Uses of Bio-Fertilizer

ABSTRACT: Bio-fertilizers are living cells of different types of micro-organisms (bacterial, algae and fungi), which have an ability to mobilize nutritionally important elements from non-usable to usable form. These micro-organisms require organic matter for their growth and activity in soil and provide valuable nutrients to the plants in the soil. Bio-fertilizers are seen as an important alternative technology, since the negative e ternalities of chemical fertilizers have become well !nown. The use of the latter has led to considerable environmental cost. Bio-fertilizers do not pollute the soil and do not disrupt the ecological balance, and hence are environment-friendly. "n increasing number of farmers are using biofertilizers, and the numbers of bio-fertilizer manufacturing units have also grown considerably. #owever, the mar!et for bio-fertilizers is still not well developed, and the biofertilizer industry has not had the growth that was anticipated. The use of bio-fertilizers has still not spread uniformly although there has been a steady rise in their use by certain groups of farmers. This paper e plores the reasons for low rate of adoption of bio-fertilizers through the case studies of two organizations involved in the production and mar!eting of bio-fertilizers.

MARKETING OF BIO-FERTILIZERS INTRODUCTION: Bio-fertilizers are microbial inoculants for enhancing growth of plants. They act as catalysts in providing valuable nutrients to the plant through phosphate solubilising, nitrogen fi ing and growth promoting microbes. The use of bio-fertilizers has gained credence, as the negative e ternalities of chemical fertilizers have become well !nown. $hemical fertilizers are costintensive and lead to high yield in the short run. %n the long run, however, they erode soil fertility and harm the natural predators of pests in the biosphere. "ll this leads to even greater use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and therefore higher cost to farmers. The utility of bio-fertilizers has been validated through large-scale field trials by government and semi-government agencies as well as private bodies. The government has provided subsidies for production of bio-fertilizers for over two decades. &hy then, has this technology not diffused to the e tent estimated' The paper e plores how the reasons for low rate of adoption of bio-fertilizers through case studies of two organizations mar!eting bio-

fertilizers. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

To e plore the reasons for low rate of adoption of bio-fertilizers in %ndian agriculture. To study the mar!eting activities of two organizations manufacturing bio-fertilizers in two talukas in (une district.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND SOURCES OF DATA: The paper draws on earlier studies conducted on bio-fertilizer usage in %ndia, and supplements these with field interviews with farmers, dealers, e tension wor!ers and officers, of two organizations manufacturing and mar!eting biofertilizers. The officers were located in (une, while the farmers, dealers, and e tension wor!ers were located in seven villages, )un*irwadi, %namdarwasti, )edgaon, +elavadi, (argaon, +hor!in, ,oni-)albhor, in two talu!as- #aveli, +aund in (une +istrict. The basis for selecting these villages was, that both the organizations selected for case studies, have a presence in these areas, in terms of their mar!eting activities. %n all, -. farmers, / e tension wor!ers, . dealers, and / officers were interviewed. The interviews were conducted with the help of detailed schedules. The farmers, who were the target consumers, were diverse, having different education, scale of operations, and different size of landholding, ranging from - acre to 01 acres. REVIEW OF LITERATURE: The 2esponse #ierarchy 3odels of $ommunication such as the "%+" 3odel (4trong, -567), #ierarchy of 8ffects 3odel ,andge and 4teiner, -50-) and %nnovation "doption 3odel (2ogers, -555) assume that buyers pass through three stages of decision ma!ing, before buying a product. These are the cognitive, affective, and behavioural stages. The rate of adoption of a product is influenced by the following factors9

(roduct features that satisfy an unmet need $haracteristics of users of the product The value of the product in terms of cost and benefits attached to it (erceptions of the value of competing offerings "doption of complementary products:technology ;overnment policies and actions impacting the sale of the product

+iffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through channels over time among the members of a social system. "n innovation is an idea, ob*ect, or practice that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption (2ogers, -55.) "ccording to 2oger<s %nnovation +iffusion 3odel, adoption of an innovation depends on the following . elements9 -. 2elative advantage of the innovation over the earlier idea, ob*ector practice 6. $ompatibility of the innovation with the e isting needs, values and e periences of the social system =. $omple ity9 the e tent to which an innovation is perceived as difficult to understand or use /. Trialability9 the e tent to which an innovation may be tried out on a limited basis .. >bservability9 the e tent to which the results of an innovation are visible The ?se-+iffusion 3odel (4hih and @en!atesh, 611/) classifies users into / categories based on rate of use of the product and variety of uses it can be put to. They are9 -. %ntense users9 They e hibit high usage rate and also put the product to a variety of uses 6. 4pecialised users9 They e hibit high usage rate but use the product in a limited way =. Aon-specialised users9 They e hibit low usage rate but try out the product for variety of uses.

