Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Farmers on Rodent Pests and their Management in Cold Arid Ecosystem of Leh, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Abstract

Rodent pests are one of the major biotic constraints in agricultural production.
Agriculture being the main occupation of rural population of the cold arid district of
Leh, crop production suffers greatly due to rodent depredation in fields and storage.
A structured survey of 200 farmers from 10 villages across the district was carried out
during July-September, 2018 to assess the farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices
with respect to rodent management. The study revealed that pests in general are a
major limitation (43% respondents), followed by poor soil (31.5%), insufficient labor
(15%), insufficient irrigation water (4%), flooding (1.5%) and high cost of cultivation
(1%). The farmers identified rodents as the major pest (46.5%) on their farms, followed
by insects (35.5%), disease (14%), none (2.5%) and others (1.5%). The overall estimated
yield loss due to rodents was 18.33%. Most of the farmers (77.7%) thought that crop
yields could be increased by controlling rodents and opined that they could control
rodents if they worked together through community action, although 63% were doing
rodent control individually. A Majority of farmers were of opinion that chemical control
(i.e., use of rodenticides in baits) was the best option but they were not aware about
the risk posed by such chemicals to non-target species (53%). The farmers’ could benefit
from training and education on various aspects of rodent technologies including using
a community approach.