To Study the Effectiveness of Farm Services Center Regarding Provision of Agricultural Inputs to its Member Farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
To Study the Effectiveness of Farm Services Center Regarding Provision of Agricultural Inputs to its Member Farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Muhammad Zafarullah Khan*, Shah Saud Ahmad and Asif Nawaz
ABSTRACT
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the year 1999, started a new strategy of Farm Services Center for the empowerment of farmers that aimed to provide agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, machinery along with advisory services in order to increase per acre yield. This study was conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the year 2016. The study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Farm Services Centers (FSCs) in district Charsadda regarding provision of agricultural services to its member farmers. About 57% respondents were registered with FSC since last 4-6 years period. Also 57% of the respondents mentioned that the extension agent was the source of awareness about FSC. About 43% of the respondents were invited by FSC for general body meeting whereas only 26% participated in the process of election. Maximum respondents were provided farm machinery by FSC i.e. cultivator (51%), rotavator (56%), mold bold plough (56%), disk plough (48%), single furrow (47%), drill (61%) and ridge maker (53%). Market was the source of seed for majority of the respondents regarding cauliflower (43%), bitter gourd (32%), bottle gourd (13%), potato (34%) and squash (29%). Similarly, majority of the respondents obtained urea (73%), SSP (54%), DAP (60%) and Nitro-Phos (55%) from the FSC whereas 91%, 99% and 96% respondents obtained Micron, Supper Silica and Gypsum from the concerned dealers. It is concluded that there was a gap in invitation of farmers for general body meeting and participation in elections by FSC members. FSC administration did not fulfill its obligation regarding provision of vegetable seed to its members resultantly they purchased seeds from the open market. Due to effective services of FSCs, farmers were inclined towards the cultivation of vegetables on larger areas and hence achieved significant yield of these selected vegetables in the study area. It is suggested that steps should be taken so that the participation of farmers in general body meetings and elections of FSC should be enhanced so that the trust of farmers be developed and they would be able to reach the solution of their problems. Timely availability of vegetable seeds along with subsidy should be ensured so that farmers can avail this opportunity.
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