Analysis of Challenges and Opportunities of Family Farming: A Case Study of District Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan is an agricultural country and agriculture plays a vital role in Pakistan’s economy. Its contribution is 19.5% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Family farming is generally understood to be a farm owner, dependent on agriculture and family labour working at the farm. The family farmers are facing various challenges at present and it is assumed that in the future they will continue to face challenges in farming. At the same time there are some opportunities which favour family farming. Therefore, the present study was designed to analyze the challenges and opportunities of family farming in District Nankana Sahib, Punjab, Pakistan. A multistage sampling technique was used for sample selection. Tehsil Nankana Sahib was selected purposively as it is the largest tehsil of District Nankana Sahib consisting of 45 rural Union Councils (UCs). Twenty rural UCs were selected randomly from tehsil Nankana Sahib. Three villages from each of the selected UC were selected randomly. Three farm families were selected from each of the selected village by using a snow-ball sampling technique. From each of the selected families, two respondents, as one was the head of farm family and second from any of the other adult family members. In this way, the sample size was 360 respondents. The data were collected and analyzed by using a Mixed Method Research (MMR) approach. The quantitative data were collected by using the interview schedule and analyzed through computer software i.e., Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The qualitative data were collected by open ended questions, observations, informal discussion and probing and analyzed by using content analysis as the qualitative data analysis techniques. Sampled farm families were doing crop and livestock farming. Agri. machinery specially tractor and implements including cultivator, sickle and spade, were necessary to continue farming. Fellow farmers was a prominent source to provide agricultural information. Research has revealed that male and female family members were participating in family farming. Male were participating in major agricultural activities including land preparation and sowing, desilting and irrigation, application of fertilizers and pesticides. Females also worked alongside men in agricultural activities such as harvesting, intercultural practices, nursery transplanting, picking up fruit and crops. It was depicted, respondents were facing social challenges to some extent, like social unrest and family disputes (conflicts) were prominent in this regard. Insect pest attack, small area for cultivation, difference between actual and potential yield, water shortage for agriculture and distance from agricultural markets were leading present challenges of family farming. The respondents forecasted that land division, high rates of agricultural inputs and changing climate will be the eminent future challenges. Study further depicted that land ownership, availability of family labour force, rented land and livestock farming were foremost present opportunities for family farmers. The study predicted that livestock, poultry gardening, rented land and agri. machinery will be the top most future opportunities for family farming. Factors that hinder youth to participate in family farming include small land holdings, wandering, studentship, dependency on elders, inflation and crashed/defective marketing were at top. It was also explored that family farming was playing a role in providing livelihood to respondents. Overall, it was concluded that family farming was the single livelihood source for respondents but unfortunately, they were not getting potential yield due to identified challenges. It was recommended that the family farmers should cultivate of high value crops, they must shift from conventional farming to modern farming. Entrepreneurship and value addition of agricultural commodities should also be implemented by them. For this purpose, Government should arrange training programmes for family farmers keeping in view the crop and area specification.