,imited users9 They e hibit low usage rate and also limited variety of use and are on the verge of Bdis-adoption<.

%n order to adopt a product, users must have the ability to cope with the uncertainty and ris! associated with the outcome of using the product. (otential users should perceive higher value from product usage as compared to competing products. Cor the adoption process to be self-sustaining, early adopters, who ma!e up 6.D of the total potential users, must adopt the product. They evaluate the product and convey its benefits to other users. (2ogers, -55.) 2esponse #ierarchy 3odels of $ommunication state that in the cognitive stage, users become aware of the product benefits and usage and develop an interest in it. %n the affective stage, they develop beliefs and attitudes towards the product and evaluate it. %n the behavioural stage, they buy the product initially on a limited basis (trial) before fully adopting it if it satisfies

needs better than competing products. The mar!eting environment plays an important role in the adoption of a product. %n the mar!eting of products in rural %ndia, ;overnment intervention is significant, as commercial organizations have not been able to create an infrastructure to promote and distribute a variety of products. "ccording to the 2ural 3ar!eting 3odel by 2ao and Tagat, (-57.), in rural mar!eting, the word Brural< connotes anBenvironment<, in which mar!eting activities ta!e place. This conte t has technological, social, economic and political dimensions. "griculture provides means of livelihood to ma*ority of rural %ndia. "gain ma*ority of land holdings are small leading to a vicious circle of low productivity, low income, low savings and low investment. 2ao and Tagat suggest that since ma*ority of rural consumers e hibit low income and low capacity to invest, they have to initially be Binduced< through mar!eting e posures by private and voluntary organisations and government not merely towards purchase and consumption of goods and services but also towards social processes. But this process of induced change puts rural consumers more in the role of Bbeneficiaries< of patronage rather than autonomous Bbuyers<. The mar!eting of bio-fertilizers in %ndia has been influenced by a variety of factors, including perceptions of farmers, ;overnment intervention, and the difficulties in using the bio-fertilizer technology. "lam ;hayur (6111) presents the findings of a field study, conducted in two districts, )arnal and Bhiwai, of #aryana, to find out causes, as to why bio-fertilizers and biopesticides are not being adopted on a large scale. The study found that in spite of the ;overnment<s efforts to promote bio-fertilizers, they have gained little acceptance from the farmers. The problems of unavailability of biofertilizers and their poor quality are lin!ed. >n the one hand, the 4tate "gricultural +epartment and shop!eepers are unwilling to stoc! and sell biofertilizers as they feel that their quality is unreliable. >n the other hand, the low demand for bio-fertilizers has prevented investment in advanced production and storage facilities, which are required for improving the quality. The study concludes that the present policy of providing grants and low interest loans to bio-fertilizer producers should be abolished, as it has led to setting up of a large number of inefficient plants, which cannot produce good quality bio-fertilizers. The policy of mar!eting bio-fertilizers at very low prices should also be stopped, as these prices are too low to attract modern investment in modern manufacturing units. %n addition to this, farmers feel that nothing so cheap can provide much nutrition to the plants. The storage and application of bio-fertilizers requires special facilities and s!ills, which most producers, shop!eepers and farmers do not possess. %t is important that greater research efforts should be put in developing biofertilizers that are easier to store and apply.

The paper goes on to ma!e a strong remar! that bio-fertilizer production should be suspended until bio-fertilizers of improved quality can be made available in adequate quantity. The present government policy of promoting bio-fertilizers without ensuring good quality has actually harmed their cause, creating a wide spread feeling among farmers and e tension wor!ers, that bio-fertilizers do not wor!. PRODUCTION OF BIO-FERTILIZERS IN INDIA:

$urrently, there are about --/ producers of organic inputs and bio-fertilizers with an installed capacity of -7,.11 tones. "ccording to estimates of the Aational Bio-fertilizer +evelopment $enter (AB+$) and the Bio-Tech $onsortium of %ndia ,td (B$%,) about =//,711-.1E,1=6 tones of bio-fertilizers are required for %ndian agriculture. %n reality, however, their use is limited. Types ! B" -!e#$"%"&e#s:

