ICSS 2016
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Item Technical Efficiency of Small Scale Dairy Farming in Sri Lanka(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sheromiha, S.; Kularatne, M.G.The lack of understanding of technical efficiency of small scale dairy farming could have a far-reaching consequence on the productivity and profitability of the farms, and the potentially restricts the need to boost the dairy production. Therefore, this study assesse technical efficiency of smallholder dairy farmers and the factors that cause technical inefficiency. Stochastic frontier production function has estimated from the data collected on the management practices and general information from randomly selected 60 farms in Kosgama Veterinary range in Seethawaka Divisional Secretariat of Colombo District Sri Lanka. The study reveals that mean technical efficiency is 45 with the efficiency range from 40 to 55 indicating that, the dairy farmers were not fully technically efficient. The result also shows that, farmers’ educational level, extension service, years of farmer experience, main source of income, training received, land utilized for fodder and milking frequency have significantly influenced on the technical efficiency. Farmer age, farm size, shad and number of animal are statistically independent variables on technical efficiency. Almost all farmers in Kosgama veterinary range have adopted intensive system with feeding of poor quality grass and concentrates. The average milk production amounted to 60 per cent of the mean daily total of 11.0 litres per cow with average lactating days 250. We conclude that milk production and productivity of small scale farm in Sri Lanka is not significantly effective. It is obvious that if dairy farming is to be a technically efficient sector, there is a need for the small scale farmers to consider dairying as a commercial enterprise and at the same time to link themselves with the large scale dairy farms.Item Consumer’s knowledge, attitudes and willingness to pay (WTP) for co-compost produced by Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Shantha, K.M.S.U.; Kularatne, M.G.Improper MSW management and over use of agro-chemicals have become burning issues in Sri Lanka. Most of the Sri Lankan Local Authorities (LAs) have continuously disposed their wastes without adequate segregation or treatment to open bare lands or environmentally sensitive areas like river banks and marshy lands. Co-composting can be the most suitable method of MSW management in mainly agricultural areas in Sri Lanka. However, composting from MSW was not succeed due to low quality and poor marketing strategies. Therefore, this study measured potential market price for co-compost and analysed attitude of compost use by bio-degradable wastes of MSW. Pretested structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 60 compose users selected using simple random sampling method from five Grama Niladari Divisions in Haputhale Divisional Secretary Divisions in Nuwaraeliya District in Sri Lanka. Contingent valuation method was used to estimate WTP of compost users by offering bids for unit price of co-composted fertilizer. The study revealed that 55% of compost users accepted bid value 10 SLRs per one kilogram of co-composted fertilizer. Age, education level, monthly total income, knowledge level about compost and experience of compost usage were the basic factors effecting for the WTP. A total of 72% of them had positive attitudes on agricultural and, environmental benefits with the relevant quality parameters of compost. There were 77% of respondents who stated their preference to buy co-composted fertilizer produced by using MSW. Co-composting of bio-degradable waste of MSW can be recommended as a sustainable and economical solution for MSW management. Co-composing can be a unique solution for the agricultural areas. However, potential technologically advanced co-composting methods such as environmental recycle system is recommended to be materialised as the findings of this study.Item Influence of Demand on investment in Composting by Solid Waste (Case in Gampaha District)(Research Centre for Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Madhusanka, T.U.; Kularatne, M.G.Organic fertilizer production using solid waste is a growing method of composing today. However, large scale investments on production of organic fertilizer in many of developing countries including Sri Lanka have not met the optimum level. This study investigated the impact of the demand on the investments of the Compost production. Price Demand Elasticity and Cross Demand Elasticity performed using the primary data were collected from five organic fertilizer producers and thirty five organic fertilizer users randomly selected in five Divisional Secretary Divisions in Gampaha district in 2014. We claimed that the main reason for the low level of investment in organic fertilizer industry in Sri Lanka is the change in demand of organic fertilizer with respect to the price changing of chemical fertilizer. The government policy on fertilizer subsidy should be revised in order to promote environmentally friendly agriculture without harming the total agricultural productivity in order to improve the investments on organic fertilizer production.