A SOCIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEMS OF COTTON GROWERS IN RURAL AREAS OF TEHSIL RAJANPUR By

Mahboob Ahmad and Sumaira Bano

ABSTRACT
Cotton is one of the main cash crop of Pakistan and as known as whitegold. Cotton crop occupies key position in agrarian economy of Pakistan. It plays an important role in raising the living standard of rural people. In Pakistan most of the cotton growers in Pakistan live under poverty line and facing different problems such as financial, political and psychological. The aim of present study was to investigate about the problems and socio-economic condition of cotton growers. Universe of the present study was the rural areas of Tehsil Rajan Pur. Multistage sampling technique was used for the selection of 120 respondents. At first stage three rural union councils were selected through simple random sampling technique. At second stage six villages (2 from each u/c) were selected randomly while at third stage twenty respondents from each village were selected through convenient sampling technique for interview. An interviewing schedule was designed in light of objectives of the study. Ten respondents were pre-tested to check and examine the workability of interviewing schedule. Data was analyzed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).The results were interpreted to suggest the recommendations for policy makers that will helpful to eleviate the problems of cotton growers..

INTRODUCTION
Cotton has been the driving force of the economic development in Pakistan. The lack of markets for alternative cash crops and the scarcity of off-farm employment are the main driving force for small-farm holders to engage in cotton production in order to satisfy cash demand. However, there are limitations as yields are stagnating or even decreasing. Moreover the cotton research environment is changing and with government disengagement from direct production, new partners and producers are emerging. Presently farmers have organized themselves into various cooperatives (Cuzon, 1997). Cotton plant is the first cash crop that procures money for the farmers in the Republic of Benin. Although the farmer is not the end user of the product, he can identify in the fields, from the agronomical and morphological characteristics the type of cotton plant that would give increased seed cotton yield. The cotton grower can evaluate his plant just as well as the food crop plant grower can do. The farmers were involved in a mass selection after they were given a cotton seed full of variability created by cotton researchers on-station according to panmictic method (Lanon, 1998) The small sized holdings do not permit farmers to be engaged in farming activity throughout the year since they (farmers) always abandon farming activity for leisure once their small plots of land are cultivated. Secondly, fragmentation of land has encouraged the scattering of holdings into different locations. Though the fragmentation of land is seen by farmers as essential for meeting their land needs, the study observes that it is inhibiting the optimal use of land resources. For instance, the dispersal of holdings which fragmentation entails makes many farmers to plant different crops on several distant plots (Das, 2000). The lack of irrigation water, lack of requisite knowledge, skills of cotton cultivation high cost of cultivation, spurious pesticides, tenant farming, low price of cotton in the market and high labor charges were reasons of social menace. This study showed that majority of the respondents opinioned for farmers field schools should be applied in providing knowledge. Result also showed that majority of the respondents opinioned that irrigation services should introduce a time table of shortage of irrigation water. Research industry and extension might be more effective in developing and implementing more complex issues and change from the research and extension models currently used may be needed to achieve positive resource management. The major research findings regarded perception of the problems in farming community in District Hyderabad showed that the majority (83%) of respondents which stated that they faced problems due to shortage of irrigation water, 76% faced problem due to

Non availability of ext. worker, 72% problems faced due to Lack of inputs, 63% due to lack of roads 60%. On the basis of research findings, it is suggested that irregular supply of water, expensive rates of input causes for low yield. (Kumar and Rao 2002). The major perception of the problems in farming community in District Hyderabad showed that the majority (83%) of respondents which stated that they faced problems due to shortage of irrigation water, 76% faced problem due to Non availability of ext. worker, 72% problems faced due to Lack of inputs, 63% due to lack of roads 60%. On the basis of research findings, it is suggested that irregular supply of water, expensive rates of input causes for low yield. It is recommended that government should ensure scheduled irrigation management and lining water courses, the pure inputs with minimum rates in the market and make better facilities for continue supply of water. (Mari et al. 2011). Keeping in view the importance of cotton crop is the back bone of Pakistan. This requires conducting a detailed study and making recommendations on the basis of the findings from the study. The present study was conducted at tehsil level due to financial and transportation constraints. There are many problems face to cotton growers, such as financial, political and psychological constraints. Thus the present study has been designed to investigate the following objectives. To investigate the problems of cotton growers in rural areas of Tehsil Dera Ghazi Khan To explore the socio-economic conditions of cotton growers. To prepare suggestions to policy makers for the improvement of socio-economic conditions of cotton growers in Tehsil Rajan Pur.

