Impact of Agricultural Research and Extension on crop productivity in Pakistan: A production function approach

Impact of Agricultural Research and Extension on crop productivity in Pakistan: A production function approach

0305-750x/X6 $3.00 + 0.00 World ~evelq~mrr~t, Vol. 13, No. h. pp. 757-762. 19X6. Pergamon Journals Ltd. Printed in Great Britain. Impact of Agricu...

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0305-750x/X6 $3.00 + 0.00

World ~evelq~mrr~t, Vol. 13, No. h. pp. 757-762. 19X6.

Pergamon Journals Ltd.

Printed in Great Britain.

Impact of Agricultural Research and Extension Crop Productivity in Pakistan: A Production Function Approach MAHMOOD

HASAN

KHAN:‘: and ATHER

Simon Fraser University,

Rurnahy,

HUSSAIN

on

AKBARI

British Columbia

Summary. -This study analyzes the contribution that agricultural research and cxtcnsion made to crop productivity in Pakistan from lY.55 to 19x1. Using a production function approach. it &mates the (marginal) internal rate of return to these activitica. The cstimatcd rate of around 36% is in the rang reported for other countries. Considering this high rate of return and the low in Pakistan. the obvious policy public spending on agricultural rcacarch and extension recommendation is to allocate more :md higher quality rcsourccs t(l these activities to facilitate a rapid increase in agricultural productivity.

1. INTRODUCTION Several studies have shown that investment in agricultural research has a high payoff.’ However, in many underdeveloped countries, public and private investment in research on agriculture is accorded a low priority. This reflects the general neglect of Research and Development (R and D) as a “soft” area. There is thus a tendency to allocate minimal resources to those activities, such as research, education and extension, that generate new knowledge and transfer it to farmers in hopes of improving productivity and increasing profits. Many of these countries are dependent on borrowed technology from the more developed countries. This has been particularly true for several grain and some fibre crops. A few internationally-funded institutions are also involved in applied research on selected crops. Most underdeveloped countries. including Pakistan, are engaged, at best, in adaptive research. This study focuses on the contribution of agricultural research to crop productivity in Pakistan from the mid-1950s to the early 1980s. There are at least two good reasons for this study. First, while crop production in Pakistan has increased quite impressively, public funding for agricultural research has remained low. although there has been visible improvement in the funding picture in recent years. The second reason is that this issue has not been systematically analyzed with respect to Pakistan. Studies by Pray (1978) and Nagy (1983). based on the index

number approach, use data from the Pakistani Punjab for a few specific crops. This paper is divided into four sections. The following section gives a background on changes in crop production and public investment in agricultural research and extension since the mid-1950s. The third section discusses the methodology for analyzing the contribution of agricultural research to crop production in the period 1955-56 to 198&81. Sources and limitations of the data are also presented. The final section includes the results and their interpretation, with some comments on policy implications. 2. CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND INVESTMENT AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

IN

Agricultural growth in Pakistan has been neither stable nor balanced over the last 35 years. Aggregate growth rates clearly indicate that agriculture stagnated in the 1950s. but experienced a somewhat robust growth in the 1960s. There was then a visible slowdown in the *The authors are grateful to the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council for data on expenditures for agricultural research and extension. They thank Nuzhat Ahmed, Faiz Mohammad and Mahmood Iqbal for their help in preparing an earlier version of the paper. Comments by two anonymous referees have also been very valuable. Needless to add. the authors alone are responsible for the contents.

7%

WORLD

early to mid-1970s. recovering That

in

with

the

agriculture

Iargcly

in

on weather

last two cotton

to three

years,

Punjab

vinces. particular

still

quently.

these

resources. been

Edible

Iargcly for

poultry,

LJneven of

the

is

growth of

more

serious

aspect

levels.

Khan

The

for

recent

years.

but

the

Punjab

rice

in

rainfed

yields

1Y5Os.

dramatically in

has

exposed the

kept

increased

III Sind.

the IY7Os.

or falling

in wcathcr

nology.

Cotton

Mexico)

pines)

have

undergone

It is well rice,

institutions

and

This ment

growth

was aided, of

in

us2 of fertilizer. and subsidies

in the absence sugarcane

of

Story

of

Icvcl

in

state

crops

have

Revolution (from

the

support

less

then

Domcatic one-quarter

mainly

although

in

has

research

in

through Council

of the gross

from

about

period.

other

IOSI

Pakistani

countries

amounted Rs.20

to

((IS

agricultural

country

of

3.

2.

one-tenth of

1%

put

it

Rs. IO0

(US

in

$7) peg-

hectare.

