FARMERS’ SATISFACTION LEVEL ABOUT TRIBAL AREA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AT DERA GHAZI KHAN, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Poverty prevalence is a prominent feature of the rural community of Pakistan where agriculture is a bastion to their livelihoods. Pakistan has an experience of extending government support to the villagers and operating rural development programs through bureaucratic, democratic and party political approaches to combat poverty, each of which provides for distinctive structures and rules, and has its own style of operations. Tribal Areas Development Project (TADP) is one of them which emerged in May-2009 along with the objective of poverty alleviation through social mobilization of the farming community besides socio-economic development and efficient use of resources for development of Tribal Area. The present study was designed to assess the satisfaction level of farmers regarding TADP activities. The data were collected through a validated interview schedule from 125 randomly selected male Community Organization (CO) members and were statistically analyzed using computer software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). It was concluded that the partnership agreement with community, site survey for implementation of various projects, provision of solar panel for electrification and installation of hand pumps, construction of small and mini water reservoirs, provision of pipe line for perennial flow channels were the prominent activities in which respondents were satisfied. It is recommended that the project staff must ensure equal participation of all CO members by conducting regular meetings to enhance the interaction/participation for the acquisition of better results.