Awareness and level of adoption of agricultural technologies in the remote areas of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan
2000
Khan, N. (Allama Iqbal Open Univ., Islamabad (Pakistan). Dept. of Agricultural Sciences) | Keatinge, J.D.H.
A survey of farmers was conducted in Swat Valley of North West Frontier Province in Pakistan to determine their level of awareness, understanding and adoption of improved agricultural technologies and assess their rational and level degree for not adopting recommended farming practices, the use of an improved variety, fertilizers and plant protection measures at the recommended rates were used deliberately indicators of farmers awareness and adoption. There were significant differences among farmers in their levels of education and landholdings resulting in classification of farmers into three principal groups termed progressive, traditional and small-scale. The farmers have shown awareness about the recommended and improved agricultural technologies. They have readily adopted improved varieties of rice and apples, where these are available, but less than 50% of farmers have adopted the associated fertilizer and pesticide application components of the improved technologies. Besides major resource availability issues, one quarter to half of all farmers feel lack of confidence in the technological recommendations of the Extension Services. Moreover, the majority of the disadvantaged farmers claim to be poorly served by the existing extension Department and that the Departments staff effectively discriminate against them in favor of more progressive farmers. Recommendations are made to overcome the problems revealed by this survey. For example the proactive of involvement of mass media particularly the use of radio which is the key for dissemination of agricultural information. There should be a strong partnership among research, extension and mass media information agencies.
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