Abstract

This research study is carried out to know about the importance of social mobilization intervention of Crop Maximization Project on the socio-economic development of small farmers of district Charsadda. The objective of this research study was to know about the role of the social mobilization of the project in uplifting the social and economic conditions of small farmers of the targeted area. The present research study was carried out in union councils Rajjar-II and Sarki Tetara of Tehsil and district Charsadda. Pre-tested interview schedule was used for data collection from 150 respondents, who were purposively selected through random sampling method. The analyzed data indicated that 100% of the respondents were fully satisfied the role played by social mobilization in their motivation, awareness, empowerment, capacity building and organization. Majority (93.3%) of the respondents utilized these skills empowerment for their social and economic development while only 6.7% of them got no benefits. The research findings indicates that effective social mobilization can pave the way for other practical developmental initiatives by motivating, organizing and building the capacity of the targeted population. In future rural development projects there should be effective social mobilization sector, which can bring the maximum number of the targeted population in main stream to get the maximum benefits from the development projects.

Key Words

Small farmers, Social Mobilization, Crop Maximization Project,          Empowerment

Introduction

Social Mobilization is continues process with no specific ending and starting point. Social mobilization bring to gather all the stakeholders of common interest, train, organize, engaged and prepared them for planned collective actions to achieve a common goal through a particular development program(Leimona, 2008). Social mobilization is the key in rural development projects. Through social mobilization the poor rural people and small farmers can be sensitized and motivated to become aware and understand the causes of their vulnerable conditions and make them able to take collective actions through self-help bases to pull out from vulnerable conditions and improve their social and economic conditions (SRSP, 2011). Being an agricultural base economy, about 66% of Pakistan population is dependent on agriculture sector for their survival. The sector contributes 21% in the total GDP and its share in employment is about 43.6% of the total workforce of the country (Khan, 2015).It was observed by Khan, (2012) that small farmers and people living in rural areas are the major stakeholders in Pakistan agriculture sector but their capacity and awareness level is very devastating. Therefore majority of small farmers of the country are only relying on subsistence agriculture. They hardly produced for kitchen necessities. This is the main cause of mounting poverty among the small farmers of the country. To control this situation and improve their life standard social mobilization interventions in required to initiate for small farmers of the country. Bushra, (2015) demonstrated that social mobilization of small farmers especially of rural women make them able to diversify their income which ultimately improve their socio-economic conditions. Sahibzada, (1997) revealed that in Pakistan the main focus is always on crops and agriculture land for agriculture development. 

The poor small farmer behind the plough is never the part of the strategies and planning made for agriculture development. That’s why majority of poor small farmers of the country is unskilled, unaware and disorganized. Through social mobilization the small farmers could be bring in mainstream by harnessing their potential and by making them organized for collective social and economic development actions. Hazell, (2006) demonstrated that for rural development and eradication of poverty from among the rural people, agriculture is the only sector should be developed and the resource less small farmers should be mainstreamed through effective social mobilization. Small scale agriculture has great potential to create new jobs and improve the existing assets of the small farmers. The most recent comparison and analysis among different agricultural countries indicated that increase in farm productivity has direct relation with poverty reduction. It was observed by Bajwa, (2007) that the small farmers of the country should be organized in community organizations through social mobilization to link them with development organizations and public sector agriculture departments to provide them an easy access to developmental initiatives and programs to enhance their farm production and to improve their socio-economic conditions. Rebecca, (2013)observed that agriculture is the main sector to be improved in the countries having agriculture base economy for the eradication of poverty and improving the life standard of poor small farmers through social mobilization. It was studied by Rao, (1995) that sustainable agricultural development is one of the major challenges confronting by the small farmers around the world especially in the third world. 

Social mobilization is the all-important intervention to motivate and prepared the poor small farmers to develop their agriculture through sustainable manner to improve their life standard   without affecting the environment and degrading the natural resources. According to Yazhari, (2016) enhancement in farm production and for improvement in social and economic conditions of small farmers, the smooth running of any developmental initiative is of high importance. According to him social mobilization keeps the developmental initiative smooth and right on track especially at gross root level. Khattak, (2016) also studied that effective social mobilization is the grantee for mainstreaming the deprived and poor small farmers. According to World Bank report, (2013) about 86% of the rural people around the world are still dependent on agriculture for their livelihood and small farmers are the major contributor in the world agriculture system. So the small farmers should be motivated and organized through effective and continues social mobilization to make them able to catch the world food requirement and also play their role in eradicating poverty from among the rural people. In the same manner Crop Maximization Project was mega small scale agriculture development project. Small farmers were the target group of the project. 

