Need of Farmer Advisory Services in Punjab, Pakistan

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.

Agriculture Extension (Need of Farmer Advisory Services in Punjab, Pakistan) - Cover

Why we need Extension Services?

1. The agriculture, being the second largest sector, plays a significant role in Pakistan's economy. 
2. It accounts for 21 percent of GDP, and ranks first in contributing 45 percent to its total labor force. 
3. About 62 percent of country’s population is directly or indirectly linked with agriculture for their livelihood. 
4. The agriculture sector supplies raw materials to agro-processing industry. 
5. It contributes substantially to Pakistan’s exports, and 
6. A large market for agricultural inputs such as tractors, seed, fertilizer, pesticides, etc.

Desired Solution:

• Various factors contribute towards agricultural development including agricultural extension as an institutional input. 
• Effective agricultural extension can bridge the gap between discoveries in the laboratory and changes in the individual farmer's fields. 
• By accelerating the diffusion process of improved technology, extension can bring about a faster growth of yields and rural incomes than would occur in the absence of extension.

Drawbacks of current Extension Services carried out in Pakistan

• Since creation of Pakistan, public and private sector extension services had made valuable contributions in agricultural development. 
• But, so far, data about average yields of major crops of the country put a question mark on the effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural extension system. 
• No doubt, various factors are responsible for the inefficiency of extension system but lack of demand-driven and need-oriented extension services severely affect the efficiency of the system.
• The farmers demand for extension services pave the way for willingness to pay for extension services, but lack of demand of extension services in an area paves the way for inefficient extension services.

Demand for Agronomic Advisory Services

Farmers have demands for agronomic advisory services regarding seed bed preparation, selection of crop varieties, sowing time, sowing methods, seed treatment, spacing, seed rate and fertilizer application. 

It should be kept in mind that in cotton-zone there was no demand for rice advisory services and in rice zone, there was no demand for cotton advisory services.

Demand for Plant Protection Advisory Services

The plant protection advisory services include the services regarding identification of weeds, disease and insect/pest problems and their control.

Requirement of Need and Demand Based Advisory Services

There are high demands of advisory services for specific crops in specific zones. In cotton zone, demands for agronomic and plant protection advisory services regarding cotton are very high. Similarly, in rice zone, demands for agronomic and plant protection advisory services regarding rice are also very high. 

This current status of agriculture and prevailing scenario in agriculture system of rural areas of Pakistan rejects the impression that farmers are not interested in advisory services. Farmers realize that they do need advisory services for commercial and successful farming. They demand quality services which could satisfy their needs.