ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF FARMER FIELD SCHOOLS INCOMMUNICATING NEW SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO FARMERS IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

The paper focuses on the study conducted in 2010 to analyze effectiveness of Farmers Field Schools (FFS) in communicating new skills and knowledge to farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. For this purpose, seven districts from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan including Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat and Hangu were selected. Data regarding effectiveness of FFS were obtained from 280 randomly selected farmers through “survey” method and were analyzed using descriptive statistics i.e. means and standard deviations. However, researchers also applied a paired t-test to determine the difference between the pre and post FFS scenarios in the study area. The results show that during the training in crop production technology, the timely and balanced use of fertilizers was ranked 1st with mean values 3.38 and 3.87 closely followed by High yielding varieties and Soil analysis which were ranked 2nd and 3rd by the farmer respondents with mean values of 3.36, 3.89 and 3.35 and 3.94 in the pre- and post-FFS scenarios, respectively. Similarly, during the training in crop protection technology, identification of pest and predator was ranked 1st with mean values of 3.34 and 3.94, Seed treatment with fungicides was ranked 2nd with mean values 3.33, 3.74 and Insect pests control by local recipes was ranked 3rd with mean values of 3.29 and 3.96 in pre- and post-FFS scenarios, respectively. Likewise, manual weed control was ranked 1st with mean values of 3.41 and 3.94 followed by chemical weed control and cultural weed control which were ranked 2nd and 3rd with mean values of 3.33, 3.74 and 3.31 and 3.73 in the pre- and post-FFS scenarios, respectively. In the same way, furrow irrigation technique was ranked 1st with mean values of 3.44 and 3.88 followed by Boarder and cultural Drip irrigation techniques which were ranked 2nd and 3rd with mean values of 3.42, 3.89 and 3.39 and 3.86 in the pre- and post-FFS scenarios, respectively. This situation shows a highly significant difference between the pre and post FFS scenarios which mean that sufficient improvement was made in the skill and knowledge of farmers regarding various farming practices in the study area.