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Abstract: The main economic activity of a large segment of population in Pakistan is agriculture. The contrasting pattern of topography and uneven distribution of resources create a wide difference in socio-agricultural relationship among the different administrative districts of the country. The study aims to investigate the correlation based on a number of variables extracted from different sectors of Pakistan’s agriculture and social infrastructure. In order to study the regionalization multivariate analysis has been done for hundred districts of Pakistan. The results produced, show sharp variation of regional disparity among the different districts of Pakistan. A clear cut longitudinal east-west divide is visible from the outcome of the study. The provinces of Punjab and Sindh, consisting of fertile plains of river Indus and its tributaries stand out with better socio-agricultural correlation. The western provinces of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Balochistan, surrounded by mountains and plateau depict a deprived scene in terms of socio-agricultural well-being. In Pakistan districts are very vital for resource planning and development. These administrative units have a mix of both rural and urban activities that is why this study becomes more significant for future district planning decisions. Keywords: Multivariate analysis, planning and development, regionalization, socio-agriculture relationship, uneven distribution.Download Full Article |
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Abstract: The courses of software project management (SPM) and Software engineering (SE) are regularly taught at undergraduate degree program in computer science. Students of these programs also have to undertake projects as part of various courses during their degree program. The purpose of this research is to assess whether the software engineering or the software project management course had enhanced the cohesion among team members while undertaking a six month or a year-long project. The teaching of these two courses is considered as a team building intervention in this research. A total of 167 students returned a modified version of Group Environment Questionnaire distributed to 200 students. Off these, 81 were those who had taken the SE course and subsequently did a project before they had taken SPM course. The rest of the students (85) consisted of those who had taken SPM and had undertaken final project. The results of this paper indicates that the SPM as compared to SE as a team building intervention had a better effect on team cohesion. The paper has successfully identified a single course that can enhance the performance of students as a team in contrast to proposing all the courses taught at the undergraduate computer science degree program as intervention for better team building and team work as proposed by Hogan & Thomas, 2005. Keywords: Software project management, software engineering, final project, group environment questionnaire, team building intervention. |
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Abstract: Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy in terms of providing food and employment and foreign exchange earnings. It contributes 21.9 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP). The importance of sustainable agriculture practices for the farmers to a large extent depends upon the effective sources of information. It is believed that farmers do not often make visit to the research stations, however, they obtained required knowledge from different sources like mass media, fertilizer agency, fellow farmers, radio, television, extension personnel and contact farmers. It is imperative to communicate sustainable agriculture practices to the farmers through various sources of information. This study used a descriptive research methodology the universe of study consisted of six districts of Sindh province comprising Larkana, Naushehro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Badin. A sample of 180 farmers was randomly selected for the study. A well structured interview schedule was used to collect information from the small farmers on their personal and socio-economic characteristics and sources of information. The study found that about 36.11% of the respondents were youth having age group (26-35 years), while 66.67% of the respondents were married, however a large percentage (44.44%) maintained a range of small farmers having land 13-25 acres of land and 66.67% of the respondents having their primary education. In addition 66.67% of the respondents having farming experience between 6 to 10 years. The results of the study showed that the most frequently used sources of information about Sustainable Agriculture were Television Broadcast, Neighboring Farmer, Fertilizer and Herbicide Dealer and Seed Dealer, while slightly over half the farmers reported using information about Sustainable Agriculture from Public Extension Agent, Private Extension Agent, Research Workers, Farm Magazine and Publications, Local Newspapers, Relatives and Extension Materials. On the basis of the results and conclusion drawn from the study it is recommended that Government should establish farmers radio and television station for dissemination of the agricultural programs for sustainable agriculture in Sindh province. Sustainable agriculture programs should be broadcast through television and radio programs. Neighbor farmers and fertilizer herbicide dealers should be educated for sustainable agriculture practices. Keywords: Sustainable Agriculture, Sources of Information, Farmers. |
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Abstract: Sindh province has diverse agro-climatological regions ranging from irrigated agricultural belt in the middle and desert to the east and bare hilly ranges on the west. Climate of the province is semi-arid with low annual precipitation of around 200mm. Agriculture and agribusiness is the main source of livelihood for majority in the province. Soil moisture study is an important parameter in agriculture, hydrology and hydrometeorology for studies related to sustainable development of agriculture and agribusiness in the province. In agriculture, soil moisture is used to study evapotranspiration, droughts, irrigation scheduling, and crop yield forecasting. It is also important for the environmental studies like subsequent precipitation patterns, temperature change and water quality. Soil moisture plays an important role in hydrology e.g., flood control, soil erosion and slope failure, reservoir management, geotechnical engineering and runoff generation. Due to synoptic coverage and high temporal resolution satellite remote sensing is ideal for instantaneous measurement of soil moisture content and its spatial and temporal behavior. In this study soil moisture at province level has been mapped through Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spector Radiometer (MODIS) for the years 2007 and 2010. As 2007 was as normal year while 2010 was a wet year due to heavy rainfall and flood in the province, both the years have been selected to study soil moisture anomalies in normal and wet seasons. The results of MODIS derived soil moisture is in moderate agreement with AMSR-E soil moisture product proving the effectiveness of high resolution products in optical range. Keywords: Soil Moisture, MODIS, AMSR-E, Agriculture, Remote Sensing, Hydrology. |
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Abstract: This study examines socio-economic and demographic factors as fertility differentials and draws conclusions upon data collected from some selected rural and urban localities of Toba Tek Sing-Punjab. The analysis carried to examine change in fertility trends and preferences in relation to children ever born to currently married women. The ideal family size from the both localities is 3.98 which, is still reckoned high as compared to the (NGRP) National Growth Rate in Pakistan which is 3.80. The dependent variable is reproductive preference measured by a single indicator- ideal no. of children and gender in both urban and rural localities as same study was conducted by National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) in 1990-91 and 2006-07. In Pakistan number of demographic surveys has revealed that woman of reproductive age generally prefer more children than their own preferred family size. The aim of this study is to contribute into the existing literature on the geographical patterns of fertility differentials in a district of the Punjab. This will help planners to formulate more effective fertility related policies and programmes in the country. This is also a continuum of DHS conducted in mid 1980s to elaborate fertility patterns among married couples. The goal is to dig deeper into the relationship between education and fertility has been a central focus within demography and related social sciences. Higher education is associated with higher age at first birth and lower number of children discussed the implication of findings in the context of policy framework to enhance the public awareness about the small family in context with high quality life. Higher fertility in a country like Pakistan is rooted in cultural believes about children and number, pre-natal control measures should be targeted more at women attitude to large family. This is to provide policy makers with an understanding of the potential demand for fertility control and help in formulating policies to reduce fertility and improve socio-economic climate of the district. Keywords: Spatial, Fertility, Differentials, Fecundity, Urban, Rural, Punjab. |