The main theme of the project was participatory. Social mobilization was one of the interventions. The main objective of social mobilization of the project was to mobilize the small farmers of the targeted areas for the purpose to organize them in village organizations, to make them empowered and make them able to plan, manage and implement developmental initiatives on self-help base to increase their income and improve their life standard. Charsadda was also one of the districts included in the project. The small farmers of Charsadda were very poor, unaware and disorganized. So the project social mobilization was a perfect intervention for the motivation, organization and capacity building of the small farmers of the district (MNFAL, 2007).  The project has claimed considerable amount of success in organizing and empowering the small farmers of the targeted area trough social mobilization and bringing positive changes in their social and economic development by increasing their income and crop productivity. So far no one has conducted any study to know about the impact of social mobilization intervention of Crop Maximization Project on social and economic development of small farmers of the area. Therefore this research study will highlight the importance of social mobilization in socio-economic development of small farmers.

Objective

To know about the role of social mobilization intervention of Crop Maximization Project in the social and economic development of small farmers of district Charsadda.

Hypothesis of the Study

There is no significant association between Crop Maximization Project’s social mobilization and socio-economic development of targeted population.

Materials and Methods

Two union councils i.e. Rajjar-II and Sarki Tetara of Tehsil and District Charsadda was the universe of the present study. The aim of this study was to know about the role of social mobilization intervention of the said project in the socio-economic development of small farmers of district Charsadda. The data were collected through pre-tested interview schedule from 150 respondents, who were purposively selected from the above mentioned universe through random sampling method. Later on the data were tabulated and analyzed through SPSS. For knowing the association and relationship between the variables, Chi-square and Gamma Statistics were used.

Results and Discussion

Table No.01     Small farmers were socially mobilized by the Crop                                         Maximization Project

Small farmers were mobilized	Frequency	Percent
Yes	150	100.0
No	00	00
Total	150	100.0

 

Results of table no 01 demonstrates the information about the social mobilization intervention of the crop maximization project. All of the 150 respondents confirmed it that the social mobilization sector of the project socially mobilized the targeted population. The social mobilization provide base for the smooth running of any development activity. Hassan (2002), demonstrated that Social mobilization is a continue process with no ending and starting point. Social mobilization makes enable the rural poor people to take part in decision making for their social and economic development. Social mobilization further makes able the small farmers to establish community organizations for their collective benefits. It makes them aware about their social problems, weaknesses and strong points. Moreover Social mobilization motivates the unaware small farmers to actively take part in developmental initiatives to eradicate poverty through increase in crop productivity and income to improve their social and economic conditions. Crop maximization project was also initiated for poor and unaware small farmers of the targeted area. It was also included an effective social mobilization sector with well qualified and committed social mobilization team. The results of the research show that 100% of the small farmers were effectively mobilized and motivated by Crop Maximization Project.

 

Table No. 02 The Method used by Crop Maximization Project for the Social Mobilization of Targeted Community

Method Used	Frequency	Percent
Through door to door contact	150	100.0
In office	00	00
Total	150	100.0

 

The result of table no. 02 provides the facts about the method used by Crop Maximization Project for the social mobilization of targeted population. The 100% of the small farmers admitted that the project social mobilization staff contacted them at their doors steps. According to NRSP report (2007), that Social mobilization is an emerging approach in the rural developmental process and in community development. Irrespective of the conventional governmental system of contact with rural people for any developmental initiative, through this new process of development the changing agents and development workers visit in remote and lift behind rural areas and contacted the poor rural people, mostly the small farmers and motivated and mobilized them about their social and economic development. They make them aware about their vulnerable conditions and about the role of the concern project or initiative in helping them to pull out from such conditions. Similarly the Project social mobilization team also followed the same methodology and visited extensively in the villagers Hujra and contacted the small farmers at their door step.




 

Table No. 03 Formation of Village Organizations through Social Mobilization Intervention of the Project

Result of Social Mobilization	Frequency	Percent
Formation of village organizations through social mobilization	150	100.0
No role in VOs formation	00	00
Total	150	100.0

 

 Result shown in the table no. 03 indicated the information about the outcomes of the social mobilization intervention of the Crop Maximization Project. The 100% of the small farmers reply was in yes. According to them the village organizations were formed by the project through social mobilization. Pretty (2000), studied that in Pakistan this new trend of village organization/community organization of rural poor people through social mobilization started in early 1980s by different rural support organizations i.e. AKRSP, SRSO, PRSP, SRSP and NRSP. The purpose of this new trend was to organize and educate the deprived and unaware rural people to provide them a platform for harnessing their potential through capacity building trainings and to make them empowered to develop their social and economic conditions. In the same manner Crop Maximization Project organized and empowered the small farmers of the targeted area through social mobilization in village organizations.

