Analyzing Farm Advisory Services Through Perception Of Targeted Farming Community

The transformation of traditional agriculture into knowledge based agriculture and shift from cereal to high value agriculture predominantly depends on extension work. Extension services play a pivotal role in the diffusion of any innovation among the targeted farming community. Different extension approaches have been launched among different communities in order to promote agricultural production. Model Farm Service Center(MFSC) is a public-private partnership program established in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP) province with the aim to promote agricultural activity and bring progressive changes in the attitude of farming communities. MFSC is a capacity building approach which provides opportunities to the farming community to enhance their knowledge and skills. It also helps in developing linkages with other agricultural entities for increase yield and improved socio-economic status of the farmers. The focus of this study is to investigate the impact of MFSCs on farming and to evaluate the farmers‘ activities under this program. This study also investigates the influence of farm advisory services and agricultural facilities provided to the farmers through MFSC. In addition, this study critically analyzes and compares the difference of member farmers to non member farmers of the MFSC in some aspects.The primary data were selected using structured questionnaires to interview farmers from the KP province. For data collection four districts namely Swat, Mardan, Abbottabad and Dera ismahil Khan(D.I Khan) were purposely selected from the KP province. From each of these four districts, 120 respondents i.e. 60 members and 60 non members were randomly selected for questionnaire-based interview. Thus a total sample size consists of 480 respondents keeping the same ratio 1:1 of members as well of non member farmers with the assumption to represent the whole population of the province. In addition 120 agricultural graduates from the entire province were also interviewed through questionnaire for further improvement. Thus a total sample size consists of 600 respondents for the entire study. Statistical Package for Social Science(SPSS) was used for analysis. At first step of analysis, descriptive statistics like frequencies and cross tabulation were used to express the data. Secondly, independent sample t-test was applied to determine the differences in their general characteristics as well as the farming methods of members and non member farmers of the MFSC. Thirdly, dummy variable regression was used to identify the actual difference in the yield of both types of respondents.Results of the study show that most of the farmers are in the range of 45 years of age and their income is mainly from agriculture. Most of the respondents regularly contact the agricultural office for improving agriculture. Result of the study also shows that agricultural agents visit their areas/farm. Most of the respondents use their own agricultural machineries during farming and cultivate their own or fellow farmer‘s seed instead of buying it from MFSC or input dealers. It is also found that mostly member farmers are comparatively more skillful and well aware about modern agricultural practices than non- member. Crop yield data of the two groups further showed that member farmers were obtaining higher average yields than the non-members for most of the crops. Likewise, the member farmers‘ milk yield from livestock was also more than that of non member farmers. Some of the respondents were of the view that lack of agricultural inputs, shortage of farm machineries, unavailability of credit facilities and long distance of the MFSC are the main problems they are confronted with. It can be concluded that although the overall impact of this extension program is quite satisfactory still there is scope of further strengthening MFSC in terms of the availability of improved quality seeds, modern agricultural machinery and proper fertilizer on reasonable rates plus capacity building of the farming community.