There are four main types of bio-fertilizers F 2hizobium, "zotobacter, (hosphate 4olubilising bacteria ((4B) and "zospirillum. 2hizobium is suitable for leguminous crops such as pulses, oilseeds and fodder crops, "zotobactor for wheat, rice, vegetables and fruits, "zospirillum for rice and sugarcane and (4Bs for all crops. Ce#$"!"'($" ) ()* +,(%"$y C )$# %: The utility of bio-fertilizers has been validated by reputed agencies in %ndia (such as AB+$ and %$2%4"T) and abroad. Cor instance field trials by AB+$ have showed that application of azotobacter results in =-6.D increase in yield in cotton and 6-61D in wheat, in #aryana. But bio-fertilizer manufacturers find it difficult to consistently replicate results of bio-fertilizer usage. This is because agro-climatic conditions and soils are different in different parts of the country. 3any strains do not survive in very hot temperatures. Bio-fertilizers are also prone to contamination if carriers (such as powder:liquid) are not sterilized. %f farmers do not get consistent quality in bio-fertilizers it impacts yield. This further reduces their trust and consequently the purchase of bio-fertilizers. Guality control is an "chilles heel for many bio-fertilizer manufacturers as there is no standard process for isolating proper strain of microbes and also no standard technology for scaling up and fermentation. 3oreover, bio-fertilizers are not a chemical formula. 4o manufacturers have to independently prove the merit of their product. This further increases mar!eting costs of bio-fertilizers. "lso though Bio-fertilizers have to conform to B%4 standards there is no proper certification process in place. THE CASE STUDIES:

BHARATIYA AGRO-INDUSTRIES FOUNDATION -BAIF.

Ge)e#(% ")$# *,'$" ): Bharatiya "gro-industries Coundation (B"%C), now renamed as B"%C +evelopment 2esearch Coundation, is a non-profit, non-political, professionally managed (ublic $haritable Trust, established in -50E. %ts mission is to create opportunities for gainful self-employment for the rural families, especially disadvantaged sectors, ensuring sustainable livelihood, enriched environment, improved quality of life, and good human values. (www.baif.org) %ts programmes cover around 61,11,111 people in /.,111 villages in 3aharashtra, )arnata!a, "ndhra (radesh, ?ttar (radesh, Bihar, ;u*rat, 2a*asthan, 3adhya (radesh, &est Bengal, >rissa, and Hhar!hand, and covering around 61,11,111 families. The focus is on land development, improving s!ills and !nowledge of farmers, welfare of women and family and formation of 4elf #elp ;roups (4#;s) to continue developmental efforts. O/0e'$"1es: B"%C concentrates mainly on social ob*ectives, and not *ust profits. Their focus is on low e ternal input agriculture, neglected crops, and development of wastelands and marginally productive lands. %t aims at providing livelihood support and to tries to ma!e farmers economically self-sufficient. T(#2e$ F(#3e#s: The prime ob*ective of B"%C is to wor! for the subsistence, small and marginal farmers. These segments are receptive to their interventions due to low yield per acre, low income and poor standard of living. A'$"1"$"es: "s mentioned earlier, B"%C provides complete livelihood support through the ,ivelihood 4upport (rogramme to the farmer, and his entire family. %t provides first inputs li!e neem ca!e, bone mealI then bio-fertilizers and then mi ed fertilizers. Bio-fertilisers are thus a part of a pac!age of inputs provided to the farmers. The focus is on the creation of self-sustaining units, where production of inputs, utilization of family labour, and generation of income ta!es place. The farmer, thus, gets income from various sources li!e forestry, horticulture, grasslands, vermi-compost, and so on. Thus, a complete capacity building activity is carried out. "long with the ,ivelihood 4upport (rogramme, B"%C also conducts the Aatural 2esource 3anagement (rogramme. B"%C also conducts training programmes for A;>s, ban!ers, field wor!ers, pro*ect managers, and so on. B"%C has also *oined hands with the corporate sector, and is wor!ing with organizations li!e the 2our!ela steel plant, >A;$, etc. towards their

