Biological and Clinical Sciences Research Journal
ISSN: 2708-2261
www.bcsrj.com
DOI: https://doi.org/10.47264/bcsrj0101032
Biol. Clin.
Sci. Res. J., Volume, 2020: e032
Original Research
IMPACT OF PUBLIC
EXTENSION SERVICES FOR EFFECTIVE WEED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN WHEAT-MAIZE
CROPPING PATTERN IN FAISALABAD PUNJAB, PAKISTAN
SAEED MM, CHAUDHRY
KM, ASHRAF I, USMAN M, EJAZ R, SHOAIB M, RIAZ I
Institute of Agricultural
Extension, Education and Rural Development, University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan
Corresponding
author: malikusmanuaf@gmail.com
Abstract
Weeds infestation is one of the major bottlenecks for higher
productivity and responsible for considerable grain losses up to 18% in Wheat
and 10-60% in Maize crop. Weeds are problematic because of their faster growth
and competition for use of natural resources. To ascertain the impact of different public extension services
working for improvement of farmer’s knowledge to effective weed management in
wheat-maize cropping pattern present was conducted in district Faisalabad. Results
of present study evaluated that a vast majority (64.7%) of farmers were familiar
with farm and home visit, (46.3%) farmers were known to telephone call and less
than one fifth (12.5%) were conversant with office call in individual contact
extension services. Meanwhile only (1.5%) farmers were aware with personal
letter as a public extension service. In group contact methods more than one
fourth (40%) were conscious with farmer day and field day but a meager
percentage (2.2%) were known to buzz group and brain storming extension
services in reference to effective weeds control. Almost (75%) farmers were
recognized with television, mobile phone and fellow farmers as a beneficial
agricultural extension services. Majority of farmers were aware about pesticide
dealers as a first source of information. According to mean value (2.00) individual
contact method was tending between very low to low rates of effectiveness for
proper weeds management. Almost (50%) farmers were satisfied with group contact
methods as an effective public extension services. Mobile phone was considered most
helpful method for obtaining proper information related to weeds control having
(3.40) mean value in present research. After getting these types of results it
was suggested that provision of the relevant information and awareness
regarding effective weeds management may only be ensured if a combination of
different contact methods is brought under implementation comprehensively.
Language barriers must need to be minimized while contacting the farmers and
command over local language and terms is one of the major ways forward in this
regard. However further studies are required to investigate the rate of
effectiveness of local herbicides.
Keywords:
extension
services, buzz group, fellow farmers, integrated weeds
management, cropping pattern
Introduction
Agriculture
sector contributes significantly towards the reduction of poverty, increasing
food security, economic growth and rural development in all over the world.
Agriculture is the main source of income for 2.5 billion populations of
throughout globe. The 8 Millennium Development Goals of World Bank one of them
is to eradicate poverty and hunger through advancements in agricultural sector (World Bank, 2008). Weed infestation
is a very serious problem as it can reduce 25-40% yield of wheat, 45% of maize,
20-50% of cotton, 10-20% of potato and up to 20-25% of rice by using the
productivity of land in the form of nutrients and water through root zones.
Different types of cropping
systems are being practiced in various districts of the Punjab. Major cropping
systems are rice-wheat, cotton-wheat, wheat-maize, rice-potato and cotton-maize
etc. in Punjab (Bhatti et al., 2006). Weeds are the plants which compete for
nutrients, space, light and exerts lot of harmful effects by reducing the
quality as well as quantity of the crop, if, the weed populations are left
uncontrolled (Arnold et al., 1988; Halford et
al., 2001). Maize is one of the world’s major cereal crops, ranking
third in importance after wheat and rice (Lashkari et
al., 2011). Weeds regularly cause devastating maize crop losses (Bajwa et al., 2015). In under developing countries 70% production of wheat,
maize and rice crops are low because farmers use traditional methods of crop
production. Over all world losses to different weeds are considerable specially in African countries (Muzari
et al., 2012). There is a
need to adopt weed control practices that precisely, both for economic and
environmental reasons (Bilalis et al. 2003).
