Perceived Effect of Farmers Field School Approach on Capacity Building in Controlling Pre and Post Harvest Losses

Abstract

The present study was conducted in the central region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan comprising seven districts: Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat and Hangu, during 2010. The objective was to analyze the perceived effect of Farmer Field School (FFS) approach on farmers’ capacity in controlling pre- and postharvest losses. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected from 280 randomly selected farmer respondents. The analysis revealed that FFS had remarkably built up farmers’ capacity in controlling pre and post-harvest losses caused by rodents, birds, immature harvesting/picking, and inappropriate packing, storing, and transportation of the produce. Furthermore, FFS helped farmers in reducing losses at the market and controlling grain borer, wheat weevil, and store weevils effectively. The study concluded that the highest improvement as a result of FFS activities was in controlling losses by rodents, proper packaging and labeling of the produce, and controlling some stored grain pests like grain borer and wheat weevil. By and large, farmers’ capacity was built up in almost all aspects of controlling pre- and post-harvest losses, except a few i.e. losses due to immature harvesting of crops, and controlling losses caused by store insects, which needed special focus of the authorities concerned. Keywords: Controlling crop losses, Farmers’ Capacity building, Farmers’ Training, FFS extension approach, Immature harvesting