Determinants of Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation Practices in Rainfed Agriculture: A Case Study in Pothohar Region, Pakistan

Abstract

Of the total thirteen rain-fed districts in the Pothohar region, Punjab province of Pakistan, four (Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal and Attock) are completely rain-fed. Erratic rainfall, moisture, soil degradation, soil erosion and droughts are prominent issues in the Pothohar region, augmenting the dire need for soil and water conservation.; to explore the determinants of the adoption of soil and water conservation practices, this study was conducted in Rawalpindi district because it receives maximum rainfall; which is most of the time lost due to absence of sufficient storage reservoirs exuberating the soil erosion and natural resource degradation. A total of 381 respondents participated in the study respondents were interviewed face-to-face on a structured, validated and reliable questionnaire. The Chi-square test of statistics and a binary logistic model were applied to the collected data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results demonstrated a statistically significant (P<0.05) association between age, farm size, farming experience, and annual income, with awareness and adoption of soil and water conservation practices. Both awareness and adoption of conservation practices were insignificant (P>0.05) with the educational level of respondents. Regression analysis confirmed that awareness and adoption of conservation measures were influenced significantly by the predictors' lack of motivation, reliance on off-farming income sources, and inadequate demonstrations. This study complements the adoption of soil and water conservation technologies in the environment of the Pothohar region. To meet this objective, institutional services need to be mainstreamed. Public sector agricultural extension should emphasize awareness campaigns, advisory services, and training programs for farmers and the establishment of demonstration plots specifying the adoption of soil and water conservation techniques.