Prioritization of factors responsible for lower crop yields

In spite of the favorable land and water resources as well as climatic conditions, the crop yields in Pakistan are much lower compared with the developed countries. In many cases, there is even: manifold variation in yields within an irrigated system. This paper evaluates and prioritizes the factors responsible for lower crop yields. A total of 243 farmers with different farm sizes from 27 watercourses were selected in the Mona Reclamation Experimental Project area. Out of these, 81 farmers from the perennial irrigation region card 162 farmers from non-perennial irrigation region were selected. The selected farm sizes in the study area were less than 5, 5-10 and greater than 10 hectares. The results revealed that 59 percent of the farmers did not have requisite technical know-how in perennial area while, 68 percent of the farmers in non- perennial area faced the same problem. Financial constraint to purchase farm inputs was the second major problem affecting crop yields. There were 54 percent of the respondents in each of the two irrigation regions who reported the non-availability of finances as the main cause for low yields of major crops. Canal irrigation supply was another major limiting factor to agricultural productivity particularly for tail farms. In the perennial area, 18, 22, and 36 percent of the farmers located at the head, middle and tail respectively, reported the problem of water shortage, while in the non-perennial area, 25, 46, and 52 percent of the farmers at the head, middle, and Oil of the watercourse faced the same problem. Involvement of farmers in social disputes was also found responsible for low yields. Shortages and non-availability of good quality fertilizer was another main factor retarding crop productivity. In perennial and non-perennial areas, 21, and 41 percent of the farmers faced the problem of fertilizer availability. Various other factors such as crop disposal, and non-availability of electricity were also identified.