Environmental Conservation through In-Situ Straw Management with Adoption of Super Straw Management System (SMS) in Haryana: A Sociological Study

The investigation was carried out during 2020-21 in North west Kaithal district of Haryana state among 120 farmers. The study aimed to investigate the nature and extent of level of adoption along with factors associated with adoption of Super straw Management System (SMS) among farmers and reasons for adoption and non adoption of SMS. Socio-economic impact of SMS on adoption was also acknowledged. Results revealed that 2/5th of the farmers (40.00%) had low level of adoption while 33.33% had medium and rest (26.67%) of the farmers had greater level of the acceptance of SMS. Age, degree of education, amount of land holding, income, social organisation, participation, and SES were all socioeconomic characteristics that were strongly associated with adoption level. Reasons for adoption of SMS by overwhelming majority of the farmers (85.00%) that SMS system attached to combine harvesters enables the machine to cut the straw in small pieces and distribute it behind it regularly on the field. Regarding other benefits near about 3/5th of the farmers were agreed that it increases average yield of wheat by 2-4% as compared to conventional practices while some of the reasons for non adoption of Super straw management system, 86.67% of the farmers were agreed that high power requirement, i.e., 8-10 hp is required as compared to conventional combine harvester and 60% of the farmers reported that approximate 6 litres of extra fuel consumption with combine harvester is required. Farmers reported an increase in mass media exposure (71.67 percent), urban contacts/movement (63.33 percent), social mobility pattern (58.33 percent), and extension contacts (53.33 percent), etc. as the overall socioeconomic impact of SMS adoption Allover adoption of SMS is a beneficial environment friendly agricultural farm technology.