IJHSOP

International Journal of Horticultural Science and Ornamental Plants

Vol. 3(1), pp. 047-052, June, 2017. www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 2141-502X

Research Article

Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana cultivation

technology of the banana growers of Bangladesh
AZM Shafiullah Prodhan1* Md. Nazirul Islam Sarker2, Arifin Sultana3, Md. Shahidul Islam4
1Department of Horticulture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
2Schoolof Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
3Department of Psychology, National University, Gazipur, Bangladesh.
4Department of Plant Pathology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Banana is a major fruit among all fruits which available throughout the year in
Bangladesh. It is the fruit which under the purchasable limit of all income levels people in
the country. The consumption of banana is mainly domestically and a small part shares in
the global market. A major part of the population of the study area is engaged with banana
cultivation. Their livelihoods are mainly depends on banana cultivation. So, the study was
undertaken with a random sample of 100 banana growers of Salmara village of Gaibandha
district of Bangladesh. We observed that that majority of the banana growers had medium
level of knowledge, adoption and attitude towards banana cultivation technology. The
62.00% banana growers belongs to medium level of adoption of banana cultivation
technology, whereas 21.00% banana growers had high level of adoption and 17.00% of
them had low level of adoption. The findings suggest that a special program should be
taken by the government to improve the level of knowledge, adoption and favorable
attitude towards banana cultivation technology.

Key words: Knowledge, adoption, attitude, banana cultivation, Bangladesh

INTRODUCTION

Banana is the best-known, healthy, delicious and tropical
fruit. It contains several essential nutrients and has
benefits for digestion, heart health and weight loss. The
banana of Bangladesh is variable in size usually
elongated and curved. It is variable in size, color and
firmness usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh
rich in starch covered with green, yellow, red, purple, or
brown in colour when ripe. It is a wealthy source of
carbohydrate with calorific value of 67 calories per 100 g
fruit and is one of the well-liked and widely traded fruits
across the world (Emaga et al., 2008; Kumar et al.,
2012). It is a rich source of human nutrition bearing
carbohydrate, potassium and vitamins, including A, C and
B6. They are a good source of fat-free dietary fiber and
the first solid food fed to infant. The mixer of rice with ripe
banana is the traditional delicious dish for Bangladeshi
(Hossain, 2014). It is one of the economically important
fruit crops grown in Bangladesh in both homestead and
commercial farms (Ahmed, 1984). It is the fourth most
important staple food of the world after rice, wheat and
maize.
*Corresponding author: AZM Shafiullah Prodhan,
Department of Horticulture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh. E-
mail: prodhan.agri@yahoo.com. Phone: 88-01761170042

Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana cultivation technology of the banana growers of Bangladesh
Prodhan et al. 048
Banana (Musa paradisiaca, family Musaceae) is a vital
fruit crop of the tropical and subtropical regions of the
world which cultivated on about 8.8 million hectares
(Mohapatra et al., 2010). It is possibly the world's oldest
grown plants (Kumar et al., 2012). Bangladesh produces
nearly 1.00 million tons of banana annually (Hossain,
2014). It is also a nutritious fruit crop in the world and
grown in many tropical areas where used as a staple
food and dietary supplements (Assani et al., 2001).
Banana is cultivated almost everywhere in Bangladesh
round the year. The foremost banana growing areas in
Bangladesh are Narsingdi, Gazipur, Tangail, Rangpur,
Bogra, Natore, Pabna, Noakhali, Faridpur and Khulna.
Also, Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Netrokona, Rangamati,
Khagrachhari and Bandarban are wild grown banana
area in Bangladesh. In 2010-2011, the total production of
banana in Bangladesh was 800840 metric tons and the
cultivated area was about 130589 acres (BBS, 2012).
Several studies have been conducted to analyze the
banana production in Bangladesh (Ahmad et al., 1973;
1974; Haque, 1984; Islam and Hoque, 2005; Hoque,
2006; Roy et al., 2006; Ara et al., 2011; Mukul and
Rahman, 2013; Mohiuddin et al., 2014; Hossain et al.,
2015).
Banana is a major fruit which is grown everywhere in
Bangladesh. It is blended with the Indian culture and
finds mention in the ancient scriptures. Its fiber used for
storing and packing materials for food items and
decorative purposes. The fruit is considered to be a poor
mans food which is available throughout the year.
Banana is grown in more than 130 countries across the
world in an area of 45.44 lakh ha, producing 69.28 tonnes
/ ha of banana with a productivity of 15.24 tonnes/ ha.
(Choudhary, 2004).
The production of banana requires sufficient knowledge
and positive attitude with improved management
practices to make it commercially viable through adoption
of improved management practices. The modern science
and technology suggest adopting the improved
agriculture and horticultural practices (Sarker, 2016). One
of the major problems of banana cultivation in
Bangladesh is to develop new practices with its diffusion
and adoption by the banana growers. On realizing this
problem, a study was necessary to find out knowledge,
adoption and attitude of the banana growers towards
banana cultivation technology.
Hossain et al. (2015) recommended that an appropriate
price system and price spread of the market should be
ensured by the Government so that both growers and
consumers of the banana can enjoy reasonable price.
Necessary steps should be taken by the Government to
improve the knowledge level of the growers to the
modern cultivation technique and motivated them to
adopt the new technology to increase the production.
Thorat et al. (2014) reported that the majority of the
banana growers had medium level of knowledge,
adoption and attitude towards banana cultivation
Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana cultivation technology of the banana growers of Bangladesh
technology. The 68.00 percent of the banana growers
were found with medium level of adoption of banana
cultivation technology, whereas 18.67 percent banana
growers had high level of adoption and 13.33 percent of
them had low adoption level of banana cultivation
technology. They also suggested engaging extra efforts
by different agencies to change the psychology of the
banana growers in positively by the improvement in their
level of knowledge, adoption and favorable attitude to
banana cultivation.
Kamal et al. (2014) revealed that the average family sizes
were 6.78, 4.71, 6.67 and 5.80 for small, medium, large
and all farms of banana growers respectively. About
50.93 % farm owners belong to age group of 31 to 40
years while 12.67 % of banana growers were illiterate.
About 62 % of farm owners dealt with agriculture as their
main occupation. The overall average farm size was
237.29 decimal where 83, 224 and 405 decimals for
small, medium and large farms respectively. The overall
annual income was Tk. 55414.7 in which banana farming
contributed 35.32 % and non-farm sources was greater
than farm income. They identified some major problems
faced by the banana growers related to non-availability or
insufficiency of credit, high interest rate and loan
transaction cost, low prices of output, high prices of
inputs, lack of sucker of banana, high prices of fertilizer
and insecticides, lack of storage facilities.
Mukul and Rahman (2013) investigated total cost, profit
and benefit cost ratio for different marketing channel like
banana producers, wholesalers and retailers. Profit for
producer, wholesaler and retailer in banana production
were Tk. 55002.8 per Hectare, Tk. 59.08 per Chari, and
Tk. 122.67 per Chari respectively and benefit cost ratio
for producers, wholesalers and retailers were 1.40, 1.30
and 1.41 respectively. Banana is a fruit as well as a mean
of livelihood of the banana growers in Bangladesh which
ensure their food security and poverty alleviation (Sarker
et al., 2015). There is a gap of literature related to
knowledge, adoption and attitude of the banana growers
in Bangladesh, so the above literature review leads us to
conduct this research. The main objective of this study
was to determine the knowledge, adoption and attitude of
banana growers in Bangladesh. The specific objectives
were (i) to measure the knowledge and adoption level of
banana growers, (ii) to determine the attitude of banana
growers and (iii) to suggest some policy measures for
betterment of banana growers based on findings, so that
they could increase their production and contribute the
national economy by providing an essential food like
banana.
METHODOLOGY
The present study was conducted in Salmara village
under Gobindagonj upazila, having higher area under
banana cultivation of Gaibandha District in Bangladesh.