These

of public

and

ot

differ-

activitie

per

In of

on agricul-

these

allocations

Third

funds

cxtcnsion

in

;I

World.’

METIIODOLOGY

The

contribution in

changes

AND

productivity

can

that

these

limitations.’

and

at

DATA

tion

services.

The

that

of cotton

to evaluate search

in

in

number

uses

two

ways:

and

approach.

the second

reasons.

Second, parts

First.

final

method it

allows

allow

other

countrics

the

method

contribution The

comparisons and

also

to an

yielded

the production total

and perhaps this

Pakistan.

would

return

such as research

is that the

of

to

approach. Each of advantages and

to the mwrrgc

assign

developniiijor

estimated

study

research

single-enterprise)

of the rrlctrgirltrl rate of return

sources.

reason

(or

index

three

approach.

can

agricultural

function has its

as opposed

the first

tant

be

or

This

least

measurement input.

of

aggregate

production methods

complen~entary

$1 .50)

research

the

in Table

To

on

As

in the sonic

output

to about

the lowest

1%

one-half

extension.

spending

IYtiOs.

it incrcascd

about

over

<;ross

to about

for conipai-isons

shown

spent

just

and

public and

to

of agricultural

research

are among

1%

arc

and

value

in the early

figures

society

I’%, of its GDP the gross

the

1050s

of all crops,

of

increased

I ‘I/;, of

in the

interesting

with

Pakistan

value

research

I, ha

of

(
one-third

More

ently.

agricultural

in Table

of 1% of GDP

share

different

for

channclcd

Rcsuarch

one-tenth

Product

(b) the

(tubewcll)

varieties of

from

crops.

It arms

and

public

government

on

shown

had

conditions

prices

federal

expenditure

surplus

rt3earch

two

arc

on

government\.

in agricultural

(a) the

a key role in the

key inputs.

ettects

Public

for

these

entirely

Agricultural

tcch-

Philip-

seeds of wheat

agents)

in

due to of

Its role

Pakistan

lY5Os.

fluctuation\

by the rapid

of high-yi,elding the

or

cotton

the

the

education

of extension

funds

and extension.

has been either

poor

of

the

farm

poor

The

Pakistani

yields

for

fell

yield

(canal) and ground

water.

the

by international

of course.

surface

but

Pakistan.

to

creased

tural in

resistance

Wide

have played of

crops, and

level

Green

adapted

by local researchers. sustained

in

in

and rice

mainly

the

static

lY6Os.

Its

known that hybrid

produced

in

again bccamc static

the

in the

(i‘rom

Orr.o,r~ri

have been mainly

and

in

NWFP.

production

and sugarcane

if any share

for

alnlo\t

the years.

wheat

mainrice

wheat

disease

and

in the yield of sugarcane changes little

been

I_ack of impI-ovcment

the yield

over

rice

and

IRRI

and

stagnant

IY605.

of the Several

way since the

of weather.

remained

in the

have

local

is no less disturbing.

Punjab

static

the

to the vagaries

sugarcane

in the

particularly

of seed and limited

control.

The

(lY82)

has

year\

pesticide.

(PARC‘).

changes

in the

10705.

cx-

Public

and

depend

The

except for

research.

the provincial

recent

one side

Wheat

Punjab

technology.

have

IYHO.

rem;;ined

somewhat

in the

cotton

quality

the

and

Pakistan.

and

for

funding. through

of growth

trend

wheat

crops:

sector.

it i4 le\s apparent

‘of

services

C’onse-

institutions.

fertilizer

extension

in

and its

are carried

in these arcas.

agricultural

sector

is only

bc noted.

of

on the

of technology

state-funded

distribution

Therefore.

effect

crops. in Pakistan

does little

the training

predicament.

to

the

by

sector

(including

(lentils)

Siddiclui

mainly

private

national

attention

in

1950

of cotton

rose

most

3 similar

and

pro-

major

in ;i su5lainecl

dwarf

region\

The the

the

the

four

pulses

upward

tained

regions

sugarcane.

and source5

fact\ niav

IY6Os.

that

livestock

from

and

Frontier

is of uneven

have increased

Iate

in the rainfed

and

and

crops

interesting yields

provinces

The in

the trends

major

out

agriculture

yield four

of the

of crop output

problem

analyzed

by the failure

get the

oils

two

to farmers

on

ignored.

have had little

these

and adaptation

and

crops

of

Creation

and the agricultural

cotton.

levels

dissemination

to note

depend

rice.

dependent

incentive\

and

yield

in the

North-West

in general

wheat,

still

inputs

IYXOs.’