 

Table No. 04 Any Change brings by the Social Mobilization Intervention of

the Project in the Socio-economic Conditions of Small Farmers

Any change bring	Frequency	Percent
Yes	140	93.3
No	10	6.7
Total	150	100.0

 

Result in table no. 04 revealed the information about the role of social mobilization in bringing the change in social and economic conditions of the targeted population. The data in the table indicated that social mobilization of the project bring positive change in 93.3% of the respondent social and economic conditions while 6.7% of the small farmers got no benefits from the social mobilization intervention of the project. The RSPN, report (2008) also indicated that social mobilization is the key to bring awareness in poor and illiterate small farmers of the country. The report further demonstrated that only through social mobilization a change can be bring in the social and economic conditions of small farmers of the country. The modules of social mobilization sector of Crop Maximization Project were also prepared by RSPN. Khattak, (2015) also revealed that social mobilization harness people potential. It converts the unskilled and unproductive members of society in skill full and productive labor. The said project also motivates and harness small farmer’s skill through social mobilization and capacity building trainings. That’s why a major portion of the small farmers of the targeted area got benefits from the project interventions one way or the other.

Table No. 05 Cross Tabulation showing association between “Socio-economic

Development” and “Social Mobilization” of Small Farmers.

Type of role played by the Social Mobilization intervention of the project	The social and economic conditions of Small Farmers raise to				Total	Statistics
	To Some Extent	To Greater Extent	To Less Extent	No Change Occur
Social mobilization bring no empowerment in small farmers	1	0	4	5	10	Chi-square value  22.995 P-value                     0.00 Gamma value          .003
Make empowered Small Farmers	86	20	22	12	140
Total	87	20	26	17	150

 

The table no. 05 shows the cross tabulation between dependent variable “Socio-economic development” and independent variable “Social mobilization”.

            The Chi-square was used to know about the association between the two variables while Gamma statistics were used to find out the relation between them. The analyzed data provided 22.995 of Chi-square value and the P-value is 0.00. These figures demonstrated that there are very significant association between Independent and dependent variables. On the bases of driven p and Chi-square values the null hypothesis (Ho) is being rejected while the alternative hypothesis (H1) is accepted. After applying the Gamma statistics, its value becomes .003, this shows direct relation between the two variables i.e. dependent and independent variables. After analyzing the data, the derived values indicate that the role of social mobilization in social and economic development of small farmers is of high importance i.e. more focus on effective social mobilization of small farmers will surely increase the chance of social and economic development of small farmers. Major portion of the targeted respondents of the project was unaware and illiterate. They were very poor and small scale subsistence nature of agriculture was their only mean of livelihood because their skills and awareness level was very low. The social mobilization intervention of Crop Maximization Project organized and empowered the small farmers, harnesses their potential, provided them the awareness towards their social and economic development and prepared them to work collectively for their common interests and support each other in their individual aims to come out from the vulnerable situation and improve their life standard. Furthermore through social mobilization the said project organized the small farmers in village organizations, which made them, empowered. They become able to plan, implement and take part at the village level day to day affairs, which was impossible for most of them in the past. Further through above mentioned intervention the skills of the majority of small farmers were harness which made them able to start new income generation activities and bitterly manage their small scale agriculture to increase their farm productivity. The collective marketing was encouraged through social mobilization which reduced their cost and got better price of their commodities. All these innovations bring by social mobilization of the project ultimately positively affect the overall life standard of the majority of the small farmers of the project area. Although some of them were remain deprived from the advantages of the social mobilization intervention of the project. 

The research findings indicate that social mobilization intervention of the project has very important role in the social and economic development of small farmers. It is therefore suggested that in future development projects there should be a comprehensive social mobilization sector to build the small farmers capacity for collective common interest base activities and harness their potential to develop their socio-economic conditions through self-help bases.

Conclusion

The main focus of the present study was to know about the role of social mobilization intervention of Crop Maximization Project on the socio-economic development of small farmers of district Charsadda. The research findings demonstrated that social mobilization intervention of the project played very important role in uplifting the social and economic conditions of small farmers of the project area. Major portion of the research population were fully satisfied with the social mobilization intervention of the project. They were of the view that through social mobilization the devoted and competent social mobilization team of the project motivated and organized the poor small farmers and made them empowered through village organizations and harness their potential. Resultantly it made them able to plan, implement and manage any developmental initiative for their socio-economic development. Social mobilization of the project also provided them the awareness of to alter their subsistence small scale farming to commercial farming by increasing the farm productivity through better planning and caring of farm products. Furthermore they started extra income generating small scale businesses which further enhanced their income. So the social mobilization intervention of the project positively changed the overall social and economic environment of the small scale farming community of the targeted area. 

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