IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/lauspo/v71y2018icp249-260.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Agricultural advisory and financial services; farm level access, outreach and impact in a mixed cropping district of Punjab, Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Elahi, Ehsan
  • Abid, Muhammad
  • Zhang, Liqin
  • ul Haq, Shams
  • Sahito, Jam Ghulam Murtaza

Abstract

Current agricultural growth in most of the developing countries including Pakistan is stagnant due to huge gaps between actual and potential crop productivity. Better access to agricultural advisory and financial services may play an important role in enhancing crop productivity. Using a dataset of 240 farmers collected through face-to-face interviews in 48 villages of district Sargodha in Punjab, Pakistan, this study analyzes farmers’ access to and use of farm advisory and financial services, its impact on wheat productivity and barriers to their access. The results of the study revealed that farmers rely more on informal sources for agricultural advisory and credit services than public or private sources. However, the quality of private advisory and credit services was reported better than other sources due to its easy availability and processing. Small land holdings, lack of education and high interest rates were some of the key barriers that restrict farmers’ access to both services. Further, the study also found that majority of the farmers (accessors) use agricultural credit for non-farm activities for several reasons. Moreover, the study found significant differences in the wheat productivity for farmers who had simultaneous access to both services compared to those who have access to at least one or none of the services. The study findings showed that access to agricultural advisory services improves wheat productivity. However, productivity gains of using agricultural credit are mainly associated with its proper utilization for agricultural purposes. The study suggests enhancing the outreach and quality of public advisory services through hiring and training extension staff. Furthermore, misuse of agricultural credit and barriers that restrict farmers’ access to advisory and credit services need to be eliminated through implementing effective policies and monitoring provided services.