demonstrated

and Sind

of wheat and

It is significant

economy

is

first

momentum early

and

Pakistan

crop in the Punjab

the

cept

1070s

was well

then by the failure of

the growth

late

DEVELOPMENT

return

to

and extension

the most

impor-

has not been tried of

results

agricultural of

of research help

in

func-

draw

re-

this

\tud\

payoff

with

policy

in-

CROP

PRODUCTIVITY

759

IN PAKISTAN

Table 1 Grossdomestic producl (GDP), gross vulue of crops (GVC) cmd e,rpendirure.s on ngriculiurul resew& und exrrnsion in Pukisrurl, 1955-X 1 (in million rupees)

GDP GVC Expenditure research

First Five-Year Plan I YSS-60

Second Five-Year Plan 196&6S

Third Fivc-Year Plan 1965-70

79.703 23,083

101,131 26.97X

140.476 36.538

305.306 74.233

Fifth Five-Year Plan 197X-81 152,x2 I 33,017

on 3x.3

as “% of GDP as ‘% of GVC Expenditure extension

Non-Plan Period lY7&7X



X6.6

126.2

0.05 0.17

0.12 0.47

220.7

0.06 0.24

0.07 0.30

104.5 0.07 0.32

on 55.7

as ‘% of GDP as % of GVC

177.6

0.07 0.24

241.9

0.18 0.66

776.5

0.17 0.66

Source: Data for GDP and GVC are from Pakistan Economic expenditures on research and extension are from PARC. *All figures are in constant prices of 1959-60.

23x.2

0.25 1.05

0.16 0.72

Survey fY84-85;

data for

Table 2. Gross domeslicproduct

(GDP), gross value of agriculrural output (GVAO), number of farms, cultivared urea, expenditures on agricultural research and extension in Pakistan, 198041

Gross domestic product Gross value of agricultural Number of farms Cultivated area Expenditure on agricultural as as per per

output

research

per cent of GDP per cent of GVAO farm cultivated hectare

Expenditure

Rs. Rs.

on agricultural

as per cent as per cent

extension

billion billion million m. hectares million

0.05 0.17 30.18 6.05

Rs. 287.66

of GDP of GVAO

million

0.11 0.40

per farm per cultivated

Rs. 250.97 Rs. 70.35 4.06 20.25 Rs. 122.53

Rs. Rs.

hectare

70.85 14.21

Source: Data for GDP and GVAO are from Pakistan Economic Survey 198445 and Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan 1982.

plications for public spending on agricultural research and extension. The basic production relation can be expressed in the following form:

Q = A f(X. e),

(1)

where Q is the value of crop output, A is technical progress or the shift factor, X is the value of all physical inputs, and e is the error term. The underlying properties of Equation (1) are assumed to be of a linearly homogeneous production function, with constant returns to

WORLD

760 scale

and

time.

As

input.

Hicks we

neutral arc

Equation

technical

using (I)

progress

indice\

can

of

over

output

cxptascd

be

IlEVEI~OI’ML:N’I‘

and

procedure, without The

as:

we

dummy

“good”

and

IYSS-S6

to

xsumcd

We can then measure technical pi-ogre5s as a function of expenditure on agricultural research md

extension.

data.

from

Since

IYSS-S6

the effect

we to

of weather

are

using

time-series

IYX(~Xl.

w’c incorporate

on output

in the estimating

lies ‘‘It ‘3 5% line.

seems

i’r agricultural

sion,

and II,

“bad”)

effects

ycnrs.

of

The

(0,

research

and L>: arc: dummy

the

depict

pr~~ductivity

on agricultural

ix,).

over for

(3).

tivity.

11,. is estimated

total

value of cl-op output inputs. crops

output

is

Physical labor

inputs

include4 tubewell\ and were

not

aggregate IYSS-56 input

input

indices

provides

input

of have

in

and IYXt~Xl, land.

labor,

IYX2,

IYXS).

The ment

4.

expenditures been

data

provided

of

the

level

(\et‘

though

than

using

\iicIi

of weather

;I single

rainfall.

ax

prox)

It is

L’L’C’II

index

;I composite

rainfall, Khan

admittcrl-

the effect

humidity

and

Siddiqui.

of and

IYE).

AND

IN-I‘ERPRETATION

labor, into

=

100.

R.

is the total

not

PARC.

develop-

agricultural

by all lcvcls

values arc

for

on

but

of into

research they

of coefficients

bv the OLS

in Equation

method.

high :ILltocorrc‘l~,tic,n was made by using

We also wanted

to analyre

(3)

In view of the

(D.W.