corporate social responsibility ($42) ob*ectives. B"%C helps them in reaching out to people in rural areas. B"%C withdraws from any given area after 7 yrs, leaving trained farmers to train others. The role then changes from implementation to facilitation. %ts activities basically revolve around / principles9 Anna (Cood), akshar (8ducation), arogya (#ealth) and acharan (@alues). Rese(#'4: B"%C has its own $entral 2esearch 4tation, where all research as well as production ta!es place. The $entral 2esearch 4tation is recognized as a centre for pursuing certificate and degree courses in "griculture and related topics of the Jashwantrao $havan, 3aharashtra >pen ?niversity, Aasi!. B"%C is also in touch with other research institutes. %t has tied up with %2+$ for research in mycorhizzae. %t has formulated ideas for manufacturing at grassroots level, trying to grow the bacteria on the field with the help of simple methods li!e using shade nets. B"%C is a (ublic $haritable Trust recognised as a 2esearch %nstitution by %ndian $ouncil of "gricultural 2esearch (%$"2) and 3inistry of 4cience and Technology, ;overnment of %ndia, ?niversity of (une and 4outh ;u*arat ?niversity, 4urat. F,)*")2: B"%C gets finance from %nternational "gencies li!e the $anadian %nternational +evelopment "gency, %+2$, 8?, etc, donors, patrons, various ban!ers, and financial institutions. P# *,'$s: B"%C manufactures / types of bio-fertilizers F 2hizobium, "zotobacter, (4B and 3ycorhizzae. 2hizobium is applied to roots or seedsI the rest may be applied to the soil. "ll the bio-fertilisers are powder (lignite) based. T#()sp #$($" ) ()* D"s$#"/,$" ): Bio-fertilisers are transported in the night, to maintain the temperature, especially in the hot summer months. They are ta!en to their depots and distributed directly to ;overnment departments. 2hizobium is distributed directly to Kila (arishads and sold to farmers under the Aational >ilseeds +evelopment (rogramme and Aational (ulses +evelopment (rogramme wherein one pac!et is given to every farmer growing oilseeds and pulses. The other buyers include the farmers interested in organic farming and those who want to e periment with bio-fertilizers. B"%C addresses these largely through its own e tension programmes li!e the ,ivelihood 4upport (rogramme. "s bio-fertilizers are low in cost as compared to chemical fertilizers, farmers at times believe that they may not be as effective. B"%C gives a pac!age of

inputs to farmers. &hen one input wor!s well, bio-fertilizers are also seen positively.

C 33,)"'($" ): B"%C communicates with farmers mainly through a channel of field wor!ers. Cield wor!ers stay with farmers throughout a crop cycle and give farmers inputs in terms of !nowledge as well as materials. The e perience of lead farmers and model farms are also used to communicate with the other farmers. The prime ob*ective of communication is to have more and more people adopt their programmes, which include use of bio-fertilizer and related technology. #owever, the motive is social, not economic. The media used are in the form of group discussions that the field wor!ers conduct, pamphlets, demonstrations, and communicating the e periences of lead farmers. B"%C also invites farmers to its bio-fertilizer production facility to orient them better with this product.

KUMAR KRISHI MITRA BIO-PRODUCTS -I. PVT5 LTD -KKM.:

. Ge)e#(% I)$# *,'$" ): )umar )rishi 3itra Bio-products (vt. ,td. is a biotechnology company, which focuses on the use of beneficial microbes for environment friendly agriculture. %t was established in -55=, with an aim of providing bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides for agriculture. %t is a pioneer in the production of liquid bio-inoculants. %t has an installed capacity of =.11 tones per annum, which is currently the largest in %ndia, and a sales volume of around 2s. =.. crores. The company initially catered mainly to the e port mar!et, with almost 71D sales in foreign mar!ets, while *ust 61D in the domestic mar!et. #owever, currently its proportion of sales in the domestic and e port mar!ets is .19.1. ))3 has set up a full-scale fermentation plant, and is currently the largest and only liquid bio-fertilizer producer in %ndia. O/0e'$"1es: ))3 is a private sector company, which aims at enhanced profitability through increased sale of bio-fertilizers. %t aims at providing safe inputs to farmers, to increase soil productivity and yield. %t focuses on research, discovering, cultivating, and mar!eting safe and environmentally friendly microbial inputs for agriculture for domestic and foreign mar!ets.