Barros et al. (2008) reported that the aim of weed management is to keep
the weed community at an acceptable level rather than to keep the crop totally
free of weeds. Relevant and timely dissemination of information packages to the
farmers played an important role to increase production and improvement in
marketing policies (Cartmell et al., 2004). Information sources are divided in two categories as
interpersonal and impersonal. Face to face contact between people fall in
interpersonal and mass media sources fall in impersonal information sources (Muhammad,
2005).
Different
research findings have shown that many sources of information effect on
adoption for modern agricultural technology and practices. These communication
sources include Mass media (Newspaper, magazines, radio, and television) which
played a significant role for awareness about technology and adoption at early
stages. While interpersonal method of communication (extension agents, crop
consultant, input suppliers, demonstration and other growers) have also a
significant role for the adoption of advanced technologies (Mcbride
et al., 2003). Agriculture extension
department has many important functions like the creation of awareness about
new agricultural technologies and to give training about technical skills
etc. Different sources of information
are being used by department of agriculture extension includes meetings, group
discussions, result demonstration, lecture, leaflets, bulletins, television,
radio, and letters. To fulfill the requirements of rapidly increasing the
population production of agriculture should be increased. This can be done by
adopting latest techniques of farming (Okunade, 2007).
However, the role of new information technologies cannot be excluded. It is
necessary for agricultural development to enhance the per acre yield, improving
the marketing system and strategies about distribution, in agriculture
extension fellow farmers, print media are prominent sources of information for
farming community (Rehman et al., 2013). Agricultural extension is a system, which
facilitates the farmers to increase agricultural productivity. Different
educational procedures are being used to train and enable famers to improve
their agricultural practices, farming techniques; increase yield production and
increase revenue; improving living standards, and uplifting the social,
economic and educational standards (Rehman et al., 2013). Adoption rate of farmers about new technology
is necessary to obtain sustainability. Farmers and Extension field staff get
most of their training from Non-Governmental Organization’s about adoption of
new innovations that depends on their own information and discussions with
neighbors when making decision about crop production (Martin et al.,
2013). However, the majority of local farmers
depending on traditional methods of production due to lack of information and
poor extension skills. To check the role of public extension services
for effective weed management present study was designed.
Methodology
It
was quite difficult and problematic to conduct the research at entire
population due to shortage of resources e.g. time, energy and cost. Hence, the
researcher had chosen a part of population for her study rather to conduct
research at entire population. Faisalabad is 3rd most populated
district in Pakistan their old name of Faisalabad was Layyalpur.
It is 2nd largest district in eastern Punjab District Faisalabad consists
of six number of tehsils, two are rural and four
urban. Among rural Tehsils, Chak
Jhumra was selected purposively which consists of 13
union councils and 4 rural Union councils among 13 UCs were selected
purposively. From each (UCs) two villages were selected by using simple random
sampling. All the wheat-maize growing farmers were the population of the
research. Farmers’ lists practicing wheat and maize cropping pattern in
selected villages were collected from Department of Agriculture (Extension
wing) Faisalabad. From each selected villages 17 farmers were selected randomly
thus by making a sample size of 136. The sample size was derived by using
online software (www.Surveysystem.com) with confidence level 95% and confidence
interval 5%. The
main objective of this study was to check the role of public extension services
for effective weed management practices in wheat-maize cropping pattern in
Faisalabad Punjab, Pakistan. These were the parameters of our current study:
Awareness about public extension services and Extent of benefits of public
extension services.
Results and Discussion
This
results described the demographic characteristics (age, education, tenancy
status, land holding, farming experience and area under wheat and maize crop
etc.), of the respondents and their awareness level regarding different weeds
of wheat and maize crops.
