Final Project Report

Project Title:

Constraints and needs of small scale farmers in District

Nankana Sahib and Mianwali

Sponsored by: Pakistan Science Foundation under Science Talent Farming

Scheme (STFS) for young students.
Project No: PSF/STFS/135/2019-20 dated 22.11.2021

Research Students:
Muhammad Huzaifa Ramzan
Jahanzaib Khan

Dr. Hafiz Abdullah Shakir

Mentor/Research Supervisor

Institute of Zoology,
University of the Punjab,
Lahore-54590, Pakistan

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 Table of contents

Page No.
Abstract 3
Introduction 3
Materials and Methods 3
Results 4
Discussion 10
Conclusion and Recommendations 10
References 11

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Abstract:
Pakistan is an agriculture dependent country and small scale farmers are backbone of agriculture
sector. The strengthening of small scale farmers is mandatory to boost the agricultural sector. The
present study aimed to evaluate the challenges of small farmers in District Nankana Sahib and
Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan. Face to face interviews and random sampling approach was used to
collect data for this study. Random 3 villages from each District were selected to carry out this study.
A total of 90 farmers, 60 from Nankana Sahib and 30 from Mianwali were interviewed. The study
revealed that extension services were very poor in the study area. The majority of the people had
large household size which affected their socio economic condition and was a big hurdle in the
adoption of technology. Most people involved in farming were above 45 years of age who were
resistant to any change. It was also revealed that most of the people were literate up to primary level.
Most farmers had the tendency towards modernity but income was the major hurdle. This study also
revealed that lack of latest information as well as non-availability of credit facilities were main
problems of the small farmers of the study area. It is suggested to initiate a Farmer Development
Program to provide the farmers with basic agriculture knowledge and to familiarize farmers with
modern techniques and latest information. Propagation of interest free loans to help farmers overcome
economic issues and buy machinery is the key suggestion to cater issues of small-scale farmers.

Introduction:
Agriculture plays a vital role in the economy of developing countries like Pakistan. It is a
fundamental part of Pakistan’s economy and contributes 24% to the country’s Gross Domestic
Product (Din, 2011). The development of agricultural section is obligatory for developing
countries especially Pakistan because it helps to meet the food requirements of country and
provides the employment opportunities to the underdeveloped areas as well (Dev, 2011). It
provides employment opportunities to 44% of the workforce and 62% of the rural population
depend upon agriculture for their living (Azam and Shafique, 2017). According to Federal Bureau
of Statistic 2015-2016, agriculture sector supports three fourth of population (Azam and Shafique,
2017). Further, agricultural exports are a big source of foreign exchange that helps to stabilize
country’s economy.
Small scale farmer is pivotal for raising agriculture growth and food security because
Pakistan is the home of small farmers. Therefore, the future of sustainable agriculture growth in
Pakistan depends on the performance of small farmers. The role of small farmers in development
of economic condition is well recognized (Lipton, 2006). International experts claim that
production and opportunities originating from agriculture sector are twice effective than any other
source in the growth of GDP (Dev, 2008). The aim of present study was to find the hurdles and
challenges of small scale farmers of District Nankana Sahib and Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty farmers from three villages (Chak No. 7, Chak No. 8 and Sahibwala) of Nankana
Sahib and three villages (Dila Mir Wala, Derwaish Khel, Ghazi Khel) of Mianwali were randomly
selected for present questionnaire based study.
Farmer Exclusion criteria
• Large cattle farms