T(#2e$ F(#3e#s: The company currently targets the farmers with irrigated land, out of which around E.-71D are engaged in horticulture. 2evenues from this segment amount to around 2s.-.. crores. These are the farmers who generally cater to the e port mar!et, and whose produce is re*ected if high chemical residues are present. These farmers then serve as models for other farmers interested in bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. Rese(#'4: The research, development, and testing is done in-house, and new products are developed. The company also gets third party testing done from other research institutes. These include AB+$, ;haziabad, A$,, (une, and The %nternational $entre for "gricultural 2esearch in the +ry "reas (%$"2+"), 4yria, +irectorate of "griculture, 3aharashtra, %ndia and %4> certified national and international laboratories, amongst others. %t has also formulated a soil betterment technique called )28C to correct soil salinity and act as a catalyst to increase soil organic matter and productivity. The company provides a !it to farmers for this purpose. The 3anaging +irector of the company is a member of a (lanning $ommission panel and is wor!ing towards developing the bio-fertilizer industry and to develop rural entrepreneurship and !nowledge centers for agriculture. P# *,'$s9 ))3 manufactures a range of liquid bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. Bioplin is a liquid bio-fertilizer for Aitrogen supplementation and contains nitrogen-fi ing strains of "zotobacter. (hosfert is a liquid bio-fertilizer for (hosphorus supplementation and contains phosphate solubilising strains of azotobacter and bacillus polymy a. @itormone is a liquid bio-fertilizer for foliar application and contains growth-promoting strains of azotobacter. D"s$#"/,$" ): ))3 operates through its networ! of /1 distributors and .11 dealers, in 0 states, viz., 3aharashtra, )arnata!a, ;u*arat, $hhatisgarh, Tamil Aadu, and )erala. The motivation for the distributors and dealers is commercial margins. The mar!eting is done through its own team of field officers, field managers, and mar!eting e ecutives. C 33,)"'($" ): 8 tension wor!ers of the company have to convince the farmers about the technical efficacy of the product through field trials and demonstrations. The company has proposed !nowledge centres for agriculture, which would

also be an important channel of communication. %t has also set up trial farms, which are !ept for e perimentation, and where the farmers can themselves see the processes and techniques used and their effectiveness. "ppro imately two trial farms amounting to .--1 acres are set up for every .11 acres. The media used are pamphlets, brochures, audio-visual material, advertisements, demonstrations, and setting up of trial:demo farms, dealer wor!shops and discussion forums. The company supplies inputs for the trial farms. The trial farms are meant to demonstrate beneficial effects of biofertilizers for different crops. Cor instance a trial farm for sugarcane would demonstrate increase in sugar content by 1..-D, increase in yield by -1-.D and reduction of chemical fertiliser use by 6.-=1D. Cor grape cultivation a trial farm would demonstrate that the size of each grape increases with bio-fertilizer usage and also the grapes have uniform size. Both these factors are important for grape e port along with the fact that bio-fertilizers are residue free.

EMPIRICAL FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS: O1e#1"e6

Cor the past four decades or so farmers have been using chemical fertilizers as an important farm input apart from seeds, farm implements, etc. Cor the farmer, a fertilizer is a substance, which provides vital nutrients for plant growth. The primary nutrients required for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. $hemical fertilizers are chemical compounds, which provide these primary nutrients and therefore have a fi ed formula. $hemical fertilizers are applied to soil in order to enrich it with required nutrients. 2esults of chemical fertilizer usage are easily and immediately visible in terms of increased yield per hectare. #owever, in the long run, they show diminishing returns. >ur findings from interviews of farmers, dealers, e tension wor!ers, and officers, are as follows9 L('7 ! A6(#e)ess (/ ,$ B" -!e#$"%"&e#s ! F(#3e#s

Resp )ses

"wareness of farmers about bio-fertilizers is low. (4ee Table Ao. %). Carmers are confused about what a bio-fertilizer really is and how it is different from not only chemical fertilizers but also herbal e tracts or organic compost. %t was observed, that most of the farmers could not distinguish between organic manures and bio-fertilizers, often mi ing up between the two. This is because bio-fertilizers are added to slurry of cow dung or farm yard manure,

