Understanding Farmers' Views on Soil Conservation: Demonstration of Analytical Techniques Through a Case Study in Sri Lanka

A suite of analytical techniques is demonstrated that helps understand why farmers use certain soil conservation measures and not others. Decision tree modeling, a ranking exercise, and a sorting exercise are used. These reveal determinants of the soil conservation measures used by farmers and the criteria on which their preferences and perceptions are based. The techniques, which enable thorough, swift investigation, are suitable for use by extension officers, researchers and farmers themselves. Demonstration in a village in Sri Lanka indicated that the conservation measures used by farmers were determined by the farmers' perception that soil was eroding, availability of male labor, land tenure, the farmers' preferences, and tenant farmers' attitudes toward constructing measures on rented land. The farmers' preferences were based on technical knowledge of the measures, practical experiences of using them, and the labor and skill involved. Interestingly, farmers' perceptions of the measures were based on technical criteria alone.