PERFORMANCE DIGEST of AGRICULTURE EXTENSION SERVICES RENDERED by PUBLIC SECTOR and Ngos in DISTRICT KOHAT of NWFP, PAKISTAN

Sarhad J. Agric. Vol.25, No.4, 2009 PERFORMANCE DIGEST OF AGRICULTURE EXTENSION SERVICES RENDERED BY PUBLIC SECTOR AND NGOs IN DISTRICT KOHAT OF NWFP, PAKISTAN IFTIKHAR AHMED*, MUHAMMAD IDREES*, NAEEM SHAH** and SYED WAQAR SHAH*** * Department of Agricultural Extension Education & Communication, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar – Pakistan. ** Institute of Development Studies, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar – Pakistan. *** NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar – Pakistan. ABSTRACT In Pakistan agriculture department is mainly mandated for the Agricultural development in the country. Their responsibility is shared by NGO’s to some extent. The public sector and NGO are discharging the dissemination of improved agriculture practices among the farming community. The present study was conducted in district Kohat, 2007. The data included all types of respondents i-e age below 30 years(26%), 30 to 40 years (24.67%) and above 40 years (49.33%),with educational status illiterate (39.67%), literate up to primary (15%), middle (27.33%), metric and above (18%) and having land below 20 acres (50%), 20 to 40 acres (16.67%) and above 40 acres (33.33%). Both public and NGO’s sectors are playing important role in providing information, inputs recommendations of different crops in their own perspective. But, farmers were satisfied with the working efficiency of NGOs regarding wheat and maize etc. They were also getting benefits from the worth while advices and the help of public sector and NGO’s. Key Words: Comparison, Performance, Public Sector, NGOs Citation: Ahmad, I., M. Idress, N. Shah and S.W. Shah. 2009. Performance digest of agriculture extension services rendered by public sector and NGOs in District Kohat of NWFP, Pakistan. Sarhad J. Agric. 25(4): 617-621. INTRODUCTION Extension is a service which assists farmers in improving farming methods and techniques, increasing production efficiencies and income, improving their levels of living and lifting social and educational standards (Maundar, 1973). Extension personnel have the task of bringing scientific knowledge to farm families. While, elaborating the role of extension worker Bradfield stated that the object of the task is to improve the efficiency of agriculture (Bradfield, 1966). Agricultural extension worker thus is an educator and communication agent. Extension workers are responsible for the identification of farmers’ problems and production constraints. They work closely with subject matter specialists and research workers. Extension workers responsibility is to disseminate information about new technology and teach farmers how to use it successfully to increase their production and income. This sort of responsibility is educational in nature. However, extension personnel are also mandated to disseminate information and encourage the application of this information to solve specific problems. They also play a coordinating and developmental role in this regard. Extension frequently takes the lead in helping farmers to solve the problems thus, if industry is supplying the wrong type of fertilizers, or if an insecticide is failing to produce results, extension workers takes it up with the industry to search out a solution. If services needed are not being provided in a satisfactory manner, cooperation may be formed, and thus extension worker is an action oriented force in the development of such farmers. Technical recommendation, input supply and other agricultural services are all closely related in agriculture development, and technology transfer. The extension worker as technical agent monitors the crop in his assigned zone or circle, and when problem arises, or when a particular input is needed, the extension worker not only provides the technical advice but manages the input. Technical Specialists work directly with small farmers to develop, test and then demonstrate improved agricultural technology. In different developmental programs, extension workers can play different roles. They are expected to help farmers about new technology alteration, and to help them in access to inputs, credit and marketing services. In situations when there is a shortage of trained agricultural personnel, extension personnel frequently become directly involved in supplying inputs and services. Dispersing inputs, credit and other services is a more clear-cut rewarding job than conducting extension program. One of the major goals of extension workers is to influence the way farmers and farm families make decisions, and it is important for extension workers to recognize that women in farm families influence men’s decision about agricultural activities (Mickelwait, 1976). Iftikhar Ahmed et al. Performance digest of