Suggested Citation

  • Elahi, Ehsan & Abid, Muhammad & Zhang, Liqin & ul Haq, Shams & Sahito, Jam Ghulam Murtaza, 2018. "Agricultural advisory and financial services; farm level access, outreach and impact in a mixed cropping district of Punjab, Pakistan," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 249-260.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:71:y:2018:i:c:p:249-260
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.12.006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837716301156
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.12.006?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shujat Ali, 2005. "Total Factor Productivity Growth and Agricultural Research and Extension: An Analysis of Pakistan's Agriculture, 1960-1996," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 44(4), pages 729-746.
    2. Jenny C. Aker, 2011. "Dial “A” for agriculture: a review of information and communication technologies for agricultural extension in developing countries," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 42(6), pages 631-647, November.
    3. Md. Faruq Hasan & Katsushi S. Imai & Takahiro Sato, 2012. "Impacts of Agricultural Extension on Crop Productivity, Poverty and Vulnerability: Evidence from Uganda," Discussion Paper Series DP2012-34, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, revised Feb 2013.
    4. Shehla Amjad & SAF Hasnu, 2007. "Smallholders’ Access to Rural Credit: Evidence from Pakistan," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 12(2), pages 1-25, Jul-Dec.
    5. Jenny C. Aker, 2011. "Dial “A” for Agriculture: A Review of Information and Communication Technologies for Agricultural Extension in Developing Countries - Working Paper 269," Working Papers 269, Center for Global Development.
    6. Davis, K. & Nkonya, E. & Kato, E. & Mekonnen, D.A. & Odendo, M. & Miiro, R. & Nkuba, J., 2012. "Impact of Farmer Field Schools on Agricultural Productivity and Poverty in East Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 402-413.
    7. Evenson, Robert E., 2001. "Economic impacts of agricultural research and extension," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: B. L. Gardner & G. C. Rausser (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 11, pages 573-628, Elsevier.
    8. repec:lje:journl:v:2:y:2007:i:2:p:1-25 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Anderson, Jock R. & Feder, Gershon, 2007. "Agricultural Extension," Handbook of Agricultural Economics, in: Robert Evenson & Prabhu Pingali (ed.), Handbook of Agricultural Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 44, pages 2343-2378, Elsevier.
    10. Douglas Gollin & Michael Morris & Derek Byerlee, 2005. "Technology Adoption in Intensive Post-Green Revolution Systems," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 87(5), pages 1310-1316.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mgendi, By George & Mao, Shiping & Qiao, Fangbin, 2022. "Does agricultural training and demonstration matter in technology adoption? The empirical evidence from small rice farmers in Tanzania," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    2. Baiyegunhi, L.J.S. & Majokweni, Z.P. & Ferrer, S.R.D., 2019. "Impact of outsourced agricultural extension program on smallholder farmers’ net farm income in Msinga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-7.
    3. Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin & Oreoluwa Ola & Hannes Lang & Gertrud Buchenrieder, 2021. "Public-private cooperation and agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of Nigerian growth enhancement scheme and e-voucher program," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(1), pages 129-140, February.
    4. Kondylis, Florence & Mueller, Valerie & Zhu, Jessica, 2017. "Seeing is believing? Evidence from an extension network experiment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 1-20.
    5. Tambo, Justice A. & Uzayisenga, Bellancile & Mugambi, Idah & Bundi, Mary & Silvestri, Silvia, 2020. "Plant clinics, farm performance and poverty alleviation: Panel data evidence from Rwanda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    6. Jenny Aker & Joel Cariolle, 2022. "The Use of Digital for Public Service Provision in Sub-Saharan Africa," Post-Print hal-03003899, HAL.
    7. Arslan, Cansın & Wollni, Meike & Oduol, Judith & Hughes, Karl, 2022. "Who communicates the information matters for technology adoption," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    8. Babu, Suresh Chandra & Glendenning, Claire J. & Asenso-Okyere, Kwadwo & Govindarajan, Senthil Kumar, 2012. "Farmers’ information needs and search behaviors: Case study in Tamil Nadu, India," IFPRI discussion papers 1165, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    9. Torres Franco, Nicolás Arturo & Dávalos, Eleonora & Morales, Leonardo Fabio, 2021. "Heterogeneous Effects of Agricultural Technical Assistance in Colombia," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 53(4), pages 459-481, November.
    10. Morgan, Stephen N. & Mason, Nicole M. & Maredia, Mywish K., 2020. "Lead-farmer extension and smallholder valuation of new agricultural technologies in Tanzania," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    11. Tambo, Justice A. & Matimelo, Mathews & Ndhlovu, Mathias & Mbugua, Fredrick & Phiri, Noah, 2021. "Gender-differentiated impacts of plant clinics on maize productivity and food security: Evidence from Zambia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    12. Qian Liu & Yongmu Jiang & Carl‐Johan Lagerkvist & Wei Huang, 2023. "Extension services and the technical efficiency of crop‐specific farms in China," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 45(1), pages 436-459, March.
    13. Denise Hörner & Adrien Bouguen & Markus Frölich & Meike Wollni, 2019. "The Effects of Decentralized and Video-based Extension on the Adoption of Integrated Soil Fertility Management – Experimental Evidence from Ethiopia," NBER Working Papers 26052, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Vasudevan, Srinivasan, 2023. "Radio and technology adoption during India’s Green Revolution: Evidence from a natural experiment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    15. Chris Knudson & Zack Guido, 2019. "The missing middle of climate services: layering multiway, two-way, and one-way modes of communicating seasonal climate forecasts," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 157(1), pages 171-187, November.
    16. Sekabira, Haruna & Qaim, Matin, 2017. "Can mobile phones improve gender equality and nutrition? Panel data evidence from farm households in Uganda," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 95-103.
    17. Landmann, D. & Feil, J.-H. & Lagerkvist, C.J. & Otter, V., 2018. "Designing capacity development activities of small-scale farmers in developing countries based on discrete choice experiments," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277738, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Ram Fishman & Stephen C. Smith & Vida Bobic & Munshi Sulaiman, 2022. "Can Agricultural Extension and Input Support Be Discontinued? Evidence from a Randomized Phaseout in Uganda," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 104(6), pages 1273-1288, November.
    19. Melia, Elvis, 2019. "The impact of information and communication technologies on jobs in Africa: a literature review," IDOS Discussion Papers 3/2019, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    20. Yeboah Asuamah, Samuel, 2016. "Modelling the Effect of Investment on Agricultural Productivity in Ghana," MPRA Paper 70606, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:71:y:2018:i:c:p:249-260. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joice Jiang (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/land-use-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.