DRIVERS, BARRIERS, AND CHALLENGES FOR ADAPTING TO CHEMICAL LEASING CONCEPT BY VEGETABLE FARMERS IN BADULLA DISTRICT

Abstract

Chemical leasing is based on the belief that utilizing chemicals effectively lowers the risks to the environment, the economy, and human health. Because it is an integrated preventative environmental policy, this strategy relates to a situation where both industry and the environment win. Pesticides used in agriculture, whether they are restricted or not, can have negative effects on both people and the environment. The majority of farmers currently use several agrochemicals in their crop cultivation. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are heavily used by farmers, particularly in the Badulla district. They also stopped cultivating because of the restrictions on fertilizer. Due to the crisis, farmers in the Badulla district and around the nation are dealing with several difficulties. Even though the chemical leasing idea is a sustainable concept, because it is a new one, it is difficult to put into practice. The idea of "chemical leasing" is a novel business idea that, while reducing the use of chemicals, increases profits for key stakeholders and is a good response to the problematic aspects of traditional agriculture. Here the researcher conducts the study to identify Drivers, barriers, and challenges to adopting to chemical leasing concept by vegetable farmers in the Badulla district. For this study, a mixed method was used, and data were gathered through unstructured interviews with 30 farmers in the Badulla district. Finally, the data were analyzed using the frequency analysis method. To make it easier to identify the major and minor elements impacting vegetable farmers in the Badulla district's ability to adapt to the chemical leasing service, the detected factors might be arranged in descending order. As major drivers for adapting to the chemical leasing concept, researchers revealed that chemical leasing is a cost-saving concept, Time saving concept, healthy products produce, improved environmental performance and expertise knowledge and as barriers, Lack of knowledge about the chemical leasing principles, Fear of new changes, consider as a risk-taking, Lack of technical skills, Lack of industry-wide norms and standards, etc. Finally, researcher revealed that Damage caucused by animals, Climate factors and natural disasters and Poor Policy framework as major challenges for adapting the chemical leasing concept by vegetable farmers in the Badulla district.