyed farmers are studied technical education in the
Project Area

7. LAND PREPARATION
The 1012 farmers surveyed in second phase of the Project Area having an area of
4818 acres, 809 are marginal having an area of 2489 acres, 155 are small
farmers having an area of 1363 acres and the remaining 48 is big farmers having
an area of 966 acres.

8. CROP WISE ACREAGE

9. TENNURE STATUS
4818 acres of land was cultivated by 1012 farmers, of the total 4313 acres of the
land cultivated by 990 farmers under own and the remaining 505 acres is lease
by 20 farmers of the total surveyed and 139 farmers are cultivating own and
lease lands.

10. FARMING HISTORY
Farming History :
Among 1011 farmers surveyed, 446 farmers having 10 years experience in farming,
315 farmers having 11-20 years experience, 157 farmers having 21-30 years
experience, 60 having 31-40 years and 34 farmer having >40 years farming history
respectively.

11. ANNUAL INCOME OF FARMERS
Annual Income :
The total surveyed, 608 farmers are placed in 5000-15000 annual income group,
196 were placed in 15000-30000 group, 71 are in the 30000-45000 group,
remaining 66 are in the 45000-60000 group and remaining 71 are place in the
>60000 high annual income group.

12. MEMBERSHIP OF FARMERS
Membership in any organization:
Only 186 (18%) of the total surveyed have membership in any organization
(rythumitra, Panchayat, SHG, caste group etc.,), remaining 826 (82%) farmers
no membership in any organization

13. TRAININGS IN AGRONOMY
Trainings in Agronomy :Most of the trainings were given by dealers and
pesticide companies in local level, very few training are conducted to the
farmers by agriculture department. These all are need based and organized at
village level

14. MEDIA INFORMATION
Now a day’s media is most important tool to access agriculture information,
Present access to agriculture information is only through radio, TV, wall paintings
and posters, which hardly influence the decisions of farmers, who are in a hurry
to buy new pesticide, fertilizers or sell the farm produce as early as possible,
once it is harvested, in absence of storage facilities. The following figures shows,
how media influence the farmers decision.

15. SOURCE OF SEEDS
Source of seed
The surveyed farmers are cultivating mainly Ground nut, Cotton, Sunflower, Paddy,
Bengal gram, Jowar, Chili, Castor, Azwine and Onion. Majority (479) of the farmers
used bought and certified seeds, followed by bought, certified and recycled, for seed
purpose farmers themselves collect good seeds from their fields.

16. SOURCE OF IRRIGATION
Source of Irrigation
Rain fed irrigation is entirely depends on Rains. The major crops include Red gram,
Sorghum, Groundnut, Cotton and Caster. Under wet land irrigation Paddy, Chillies, Cotton,
Ground nut, Sunflower, vegetables and pulses are grown in the area, main source of wet
lands is groundwater (bore well and open well) and canal are the secondary source of
irrigation and are seasonal. The below figure shows the number of surveyed farmers having
irrigation facilities

17. USAGE OF PESTICIDES
A number of 30 chemical pesticides produced & marketed by different companies are
used to control pest attack in 22 numbers of crops grown by surveyed farmers. The
majority numbers of farmers used are as follows, namely ecolux, endosulphan, astaf,
Nuvacron, confider, monochrotopas, Karate, frame, cypermithrin, Rogar, tracer etc.

18. WHEN AND WHEN DONOT SPRAY
Farmers do not spray in the following cases if pest is controlled, against wind
direction,afternoon,rainyday,nursery and harvesting stage. It shows they have
knowledge on when not spray

19. WHILE MIXING AND LOADING OF PESTICIDES
Almost 687 of the farmers are not wearing any cloths and not take any safety
methods while mixing/loading and spraying. 168 farmers are not aware of wearing
any cloths while mixing/loading and spraying. 157 farmers are aware and wear
mask, glouse, and stick, separate dress while mixing/loading and spraying.

20. EQUIPMENT MAINTAINANCE
While spraying, 85% farmers are check for leaks by pouring water,if small leakage
they continue the spraying . 80% of the farmers check the nozzles by draging and
blow with mouth. 76% of them were replace rubber seals for both handoperated
and motorised knapsack. For major repaires they went to mechanic shop.

