FACTORS CONSTRAINING THE EXPANSION OF TUBE WELL IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY IN NWFP

The study aims to analyze the existing situation of tube well irrigation and to pinpoint the main causes of slow diffusion of tube well technology in North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The study was based on primary data collected in June-August 2007. The universe of the study consisted of the whole NWFP. Multistage sampling method was used to select a required sample. Four districts were randomly selected and 291 respondents were interviewed. The selected respondents were grouped into three categories namely small (146), medium (81) and large (64). Extension services were heavily criticized and their role in the adoption and diffusion was insignificant. The linkages among farmers, extension workers, and research institutes remained weak and poor. The main factors responsible for late adoption and slow diffusion of tube well technology are; size of land holding, poor financial condition, lack of technical know how, topography, lack of power supply, inefficient and ineffective extension staff, imperfect market and policy negligence of the government. As a policy matter farmers (particularly small farmers) need to be encouraged to install tube wells, through the provision of soft loans and technical assistance.