ABSTRACT
Many factors contribute towards the development of agriculture, including knowledge as an institutional input. Agricultural technologies and techniques are continuously undergoing change and farmers need to be aware of and know how to use agricultural 'innovations' for the exploitation of inherent yield potentials, especially at environmentally sustainable levels. This chapter contributes to empirical understanding of the repercussions of privatization by examining the farmers' perceived effectiveness of both public and private agricultural extension sectors. It presents an overview of the agricultural situation in Pakistan and outlines the research problem and presents the rationale, significance, theoretical perspectives, and research objectives. The chapter offers a comparative account of the organizational environment of the Department of Agriculture and Ciba. It concludes with a discussion of the emergence of the public sector in the provision of extension services and the emerging role of NGOs. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