Awareness about individual and group contact
method
Information sources play a special role for
creating awareness among farmers. Farmers get their basic and latest knowledge
from different public and private extension services to improve their agricultural
production. Role of new information sources cannot be excluded. It is necessary
for agricultural and rural development to enhance the per acre yields,
improving the marketing system and working strategies of extension field staff
(Okunade, 2007). To check the awareness about
extension contact methods were divided in to two categories (i) individual contact method and (ii) group contact methods
Table 1. Awareness
level of farmers about Individual and Group contact methods
Individual contact Methods |
Awareness |
|
Yes |
No |
|
Farm and Home Visits |
64.7 |
35.3 |
Office Call |
12.5 |
87.5 |
Personal Letter |
1.5 |
98.5 |
Telephone Call |
46.3 |
53.7 |
Group Contact Methods |
||
Group Meetings |
52.2 |
47.8 |
Lecture Meetings |
18.4 |
81.6 |
Discussion Meetings |
8.1 |
91.9 |
Demonstration |
11.0 |
89.0 |
Farmer day |
44.9 |
55.1 |
Field day |
49.4 |
59.6 |
Field trips and Tour |
23.5 |
76.5 |
Case study |
5.9 |
94.1 |
Role playing |
9.6 |
90.4 |
Brainstorming |
2.9 |
97.1 |
Buzz Group |
2.2 |
97.8 |
Data
depicted in table 1 describe that majority (64.7%) respondents have awareness about
farm and home visit. Slightly less than half (46.3%) were familiar with
telephone call, meanwhile (12.5%) were known to office call for individual
contact. Only (1.5%) respondents were aware about personal letter for
individual contact with extension field staff. Slightly little more than half
(52.2%) respondents were aware about group meetings and only (18.4%) farmers
were known to lecture meeting for group contact methods. Results described that
slightly less than half (44.9%) and (49.4%) were aware about farmer day and
field day for group contact with public extension field staff. Majority of
farmers were unaware about brainstorming, role playing, case study and buzz
group due to low working efficiency of public extension field staff. Only
(8.1%) respondents were aware to discussion meetings with extension officer for
group contact methods.
Awareness level of farmers about Mass contact methods and
other information sources
Different sources of information are used in
agriculture, which includes meetings, group discussion, result demonstration,
lecture, leaflets, bulletins, television, radio, and letters. To fulfil the requirements of fast increasing the population
and the production of agriculture has to be increased. In agriculture extension
fellow farmers, print media are prominent sources of information for farming
community (Rehman et
al., 2013). Information sources have been divided in two categories as
interpersonal and impersonal. Face to face contact between people fall in
interpersonal meanwhile mass media sources fall in impersonal.
Table 2. Awareness about Mass contact methods and other sources
Mass Contact Methods |
Awareness |
|
Yes |
No |
|
Radio |
11 |
89.0 |
T V |
69.9 |
30.1 |
Internet |
19.1 |
80.9 |
Telephone |
2.9 |
97.1 |
Mobile phone (cell) |
94.1 |
5.9 |
Helplines |
35.3 |
64.7 |
Newspaper |
31.6 |
68.4 |
Magazines |
5.9 |
94.1 |
Pamphlets |
10.3 |
89.7 |
Leaflets |
20.6 |
79.4 |
Signboards |
27.2 |
72.8 |
Fellow farmers |
98.5 |
1.5 |
EPS of public sector |
81.6 |
13.3 |
EPS of private sector |
90.4 |
9.6 |
Pesticides dealers |
98.5 |
1.5 |
Exhibitions |
18.4 |
81.6 |
Campaigns |
5.1 |
94.9 |
The information given in above table 2
describe that overwhelming majority (94.1%) farmers were familiar with Mobile
phone (cell) for agriculture related information. Television is also common
method for disseminating of modern technologies, majority (69.9%) farmers were
aware about this information source. In mass contact category only (11%)
farmers were known to radio, (19.1%) were familiar with internet and meager
(2.9%) were aware with Telephone for getting agriculture information especially
effective weeds management in wheat and maize crop. Almost 100% farmers were
aware about fellow farmers as a main source of getting agricultural
information. Awareness percentage about Extension field staff of public and
private sector was 81.6 and 90.4 % respectively in other information source
category. The results described that majority of farmers (98.5%) pesticide
related information from pesticides dealers. Only (18.4%) and (5.1%) farmers
were aware about exhibitions and campaigns as source of information from
agriculture extension department.
