BackgroundFarm workers and female cotton pickers are exposed to residual impacts of pesticide use in cotton production, in addition to dust, ultraviolet radiation, etc. Cotton picking causes various health hazards among cotton pickers with varied health cost. A soil bacterium known as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is incorporated in cotton seed through genetic modification and it has resistance against certain bollworms of cotton. So it is considered that Bt cotton fields have less pesticide exposure compared to non-Bt cotton fields. This study was designed to examine and compare the impacts and health cost of cotton picking among female cotton pickers working in Bt and non-Bt cotton fields.MethodsThe study used the data collected from Vehari district of Pakistani Punjab. Health hazards and associated health cost of the respondents involved in Bt cotton picking were compared with those who harvested non-Bt cotton. Comparative use of the personal protective measures among those respondents was also examined. Health cost function and its determinants were analyzed using ordinary least square method.ResultsFindings of the study showed that 61 % cotton pickers from Bt cotton households reported one or more health effects of pesticide during picking season whereas this percentage for non-Bt cotton households was 66 %. Health impacts included skin problems, headache, cough, flu/fever, eye irritation and sleeplessness, however, percentage of these health impacts was comparatively higher among non-Bt cotton households. Health cost from exposure to pesticide use in cotton was US$ 5.74 and 2.91 per season for non-Bt cotton and Bt cotton households, respectively. Education, picking in Bt cotton fields and preventive measures were significantly related with health cost.ConclusionCotton pickers working in Bt cotton fields are found to have less occupational health hazards compared to those working in non-Bt cotton fields. Thus generating awareness among cotton pickers for adopting precautionary measures during harvesting and the use of Bt cotton seed can result in a decline in the ill-effects of cotton picking.

Pakistan is considered as an agricultural country dominated by smallholder farmers. The size of the land, livestock, and labor force have paramount importance for the livelihood of resource-poor farmers. The present study was designed to determine the factors affecting the size of the livestock, i.e., the flock size of large ruminant buffaloes and cows. A cross-sectional data set collected randomly from 150 respondents from three districts of the mixed cropping zone of Central Punjab was used to address the study's objectives. Regression estimates revealed that family labor for attending animals, length of lactation, total healthcare expenditures, small land holding, and the geographic district factors significantly affected the herd size of buffaloes and cows. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the implementation of health care systems is one of the crucial factors in building the herd size, mainly through reducing mortality rates, improving the length of lactation, and other aspects of animal well-being. Similarly, the benefits of government livestock policies should reach the grassroot level to retain and use domestic family labor, not as a norm but to engage in the livestock sector for earning their incomes.

The present study was designed to analyze comparative economics of hybrid rice and basmati in the core rice growing area of Punjab. Cross-data was collected through well-structured questionnaires from 80 farmers during May and June 2011.Study results reveal that higher yield and less time required for maturity in production were the main reasons for planting of hybrid rice. Hybrid rice occupied 3.6 acres whereas area under basmati was 5.9 acres of the total farm area. Farmers obtained above 60 percent increase in yield of hybrid rice. Results show that cost of production of basmati rice was estimated as Rs.37364 per acre and total revenue was Rs.44768 per acre. The benefit cost ratio of basmati rice was 1.20 and that of hybrid rice was 1.80, implying that hybrid rice has brought comparatively more economic benefits to the farmers as compared to basmati in the study area. Shortage of buyers, much costly poor quality hybrid seed, late payment and higher transportation costs are among major constraints in rice production and marketing.

Gender involvement in agriculture is becoming more asymmetrical in rural areas due to differences in wages of respective labour resultantly affecting health, wealth and decision making power of women engaged in agriculture. Study, therefore, was planned to investigate status of women engaged in vegetable picking and see constraints faced by them. Descriptive statistics are used to analyze primary data collected during year 2013. Results reveal that average monthly household income and expenditure were Rs. 10770 and Rs. 9291. Average daily earnings of males and females from vegetable picking were Rs. 333 and Rs.156 respectively which clearly shows disparity regarding wage rates. Female respondents were earning income also from other off-season sources in order to support family budget. Majority of female respondents (86%) were aware about harmful health effects of pesticides’ sprays on vegetables but they were still not using appropriate safety measures. They complained about different diseases while working in vegetable fields. It is suggested that training in other more remunerative non-farm/ off-season activities should be provided to females in order to improve wages on competitive basis. The pickers should be educated also about the importance of using safety precautions while working in vegetables fields.

Many socioeconomic, institutional and biophysical factors are causing high wheat yield variation among wheat growers in the country in general and in the Punjab province in specific. Ultimate purpose of present study was to determine factors affecting probability of wheat yield being in low, medium or high ordinals given the set of yield changing inputs. Cross-sectional data collected from randomly selected 320 wheat growers with 80 respondents from each of four agro-ecological regions of Punjab Province was analyzed through proportional odds model to obtain the study objectives. The study found out some socio-economic and agro-ecology related variables such as age, tractor ownership, role of income diversification through part-time farming, the contribution of smallholder tenants and owner-cum-tenants and chemical fertilizers that can significantly affect wheat yield categories of low, medium or high. Based on findings, it is imperative to support young innovative farmers having their own farm machinery, generate off-farm/on-farm income generating avenues for part-time farmers, and provide more facilities to smallholder farmers of both tenants as well as owner-cum tenant class in enhancing their wheat production of higher level. Moreover, agriculture advisory services should focus more on the cotton-wheat zone accompanied by appropriate use of seed rate, chemical fertilizers, and plant protection measures to enhance wheat yield in Punjab Province.