Study on the Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Adoption of Agricultural Machinery

In the context of south Asia, There is enough support for suitable agricultural machinery for small farmers. These kind of agricultural machineries can improve the return of investment in land and labor, although large capital investments are still required that can impede ownership. The growing demand for machinery has resulted in comparatively more developed rental marketplaces for irrigation, tillage and other post-harvest procedures. Numerous small businesses are therefore accepting access to farm machinery that would otherwise be incredibly expensive to buy through service fee arrangements, although there is still room for expansion. In order to facilitate the advancement and investment of such machinery more effectively, it is necessary to better understand the associated factors with the purchase of agricultural machinery and the provision of services. Firstly, current paper reviews country’s policy structure which enabled the existence of such machinery markets. It then uses stratified random sample of 305 wheat producing households for the survey from six districts, identifying variables associated with the adoption of the most common smallholder agricultural machinery e irrigation pumps, threshers, and power tillers. Results of multinomial probit model show that education of farmer, member of farmer’ organization, livestock ownership, farm size and being part of non-farm work activities all were significantly positive in the adoption of farm machinery. Findings also suggest that institutions and policy making authorities not only need to focus on short projects to encourage adoption of machinery, also there must be a continuous attention to improve physical and civilian infrastructure & services, and ensuring the availability of credit to create an favorable  conditions where agricultural machinery is most likely to be used. Keywords: Agricultural machinery, Investment, Productivity, Efficiency. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-3-07 Publication date: February 29th 202

Current status and overview of farm mechanization in Pakistan – A review

Economic growth in Pakistani agricultural sector lags behind growth in industry and services, creating an ever widening rural-urban income fissure.  Agricultural mechanization plays a strategic role in improving agricultural production and productivity in developing countries. The average farm size in Pakistan is small (2.5 acres) and small and marginal land holdings (less than 2.0 ha) account for 85% of land holdings.  Mechanizing small and non-contiguous group of small farms is against ‘economies of scale’ for individual ownership of farm machinery. It was observed that there was a direct correlation between farm power availability and productivity during the past six decades. Being an agrarian country, mechanization can be called as back bone of Pakistan’s economy as it optimizes the use of biological, chemical and hydrological inputs.  So far, Pakistan has only experienced selective farm mechanization as this concept has remained limited to use of tractors only and at the country level, the temporal analysis shows that an increase in tractor population from 1975 -1984 was about 341% while it was 61% from 1984-1994.  At present there are about 0.94 million tractors in Pakistan, which alone provides 0.84 hp/acre.  Land preparation is the only operation that is nearly 100% mechanized in the country for almost all crops with 901 thousand chisel plough and 108 thousand Mould board ploughs.  The market of planting and spraying machinery has grown from 70 and 21 thousands in 2004 to 295 and 1438 thousands in 2014 respectively due to the inclination of the farming community towards mechanized sowing and spraying.  The thrasher’s market in Pakistan is estimated at 20,000-30,000 units annually by sales resulting in nearly 100% mechanized threshing operation for cereal crops. By increasing the available horse power per hectare and by the proper management of agricultural machinery the average crop yield can be enhanced

Technical Efficiency Analysis of Wheat Farms in the Punjab, Pakistan: DEA Approach

The wheat productivity in the Punjab is less than the potential maximum due to technical farm and management issues. The farm level panel survey data was used for the said purpose comprising 17 districts of the province of the Punjab from the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. The technical efficiency of wheat farms was analyzed using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach. Subsequently, the same was calculated by analyzing the socioeconomic factors responsible for (in) efficiency using Tobit Regression Model. The DEA didn’t accommodate statistical noise such as random shocks which were beyond the control of farmers. However, the technical efficiency of wheat farms was estimated using the DEA approach. The mean technical efficiency estimated through variable return to scale (VRS) was 60.13 percent and constant return to scale (CRS) was 56.61 percent. The results of analyses were supported by the literature. The technical efficiency could be improved by educating the young farmers, building road infrastructure and providing access to essential inputs to farmers. The study undertaken supports the argument that technically wheat farmers are less efficient in the Punjab, Pakistan

