The effect of agricultural extension services: Date farmers’ case in Balochistan, Pakistan

摘要: Abstract The Government of Pakistan has adopted a policy providing agricultural extension services to promote production by disseminating appropriate knowledge and technologies farmers. Consistent with this national policy, farmers in Balochistan have been provided the provincial Department Agriculture through their officials working District Agricultural Extension Department. required information was collected from questionnaire survey covering 200 date palm farm households, group discussions, surveys key informants Panjgur Balochistan. Contrary following participatory approach, study area age-old top-down particular field-level not having much regard addressing specific problems. Of who had access services, only half them made use knowledge/technology officials. Overall, small-scale used produced better yield compared that medium- large-scale linear regression model highlighted five factors significantly influenced production. Those variables included total number trees, land preparation method recommended officials, frequency irrigation, expenditure on pesticides as farm-household income. were found very poor due combined effect several factors. This partly attributed institutional constraints, including limited workers lack how address problems, such Dubas bug, which infested approximately 90% shortage irrigation water for around farmers, caused 65% decrease Conclusions are drawn based findings analysis, resulting recommendations improving services.