INFLUENCE OF PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURAL SUPPORT SERVICES ON INCOME FROM AGRICULTURE: RESULTS FROM THE MULTIPLE REGRESSION MODEL (A CASE FROM RURAL NORTHWEST PAKISTAN)

The government of Pakistan, like those of other dev eloping countries, is making efforts to provide dif ferent support services to the farmers. To increase production per unit area i s important element of policy for agricultural deve lopment. To contribute to the sectoral goal of production maximization, the farme rs must participate in different support services. This study exemplify rural northwest Pakistan, however the findings can princi pally be transferred to any agrarian economy in the developing countries. The effects of farmers participation in different suppo rt services on net income from agriculture was dete rmined by using linear regression model. The results of the model show tha t participation in agricultural support services ha s significant influence on income from agriculture. The study concludes that f or development of agriculture at the macro level, i t is essential that provision of support services to the farmers should be given due importance in policy formulation so that they c ould properly benefit from them to increase their farm production and income l evel.