Impact of Microfinance on Poverty Reduction: A Case Study of District Faisalabad

The micro - finance program extends small loans to very poor people for self-employment projects that generate income, allowing them to care for themselves and for their families. Micro-finance enables an entrepreneur to build a business or expand the existing business and create a better change in their lives. The micro-financing institutions (MFIs) provide the opportunity for the people who are living under the poverty lines by investing the affordable funds/capital and somehow by providing their management expertise. This study shows the effect of micro-financing of small business and the implications for poverty reduction. The respondents are the clients of Khushhali Bank Ltd, District Faisalabad. The data were collected with the help of well-designed and structured questionnaire, which will be analyzed by applying FGT techniques. The results showed that the poverty has been reduced by financing the peoples. Keywords:Micro finance, poverty, FG

Technical Efficiency Analysis of Wheat Farms in the Punjab, Pakistan: DEA Approach

The wheat productivity in the Punjab is less than the potential maximum due to technical farm and management issues. The farm level panel survey data was used for the said purpose comprising 17 districts of the province of the Punjab from the period 2005-06 to 2007-08. The technical efficiency of wheat farms was analyzed using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach. Subsequently, the same was calculated by analyzing the socioeconomic factors responsible for (in) efficiency using Tobit Regression Model. The DEA didn’t accommodate statistical noise such as random shocks which were beyond the control of farmers. However, the technical efficiency of wheat farms was estimated using the DEA approach. The mean technical efficiency estimated through variable return to scale (VRS) was 60.13 percent and constant return to scale (CRS) was 56.61 percent. The results of analyses were supported by the literature. The technical efficiency could be improved by educating the young farmers, building road infrastructure and providing access to essential inputs to farmers. The study undertaken supports the argument that technically wheat farmers are less efficient in the Punjab, Pakistan

The psychological impact of coronavirus on university students and its socioeconomic determinants in Malaysia

This article examines the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) upon university students’ anxiety level and finds the factors associated with the anxiety disorder in Malaysia. We collected data from 958 students from 16 different universities using an originally designed questionnaire. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 7-item (GAD-7) was used to estimate the anxiety. We find that 12.3% students were normal, whereas 30.5% were experiencing mild, 31.1% moderate, and 26.1% severe anxiety. Surprisingly, only 37.2% of students were aware of mental health support which was provided by their universities. Moreover, it was found that gender as male (Odds Ratio (OR= 0.798, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)= 0.61 - 1.04)) and having internet access (OR = 0.44, 95% CI= 0.24 - 0.80) were alleviating factors for the anxiety. Whereas, age above than 20 years (OR= 1.30, 95% CI= 0.96 - 1.75), ethnicity Chinese (OR=1.72, 95% CI= 0.95 - 3.1), any other disease (OR=2.0, 95% CI=1.44 - 2.79), decreased family income (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.34 - 2.17), more time spent on watching COVID-19 related news (OR=1.52, 95% CI=1.17 -1.97), and infected relative or friends (OR=1.62, 95% CI=1.06 - 2.50) were risk factors for anxiety among students. We suggest that the government of Malaysia should monitor the mental health of the universities’ students more closely and universities should open online mental health support clinics to avoid the adverse impacts of the anxiety disorder

What factors can help COVID-19 patients to recover quickly in Pakistan

The research paper uncovers the socioeconomic factors which are associated with the recovery of coronavirus in Pakistan. Using a self-designed questionnaire, we collected the data from 170 corona recovered patients and applied Multiple linear regression to predict the effect of socioeconomic factors. The paper finds that patients aged between 36 and 46 years take around 3 more days to recover, whereas, patients aged above than 46 years take around 7 more days to recover in comparison to the young adults (17-25 years). In addition, patients who live in urban areas recover almost 1.5 days earlier than those who live in rural areas. Patients who have other serious diseases take almost 1.7 more days to recover in comparison to those who do not have any disease. Patients who smoke take 2 more days to recover in comparison to those who do not smoke. Moreover, obese people take almost 2.6 more days to recover in comparison to those who have a normal body mass index. Surprisingly, income, gender, and education remain insignificant in relation to the recovery days. We suggest, people above 46 should be given extra care, policies regarding smoking cessation, and lowering obesity should be implemented to combat coronavirus

