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IDENTIFICATION OF FACTORS CAUSING COMMUNICATION GAP AMONG FARMERS, EXTENSION PERSONNEL AND RESEARCHERS IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA-PAKISTAN: FARMER’S PERSPECTIVE

. AYESHA KHAN, GHULAM FAROOQ , UROOBA PERVAIZ, MUHAMMAD ZAFARULLAH KHAN AND MAHMOOD IQBAL


Abstract

The study explores the barriers to communication causing communication gap regarding agricultural production technology, among the pivotal trio: the researchers, the extension personnel and the farmers. Data was collected from four selected districts, one each from the four agro-ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A total of 240 farmers, 60 from each selected district were randomly sampled following multistage sampling technique. The data was collected through well-designed and pre-tested interview schedule, analyzed using SPSS and presented as counts, percentages and Chi-square test. An overwhelming majority (95%) of the farmer respondents stated wide communication gap between extension personnel, researchers and farmers. 63% of the farmers had no contact with extension staff of their area while 75% of farmers had knowledge about the research station of their respective districts. The visit frequency of researchers and especially of extension staff remained very poor and limited indicating weak linkages and communication gap. Main sources of knowledge about modern technology were informal such as fellow farmers (63%) followed by electronic media (34%) and extension staff as 22%. The study found wide communication gap among the trio i.e. researchers, extension personnel and farmers. It is concluded that the following barriers have significant relationship in causing communication gap among the trio, i.e. lack of: interest, funds, cooperation and coordination, mobility, combine activities, proper policy and planning. It is recommended that the identified barriers need to be addressed properly to overcome communication gap and linkages, cooperation and coordination be strengthened among the researchers, extension and farmers for agricultural development.

 

Keywords: communication gap, extension personnel, factors causing communication gap, farmers, information communication, researchers

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