Social and Economic Effects of the Cultivation of Solanum Virginianum; A Case Study in Anamaduwa DS Division, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Solanum virginianum is a plant which belongs to the Solanaceae family that is used for medicinal purposes. This plant is rather widespread in Sri Lanka and the advantages of farming these plants might either be for economic or for social purposes. In none of the research that has been undertaken so far has the significance of these socioeconomic outcomes been highlighted. Consequently, this study's objective is to investigate the economic and social implications of farmers' cultivation of Solanum virginianum. For the study, seventy (70) farmers who cultivate Solanum virginianum were selected from the Anamaduwa Divisional Secretariats Division in Sri Lanka's Northwestern Province. Using a stratified random sampling technique, all respondents in the sample were requested to complete a pretested, standardized questionnaire form. Qualitative data was gathered by using a a fivepoint Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Most farmers are male, between the ages of 41 and 50, and they possess a high school diploma. In addition, many of them are married. Farmers in the region rely not just on the production of Solanum virginianum, but also on a variety of other crops, and many farmers in the sample have extremely low incomes. The study determined that when economic and sociological elements were integrated, the dependent variables did not produce statistically significant outcomes. In addition, the between-subject effects of economic and social factors seen during Solanum virginianum production were not statistically significant. Therefore, the authorized individuals should be concerned with these effects to increase the cultivation of Solanum virginianum for the Sri Lankan medicinal industry.