Table 1. Knowledge, adoption and attitude of the banana growers about the banana cultivation technology (n=100)
Sl. no. Category Knowledge
Number
1 Low level 18
2 Medium level 68
3 High level 14
4 Mean 25.13
S. D. 4.12
Source: Field survey, 2016
One Hundred respondents from this village were
randomly selected for the study as sample. The data
were collected through pre-tested, well structured,
personal interview schedule. The scale developed by Jha
and Singh (1970), Sengupta (1967), Patel (2005) and
Thorat (2014) were included in the interview schedule to
measure the variables of knowledge, adoption and
attitude respectively. A secondary data also collected
from various journals, books, and websites. An attempt
has been made to collect recent information whenever
possible.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Knowledge level of banana growers about banana
cultivation technology
The knowledge level of the banana growers are shown in
Table 1 which reveals that the majority 68 percent of the
banana growers had medium level of knowledge followed
by 14.00 percent and 18.00 percent of the respondents
had high and low level respectively. Similar results were
obtained by Shrivastava et al. (2002), Patel (2005),
Sarker (2016) and Thorat (2014). Since knowledge is the
cognitive behavior of an individual which acquired
through learning process. It produces desirable changes
in decision making process of an individual and lead
banana grower for the adoption of improved banana
cultivation technology.
Adoption level of banana growers about banana
cultivation technology
Adoption is a decision to continue the full use of an
innovation. The adoption process is the mental process
through which an individual pass from first hearing about
an innovation to its final adoption. The majority 62.00
percent of the banana growers were found with medium
level of adoption of banana cultivation technology, while
17.00 percent and 21.00 percent banana growers had
low and high level of adoption respectively. The similar
findings were found by Sarkar et al. (2001 and 2002),
Chauhan et al. (2003), Patel (2005), Thorat (2014) and
Sarker (2016).
Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana cultivation technology of the banana growers of Bangladesh
Int. J. Hort. Sci. Ornam. Plants 049
Adoption Attitude
Percent Number Percent Number Percent
18 17 17 13 13
68 62 62 71 71
14 21 21 16 16
34.16 47.23
6.18 5.89
Attitude of banana growers toward banana cultivation
technology
An attitude of banana growers is a tendency to react
favorable or unfavorable towards an innovation or
technology regarding banana cultivation. The majority
71.00 percent of the banana growers were found with
medium level of attitude to banana cultivation technology,
while 13.00 percent and 16.00 percent banana growers
had low and high level of attitude respectively. The
similar findings were found by Sarkar et al. (2001 and
2002), Chauhan et al. (2003), Patel (2005) Thorat (2014)
and Sarker (2016).
PROBLEMS FACED BY BANANA GROWERS
Banana growers were asked to mention the major
problems which faced by them during cultivation. Most of
the banana growers faced the same kind of problems
during banana cultivation. Individual farmers problems
are not identical for the enterprise; some problems were
in fact more severe than others. So an attempt has been
made to identify some major problems of banana
cultivation as reported by the farmers in the study
villages. The major problems are summarized below:
Problems of credit
Most of the banana growers of the study area are
subsistence farmers; they have not enough capital for
cultivation of banana commercially. Credit poses the
most important constraint in banana production. The non-
availability of credit is a main burden to banana growers.
About 65 % of the banana growers in the study area
mentioned that they had problems in obtaining bank
loans. Some of them expressed their opinion regarding
so many formalities for getting bank loan. Though some
of them (19%) availing bank loan but it is not sufficient for
covering the production expenses which hinders to obtain
better yield and thereby higher income.
High interest rate
The majority (60%) of the banana growers reported that
Prodhan et al. 050
bank charged high interest rate from them. If they
borrowed loan from local lender, they had to pay high
interest rate which was more than bank interest rate.
Low prices of output
The majority (80%) of banana growers sold their products
at low prices. The farmers of Bangladesh are not well
organized. They usually do not get competitive prices for
their product.
High prices of inputs
In the study area about the majority (65%) of banana
growers mentioned that the existing prices of inputs for
the selected enterprises were quite high. Some key
inputs like fertilizer, manure, sucker, human labour and
insecticides are important factors for banana cultivation.
