Farmers’ Willingness to Cultivate Traditional Rice in Sri Lanka: A Case Study in Anuradhapura District

A significant majority of farmers in Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka, are willing to cultivate traditional rice over improved varieties, with 67% of male farmers and 65.6% of families affected by non-communicable diseases showing a preference for traditional cultivation. This shift is driven by awareness of the medicinal and nutritional benefits of traditional rice, alongside factors such as land extent, farm gate price, farmer age, education level, farming experience, and system. The study, which surveyed 100 traditional and 100 non-traditional rice growers using stratified sampling, also found that varietal attributes, personal factors (including presence of diseases), market conditions, and production systems significantly influence the selection of traditional rice varieties. These findings suggest a growing recognition among farmers of the health advantages and adaptability of traditional rice, particularly in response to environmental and health challenges.

Ginigaddara, G. A. S., & Disanayake, S. P. (2018). Farmers’ Willingness to Cultivate Traditional Rice in Sri Lanka: A Case Study in Anuradhapura District. Rice Crop - Current Developments. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.73082