Extent of Effectiveness of Public Extension services
In modern agriculture different extension methods are
being used to control weeds; farmers use these sources on the basis of their
traditional knowledge. The extent of effectiveness of public
extension services are dependent on their working strategy and knowledge
level of farmers.
Table 3. Extent of effectiveness of Individual and Mass contact
method
Individual Contact Method |
Weighted Score |
Rank Order |
Mean |
Standard Deviation |
Farm and Home Visits |
211 |
1 |
2.72 |
0.760 |
Telephone Call |
177 |
2 |
2.42 |
0.801 |
Office Call |
32 |
3 |
1.68 |
1.002 |
Personal Letter |
2 |
4 |
1.00 |
0.000 |
Group Contact Methods |
||||
Group Meetings |
189 |
1 |
2.55 |
0.813 |
Field day |
141 |
2 |
2.38 |
0.809 |
Farmer day |
140 |
3 |
2.37 |
0.740 |
Field trips and Tour |
59 |
4 |
2.03 |
0.731 |
Lecture Meetings |
55 |
5 |
2.20 |
0.816 |
Demonstration |
33 |
6 |
2.75 |
0.753 |
Discussion Meetings |
23 |
7 |
2.09 |
0.539 |
Role playing |
23 |
8 |
2.09 |
0.943 |
Case study |
12 |
9 |
1.50 |
0.755 |
Buzz Group |
7 |
10 |
1.40 |
0.547 |
Brainstorming |
6 |
11 |
1.50 |
0.577 |
Data presented in table 3 describe that most of the
farmers were getting information through farm/home visits and telephone calls
among individual contact methods having 2.72 and 2.42 mean value respectively.
Office call and personal letter were perceived less effective by the
respondents having 1.68 and 1.00 mean value. Among group contact methods, group
meetings came forward as one of the most effective strategies to disseminate
information among the respondents with a mean value of 2.55. Field day, farmer’s
day, and field trips secured mean effectiveness value of 2.37, 2.03 and 2.20
respectively. Dissemination of the relevant information in mother language of
the respondents was perceived to be the most effective way out to reach them
effectively in terms of providing the relevant information. Moreover, lecture
meetings, demonstration and discussion meetings strategies secured a mean
effectiveness value of 2.20, 2.75, and 2.09 respectively. Role playing, case
study, buzz group and brainstorming were perceived less effective by the
respondents with a mean value of 2.09, 1.50, 1.40 and 1.50 respectively.
Extent of effectiveness of Mass contact method and other
information sources
Different public and private extension services providing
to opportunities to farmers for awareness about effective weeds control. Public
extension services provided to farmers were divided in to
different categories (i) Individual contact, (ii)
Group contact, (iii) Mass contact method (iv) print
media and other information sources. The modern agricultural technology was
delivered through different sources in which mobile phones and TV were on top
of the list. Majority of farmers had awareness about these methods. The
effectiveness of these extension services have been given in table 4.
Table 4. Extent of effectiveness of Mass contact method and other
information sources
Mass Contact Method |
Weighted Score |
Rank |
Mean |
Standard
Deviation |
Mobile phone
(cell) |
420 |
1 |
3.30 |
0.750 |
T V |
227 |
2 |
2.31 |
0.712 |
Help lines |
85 |
3 |
1.88 |
0.958 |
Internet |
43 |
4 |
1.79 |
0.883 |
Radio |
16 |
5 |
1.33 |
0.651 |
Telephone |
10 |
6 |
2.00 |
1.000 |
Print Media |
||||
Newspapers |
92 |
1 |
2.13 |
0.861 |
Leaflets |
73 |
2 |
2.51 |
0.687 |
Signboards |
72 |
3 |
2.11 |
0.728 |
Pamphlets |
37 |
4 |
2.31 |
0.793 |
Books/Booklets |
22 |
5 |
2.44 |
0.726 |
Magazines |
16 |
6 |
2.28 |
1.112 |
Other Information Sources |
||||
Fellow farmers |
475 |
1 |
3.51 |
0.771 |
Pesticide dealers |
412 |
2 |
3.09 |
0.786 |
EFS of private sector |
361 |
3 |
2.88 |
0.785 |
EFS of public
sector (Agri. Dept.) |
262 |
4 |
2.36 |
0.979 |
Exhibitions |
39 |
5 |
1.69 |
0.764 |
Campaigns |
13 |
6 |
1.62 |
0.916 |
The information given in above table 4 indicates that
Mobile phone is most effective method for dissemination of agriculture
information having 3.30 mean value meanwhile Tv was ranked on 2nd on the basis of their
effectiveness according to 2.31 mean value.
