FARMERS FIELD SCHOOLS AND RICE PRODUCTIVITY: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF DISTRICT MALAKAND

Farmer field schools (FFS) are always aimed to help farmers to discover and learn about field ecology and integrated crop management. A study for rice crop was conducted in four FFS villages namely Chinar Kot, Karkani, Dheri and Matkani of Malakand Agency during 2004-05. From each FFS, 10 farmers were selected on the basis of equal allocation making sample size of 40. The research was based on primary as well as secondary data. Primary data were collected from farmers while secondary data were taken from Agriculture Extension Department, Batkhela Malakand Agency. Extensive interview schedule was designed and each farmer was interviewed personally. The study was based on comparison of cost, yield and income of rice with and without FFS. Paired t-test and statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) were used for analysis, Results of this study show that Best Agricultural Practices (BAP) has brought a positive change in the attitude of farmers of the project area through FFS approach. In rice 77.5% of the respondents were between the ages of 20 to 40 years, 25% of the respondents had education of primary level, 17.5% middle, 35% matric level, 7.5% at intermediate level and 15% at graduate level. Average land holding size was acres, while 50% of the respondents were satisfied with FFS approach. Seed cost, cost of fertilizer, crop protection and herbicide was reduced by 15.99%, 38.27%, 15.49%, and 6.79% respectively while rice yield was increased by 647.75 kg /ha from 3879.753 to 4527.51.