MASS MEDIA AS AN AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION SOURCE FOR FARMERS IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN: AN EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS ACROSS AGRO-ECOLOGICAL REGIONS

This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of mass media as a source of agricultural information for farmers across the agro-ecological regions of Punjab, Pakistan. The study was conducted in five purposively selected agro-ecological zones of the province. Data were collected from 500 randomly selected respondents through face-to-face interviews using an interview schedule and analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the interpretation of data. Respondents across different agro-ecological zones showed significant variation in the use of different mass media information sources. This has been concluded that different mass media information sources serve diverse information needs of farmers. Findings concluded that mass media shows significant effectiveness in various aspects of agricultural development, particularly in increasing farm yield, income, and knowledge, improving farmer confidence, and enhancing linkages with other stakeholders. The role of mass media in enhancing agricultural practices varies significantly by agro-ecological regions. The regression model significantly predicted the effectiveness of mass media information sources (R² = 0.742, p < 0.001), with frequency of use, usefulness, relevancy of information received, and time of usage making statistically significant positive predictors. These findings recommended that there is a need to improve rural digital infrastructure, develop region-specific and accessible content, increase media diversity and frequency, and promote digital literacy among farmers. Additionally, fostering collaboration with agricultural institutions, leveraging mobile platforms, and using a multi-channel communication approach can significantly improve the reach, relevance, and adoption of agricultural information by the farmers.