PARADIGM SHIFT FROM NON-BT TO BT COTTON AND FACTORS CONDUCING BT COTTON PRODUCTION IN A SOUTHERN PUNJAB’S DISTRICT OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Pakistan is one of the developing countries and major portion of its economy depends on agriculture. The study aim was to identify the different factors affecting the adoption of Bt cotton and analysis of paradigm shift from Non-Bt to Bt cotton in tehsil Jatoi of Muzaffargarh district, which provided a guideline for extension organizations to develop better strategies in future for effective extension work towards Bt cotton production. The data were collected from 120 Bt cotton growers through random sampling technique. The data were analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and rank order were used for interpretation of the data. The study revealed that maximum respondents were belonging to the middle age group, agriculture and livestock farming were their source of income and their maximum cultivation was under Non-Bt cotton. Cotton growers were highly dependent on pesticide companies for agricultural information. The higher crop yield was the major factor which shifted the farmers to grow Bt cotton. Unapproved Bt, high fertilizer requirement and non-availability of seed were the threatening factors being faced in Bt cotton cultivation, ranked at medium scale. Opportunities of less use of pesticides, increase in production and net annual income, reduction in health hazards, less cost of production and availability of certified seeds was generated by the cultivation of Bt cotton, was recorded at medium scale.