Abstract:
Intercropping is one of the methods of increasing crop productivity. It has proved to
achieve many advantages. However, with the increasing demand for local potatoes,
intercropping with potato cultivation in Sri Lanka is still an open research challenge
which is needed to be addressed. On the other hand, Potato is extensively cultivated in
Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study examined the
present status of intercropping in potato cultivation in Nuwara Eliya and Badulla areas to
determine the farmer’s knowledge and awareness on intercropping in potato cultivation.
The study was based on primary data gathered through questionnaires from 100 potato
farmers selected through the snowball technique. Out of 100 farmers, 48 farmers were
selected in Nuwara Eliya district and others were selected in the Badulla district. The
results obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results indicated that 58% of
farmers were aware of the intercropping. However, among them, due to the lack of
knowledge and ignorance of the benefits of intercropping 30% of farmers were not
practicing it. The other 28% of farmers did practice intercropping with short term
vegetable crops such as beans, radish, and leaks, etc. They gained extra income from
intercropping at a low cost of production by proper land use and maximum utilization of
natural resources such as water and nutrient. The rest of the farmers (42%) were not
aware of intercropping with potato and its benefits. Meanwhile, 54% of farmers claimed
that they did not have vital information such as crop choices, cropping patterns, and
amount of potential harvest, etc. Therefore, the study has brought out the urgency of the
appropriate knowledge delivery method to disseminate the right knowledge on
intercropping with potato and to create the awareness to encourage intercropping in
potato cultivation which ensures food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable
utilization of natural resources.
Keywords: Intercropping, Food security, Potato cultivation