Workplace Information Literacy: An Assessment of Academicians in QS-Ranked Universities of Lahore

The present paper identifies information literacy self-efficacy in workplace context among academicians working in all QS-ranked universities of Lahore. In addition, the current study aims to find a correlation of information literacy with different socio-cultural variables of academicians. This study opted for a quantitative approach, using a survey questionnaire for data collection. There were 356 responses collected from academicians working in all QS-ranked universities in Lahore. The data analysis was carried out through SPSS software. In order to achieve the study objectives, both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The outcomes disclosed that the participants of the survey were highly skilled and self-possessed in information literacy as a whole and in all sub-dimensions too. Investigating the correlation between variables, it was found that the respondents’ age, job and research experiences were positively correlative to information literacy. It indicates that the academicians’ IL enhanced as they become older, research, and job experience upgraded. No statistical difference was found in respondents' IL with their gender, qualification and designation. No previous research studies have been published on information literacy self-efficacy of university academicians in workplace context in Pakistan. The present study has two limitations: 1) Study results are established on self-reported views of participants' IL self-efficacy, and 2) the current study was commenced at the QS-ranked universities of Lahore. The understanding may include formulating advanced university information literacy programs to support research-based learning

Calcium carbide (CaC2): Effect on fruit set and yield of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Langra

Application of slow release calcium carbide (CaC2) to the soil are thought to improve plant growth and yield through the generation of acetylene, which inhibits nitrification, thereby reducing nitrogen losses which may be converted to physiologically significant concentrations of the plant growth regulator ethylene. The effects of different application rates of slow release of CaC2 on the growth and development of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Langra were studied in a field trial in 2009. The rates were 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 g of CaC2 per tree. The NPK was applied at the rate of 2 kg: 1 kg: 1 kg per plant respectively in the form of Urea, DAP and SOP. Half dose of N with whole P and K was applied before flowering, along with the application of CaC2. Results show that number of leaves per flush, leaf area, leaf area index, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate, final fruit drop, yield per plant, fruit weight, fruit volume, pulp weight, peel weight, juice weight and fruit skin color were significantly affected by the calcium carbide treatment while number of new flushes per branch, number of flowers, flower drop percentage, fruit percentage and stone weight remained unaffected. It was also concluded that cv. Langra showed positive response to different doses of wax-coated CaC2. However, T4 (30 g CaC2 plus NP and K fertilizers) was the most effective treatment with respect to yield and other growth parameters.Keywords: Calcium carbide, Mangifera indica L., stomatal conductance, physiological attributes, total soluble solids, fruit set.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(23), pp. 3669-367

ENHANCING CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES: THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORKERS IN DISTRICT RAHIM YAR KHAN, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract In recent years, the intricate relationship between climate change and its profound impact on agricultural productivity has garnered increasing attention, particularly concerning the pivotal role played by agricultural extension workers. This study delves into climate change mitigation strategies within the realm of agriculture, with a specific focus on the instrumental contributions of agricultural extension workers. Climate change presents a multifaceted challenge to global agricultural systems, exerting significant influences on productivity, crop yields, and food production. Amid these challenges, agricultural extension workers emerge as central figures bridging the chasm between technical knowledge and practical adaptation methods for farmers. This qualitative investigation draws upon a synthesis of existing research and incorporates insights from key informant interviews. By shedding light on the intricate interplay between climate change, agricultural productivity, and the pivotal function of agricultural extension workers, this research aspires to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic relationships between these variables. By facilitating the adoption of climate-resilient techniques, such as cultivating drought-resistant crop varieties, implementing water-efficient irrigation methods, and promoting agroforestry, extension workers empower farmers to mitigate the severe impacts of climate change. Furthermore, extension workers play a pivotal role in bolstering farmers' adaptive capabilities and equipping them with essential skills to navigate increasingly volatile climatic conditions. Studies underscore that farmers who receive training from extension workers report heightened confidence in successfully implementing climate-adaptive strategies