Alternative extension approaches to technology dissemination for sustainable agriculture in the Punjab, Pakistan

Sustainable agricultural development demands practices and technologies, which are technically appropriate, economically viable, environmentally non-degrading and socially acceptable. Sustainable development involves management and conservation of the natural resource base and the orientation of the technology and institutional changes in such a manner to ensure the continued fulfillment of human needs for present and future generations. The concept of sustainable agricultural development is gaining popularity among the extension agents, farmers and various organizations related to agriculture. The goal of sustainable agriculture should be to maintain production levels necessary to meet the aspirations of an extending population without degrading the environment. It would be possible only through the dissemination of recommended and environment friendly agricultural technology among the farmers through the different extension organizations wor king in the country. Public Sector Extension Approach (PSEA), Participatory Extension Approach (PEA) and Commodity Specialized Extension Approach (CSEA). The present paper is based on the analysis of these extension approaches in the context of technology dissemination for sustainable agricultural development. The study was conducted in Faisalabad district, where all the three approaches are simultaneously in operation for technology dissemination among farmers. Tehsil Chak Jhumra was randomly selected out of the five tehsils of district Faisalabad. Ten villages from this tehsil were taken at random and 12 farmers under each approach were randomly selected from each selected village thereby making a sample of 360 respondents. The data were collected with the help of a pre-tested, valid and reliable research instrument. The analysis of the data show that farm and home visits was the only method used by EFS of PSEA, which was rated good, tending towards excellent, whereas in c a se of PEA and CSEA, farm and home visits were rated as satisfactory tending towards good and fair tending towards satisfactory, respectively. However, in all the three approaches farm and home visit were ranked at the top of all the extension methods/media. The respondents of PSEA ranked television and radio second and third, whereas these media were far below in rating in case of PEA and CSEA. Lecture and discussion meetings were the extension methods rated as satisfactory tending towards good, satisfactory and poor by the respondents of PSEA, PEA and CSEA, respectively. The practices such as seed rate, plant population, land preparation, improved varieties, fertilizer application and irrigation methods were rated as good by the respondents of PSEA, whereas land preparation, improved varieties, seed rate/plant population were rated as satisfactory in PEA and CSEA. By and large PSEA appeared to be a better approach with regard to knowledge gained by the respondents, whereas P EA and CSEA were relatively less effective.