Role of Agricultural Extension Services in Expansion of Date Palm Orchards in Destrict Dera Ismail Khan

Abstract

The present study was carried to assess the role of agricultural extension in expansion of date palm orchards in district Dera Ismail Khan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The total number of sampled respondents was 104 which were selected randomly on the basis of proportional sampling allocation technique from four different villages of the study area. The respondents were categorized in different groups on the basis of their age, education land holding size and tenancy status etc. It was found that majority (44.2%) of the farmers were of age above 45 years. The educational level of majority (32.7%) of the farmers was upto primary. It was found from the study that the agriculture extension was not playing its role vitally in the study area and the farmers were getting most of the information from other sources such as media and fellow farmers etc. Though the role of agriculture extension was limited, the farmers were anticipative about the actinoid future of date in the study area.

Keywords: Agricultural Extension, Expansion, Date Palm, Orchards