21. EQUIPMENT WASHED/CLEANED
87% of the farmers washed/cleaned the sprayer after every spray, 5% of
the farmers occasionally washed and remaining 8% of the farmers never
wash the sprayer.

22. STORAGE OF EQUIPMENTS
After washed/ cleaned farmers were followed different
storage mechanism, i.e., in house, Elsewhere, separately,
locked in store/cup board elsewhere, separately in house,
separately locked in store/cupboard in house. Below figure
presents the different kind of storages by the farmers.

23. CONSULTATION OF PESTICIDES
The total surveyed 96% of farmers are depend on dealer for consultation on pesticide
usage, a few (2% & 1%) are followed suggestions of shop owners and farmers
respectively. Very less 1% is depend on Agriculture officer. Most of the consultation was
happen in pest attack, followed by weekly once, once in month, once in 10 days, once in
15 days and when ever needed.

24. CONSULTATION ON PESTICIDES USES
HOW OFTEN
100% of the farmers went for consultation with dealer, neighbor
farmers and A.O for every pest and disease attack.

25. AWARENESS ON ADVANTAGES
Any type of activity have a positive and negative responses, like that there is advantages and
disadvantages for usage of pesticides. Of the total surveyed 62% of the farmers reported pest
control, high growth and more yields are the advantages and 38% of the survey represents the
pest control and more yields are the advantages.

26. AWARENESS ON DISADVANTAGES
55% of the farmers reported no disadvantages by using pesticides, 34%
reported more expensive and 11% are reported it causes health problems.

27. STORAGE OF PESTICIDES
Storage of pesticides mostly happen in house (87%), locked in store/cupboard (5%),
Elsewhere (4%) and In store/box no lock (4%) respectively reported by the farmers.
Sometimes place the pesticides openly corner in the house, some time kept in cup
board without lock.

28. AWARENESS OF PESTICIDES RESIDUES
Most of the cases after spray non target organism like Bees, Birds, Cattle, Frogs, Spiders,
Fishes, Animals, Snakes and Rats also effect with pesticide poisoning directly or indirectly
due to pesticide residues in crops.

29. AWARENESS OF RE-ENTRY TIMES AFTER SPRAYING
Farmers are aware of re-entry time after spray, 80% of the farmers re-entered to
the field next day onwards,15% of re-entered same day, 5% of re-entered after
2,3 days and very few are re-entered after one week. Only few are re-entered
after 4 to 5 days after spray.

30. EMPTY PESTICIDE CONTAINERS
15% of the farmers reuse empty containers for household purpose,23% of the
farmers are sold the empty containers,55% of the farmers are thrown in to the
field,3% of the farmers are buried and 3% of farmers are burned after using the
pesticides.

31. AWARENESS OF POISONING AND TREATMENT
96% of the total surveyed is reported awareness on pesticide poison; remaining 4%
are reported no aware on pesticide poison. If poisoning happen, farmers treat with
first aid like giving buttermilk, soapy water and Tamarind soup after that they took
the victim to the hospital.

32. AWARENESS OF PESTICIDE LABELS
Only 206(20%) farmers are aware on pesticide labels, remaining are not
aware of pesticides labels. These people simply go to shop/dealer and
take what they give, they could not well aware of labels.

33. POISONING CONSUMED BY PESTICIDES
95% of the farmers reported they don’t witness/ affected by poisoning in the
family/friends, 5% reported while spraying effected by poisoning in the
family/friends. Pesticide are causes allergy, cold and cough, throat pain, stomach
pain, itching, short sight, battling, giddiness, body pains

34. SOURCE OF INFORMATION
975 of the total surveyed are depend on dealer for information of use & handling of
pesticides, only 7 were followed suggestions of agriculture officer and 22 are not depend on
any other respectively. Farmers remember type of pest/ disease and suitable pesticides for
prevention, preferable dosage of pesticides and Usage of pesticides. At the time of
consultation.