and then added to the soil. 4ome sample responses of farmers were9 L&e use bio-fertilizers. &e have cattle and the cow dung is used as bio-fertilizers.M L&e use bio-fertilizers such as cow dung, vermi-compost, etc.M L?sing bio-fertilizers such as vermi-compost, etc. leads to better growth in crops.M "s a result of this farmers often perceive bio-fertilizers as being e pensive as compared to chemical fertilizers. >rganic manures are bul!y in nature and are required in large quantities, which increase their cost. Bio-fertilizers are not required in such large quantities as organic manure. The cost per acre of bio-fertilizers is in fact much lesser than chemical fertilizers. (4ee Table %%) Bio-fertilizer pac!s carry detailed instructions and precautions for storage and usage. %n spite of this, usage methods are often not clear to farmers. The empirical data showed that most farmers have not done soil and water testing, and hence are not aware of the deficient nutrients in the soil (see table %%%). They !eep adding urea as it is cheap, which often leads to aggravating the problem of soil fertility. 2esponses of +ealers9 3ost of the dealers have their own farms and can be said to be the agents of the diffusion process. 3ost of the dealers are educated in "gricultural $olleges, and hold a bachelor<s or 3aster<s degree in "griculture. They wor! for profit margins, and gather information from the producers regarding the usage of bio-fertilizers and recommend them to the farmers. 4ome of them also use bio-fertilizers on their own farms. %n most cases, the farmers trust the dealers and use the bio-fertilizers recommended by them. The dealers also visit the farms and discuss the specific problem with the farmers. %t was also observed that the farmers who said they were unaware of bio-fertilizers were actually using them on the recommendation of dealers. >f the -farmers who said that they were unaware of bio-fertilizers, = were using them on the recommendation of dealers. %n most cases, it was observed, that the farmers completely trust the dealers, who recommend the use of certain bio-fertilizers and pesticides. #owever, there is another type of dealers, who do not recommend or suggest anything, and only sell what the farmers demand. The sale of bio-fertilizers in such cases is e tremely low, almost negligible, as generally, farmers do not buy bio-fertilizers of their own accord. 2esponses of >fficers and 8 tension &or!ers9 "s product awareness itself is low, brand awareness is non-e istent. The e tension wor!ers try to create awareness about the use of bio-fertilizers. They visit farms, give demonstrations and also recommend the use of biofertilizers. They wor! along with the dealers, as the dealers have first hand information about the farmers. " field assistant visits -1 farmers a day, and

each farmer, three times a month. " sales officer visits . farmers per day, and each farmer twice a month.

D"!!"',%$y ") U)*e#s$()*")2 ()* Us(2e:

2esponses of Carmers9 Carmers want a product that is easy to use. These days, bio-fertilizers come in two varieties F powder (lignite:talc) based and liquid bio-fertilizers. They may be applied to seed and seedlings, root, foliage as well as soil. This is often difficult for farmers to accept and understand. Bio-fertilizers usage is not compatible with current farming practices. / out of -. farmers feel that bio-fertilizers are difficult to understand and use. +ealers9 = out of . feel that usage of bio-fertilizers needs to be demonstrated and continuous follow-up is necessary to reinforce understanding of the product. 2esponses of >fficers and 8 tension wor!ers9 The officers and e tension wor!ers agree that demonstrations and follow-ups are necessary, but they lac! adequate manpower.

L('7

! A1("%(/"%"$y

2esponses of Carmers9 Bio-fertilizers are distributed through the Gram Panchayats. #owever, = out of / farmers who are currently using bio-fertilizers say that they are not available through the ;ram Panchayat. The government sells bio-fertilizers at subsidized rates to farmers through its own distribution mechanism consisting of Bloc! +evelopment >fficers, Taluka Krishi Adhikaris, Gram Sevaks and other types of e tension wor!ers who promote the %ntegrated Autrient 3anagement (rogramme. Bio-fertilizers are also available through the dealer networ!, but very few dealers stoc! bio-fertilizers. 4ome sample responses are9 L(ac!ets of bio-fertilizers only reach Panchayat Samiti members. >rdinary farmers do not get them.M LThere is only - Gram Sevak for . villages. Therefore, information and pac!ets of bio-fertilizers do not reach us.M The farmers do feel that bio-fertilizers are beneficial and should be used. "ccording to them, using bio-fertilizers is the need of the hour, and a must if long-term soil fertility is to be maintained. #owever, lac! of availability emerged as a deterrent. 2esponses of dealers9 6 out of . dealers do not stoc! bio-fertilizers, as there is no demand. They are also difficult to store and transport. Thus, it becomes a vicious circle of low demand and lac! of availability. 2esponses of >fficers and 8 tension wor!ers9 "ccording to the officers and e tension wor!ers, dealers are not interested in promoting bio-fertilizers, as it needs demonstration and follow up. The

dealers feel that it costs them in terms of time and money. This is despite the fact, that bio-fertilizer manufacturers give higher margins (6.D) as compared to chemical fertilizer manufacturers (.--1D).

