Role of Farm Services Center regarding Empowerment of Vegetables Growers in District Charsadda
Role of Farm Services Center regarding Empowerment of Vegetables Growers in District Charsadda
Shah Saud Ahmad and Muhammad Zafarullah Khan*
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in Charsadda district in the year 2016 to investigate the role of Farm Services Center (FSC) regarding empowerment of vegetable growers. Primary data were collected from 234 vegetable growers through well-structured interview schedule. Whereas secondary data were amassed from various published and unpublished sources. Results of the present study revealed that majority (85%) respondents had joint families system. Almost (60%) respondents had landholdings up to five acres and majority (77%) respondents were involved on full time basis in agriculture whereas 80% of the respondents reported agriculture as their major source of income. FSC was the major source of agricultural information followed by agriculture extension department. More than half of the respondents (i.e. 60%) reported that FSC arranged trainings for them regarding their capacity building. Fertilizer application was the major skill stated by overwhelming majority of (95%) respondents followed by improved agricultural technology (94%) and sowing methods (93%) learned through FSC. Mass contact method was rarely used in the study area as only 10% of the respondents ranked it very high and 28% respondents reported it very low on likert scale. It can be concluded that FSC had developed the linkages of the respondents with agriculture research and water management department in the study area. Top learned skills from this approach were fertilizer application, improved agricultural technology and sowing methods. It is suggested that there is a need that FSC has to establish the linkages of the farmers with the entire line department associated with the farming. FSC should take steps to build the capacity of the farmers regarding the latest improved practices of vegetable cultivation to achieve more production.
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