Title of Thesis

An Analysis Of Effectiveness Of Extension Work Conducted Under Farmers Field School (ffs) Approach For Sustainable Agricultural Development In The Punjab, Pakistan

Author(s)

Muhammad Shahbaz Bajwa

Abstract
Agriculture is vital for Pakistan's economy.Whatever happens to agriculture is bound to affect not only the country’s growth performance but a large segment of the country’s population as well. The development of agriculture depends on many factors including agricultural extension as an institutional component. Since independence many extension approaches have been tried from time to time but met with partial success in increasing farm productivity. Recently, government of Punjab has introduced a new extension approach known as farmers field school (FFS) in 15 districts of province.But, how do farmers view its effectiveness in meeting their needs is the forehand question which needs to be answered. Keeping this in view, the present study was designed and conducted in the randomly selected three districts under FFS. A multi-stage sampling technique was used for the selection of sample from study districts. Three districts were selected randomly, and then one tehsil from each randomly selected district was taken randomly, the randomly selected tehsils were Sargodha, Sheikupura and mailsy, from fruit, vegetables and cotton areas respectively.
A sample of 341 respondents from the population of 3000 registered FFS farmers were taken randomly. The sample size was determined by using table developed by Fitzgibbon et al (1987). Data were collected through an interview schedule, and data obtained were statistically analyzed by using computer software i.e. SPSS. According to the data, 36.4% respondents were of age 41 years and above. Only 14.67% respondents were illiterate, a simple majority (53.1%) of the respondents had less than 12.5 acres land holding and 88% respondents were owner. Majority (65.1%) of the respondents' source of income was only farming and 37.5% respondents had annual income less than Rs.100000. All the respondents were acquainted with the FFS staff, and regarding acquaintance with qualities of FFS staff, dutifulness gained the weighted score 1168 and was ranked at top, similarly regarding acquaintance with the duties of FFS staff and responsibilities of FFS member farmers, the duty "to coordinate all FFS personnel" gained a weighted score 1174 and responsibility "To roll call in the end of FFS meeting" gained a weighted score 1131 and were ranked at top, respectively. Overwhelming a majority (82.40%) of respondents were of the view that FFS staff had weekly contact with them. Similarly 71.6, 79.8, 88.6, 61.6, and 64.8% respondents reported that the FFS was 1-square distance from their home, situated at a central place, established at Dera, selected with mutual consultation of farmers and conducted on a need based survey, respectively, whereas 79.18% respondent's source of information was fellow farmers. Information provided about fertilizer requirement gained a weighted score 1086 and was ranked at the top, and regarding effectiveness, the information about hoeing was ranked at the top with a weighted score 1207 and majority(57.42%) of the respondents reported that "special topic/hot issue" was performed in the FFS to an average extent. Similarly, 63.58% and 58.6% respondents were of the view that the group discussion method was used and effective to an average extent and was ranked at the top with a weighted score 1107 and 1128, respectively.It was also concluded that during the use of different extension methods the pre-requisites of each extension method were used to below an average extent.Similarly FFS material was provided to below an average extent, whereas 41.31% of the respondents considered the lead pencil as effective to an average extent. An AESA/CESA activity like "farmers are properly briefed before field activity" was ranked at the top with weighted score 1081 and was performed to an average extent. There existed significant association of age with qualities of FFS staff, use of extension methods by FFS staff, responsibilities of FFS member farmers and effectiveness of information provided by FFS staff. Size of land holding had highly significant negative association with qualities of FFS staff and responsibilities of FFS member farmers. Annual income of respondents had also highly a significant positive association with qualities of FFS staff, whereas there existed highly significant positive association of education with qualities of FFS staff, use of extension methods by FFS staff, responsibilities of FFS member farmers and effectiveness of information provided by FFS staff.

1

1.1 Pakistan –An overview
1.2 Agriculture
1.3 Punjab: A study province
1.4 Agriculture in the Punjab
1.5 Agricultural extension systems in Punjab
1.6 Emergence of Farmers Field School (FFS)
1.7 Need for the study
1.8 Objectives
1.9 Research hypothesis
1.10 Assumptions of the study
1.11 Limitations of the study
1.12 Operational definitions of terms

2.1 Introduction
2.2 Agricultural extension worldwide
2.3 Agricultural extension systems in Pakistan
2.4 Decentralized extension system worldwide
2.5 Emergence of Farmers Field School approach worldwide
2.6 Acquaintance with staff
2.7 Training of farmers
2.8 Sustainable Agricultural Development
2.9 Source of Information
2.10 Extension methods used for dissemination of information
2.11 About questionnaire
2.12 Summary and synthesis of review of literature

3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research design
3.3 An overview of study districts
3.4 The study population
3.5 Sampling procedure and sample size
3.6 Instrumentation
3.7 Data collection
3.8 Data analysis
3.9 Difficulties faced during data collection

4.1 Section -1: Demographic Attributes of Respondents
4.2 Section -2: Acquaintance of respondents with FFS staff
4.3 Section -3: Establishment and Organization of FFS
4.4 Section -4: Perception of respondents regarding extension work conducted under FFS
4.5 Section -5: Extension methods employed by FFS staff
4.6 Section- 6 Association between some selected attributes

5.1 Summary
5.2 Findings
5.3 Recommendations
5.4 Implications for stake holders

6