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 • Landholding more than 50 acre
• Having gardens
• Non-farmer landholders
Farmer Inclusion criteria
• Having land up to 15 acre
• Having irrigated land
• Of all ages
• Crop-sharing farmers
• Growing crops, vegetables & fodder
Results
In present study, the 18 % of the farmers in district Nankana Sahib were recorded in the age of group
of 18 –30, while 32% were in the age group of 40-50 (Table 1). In Mianwali, None of the farmer was
below 30 years age. While 30% were between 50-60 and 33% were between 60-70 and about 7%
were 70-80 years old (Table 2). Majority of farmers’ families are larger. Respondents falling in the
categories of 1-3, 4-6 and above 6 are 12%, 48% and 40%, respectively in Nankana Sahib while in
Mianwali the size of 1-6, 6-8 and 8-10 are 36%, 43.3% and 20 % respectively (Table 3-4). From
present data it is depicted that 72% from Nankana sahib and 60% farmers from Mianwali were literate
while on the other hand 28% from Nankana Sahib and 40% from Mianwali are illiterate (Table 5-6).
From the survey it is observed that about 21 farmers from the villages of Nankana sahib were educated
till Primary level, 15 were from secondary level and about 7 were above the secondary level which
makes 49%, 35%, and 16% respectively. Similarly from Mianwali there were 10 farmers who studied
till Primary,15 till secondary 3, studied above the secondary level and 2 farmers out of total 30 were
uneducated these make 33.3%, 50% and 10 % respectively (Table 7-8). The financial situation of a
farmer is covered by the acres of land he owns. Similarly according to this he becomes able to try
variety of crops, seeds and other agricultural equipment .As it is earlier mentioned that this survey
was conducted among small farmers. From tables 9-10, it is observed that about 40%t of farmers
owns 0.1 to 5 acres, 38% 5 to 10 Acres and About 13 % of farmers owns 10 to 15 Acres of agricultural
land in Nankana Sahib. Similarly in Mianwali 40% of farmers owns 3 to 10 acres, 38% owns 11 to
12 acres and hardly 22% of farmers in three villages owns more than 20 Acres (Table 9-10).
The use of technology in agricultures gives very serious outcomes in form of financial gain and
savage of time. Nowadays most of the agricultural operations are done by either directly use of tractor
or the use of machines which run with the help of tractor. Tractor is nowadays being used even in
irrigation. Perhaps it is the most expensive item of agricultural machinery .From tables it is shown
that about 85% of farmers from Nankana Sahib and 66% of the farmers from Mianwali do not have
their own tractor but they hire tractor when they need to use it (Table 11-12). It is observed that about
5% from Nankana Sahib and 19% from Mianwali availed services (Table 13-14). During present
survey, it is noted that about 48 % of farmers from Nankana Sahib are satisfied while 52 percent were
not satisfied. Similarly in Mianwali 50% of total farmers were satisfied and 50 percent were not
satisfied (Table 15-16).

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Table 1: Age wise Distribution of the farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Age Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

Group Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
18-30 3 5 5 8.33 3 5 11 18.33
30-40 8 13.3 5 8.33 2 3.33 15 25
40-50 4 6.67 6 10 9 15 19 31.67
Above 5 8.33 4 6.67 6 10 15 25
50
Total 20 33.3 20 33.33 20 33.33 60 100

Table 2: Age wise Distribution of the farmers from District Mianwali

Age Villages of Mianwali Total

group
Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
18-30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
30-40 1 3.33 1 3.33 1 3.33 3 10
40-50 1 3.33 1 3.33 4 13.3 6 20
50-60 3 10 4 13.3 2 6.66 9 29.9
60-70 3 10 4 13.3 3 10 10 33.33
70-80 2 6.66 0 00 0 00 2 6.99
Total 10 33.32 10 33.26 10 33.29 30 100

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Table 3: Family sizes of farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Family Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

members Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
1-3 2 3.33 1 1.67 4 6.67 7 12
4-6 11 18.33 10 16.67 8 13.3 29 48
Above 6 7 11.67 9 15 8 13.3 24 40
Total 20 33.3 20 33.3 20 33.3 60 100

Table 4: Family sizes of farmers from District Mianwali

Family Villages of Mianwali Total

members Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
1-6 2 6.66 5 16.6 4 13.3 11 36.6
6-8 6 20 4 13.3 3 10 13 43.3
8-10 2 6.66 1 3.33 3 10 6 20
Total 10 33.32 10 33.26 10 33.33 30 100

Table 5: Literacy rate in farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Literacy Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

Status Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Literate 15 25 16 26.67 12 20 43 72
Illiterate 5 8.33 4 6.67 8 13.3 17 28
Total 20 33.3 20 33.3 20 33.3 60 100

Table 6: Literacy rate in farmers from District Mianwali

Literacy Villages of Mianwali Total

Status Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Literate 5 16.6 7 23.3 6 20 18 60
Illiterate 5 16.6 3 10 4 13.3 12 40
Total 10 33.3 10 33.3 10 33.3 30 100