=

0.50).

the GLS

method.

the separate

and joint

of research

and exteri\ion on agricultural productivity by estimating the coefficients of these variables In two variants of Equation (3). In the

first

variant,

included research to

be

them

as ;I single

highly

extension

The

variant variable. Since

(joint) we

were

are

of the second

were

second

expenditures

correlated,

results

and

variables.

and extension

estimation tion

research

as separate

found

reporting

variant

the

of Equa-

(3):

A, = 106.254

+ 0.0064XR

(9.067)

+ X.SXlfI,

(3.626)

-

(2.7XX)

have

In the estimation

= 1.9 I; figures

R’ = 0.60; D.W. are

‘t’

I 1.741111 (3.377)

in parentheses

statistics.

All coefficients in the equation are significant at the YY’% level and their signs are as expected. The coefficients of good and bad ycarb clearly indicate that growth in agricultural productivity has been significantly affected by weather in Pakistan. The Durbin-Watson statistic is close to 2.0 or within a reasonable range. The

marginal

value product

and extension

each year.

converted

Data

published.

output,

(Pakistan.

on

incurred

and

1Y7Y-X0

data about capital

IYSY-60.

who

output

years,

tried

For and

Wizarat’s

the

estimation

impact

an

estimation

and

lYX(~XI.

by the

(19X1).

The w’as first

data

and

additional

current of

are

the

followed

expenditure

to

rupees

and

dw,elling4

land.

of

constructing

and extension

IYSS-Sh

constant

Farm

1YSY-60

then

variable.

The

stock

tractors

by Wizarat

fertilizer,

government.

Capital

arc convert4

the

two

current

time

RESULTS

entered

area).

because

values

with

v;~Iuc

IYSY-60. in agricu-

etc.).

based on official

research and

research from

for

con-

WC have used the output

We

indice\

stock.

stock

constructed

methodology

of

(cultivated

public).

index

IOO. The

population

The

details

methods.’

land

and

to lY78-7Y

is

=

are excluded

and capital

index

rupees

(cattle.

available.

fertilizer.

of

IYSY-60

active

(private

index

value of all majoi

animals

implements

the

output

and capital

draft

produc-

the total

include

fertilizer.

;I

The

of the interval

reasonable.

to construct

tcmpcraturc

and

by the index of calut2 of

constant

(economically

ture).

.$qricultural

The

with

in

output.

which

(“good”

by dlvlding

by concerting

and minor

crop

on each side

interval

including

observed

of

of

ill-c

below

dummy

Equation

physical

Ijne

wcatber

difficult

correction

all

during

yeaIF

abo\,c and

way of capturing

output

variables

structed

represent

bad

and

the choice

to bc ;I more

variable\. to be explained shortly. provide an indirect method of isolating the cffcct of wcathcr on crop output. We should now explain the specification of in

I).

output

and exten-

variables

abnorn;al

of K but

arbitrary. it i5 similar to the con\eIifor confidence It’vcI\ in statistics. It

I\; indirect.

/i is

tlenti

While

wcathcr. il,

Iving

trend

usctl

anti crop

be those the

is sonicwhat

I),

(kXKi

b3nd ‘

more

values

for

IYXO-XI.

from

on

expenditui-e

years

hand

variable

where

variables.

“bad”

to

tion

equation:

the cumulative

LISC

a lap.

marginal search.” long-run return

is Rs.37.54.

return The

one

estimated

marginal from

to

rupee MVP

product,

one rupee

(MVP)

which

of research

reflects invested

approximates

or the expected

invested

a high in

rethe total

in research over time. To cstimatc the (marginal) internal rate of return (IRK) to agricultural research in Pakistan.

CROP

PRODUCTIVITY

a lag structure of an inverted “V” type is assumed.’ The estimated marginal product would then be an approximation of the area under the inverted “V” lag. The calculation of IRR requires that the future returns be discounted by a rate of interest that makes the present and future returns equal. Assuming a lag structure of IO years. with the high point of the inverted “V” in the fifth year, the marginal internal rate of return is about 36% for agricultural research and extension in Pakistan. Lag structures of longer duration for crop research have been assumed in the United States! The shorter lag assumed in this study seems reasonable because (a) almost all agricultural research in Pakistan is basically adaptive and (b) it is consistent with other studies. The estimated (marginal) real rate of 36% on investment in research and extension in Pakistan compares favorably with the payoff reported for other countries.” The policy implications of our study are clear: that more investment should be devoted to activities like agricultural research, education and extension. This is narticulnrlv important for those crops of whi& the yielii levels are still very low and an be increased by