In mass contact method helplines, internet and
radio were on 3rd, 4th and 5th ranked having
low rate of effectiveness. In print media category leaflets, signboards,
pamphlets and newspapers were comparatively better sources of information for
the farmers with a perceived effectiveness value of 2.13, 2.11, 2.31, and 2.13
respectively. Illiterate farmers were not satisfied with booklets and magazines
due to low educational level. Fellow farmers were perceived to be the most
reliable and accessible sources of information by majority of the respondents
with a mean effectiveness value of 3.51. Pesticides dealers and extension field
staff of private sector were also considered prominent sources of information
with mean effectiveness value of 3.09 and 2.88 respectively. Extension field
staff of public sector, exhibitions, and campaigns secured a perceived
effectiveness mean value of 2.36, 1.69 and 1.62 respectively. However, fellow
farmers came forward as a major source of information most of the farmers rely
on.
Summary and conclusions
The awareness level of the respondents about individual
contact methods was satisfactory and majority of the respondents were aware
about office call and only two of the respondents had an idea about personal
letter. An overall awareness percentage The other method was group contact;
more than 50% farmers were about group meeting less than half had awareness
about farmer day, field day. Farmers had less awareness about buzz group,
brainstorming, and case study. The respondents had low awareness and interest
towards office call and personal letter as methods of contact. Group meetings,
field day and farmers’ day were perceived comparatively better contact methods
regarding effective weeds management by the farmers. The effectiveness of
different contact methods is dependent on their awareness level among farming
community therefore, brainstorming, buzz group, case
study and role playing were perceived less effective by the respondents. The
agriculture related information can effectively be transferred through mass
contact method, in which mobile phone might be a potential method to reach out
the farmers if proper planning and implementation is ensured. Among mass contact
methods TV and internet were perceived better sources of information with
contrast to radio and other mass contact methods. Internet source of
information was associated with comparatively literate audience while radio was
one of the reliable sources of information for the illiterate audience. Even
newspapers, leaflets, signboards were also among the sources which had an
association with the literate farmers. As a whole illiterate respondents were
not satisfied with the contact methods associated with print media.
Recommendations
Ø First of all, there is need to create awareness among the
farming community about different weeds of wheat and Maize crop, their extent
of damage and concept of integrated weeds management.
Ø Provision of information and awareness to the farmers is
directly associated with the way of contacting the farmers. Therefore, there is
need to develop a proper mechanism of reaching out the farmers in a proper way.
Ø There is need to focus on the methods best perceived by
the farmers so that effective communication with the farmers must be
ensured.
Ø Farm visits, farmers’ days, fellow farmers, phone calls,
television, radio and demonstrations are a few of the traditional contact
methods perceived best by the farmers. Therefore, their utilization in an
effective way may result in better dissemination.
Ø Establishment of demonstration plots with implication of
integrated weeds management practices may contribute effectively towards
efficient weeds control.
Ø There is need to properly train the farmers and EFS as
well about using the modern contact methods like ICT’s. It would really be
helpful in terms of making a difference regarding timely and effective
information dissemination.
Ø Establishing a strong researchers-extension field
staff-farmer’s linkage through a common contact channel must be ensured so that
effective information provision could be exercised
Conflict
of interest
The authors declared absence of any conflict of interest.
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