An empirical investigation into the policy instruments to promote eco-friendly technologies replacing chemical fertilizer use in paddy farming in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In this study, the ‘Policy Instruments’ available to promote Eco-Friendly Technologies (EFTs) in paddy farming over the use of Chemical Fertilizers (CFs) were examined. The key products coming out from a multi-objective multi-phased research project, including ‘Bio Fertilizer’ (BF) and ‘Bio-char’ (BC) were of interest. Data were collected by way of questionnaire-based face-toface interviews carried out with a cross-section of farmers (n=85) involved with paddy farming (> 1 Ha) during October/November 2020 in the Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts. A list of preidentified policy instruments through literature review/stakeholder discussion was enlisted as objective statements and the farmer responses to which were evaluated on a 10-point ‘Likert-scale’. Exploratory Factor Analysis was carried out to analyze data, which classified those policy instruments into 05 categories based on the value of aggregated Mean Attribute Score (MAS), including: ‘Government’ (18.9), ‘Finance’ (11.1), ‘Subsidy’ (9.63), ‘Regulation’ (3.76), and ‘Service’ (7.51). The outcome of the analysis stresses the importance of having a well-established facilitative institutional setup and regulatory framework combining both the market and government to promote the adoption of environmentally-friendly fertilizer to replace chemical fertilizer and to support such activities across the agri-food value chain.