An analysis of farmers' perceptions about distresses of waterlogging on the yield of cotton crop: A case study of tehsil Layyah

Waterlogging is a notorious disaster in Pakistan, restraining the growth and minimizing the yield of crops. About 72% of its land receives below 250 mm annual precipitation. It is estimated that about 2.2 million hectares of land which is 13 percent of the cultivated area in Pakistan suffered from an acute problem of water-logging. These changes in soil adversely affect the capability of a plant to survive in such situations. It is indicated that due to these risks we had been losing arable land at an alarming rate of 50,000 to 100,000 acres per annum. In Punjab which has main agriculture area of Pakistan there are approximately 1.47 m.ha. In Pakistan nearly 30% canal command area is waterlogged and 13% highly waterlogged. Cotton is the cash crop of Pakistan but the flood badly affected it which is the great economical loss for Fiber and Textile industry. Present project "An analysis of farmer's perceptions about distresses of water-logging on the yield of cotton crop: A Case Study of Tehsil Layyah" has been planned to dig out the issue of water-logging and its effects on cotton crop in tehsil Layyah. One union council was selected through purposive sampling which was flooding affected and waterlogged. Six villages were selected randomly from one union council. A list of 1808 farmers of six villages was obtained. A sample size of 111 respondents was derived by using survey software method available online at (surveysystem.com) with confidence level of 95% and confidence interval of 9. The data were gathered through mixed method approach including qualitative and quantitative paradigms. For the quantitative data survey was conducted through pretested and validated interview schedule. While for qualitative data focus group discussion was conducted through interview guide. A well planned interview schedule was designed to collect the data. The data were examined by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Findings revealed that involvement of farmers with medium age was dominating (46.8%). Literacy level of the area was not up to the mark as 41.4% were illiterate. Medium land holders were greater in percentage (46.8%). Majority (80.2%) of the respondents were owner. More than half (61.2%) of the respondents had their family size from 5-10 members followed by (18.9%) of the respondents who had up to above 10 family members. Main reason (55.9%) was flood that followed by cropping near river banks and no better irrigation system who shared 47.7% and 15.3%, respectively, attack of insects, fall of bolls, small size of boll, bad quality of cotton control was ranked PI, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. Based on factors, in this regard data were collected on respondents mean value were 2.72, 2.66, 2.58 and 2.57 respectively. Flood was the main reason causes the low production and effect the yield of cotton crop. Heavy rain in the monsoon period was the serious issues that affect the productivity of cotton crop. Insects and pest issues were very serious because in case of flood and rain insects, pests migrate from effected area and damage the standing crop that caused low production. Extension department should provide insecticides and pesticides Government sector should warned the farmers in case of forecasting and pay relief to the farmers in case of economic losses rain water stand in the field so proper drainage is necessary to drain the rain water from the field.