Introduction

Tunnel farming utilizes high quality inputs to cultivate better quality yield in bulk as compared to
conventional farming. It employs more labour and reward better as compared to conventional farming and,
consequently, provide sigh of relief to the workers. Moreover, output and profit margins of the tunnel farming
are higher than traditional farming in the study area. Keeping in view feasibility and pre-feasibility studies, it
is anticipated that total and partial factor productivities, and technical efficiency of tunnel farming surpasses
the traditional farming.
Tunnel technology is a famous and an innovative way of rearing off-season fruits, vegetables and the
seedlings of the different cash crops. The polythene material traps the sun heat and brings the tunnel
temperature and humidity to the favorable levels for the vegetable production (Government of Punjab, 2009).
This technology is rendered in winter season to produce pre-season vegetables which bring better monetary
benefits to the farmers. Healthy and sturdy seedling of Boro rice is produced for better production of Boro
rice in India (IRRI and IFAD, 2004) and other countries. Lamont (1999) claimed that this technology offer
several benefits which include early crop production, two to three times higher yield per hectare as compared
to conventional farming. Moreover, higher quality produce, efficient use of water resources, reduction in soil,
wind erosion and weed problems are also attributed to this technology. Moreover, SMEDA in its prefeasibility studies (2007, 2007a, 2007b) also reported some similar benefits with fewer other ones i.e. tunnel
farming extends the production to year round leading to year round income, retention of customers, gain in
new customers, higher prices during off-season, water shortage problem is overcome due to lesser water use
etc. In recognition of international research and proven net benefits by Pre-feasibility studies of SMEDA, this
study has been devised, mainly, to achieve following objectives i.e.
1. To observe the strategies adopted by the agriculture department to establish farm field school system
approach and its success to disseminate the tunnel technology to the masses in rural areas.
2. To identify the input differentials with respect to their quantity and quality incurred in tunnel farming and
conventional farming.
3. To compare labor absorption capacity, fostering socio-economic and living standards in the study area
4. To explore the output and profit margins differences of tunnel and traditional farming in the study area.
5. To quantify the total and partial factor productivities of tunnel farming and compare it with conventional
farming in case of vegetable production in the project area.
6. To gauge the technical efficiency of the vegetable farming cultivated in the tunnels and raised by the
conventional farmers.