Farmers’ Perception of Factors Hampering Maize Yield in Rain-fed Region of Pind Dadan Khan, Pakistan

Maize production in rain-fed region is affected up to greater extent by resource availability, socioeconomic and abiotic factors. Present study was aimed to assess and analyze farmers’ perceptions of factors impairing  maize yield in Pind Daden Khan region of Pakistan. Data were collected from r...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Muhammad Muddassir, Muhammad Waqas Jalip, Mehmood Ali Noor, Muhammad Abubakar Zia, Fahad Owis Aldosari, Abu-ul-Hassan Zuhaibe, Sajid Fiaz, Muhammad Mubushar, Muhammad Mubashar Zafar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria 2016-12-01
Series:Journal of Agricultural Extension
Subjects:
Online Access:http://aesonnigeria.org/ajm/index.php/jae/article/view/949
Description
Summary:Maize production in rain-fed region is affected up to greater extent by resource availability, socioeconomic and abiotic factors. Present study was aimed to assess and analyze farmers’ perceptions of factors impairing  maize yield in Pind Daden Khan region of Pakistan. Data were collected from randomly selected 125 maize growers from five villages of the region. Investigations revealed that majority of farmers (approx. 59.5%) were aware  of recommended maize production, cultural and protection practices, but with a small proportion (33%) of adoptees. Whereas, 80% of farmers  were found with percpective that marketing uncertainty was affecting dramatically the yield of maize crop, the reason is gap between input application and output profit is creating frustration among farmers. Temperature was considered as the leading agent amongst many others climatic factors causing maize yield decrease in the studied region. An overwhelming majority (96% and 71.2%) of respondents were aware of time of irrigation at sowing and post-germination; and 91.2% and 55.2% had adopted them, respectively. Almost 50% of respondents adopted the recommended plant protection measures.  Revealed results suggest a strong policy implementation regarding better marketing as well as agricultural extension services in the region and facilitation of crop fixed and variable inputs supply by introducing micro–credit loan schemes to maize farmers of studied area.  
ISSN:1119-944X
2408-6851