IN PAKISTAN

761

introducing new seeds or varieties to farmers. Significant yield improvements have been experienced only by wheat. rice (IRRI) and corn. A second and related aspect of increased investment in research and extension is of qualitative improvement in delivering research output to farmers. Recent studies have revealed serious problems of fragmented and largely uncoordinated research and extension services in the country.“’ A major reorganization of the agricu!tural research system. at least at the federal level. and the new experiment of extcnsion by training and visit (T and V) in selected areas of the Punjab and Sind provinces are two of the policy changes introduced since IWO. There are still major problems of inadequate allocation of resources to research in the provinces, lack of coordination of research and extension services. and poor quality of extension agents used on the front line. It is Important to note that the much expanded activities of PARC at the federal level are seen with great skepticism in the provinces, where most of the regional agricultural institutes wait for funds and resources to filter down to their level.

NOTES 1. See Evenson (IYX4). (lYX2). pp. 242-243. 2.

See Pakistan

3.

See Daniels

(1985). and

pp

358~359

statistical

Nestel

and

Ruttan

appendix,

p. 22.

(1981).

4. Two excellent reviews are given in Norton Davis (1981) and Schuh and Tolini (1979).

and

5 Wizarat has not included fertilizer as an input. She gives no reason for this omission. WC have also reconstructed the value of capital stock for the whole period, because the livestock population reported by Wizarat does not match with numbers given in various census reports and other published documents. It seems that the numbers of draft animals in Pakistan have fallen because of the rapid spread of tractors in recent years.

6. Marginal Value Product (MVP) of rcscarch extension is estimated by the following formula:

and

u, = d(QlX)ld(R) d, = 1/X dQldR rr,.X = dQldR. 7. Evenson’s (1967) work is still a standard on lag structures. 8.

See Bredahl

9.

See Ruttan

and

Peterson

reference

(IY7h).

(19X2). pp. 242-243.

10. Studies by the World Bank (1981) most relevant here.

arc

perhaps

the

REFERENCES Bredahl. M., and W. Peterson. “The productivity and allocation of research: U.S. agricultural experiment stations,” Amrricm Jortmul of Apkdmrrrl Ecortomic.s, Vol. 5X. No. 4 (1976): pp. h8&hY2. Daniels. D., and B. Nestcl. Reseurch AI/m&m 10 Agriculturul Research (Ottawa: International Development Research Ccntre. lY81). Evenson. R. E.. “The contribution of agricultural

research to production,” Journcrl OJ Furm E‘cot~ omics, Vol. 49, No. 5 (lY67), pp. 1415-142.5. Evenson, R. E.. “Benefits and obstacles in dcvcloping appropriate agricultural technology.” in C. Either and J. Staatz (Eds.). A~riculrural Drrvlormwrrr in /he Third World (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. lY84). pp. 34X-361. Khan, M. H.. and A. S. Siddiqui, “Growth and

762

Nagy, J. C.. high-yielding

WORLD

DEVELOPMEN’I

“Estimating the yield advantage ol wheat and maize: The use of Paki\t;m’s

Norton. Cr. W.. and J. S. Davis. .‘Ev;d;atjt;g returns to ag,ricultural rescarch: A rwiew.” Amcv+c~~r Jorrn~rrl o/ A~ridrurul Ecor~otmc~.~. Vol. 63. No. 4 ( IYXI ) pp. 6X5-6”)!, Ministry of Finance. f’crlti.srtr,~ Ewrrornic Pakistan, S~rrwv fY868.5 (Islamahad: IYXS).

Pakistan. Ministry’ of Food and Agriculture, /2gricd /uru/ .Qurivdc.s of Pukisrurz /‘IN2 (Islam;rh;d: IYX3).

Pray, C. E.. “The economics 01 agricultural rcscarch in British Puninh and Pakistan Punish. lYOSp7S.” Ph.D. Dissertation (Philadelphia: . University 01 Pcnnsylwnia. lY7X). Ruttan, V. W.. Agricrtlrwrrl K~w~wchPolic~y(Minneapolis: University 01 Minnesota Press. IYX?). Schuh. G. G.. and H. Tolini. “Costs and benefit\ 01 agricultural rescarch: The state of the arts,” World Hrrr~k S/off’ Workirrg fcrper. No. 3hO (Washington. D.C.: The World Bank. 197’)). Wiarat, S.. “Technological change in Pakistan‘s agriculture: IYS3-54 to lY7X-7Y.” ffrki.\/crrl Ucvdoprw~~~ R~vicw’. Vol. 20. No. 4 (IYXI), pp. 427-445. World Rank. I’dktan Stuff Appr~kd Rqmrl of 111c~ A,qricrrlrrwd Rtwcrrcl~ Projcc~ (Washington. D.C.: IYXi).