Methodology
Universe of the present study will be the rural areas of tehsil D.G. Khan. Multistage sampling techniques will be used for the selection of 120 respondents. At first stage three rural union councils will be selected through simple random sampling technique. At second stage six villages (2 from each U/C) will be selected randomly while at third stage. Twenty respondents from each village will be selected through convenient sampling technique. An interviewing schedule will be constructed in the light of objectives of the study. Ten respondents will be pre-tested to check and examine the workability of interview schedule. Data will be analyzed by using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The result will be interpreted to suggest the recommendation for policy makers for future planning to elevate the problems of cotton growers.

Results and Discussion

This chapter deals with analysis and interpretation of the data. It has been divided into two parts. Part A presents major characteristics and certain information about the respondents. Part B the hypotheses have also been tested by applying chi-square and gamma test. Table 1: Distribution of the respondents according to their age. Age 21-30 31-40 41-50 Above 50 Total Frequency 55 44 15 6 120 Percentage 45.8 36.7 12.5 5.0 100.0

Age is the considered as the number of complete years lived by the respondent. Above table indicated that most of the respondents 45.8 percent belongs to age group 21-30 years, 36.7 percent were belongs to age group 31-40 years old and 12.5 percent of the respondents were lies at age group 41-50 years while few 5 percent were belongs to age group above 50 years. Table 2 : Distribution of the respondents according to their qualification. Qualification Illiterate Primary Middle Matric & above Total Frequency 34 40 38 8 120 Percentage 28.3 33.3 31.7 6.7 100.0

Education it is a method of influencing a human behavior. Table presented that the respondents were primary passed, 31.7 percent asked there were middle passed and 28.3 percent of the respondents were illiterate while few 6.7 percent were matric & above qualified. Table 22: Distribution of the respondents according to the reason of not satisfied. If no what is the reason Respondents who satisfied with production Frequency 58 Percentage 48.3

Less than expenses Market problem No information about the Govt. price Transportation problems Any other Total

4 23 22 7 6 120

3.3 19.2 18.3 5.8 5.0 100.0

Customer level of approval when comparing a product's perceived performance with his or her expectations Table shows that majority of the respondents 19.2 percent asked that the reason of not satisfied due to market problem, 18.3 percent asked that they did not satisfied due to no information about the Govt. price and 5.8 percent give the reason of transportation problems while 5 percent of the respondents asked that any other type of problem and few 3.3 percent of the respondents asked that they face less than expenses problem and due to it they did not satisfied with their production (Ali and Waqar 2000) studied in India their were 11 percent people were not satisfied due to market problems and less then expenses.

Hypothesis 1: Lower will be age of the respondent higher will be yield per acre. Table 41 Association between ages of the respondent and will be per acre. Age Upto 8 21-30 31-40 monds 9 7.5 7 Yield per acre 9-20 monds 21-30 18 15 25 monds 2 1.6 5 Total Above 30 monds 3 2.5 4 32 26.6 41

41-50 Above 50 Total 2 = 3.672

5.8 8 6.6 2 1.6 26 21.6 gamma = .103

20.8 23 19.1 3 2.5 69 57.5 d.f. = 4

4.1 5 4.1 1 .8 13 10.8 sig = .000***

3.33 5 4.1 0 0 12 10

34.1 41 34.1 6 5 120 100

The chi-square value shows a non significant association between age of the respondents and their yield per acre. The gamma value shows a positive relationship between in these variables. So the hypothesis lower will be age of the respondents higher will be yield per acre is accepted.