agriculture extension services rendered by public sector… 618 Non Governmental Organization (NGO’s) As the 21st century is the era of privatization and decentralization. Government of Pakistan has also started some work on this aspect to strengthen and encourage the private sector to play its role in agriculture development. Government is seems to be very keen on bringing the investors to invest their money in agriculture sector. Pakistan faced severe crisis of food shortage in a recent past. In Pakistan, per acre yield of various crops is very low as compared to other countries (Abbas, 2004). Though we have fertile lands and conductive climate but yet our yield is low. It does not fulfill the food requirements of the population, which is increasing day by day. All this is because of the facts that our farmers are not literate and they are not using latest technology for crop production. In this regard, technology dissemination should be done on war footing and thus the role of NGO sector is very crucial in this connection. MATERIALS AND METHODS Universe of the Study North West Frontier Province (NWFP) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. It has 25 districts in total, in which, Kohat is one of the most important and progressive districts in terms of more infrastructures such as roads, electricity, transportation, and communication system, education, health care, irrigation facilities and access to commercial markets. District Kohat was purposively selected for the given study due to the reason of easily accessibility. District Kohat is divided in to two tehsils viz. Tehsil Kohat and Tehsil Lachi. Information was collected from both of these two tehsils. According to the census report of Kohat district, the total land area of the district is 295054 hectares where 25% (74469 hectares) is cultivated 15572 hectares is irrigated while 58897 hectares is non-irrigated. The remaining 75% (220585 hectares) of land is uncultivated which has been classified as forest land (57001 hectares), barren land (30340 hectares), and uncultivable (133244 hectares). In the prevailing situations two cropping seasons are observed as Rabi and Kharif. The Rabi crops are generally wheat, barley, gram, rape and mustered etc., while maize, rice, bajra, jauwar, groundnut, sessimun and sugarcane crops are known as Kharif crops in the study area. The mean rainfall per annum in the district is 125-500 mm, with mean relative humidity 70-80% and climatic condition of the area is arid to semi arid. The population of the district is 562644 individuals with approximately 70% of them employed in agriculture. Major Crops Major crops of the district include; maize, rice, bajra, juwar, ground nut, sugarcane, wheat, barley, gram, rape and mustard. The yield production of almost all the crops in the study area is too low and to investigate their possible reasons in reference to Agricultural Extension services and that of NGOs is the grave concern of the study. Other than cereal crops, Kohat district is famous for guava fruit production. Agricultural research system in the form of barani project research farm, agricultural extension and various NGOs are working to increase the production of various crops and ultimately the income and welfare of the farmers. Most of the farmers are using Pak 81 (64%), Bakhtawar 92 (38.67%), Khyber 87 (36.67%), Inqilab 91 (27.33%), and Pirsabak 2005 (24%) as the wheat verities. Of the total farmers, 82% are using local wheat. The reasons for using improved verities is that it provides more yield production (65.33%), has resistance to insect attack (44%) and resistant to diseases (44.67%). In addition to the above mentioned varieties, some other verities of crops are also used for cultivation. For example, farmers cultivate improved maize verities; Shaheen (66.67%), Changaz (60.33%), Sarhad white (54.67%), Azam 90 (28%) and Ghori (hybrid; 23.67%). Both chemical fertilizer and farm yard manure are also applied by the farmers. The major chemical fertilizers are Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Urea. All farmers found using to 2-3 bags of chemical fertilizer. The important insecticides in practice by the farmers are sufokin (42%) and Chlorpyripha (34%). Sample The sample of this study consisted three hundred randomly selected respondents from ten union councils, 5 each from tehsil Kohat and tehsil Lachi. All respondents were male land owners actively engaged in farming. Sampling Procedure The sampling was done in two phases. In phase 1, all the union councils which comprised the Kohat and Lachi tehsils were identified from local government records. The total numbers of union council in tehsil Kohat were 20, while 12 union councils were in tehsil lachi. It was initially decided to select randomly 5 union councils from each tehsil. In case of tehsil lachi, it was done

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