International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Mangalapuri Pavani, N Sivaramane, K Suseela, D Ramesh and G Sivanarayana

abstract
The adoption of improved production technologies plays a crucial role in enhancing productivity and efficiency in chilli cultivation, particularly among smallholder farmers. This study analyses adoption behaviour of small holder chilli farmers using the Technology Adoption Index (TAI), Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and Tobit regression. Primary data was collected from 360 smallholder chilli farmers using a multistage sampling technique. The TAI results indicated that, among chilli production technologies, the application of plant growth regulators, the selection of disease and pest resistant chilli varieties and the spraying of micronutrient mixtures were the major technologies adopted by chilli farmers. The DEA results revealed a mean technical efficiency of 85 per cent, indicating a potential reduction in input use of 15 per cent without affecting output. The mean technical efficiency of technology adopters (89.47%) was substantially higher than that of non-adopters (80.83%). The Tobit regression results showed that education, occupation, organizational membership, access to agricultural extension services and the adoption of chilli production technologies significantly influenced technical efficiency.