The role of agricultural extension workers’ competency in climate scenarios through farm services centers (FSCS) in improving the yield and performance of targeted farming community (A case study of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan)

Abstract

Pakistan is sensitive to climate change and has started billion tsunami trees project in forest and many other approaches in Agriculture Extension like privatization, decentralization, and public-private partnership which has received more attention for competencies of extension workers to educate farmers for longer summer to adjust for crop. Farm Services Centers (FSCs) motivate agriculture extension agents to enhance competency in present less precipitation for improving crops’ growth initiated in Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Member farmers of 400 from five districts named Swat, Dir Lower, Swabi, Mansehra and Dera Ismail Khan of province were selected for data collection. Findings revealed that land-hold size of majority (94%) was less than 100 acres registered with FSCs from five years while limited respondents got membership for more than 10 years. Agricultural extension agents were the main source of awareness and motivation followed by fellow farmers for FSC membership. Cultivator, land leveler, boom sprayer, mold board plough, and wheat, rice, maize and tomato were the most commonly provided inputs to member farmers to improve their competency for getting higher yield with by competent extension workers in present rise of temperature. A Significant increase in yield of major crops such as wheat, rice, maize, gram and tomato were observed before and after registration in FSCs. It is recommended that non-member farmers should be motivated for membership in FSCs as majority of member farmers increased yield of major crops after registration to observe climatic factors which affected all stages of crop growth along with lands suitable agriculturally with proper precipitation and temperature.