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Table 7: Educational Level of farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Educational Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

level Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Primary 5 11.63 7 16.28 9 20.93 21 49
Secondary 7 16.28 6 13.95 2 4.65 15 35
Above 3 6.98 3 6.98 1 2.33 7 16
Secondary
Total 15 34.89 16 37.21 12 27.91 43 100

Table 8: Educational Level of farmers from District Mianwali

Educational Villages of Mianwali Total

level Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Primary 4 14.2 3 10.7 3 10.3 10 33.3
Secondary 5 17.8 7 25 3 10.3 15 50
Above 0 0 0 0 3 10.3 3 10.
Secondary
Total 9 32 10 35.7 9 30.9 28 93.3

Table 9: Area under ownership of farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Size of Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

Land Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
0.1-5 8 13.33 10 16.67 6 10 24 40
5-10 8 13.33 4 6.67 11 18.33 23 38
10-15 4 6.67 6 10 3 5 13 22
Total 20 33.33 20 33.3 20 33.3 60 100

Table 10: Area under ownership of farmers from District Mianwali

Size of Villages of Mianwali Total

Land Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
3-10 4 13.3 6 20 4 13.3 24 40
11-20 4 13.3 2 6.66 3 10 23 38
21-30 & 2 6.66 2 6.66 3 10 13 22
above
Total 10 33.26 10 3.33 10 33.3 60 100

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Table 11: Tractor Ownership of farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Tractor Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Hired 19 31.67 15 25 17 25.33 51 85
Owned 1 1.67 5 8.33 3 5 9 15
Total 20 33.3 20 33.3 20 33.3 60 100

Table 12: Tractor Ownership of farmers from District Mianwali

Tractor Villages of Mianwali Total

Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Hired 7 23.3 7 23.3 6 20 20 66.6
Owned 3 10 3 10 4 13.3 10 33.3
Total 10 33.3 10 33.3 10 33.3 30 100

Table 13: Provision of Extension Services to farmers from District Nankana Sahib

Services Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

available Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Yes 2 3.33 1 1.66 0 0 3 5
No 18 30 19 31.67 20 33.3 57 95
Total 20 33.3 20 33.3 20 33.3 60 100

Table 14: Provision of Extension Services to farmers from District Mianwali

Services Villages of Mianwali Total

avail Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Yes 2 6.66 3 10 1 3.33 6 19.9
No 8 26.6 7 23.3 9 30 24 80.1
Total 10 33.32 10 33.3 10 33.3 30 100

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Table 15: Satisfaction of farmers from District Nankana Sahib about Government facilities

Satisfaction Villages of Nankana Sahib Total

Chak No. 7 Chak No. 8 Sahibwala
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Yes 8 13.3 11 18.3 10 16.67 29 48
No 12 20 9 15 10 16.67 31 52
Total 20 33.3 20 33.3 20 33.3 60 100

Table 16: Satisfaction of farmers from District Mianwali about Government facilities

Satisfaction Villages of Mianwali Total

Dila Mir Wala Derwaish Khel Ghazi Khel
Number % Number % Number % Number %
Yes 4 13.3 7 23.3 4 13.3 15 50
No 6 20 3 10 6 20 15 50
Total 10 33.3 10 33.3 10 33.3 30 100

