Constraint experienced by farmers in the adoption of protected cultivation practices

As an innovative way of cultivating seasonal and off-seasonal crops, protected cultivation has enormous potential for improving productivity, generating employment and ensuring effective utilization of land. However, its adoption remains low due to several constraints faced by the farmers during adoption. In this regard, the present study aims to identify and assess these constraints using the Henry Garrett ranking technique among 120 farmers from Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts under five different dimensions. It can be concluded that the rapidly growing population, declining cultivable land, increased pests and diseases, rising pollution levels, global warming and changing climate all underscore the importance of sustainable agriculture, along with the need for higher crop productivity through protected cultivation techniques. Hence, the government and policymakers should take necessary steps to eliminate these constraints and promote adoption of protected cultivation.