Hypothesis 2: Higher will be education of the respondent higher will be yield per acre. Table 42 Association between education of the respondent and yield per acre. Education Upto 8 Illiterate Primary Middle Matric & monds 11 9.1 5 4.2 15 12.5 3 Yield per acre 9-20 monds 21-30 23 19.2 21 17.5 10 8.3 1 monds 2 1.6 2 1.6 5 4.2 8 Total Above 30 monds 6 5 4 3.3 3 2.5 1 42 35 32 26.6 33 27.5 13

above Total 2 = 49.232

2.5 34 28.3

.8 55 45.8

6.7 17 14.2 d.f. = 4

.8 14 11.6 sig = .000**

10.8 120 100

gamma = .121

The chi square value shows a highly significant association between education of the respondents and their yield per acre. The gamma value shows a positive relationship between in these variables. Its mean that the educated cotton growers get more yield as compared to illiterate respondents. So the hypothesis higher will be education of the respondents higher will be yield per acre is accepted.

CONCLUSION
The agricultural sector of Pakistan has primary responsibility of producing enough food for its ever-growing population. Cotton, being staple food, is the most important crop from foodsecurity perspectives and income generation. It is also the largest grain crop in terms of production area, constituting about 75 percent of total production and is grown under almost everywhere in Pakistan. Mostly farmers were low educated and unawareness to the new inputs, machinery, seeds, and others. Majority of farmers have shortage of land.

References :
Cuzon, J. R. 1997. L'appui l' organization agricole. Secretariat dEtat la Coopration Francophone, Paris, France. Das T.K, Teng, B.S.2000 A resource-based theory of strategic alliances. Journal of Management, 6 (1): 31-6 Kumar, G. D. S. and Rao, D.V.S. (2002). Factor for the suicide of cotton farmers. Crop research, 23(1): 129-132. Lanon. 1998. Problems of cotton in Ireland. The general 31st conference of annual metting. A case study from the Aegean Region of Ireland. Mari, J. M., Shahzadi, A. K. and Chachar, Q. I. 2011. Perception of the problems in farming community at Hyderabad Pakistan. J. Agri. Tec, 7(1): 9-17. Murray, D. L. 1994. Cultivating Crisis: The human cost of pesticides in Latin America, Austin. University of Texas Press: 12-22.

I. TITLE: A SOCIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROBLEMS OF COTTON GROWERS IN RURAL AREAS OF TEHSIL RAJAN PUR

II.

NAME:Mahboob Ahmad, Regd. No. 2008-ag-1212 Cotton is one of the main cash crop of Pakistan and as known as white gold. Cotton crop occupies key position in agrarian economy of Pakistan. It plays an important role in rising the living standard of rural people .The aim of present study was to investigate about the problems and socio-economic condition of cotton growers. Universe of the present study was the rural areas of Tehsil Rajan Pur. Multistage sampling technique was used for the selection of 120 respondents. At first stage three rural union councils were selected through simple random sampling technique. At second stage six villages (2 from each u/c) were selected randomly while at third stage twenty respondents from each village was selected through convenient sampling technique for interview. An interviewing schedule

was designed in light of objectives of the study. Ten respondents were pre-tested to check and examine the workability of interviewing schedule. Data was analyzed by using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).The results were interpreted to suggest the recommendations for policy makers that will helpful to elevaate the problems of cotton growers

Name of Student: Supervisory Committee: 1.Miss. Sumaira Bano 2.Mr. Muhammad Ali Ta 3.Dr. Nisar Hussain Department :

Mahboob Ahmad

(Chairman) (Member) (Member) Rural Sociology

Author Reference: Ahmad. M and Bano.S 2011. A sociological investigation into the problems of cotton growers in rural areas of tehsil Rajan Pur. M.Sc. Thesis, (Population Sciences), D. G. Khan Campus, Deptt. Rural Sociology, Univ. of Agri., Faisalabad. Supervisors Signature: ___________________