Ijaz Ashraf

EFFECTS OF DEVOLUTION ON EFFICIENCY OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Economy of Pakistan is based on agriculture, which contributes 19.8% to GDP and generates 45% employment opportunities for labour force of the country. Majority (60%) of the rural population depends directly for its livelihood on this sector (Govt. of Pak., 2016). Despite these facts in Pakistan the production of major cops is the lowest as compared to the world’s averages (Aslam, 2016). This situation demands an effective and efficient extension system in the country. In fact, Agriculture Department (Ext.) since its establishment is trying its level best to improve living standards in the rural areas through increased productivity and farm income. This is only possible through an efficient extension work that can appropriately link findings of research and needs of the farmers thereby making them adopt latest agricultural technology that ultimately increases their production efficiency (Hasan et al., 2013). It is universally recognized that agricultural extension is the main carrier of agriculture knowledge which accelerate the transfer and sharing of knowledge that can be adopted and promote productivity which in turn improves the living standard of rural people in the ever changing climatic situation and eventually helpful for reducing poverty in developing and developed countries (Cadger et al., 2016). Since independence, different extension approaches like General Extension Approach, Commodity Specialized Approach, Farming System Research/Extension Approach, Cost Sharing Approach, Participatory Extension Approach, Educational Institutional Approach, Project Approach and Training & Visit System have been implemented time to time to benefit the farmers. Keeping in view the weaknesses of all implemented approaches, Devolution plan was implemented in the country in 2001 (Abbas et al., 2009). In the recent past, governments of many developing countries faced difficulties in the provision of timely and reliable services to farming community in a cost effective and financially sustainable manner. Crop production and farmers’ income declined due to the deterioration of services provided by these governments. Decentralization of the power and functions of different service providing organizations helped the governments in reducing financial burden through improved access and quality of inputs (FAO, 2005). Decentralization aims to achieve improved efficiency in service provision, better accountability to the service users and transparency of service providers because this system responds more closely to people’s preferences economically and politically (Khodamoradi and Abedi, 2011). Empirical literature on decentralization documented mixed outcomes across the world. In Nigeria, government has decentralized the delivery of agricultural services to improve farmers’ access to services and modern inputs. The government not only transferred responsibilities and resources to lower level of government but also transferred decision making power to the civil society. Different institutional and policy environments emerged due to decentralization. Generally, the Pak. J. Agri. Sci., Vol. 54(4), 953-957; 2017 ISSN (Print) 0552-9034, ISSN (Online) 2076-0906 DOI: 10.21162/PAKJAS/17.5955 http://www.pakjas.com.pk

Comparative Analysis of Satisfaction of Smallholder Rice Growers with Public and Private Extension Organizations and Development of a Strategy to Enhance the Effectiveness of Extension Work in the Punjab

49 14.3% 108 31.6% 113 33.0% 38 11.1% 34 09.9% 0.00% Training of farmers 44 12.9% 122 35.7% 98 28.7% 36 10.5% 29 08.5% 10 02.9% 39 11.4% 142 41.5% 119 37.8% 30 08.8% 12 03.5% 0.00% Skill development 71 20.8% 108 31.6% 104 30.4% 29 08.5% 25 07.3% 05 01.5% 27 07.9% 30 08.8% 56 16.4% 130 38.0% 99 28.9% 0.00% Use of various extension methods 110 32.2% 94 27.5% 73 21.3% 38 11.1% 27 07.9% 0.00% 110 32.2% 106 30.9% 72 21.1% 22 06.4% 20 05.8% 12 03.5% Facilitation in input acquisition 54 15.8% 113 33.0% 121 35.4% 28 08.2% 17 04.9% 09 02.6% 55 16.1% 111 32.5% 103 30.1% 38 11.1% 15 04.4% 20 05.8% Provision of Training facilities 17 04.9% 41 11.9% 77 22.5% 118 34.5% 89 26.0% 0.00% 46 13.5% 39 11.4% 120 35.1% 100 29.2% 37 10.8% 0.00% Farmers motivation 38 11.1% 19 05.6% 124 36.3% 96 28.1% 61 17.8% 04 01.2% 121 35.4% 112 32.7% 63 18.4% 20 05.8% 18 05.2% 08 02.3% Dealing with Farmer 21 06.1% 67 19.6% 89 26.0% 82 23.9% 78 22.8% 05 01.5% 144 42.1% 98 28.7% 51 14.9% 33 09.6% 16 04.7% 0.00% Help in credit acquisition 138 40.4% 98 28.7% 53 15.5% 28 08.2% 22 06.4% 03 00.8% 21 06.1% 45 13.2% 113 33.0% 118 34.5% 38 11.1% 07 02.0% Farmer-extension linkage 24 07.0% 37 10.8% 115 33.6% 89 26.0% 77 22.5% 0.00% 24 07.0% 46 13.5% 114 33.3% 95 27.8% 63 18.4% 0.00% Follow up visits 25 07.3% 21 06.1% 60 17.5% 110 32.2% 92 26.9% 34 09.9%

Implications of Trainer and Trainee based DynamicsAffecting Farmers Training Meetings

Agriculture is the most important sector of Pakistan’s economy however some diversifications are being along with it over many years. The cultivated cropped area is contributing to GDP at about 21.0% as it covers 22 million hectares. About 45.0% of the employed force of Pakistan is related with agriculture. Rural areas’ population about 66.0% is directly or indirectly dependant on agriculture for its livelihood (Govt. of Pak., 2008). Foreign exchange earnings of the country are largely related with agriculture. A large population of Pakistan is dependent on natural resources like forestry, fisheries, agriculture and livestock as an agriculture country [1].

MITIGATING MIGRATION THROUGH BRIDGING PRODUCTION GAP IN LIVESTOCK SECTOR

Livestock productivity is one of the solutions to mitigate human migration from rural to urban areas. Livestock is the major contributor towards value addition in the agriculture sector and also in social build-up. It plays versatile role in rural life by providing food, income, employment, fuel, fertilizer, transportation and power. It has been serving as a source of income and food security for centuries. However, in present situation it is not playing its role as it could have. This field is deficient in production, management, marketing and information creating a big yield gap as compared to potential one. Less income leads to alternative strategies of livelihood for rural people, resulting migration to opt some other professions in cities. This migration creates a huge depression on urban resources including space, food and sanitation. Present paper focuses how to overcome migration through increasing livestock production and sustaining farmers at their villages to earn livelihood in a secure manner. All this inculcates towards encouragement of livestock farmers to carry on livestock farming inspite of migration. Present study was conducted in Tehsil Nankana Sahib. Out of its 34 rural union councils, four were selected randomly. From each selected union council, three villages were selected randomly. From each selected village ten livestock farmers were selected by random sampling technique thereby making a sample size of 120 respondents. Data were collected through interview schedule and analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to draw conclusions. It was found that people were migrating towards cities due to many problems in the livestock sector. Migration is a problem which affects cities also. Proper steps need to be taken to address the issues of migration and people leaving up livestock farming.