Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture No. 1/08
Diffusion and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: study of the male annihilation technique
Zaheeruddin Mirani, Saban Shah Bukhari and Anwar Ahmed
Siddiqui
Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan
Abstract
The cultivation of guava, jujube and mango is very common in Pakistan
due to high productivity and economic profit. Therefore, farmers prefer
fruit crops but are concerned about insect pests particularly fruit fly
attack which is generally controlled by chemical means. Use of
pesticide to control fruit fly is not always effective and economical.
Technically, maggots (harmful stage of fruit fly i.e. larvae) live
inside the fruit and the application of pesticide in the forms of dust
and spray destroy them at a very modicum rate because its limitation
not to go inside the fruit. In addition, the World Trade Organization
(WTO) is in effect and has strongly banned the pesticide used fruits
and crops which are to be exported to the WTO member countries.
Considering such constraints, NIA (Nuclear Institute of Agriculture)
with the collaboration of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) has
introduced “Male Annihilation Technique” (MAT) to control the fruit
fly. MAT is economical, non-polluting, non-hazardous, environment
friendly, less laborious technology that fulfills the demands of WTO
for exporting agricultural commodities. Despite all these advantages
offered by MAT, it has failed to reach at the maximum level of adoption
among the growers of Pakistan particularly of Sindh province.
Therefore, the researchers studied and identified barriers in the rate
of adoption of MAT. The study also identified the information sources
that have created trust among farmers resulting into dissemination of
MAT at larger scale.
Keywords: Male Annihilation Technique (MAT), agriculture extension, diffusion/adoption
JEL: Q 16, Q 55
Vol. 47 (2008), No. 1: 49-60