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Discussion:
The present survey was carried out in two districts of Punjab (Mianwali and Nankana Sahib)
to assess the issues of small farmers. During this survey, it was found that mostly farmers were of old
age. It shows that the young generation is not much interested in farming (Table 1-2). In Nankana
Sahib about 18% farmers were below 30 years but in Mianwali no farmer came out whose age was
below 30 years. This shows that youth of Nankana Sahib is more interested in farming than the youth
in Mianwali (Table 1-2). Probably it is because of their preference to live in city and to do jobs there.
Most of the young generation migrates from rural areas to cities to get better opportunities (Mukhtar
et al 2018). The other possible reason is that farming is not considered as a good future by youth that
is why they prefer to do a proper job rather than to engage themselves in farming. Agriculture is
mostly taken by the youth as an unprofitable and an out dated profession. It is very alarming situation.
To overcome this situation government should provide more opportunities in agriculture to develop
the interest of young generation.
The other main issue that came out from the study was that the most of the farmers are
uneducated or having a very basic education. In both of the districts about 50-60 % farmers did not
have education above the primary level (Table 5, 6, 7, 8). Most of farmers even don’t have the basic
knowledge of agriculture or agriculture related equipment .Without education it is not possible to use
modern equipment related to agriculture and it is the main factor that makes this profession
unprofitable (Din, 2011). Government should at least train the farmers about modern technology used
in agriculture and launch farmers’ educations programs. It would make agriculture a profitable
profession when farmers start using modern technology (Rehman et al 2016).
In survey various questions were asked about the use of tractor. It came out that about 80-
90% of farmers don’t own tractor (Table 11-12). So they have to hire it for tillage. The farmers paid
reasonable amount from there income to tractor’s owner for tillage (Din, 2011). As they have very
low income so it is not possible for them to buy heavy and expensive machinery like tractor. It is
suggested that government should facilitate the farmers by providing them subsidized tractors or
provide them loans on very low interest rate.
Different questions regarding the performance of the government were asked in the survey.
About half of the farmers from both districts were not satisfied with the facilities provided by the
government (Table 15-16). Most of the farmers think that government is failed to provide them an
easy access to market .Moreover the rates of grains fluctuate very rapidly due to which farmers have
to face various issues. They think that government is also failed to provide them good varieties of
seeds, fertilizers and pesticides (Dev, 2011).It is suggested that government should provide them an
easy way to open markets and also should keep a strict check and balance on the rates of the crops.

Conclusion and Recommendations:

Pakistan is an agricultural country its economy is either based on agriculture or on agriculture based
industries. The employment of millions of Pakistanis is related to it. The only way to make the country
prosperous is to make farmers prosperous. Pakistan is developing country with limited resources.
Farmers don't have enough better technology for their farms to get good yield. These small scale
farmers are facing different types of issues either financial, mental issue or other type of issues.
There are few recommendations to government to resolve the issue of farmers so that the agricultural
sector of country may progress and country could get benefits out of it.
1: Farmers should be well educated about the use of technology and new methods of farming so that
they may save their time and energy and get more yields out of their crops.
2: Government should provide loans to the small scale farmers.

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3: Farmers should be trained about the exact time of sowing seeds, providing fertilizer to crops and
use of pesticides.
4: Research institutions should be strengthen for development of new varieties of seeds resistant to
pests and others insects.
5: Government should provide tractor and other machinery of agriculture to the farmers by starting a
Farmer development program.
6: Government should also control the prices of crops at a specific rate which may be a reasonable
amount that satisfies farmers.
7: Farmers should also be informed about the crops insurance so that natural disasters may not harm
them financially.
8: Farmers training scheme should be initiated to train the farmers according to modern ways.
9: Government should control the prices of fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural product and
keep them in a reasonable range so that a small farmer may also have access to them.

References
Azam, A.and Shafique, M., 2017. Agriculture in Pakistan and its Impact on Economy―A Review.
International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 103: 47-60.
Dev, S.M., 2008. Inclusive growth in India: Agriculture, poverty and human development. Oxford
University Press. Number 9780195691900.
Dev, S.M., 2011. Small Farmers in India: Challenges and Opportunities. Emerging Economies
Research Dialogue’ Beijing, China, organized by ICRIER.
Din, M.J.U., 2011. The socio economic problems of small farmers in adopting new agricultural
technology: a case study of three villages in district Mardan. Sarhad J. Agric. 27(2): 299-304.
Lipton, M., 2006. Can Small Farmers Survive, Prosper, or be the Key Channel to cut Mass Poverty.
Journal of Agricultural and Development Economics. 3(1): 58-85.
Mukhtar, U., Zhong, Z., Tian, B., Razzaq, A., Naseer, M.A.R. and Hina T., 2018. Does Rural–Urban
Migration Improve Employment Quality and Household Welfare? Evidence from Pakistan.
Sustainability. 10(11): 4281.
Rehman, A., Jingdong, L., Khatoon, R. and Hussain, I., 2016. Modern Agricultural Technology
Adoption its Importance, Role and Usage for the Improvement of Agriculture. American-
Eurasian J. Agric. Environ. Sci. 16(2): 284-288.
Waman, G.K., Patil, P.S. and Patil P.G., 1998. Adoption of onion production technology and its
correlates. J. Maharashtra Agric. Univ. 23(2): 1432-1439

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