Evaluation of the agricultural extension role of agricultural extension agents in strawberry production from farmers' point of view in Ismailia governorate, Egypt

Abstract

The aim of the research was to determine the level of knowledge of the farmers involved in the tasks of agricultural extension agents in the field of strawberry production in Ismailia Governorate, and to identify the level of availability of material and educational resources in the guidance devices from the point of view of the respondents and to determine the level of participation of farmers in the agricultural extension activities in the field of strawberry production in the research area, and to identify the extension services provided to farmers in the research area, and to identify the level of satisfaction of farmers. The research was conducted in Ismailia Governorate on a random sample of 260 respondents with 32.5% of the total number of surveyed farmers of the total volume of 800 farmers. The preliminary data were collected during the period from June and July 2018. The preliminary data for the research were processed statistically through the mean, percentages, numbers and frequencies. The following results were found: - The level of knowledge of 84.6% respondents the farmers interviewed in the role of agricultural extension agents in the field of strawberry production in the research area was low, the rest between the average and the higher. - The level of knowledge of 78.8% respondents the farmers in availability of material and educational resources with the guidance devices from the point of view of the surveyed farmers in the research area was low, the rest between the average and the higher. - The level of knowledge of 76.9% respondents the farmers in roles which they carrying out degree of agricultural extension agents In the field of production The strawberry arrival from the point of view of the surveyed farmers in the research area was low, the rest between the average and the high. - The results indicated that the level of participation of farmers in agricultural extension activities in the research area (80.8%) of respondents and the rest between the average and the high. - It was found that the most important extension services provided to the farmers according to what they mentioned in the research area are: establishment of fields, seminars and extension meetings, visits of guides to fields and houses Agriculture And the visit of farmers to the office of the guide and telephone communication in the agriculture rates ranged between 29.6%- 59%, - The level of satisfaction with the extension services provided to them in the search area was low for respondents by 83.5%, and the rest between the average and high. - The results indicated that the most important problems facing The extension work in the field of strawberry production and their point of view in the research area: the lack of specialized agricultural extension agents, the low wages of the agricultural extension agents, the lack of health conditions in the training and extension rooms, the scarcity of home visits to the farmers in varying percentages Among 78%- 89%. - The main proposals for solving the problems facing the extension work from the point of view of the farmers are: providing specialized agricultural extension agents, increasing the wages of the agricultural extension agents, providing health conditions in the training and extension rooms, increasing the home visits to the farmers in varying percentages Among 76.9%- 88.8%.