Effect of Extension-Farmers Contact on Farmers’ Knowledge of Different Pest Management Practices in the Rain-Fed Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

This study was conducted to examine the effect of extension-farmers contact frequency on farmers’ knowledge of improved ways of chemical, biological and cultural control methods in the rainfed districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using multistage random sampling technique data were collected from 395 respondents according to Yamane’s formula. The study uses the Kruskal–Wallis H test for checking differences among farmers knowledge with differences in their contact with extension service providers. The results revealed significant differences in farmers’ knowledge of chemical, biological and cultural control methods of pest with differences in the frequency of extension-farmers’ contacts. With the increase in extension-farmers’ contacts the farmers’ level of knowledge on chemical, biological and cultural control methods of pest increase and vice versa. The study recommends that the rain-fed farmers need reasonable extension services for increasing knowledge on pest management techniques. Therefore, for providing effective services, extension agent may increase their visits to the farming community and may reach maximum farmers and encourage them to visit the extension office for seeking information.