Do Farm Service Centers Improve Technical Efficiency of Chickpea Growers in Karak District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Pakistan

Abstract

The central theme of this research endeavor was to assess the impact of Farm Service Centers (FSCs) on the technical efficiency of chickpea growers in District Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Data were collected from chickpea growers, including both members and non-members of FSCs. Primary data were gathered from 120 chickpea growers in three villages of Karak district namely Meerzal Banda, Alam Gulkhel Banda, and Zariwaal Banda by using a multistage stratified random sampling technique. A Stochastic Frontier production function was applied to estimate technical efficiency. The results of the Stochastic Frontier Model indicated that most variables were statistically significant. The mean technical efficiency was calculated at 80%, suggesting that chickpea growers could improve their production by 17%. It is recommended that farmers may be supported with new technologies and essential inputs by the government, as these were significant contributors. Furthermore, Farm Service Centers should enhance their services and provide basic inputs at reasonable prices.