Res,%$s (#e ) $ "33e*"($e%y see):

2esponses of Carmers9 2esults of bio-fertilizer usage are not immediately apparent and not easily attributable. = out of / farmers, who were aware of bio-fertilizers, feel that results are slow. Carmers classify results of bio-fertilizer usage under = heads9 increase in soil fertility, increase in yield, and improvement in quality of produce. &ithout an e ception, all farmers feel that results of bio-fertilizer usage are slow. 4ample 2esponse (soil fertility)9 LBio-fertilizer usage enhances soil fertility, but results of these are seen only after 6-= years.M 4ample 2esponse (yield)9 LJield of sugarcane went up from =. tones to 01 tones over time. (,andholding =1 acres)M 4ample 2esponse (quality of produce)9 LGuality of figs has improved over time.M 2esponses of +ealers9 "ccording to the dealers, farmers are reluctant in using bio-fertilizers as they feel that the result is slow. #ence, they do not invest in bio-fertilizers, which leads to low demand. 2esponses of >fficers and 8 tension &or!ers9 The manufacturers of bio-fertilizers have not been able to adequately demonstrate benefits of bio-fertilizer usage. &hen farmers use chemical fertilizers, they see immediate observable results (field turns green after use of ?rea). #owever, the impact of bio-fertilizer usage on yield or quality of produce is seen only at the end of the crop cycle. %mpact on soil fertility can be seen only if frequent soil testing is done. 8ven if yield and quality improves, farmers do not attribute it to bio-fertilizer usage.

Us(2e

! B" -!e#$"%"&e#s

&ithout e ception, all dealers and e tension wor!ers report that bio-fertilizer usage is greater in cash crops vegetables, fruits and agricultural produce which is e ported (grape, flowers, etc.). This is because prices are fi ed according to the quality of produce (sugar content in sugarcane, size of fruit, etc,). %n the case of e ports, they are used because importing countries have strict norms regarding chemical residues.

R %e

! $4e G 1e#)3e)$9

2esponses of Carmers9

&ithout e ception, all farmers said that they have not got any information about bio-fertilizers from ;overnment agencies, li!e Gram Sevaks andPanchayat Samitis. 2esponse of >fficers and 8 tension &or!ers9 (rices of bio-fertilizers, sold through ;overnment channels are lower than chemical fertilizers and farmers find it difficult to trust their efficacy. The farmer wonders why a farm input needs so much care and comes to the conclusion that this is a poor quality product with no utility. >n the other hand because of this negative perception private bio-fertilizer manufacturers are unable to sell their products at a higher price. To add to the farmers< woes, bio-fertilizer manufacturing companies mushroom and vanish frequently and therefore trust in this product diminishes. "t times, they also supply products of poor quality. DISCUSSION: %t is evident that the adoption of bio-fertilizers has been low, as it is comple to understand, is not compatible with current farming practices, and results of usage are not easily observable. 3embers of a social system readily understand some innovationsI others are more complicated and will be adopted more slowly (2ogers, -55.). $hemical fertilizers belong to the former category, while bio-fertilizers fall in the latter. The processes and functions that bio-fertilizers perform are not easily understood. %n addition to this, they cannot be used and stored as easily as chemicals. This has been the ma*or deterrent in the adoption process. ))3 has addressed the problem of comple ity by producing liquid biofertilizers, which are more easy to use as compared to powder based ones. The proposed establishment of !nowledge centers would also go a long way in increasing the awareness about bio-fertilizers. B"%C promotes the use of complimentary techniques and provides of input !its, so that use becomes easier. To address the issue of trialibility and observability (2ogers, -55.) of the new technology, ))3 has set up field trials on tracts of land for which inputs are sponsored by them and also set up model farms, while B"%C has provided !nowledge and material inputs through its ,ivelihood 4upport (rogramme. This has enhanced the diffusion process. ))3 has set up field trials and demonstrations, with the help of dealers. B"%C has gone so far as training farmers and changing their own role over time, from implementation to facilitation, through the ,ivelihood 4upport (rogramme. This was with the intention of generating lead farmers, who would then influence other farmers and enhance the process of adoption. #owever, it was found out that, at times the lead farmer ideology fails, as there is often competition within the farmers, and they refuse to share information about their inputs and processes to their neighbouring farmers. %n such cases, the adoption process becomes even more difficult.

