Abstract:
In this study, the ‘Policy Instruments’ available to
promote Eco-Friendly Technologies (EFTs) in paddy farming over
the use of Chemical Fertilizers (CFs) were examined. The key
products coming out from a multi-objective multi-phased research
project, including ‘Bio Fertilizer’ (BF) and ‘Bio-char’ (BC) were of
interest. Data were collected by way of questionnaire-based face-toface interviews carried out with a cross-section of farmers (n=85)
involved with paddy farming (> 1 Ha) during October/November
2020 in the Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts. A list of preidentified policy instruments through literature review/stakeholder
discussion was enlisted as objective statements and the farmer
responses to which were evaluated on a 10-point ‘Likert-scale’.
Exploratory Factor Analysis was carried out to analyze data, which
classified those policy instruments into 05 categories based on the
value of aggregated Mean Attribute Score (MAS), including: ‘Government’ (18.9), ‘Finance’ (11.1), ‘Subsidy’ (9.63), ‘Regulation’
(3.76), and ‘Service’ (7.51). The outcome of the analysis stresses
the importance of having a well-established facilitative institutional
setup and regulatory framework combining both the market and
government to promote the adoption of environmentally-friendly
fertilizer to replace chemical fertilizer and to support such activities
across the agri-food value chain.
