Abstract:
Various factors are responsible for the efficiency of extension system but farmers demands and their needs for advisory services are decisive factors in determining the effectiveness of extension services. Demand-driven and need-based advisory services ensure the efficiency of extension system. The present study was conducted in the Department of Agri. Extension, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan during the year 2009. The objective was to assess the demand for extension services among farming community for successful delivery of advisory services regarding agronomic and plant protection practices. A cross-sectional research design was used for the study. Farmers were asked about their demands for advisory services on four-point likert scale. A sample of 408 farmers was selected for interview using simple random sampling technique through Fitzgibbon table. The data were collected through validated interview schedule and analyzed by using SPSS software. The results revealed that there were high demands of advisory services for specific crops in specific cropping zones. In cotton-zone, demand for agronomic and plant protection advisory services regarding cotton was very high with mean values of 3.85 and 3.91 with standard deviation of 0.46 and 0.41, respectively. Similarly, in rice-zone, demand for these advisory services regarding rice was also very high with the mean values of 3.65 and 3.60 with standard deviation of 0.54 and 0.59, respectively. This study rejected the impression that farmers are not interested in advisory services.
Page(s):
429-436
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Journal of Agricultural Research, Volume: 49, Issue: 3, Year: 2011