8 tension wor! is inadequate to cover all potential users of bio-fertilizers. ))3 and B"%C do not have adequate resources for this. The data collected for this study suggests that bio-fertilizers are used primarily for cash crops and e port oriented crops. Bio-fertilizers are not used in a variety of crops. "doption of a product increases if its rate of use as well as the variety of uses it is put to be increased. " vast ma*ority of farmers are non-specialized users in that they use limited quantities of the product but try them out for a variety of crops. This trial and error method often leads them to no observable results from the use of bio-fertilizers and therefore they reduce usage till they reach a stage of Bdisadoption<. (4hih and @en!atesh, 611/). The time element is also essential in the adoption process. %n the early stages of the ;reen 2evolution, chemical agriculture gave phenomenal results. #ence, the need was not felt either by the farmers, or the policy ma!ers, to e plore or develop a complimentary, alternative, or additional technology. "s a result positive attitudes towards the use of bio-fertilizers did not develop. %t was only later on, that chemical agriculture started having diminishing returns and negative effect on soil fertility. %n addition to this, farmers interested in e ports cannot afford to have chemical residues in their produce, as that leads to re*ection in the international mar!ets. This coupled with the to the worldwide organic farming movement has lead to increased adoption of bio-fertilizers. The ob*ective of the ;overnment in the adoption of any technology is of a socio-economic nature. The %ndian ;overnment has heavily subsidized and promoted the use of chemicals in agriculture, for over / decades. %t also invested huge amounts in the research and development of the chemical technology. %t also supported chemical agriculture with other mechanisms li!e the minimum support price and procurement price and subsidies. Certilizer subsidy is the difference between net realization by fertilizer manufacturer (farmer<s price-distribution margin) and the e -factory retention price fi ed by the government. This was one of the prime reasons why diffusion of the chemical agriculture technology too! place, during the ;reen 2evolution of the -501s. "s against this, little has been done to promote the bio-fertilizer industry in terms of policy support. The ;overnment started the Aational (ro*ect on the +evelopment and ?se of Bio-fertilizers during the 0 th plan. Cinancial assistance is given in the form of a non-recurring grant-in-aid up to 2s 61 la!hs for setting up bio-fertilizer production units of -.1 metric tones capacity. #owever, this support is negligible as compared to the quantum and duration of support given to chemical agriculture. %t has also given rise to inefficient manufacturers who manufacture poor quality of bio-fertilizers. 2ural consumer behaviour for consumer products and farm inputs is vastly

different. ;overnment intervention efforts for sale of farm inputs in the past decades has led to farmers thin!ing of themselves as Bbeneficiaries< rather than Bautonomous buyers<. %ndeed, this is how sale of chemical fertilisers was increased in the past. ;overnment inputs are also required in terms of research and development and a proper system for certification of bio-fertilizers. CONCLUSIONS: %t may be said that government as an entity is not merely an important factor in the environment in the rural mar!eting conte t but also a catalyst for the process of adoption of a product. " robust certification process endorsed by the government and reputed international agencies would enhance the adoption of this technology as only quality manufacturers will survive and the image of this product will improve. Bio-fertilizer manufacturers need to address segments where adoption can be hastened, such as cash crops, fruits and vegetables and e port oriented crops. The communication should focus on commercial advantages of adopting this technology, (such as improvement in quality of produce leading to better prices, lesser residues leading to greater acceptance in e port mar!ets) rather than an environmental one (soil fertility and preserving the biosphere). Bio-fertilizers, as a product category, need to create an identity that is distinct from organic fertilizers. Bio-fertilizer manufacturers need to ma!e the product simpler to use, to increase its adoption. $urrently, there are small and medium enterprises producing bio-fertilizers. They do not have adequate resources for e tension activities. There is a case for large-scale enterprises to enter manufacturing of bio-fertilizers, which would lead to economies of scale and ma!e available resources for e tension activities. This would solve the problem of availability, awareness and quality.