Author: Farhad Zulfiqar
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Diss. no.RD-16-01
Year: 2016
Academic Program: Regional and Rural Development Planning (RRDP)
Type: Thesis (Ph. D.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 2016
Examination Committee: Gopal B. Thapa (Chairperson); Soparth Pongquan, Avishek Datta (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: In view of adverse socioeconomic and environmental effects of conventional cotton, “better cotton†was introduced by the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in Pakistan in 2009. There is a dearth of research on level of adoption of “better cotton†production practices as recommended by BCI, financial attractiveness of “better cotton†as compared to conventional cotton and potential for further improvements in “better cotton†based on resource use efficiency analysis. This research was carried out to bridge these gaps. The field survey, covering 161 “better cotton†farmers and 141 conventional farmers, was carried out in Punjab province of Pakistan.The level of adoption of “better cotton†practices was examined based on actual number of practices used by farmers, and its determinants were analyzed by the help of truncatedregression. The financial analysis involved the comparison of conventional and “better cotton†using net profit and benefit cost ratio measures. The net income was analyzed using propensity score matching method to ensure that the income was attributed to “better cotton†production rather than other external factors. Technical, allocative and economic efficiency of “better cotton†were analyzed using input orienteddata envelopment analysis method. Factors affecting technical and economic efficiency were identified using bootstrapped truncated regression. Results of the analysis of the level of adoption of “better cotton†practices involving land preparation and sowing, crop management, and picking and post-harvestpractices displayed clear variations. The only significant factor positively affecting the adoption across the three practice groups was information access from formal sources.This indicates that the knowledge and training provided
Scholarship Donor(s): Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan; Asian Institute of Technology Fellowship
Note: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Regional and Rural Development Planning
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