ASSESSMENT OF EXTENSION AGENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REGARDING PEST MANAGEMENT IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PROVINCE -PAKISTAN

Abstract

The research study was initiated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan to
investigate about the extension agents’ knowledge and skills regarding pest
management. Key objectives of the study were to know the present levels of their
potentials and to judge their interested level of skills and potentials in pest
management capabilities needed by Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs) for
their effective job performance. Respondents were asked to report the self
perceived level of expertise possessed by them and the level required for smooth
performance regarding pest management measures in the field to sustain
agriculture. The present and interested levels of potentials were measured both on
Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 such as “very low” as “1” and “very high” as “5”.
There were significant differences observed in the agricultural officer’s potential
for sustaining agriculture regarding age, professional qualification and job
experience. Age, professional qualification and job experience have significant
association on technical efficiency regarding protection of plants from pests for
sustainable agriculture. Moreover, required level in said capability was higher in
identification of major field crops’ diseases as well as the guidance of farmers for
herbicides use against weeds. Trainings of AEOs were required in identification of
diseases and insect pests of minor crops along with their causes. Hence it is
recommended that AEOs may be trained and well prepared in the mentioned
parameters of pest management measures to face challenges in the field of
agriculture and can face farming community effectively to raise their living
standards by sustaining agriculture for their coming generation.