Lack of human labour
Shortage of human labour is one of the major problems
for growing banana since banana is a labour intensive
field crop especially during the time of transplanting
period. About 75% of banana growers reported that lack
of human labour as a crucial problem.
Lack of sucker/seed
Good quality HYV sucker is necessary for getting better
yield. Lack of good quality HYV sucker/seed appeared
another problem in cultivation of banana in the study
area. Most of the farmers purchased this input from their
neighboring farmers/relatives/traders but they opined that
in many cases sucker/seeds were not of good quality and
the rate of mortality was quite high. About 55 % of
banana growers mentioned this problem.
High prices of fertilizer and insecticides
The majority (85%) of the banana growers mentioned
that high price of fertilizer and insecticides are the major
problems. Since banana is highly sensitive to diseases
and pest, so insecticide and pesticides are very
necessary inputs for banana cultivation.
Lack of storage facilities
The lack of storage facilities are the common problem not
only in the study area but also all over the country. The
majority (85%) reported that they had no proper storage
facilities. A storage facility is necessary for banana
because it is a perishable fruit crop.
Problem of theft
Stealing of banana was a common problem during the
Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana cultivation technology of the banana growers of Bangladesh
time of harvesting which adversely affected the cultivation
of banana. The 49 % of banana growers reported about
the problems.
Inadequate extension service
The majority (80%) of banana growers mentioned that
the extension service is not adequate for banana
cultivation.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the findings of the study, some policies and
recommendations may be advanced which are likely to
be useful for policy formulation:
Institutional credit facilities should be available on
easy terms and conditions to the banana growing
farmers.
Good quality HYV suckers should be made
available to the door steps of the farmers at a reasonable
price in time.
Reasonable market prices of banana should be
ensured by increasing available storage facilities and
establishing various types of food processing industries.
Adequate supply of fertilizers and insecticides should be
ensured to the growers on time at fair prices for
increasing the production of banana.
Appropriate steps should be taken by the
government for improving transport and marketing
facilities in the study area.
Extension services should be extended to
farmers to accelerate the production of banana.
Capacity building program should be arranged for
banana growers for better understanding of knowledge
and adoption of improved production technology.
CONCLUSION
The majority of the banana growers possessed medium
level of knowledge, adoption and attitude of banana
cultivation technology. They should be facilitated with
technical know-how and motivate them to participate in
the extension activities to rise the knowledge and
adoption of recommended banana cultivation technology.
The majority 68 percent of the banana growers had
medium level of knowledge followed by 14.00 percent
and 18.00 percent of the respondents had high and low
level respectively. The majority 62.00 percent of the
banana growers were found with medium level of
adoption of banana cultivation technology, while 17.00
percent and 21.00 percent banana growers had low and
high level of adoption respectively. The majority 71.00
percent of the banana growers were found with medium
level of attitude to banana cultivation technology, while
13.00 percent and 16.00 percent banana growers had

low and high level of attitude respectively. The major
problems faced by banana growers are credit facilities,
high interest rate, low prices of output, high prices of
inputs, lack of human labor, lack of sucker/seed, high
prices of fertilizer and insecticides, lack of storage
facilities, problem of theft and inadequate extension
services. The findings suggest taking proper steps to
ensure institutional credit facilities, good quality HYV
suckers, reasonable market prices for inputs and
products, transport and marketing facilities and adequate
extension services.
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Accepted 20 April, 2017

Citation: Prodhan AZMS, Sarker MNI, Sultana A, Islam

MS (2017). Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana
cultivation technology of the banana growers of
Bangladesh. International Journal of Horticultural Science
and Ornamental Plants 3(1): 047-052.

Copyright: 2017 Prodhan et al. This is an open-

access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are cited.

Knowledge, adoption and attitude on banana cultivation technology of the banana growers of Bangladesh