The Adoption of Agricultural Technology - Food Security Group

-53Box 22. Source of Purchased InputsIn order to understand the input distribution system it is useful to ask farmers where they acquired theirinputs. In a study on wheat varietal adoption in Pakistan, researchers found that very few farmers wereusing government seed depots or merchants as sources of seed.Sources of wheat seed of new varieties and other popular varieties, Mardan, PakistanPercentage of fields sown to:Source of seed P8k-81 Blue Sliver SA-42 ''Mnfpal('Own 35 53 56 81Other farmers 35 35 37 19Seed depot 15 12Research/extension 15Shopkeeper/grain merchant 7Total 100 100 100 100Source: Heisey (1990).When asked about the location of the seed depots, only about half of the farmers could say where thesewere located. These data provided evidence to show that seed was not being distributed from seeddepots in the way that policymakers believed.Percentage of farmers who knew seed depot location and had visited a depot, PakistanAlcezone Cotton zone Msrd8nKnew correct location 51 46 52Stated other location 14 11 38Did not know location 35 44 10Visited depo~ 38 36 21Source: Heisey (1990).a Includes only farmers with correct knowledge of depot location.