Role of Farmer Field School in Increasing Production of Maize Crop in District Malakand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province Pakistan

Abstract

The present study was designed to have an insight into the role of Farmer Field Schools in increasing production of maize crop in district Malakand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The study was carried out in five villages of tehsil Dargai of district Malakand namely, Sindano, Mukam Kaly, Makhnawala, Baghicha, and Ashako. A total sample of 100 respondents, 20 from each village was selected for the study. The data used for the study was primary data collected directly by face-to-face interaction through a well-designed interview schedule. The collected data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and t-test statistics was used for the comparison of means before and after FFS. It was discovered that majority (37%) of the respondents of the study area were in the age group 41-50 years. In terms of educational level, majority (52%) were illiterate. It was observed from analysis of data that the FFS had an influence over different parameters of study. The average seed rate of maize before FFS was found to be 51.91 kg per hectare with an average seed cost of Rs. 6210.90 which after FFS reduced to 25.69 kg per hectare with an average seed cost of Rs. 3322.80 per hectare. The respondents of the study area did not realize any plant to plant and row to row spacing before FFS but after FFS they maintained 8.72 inches and 2.08 feet of plant to plant and row to row spacing respectively. The cost of fertilizer before FFS was found to be Rs. 19396.00 per hectare which after FFS changed to Rs. 22468.00. Before FFS the cost of crop protection was much higher i.e. Rs. 3167.80 per hectare which reduced to Rs. 314.06 after FFS. The cost of farm yard manure was found to be Rs. 4383.00 per hectare which after FFS changed to Rs. 5787.00. The average yield of maize production before FFS was recorded as 2.24 tonnes per hectare which increased to 3.31 tonnes per hectare after FFS through the adoption of modern techniques of maize production recommended at FFS to the farmers that resulted in higher income of Rs. 98215.00 after FFS as compared to income before FFS i.e. Rs. 65165.00. Majority (89%) of the respondents of the study area was satisfied from the FFS services and was willing to adopt that approach in future as well. It was recommended that more and more FFSs should be established in other parts of the province to enhance agricultural productivity so that the food requirements of the ever increasing population of the province be met.

Keywords: Farmer, Field, School, Maize, Production, Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Agricultural.