Extension Agents’ Perceptions of the Role of Extension Services in Organic Agriculture: A Case Study from Saudi Arabia

Hazem S. Kassem,Edgar Yoder,Bader Alhafi Alotaibi

doi:10.3390/su13094880

Hazem S. Kassem, Edgar Yoder + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094880

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Abstract

Extension services (ES) play a crucial role in addressing the various needs of organic farmers and little is known about the extension agents’ (EA’s) perceptions of organic agriculture and the role of ES in organic agriculture. This study investigated EA’s perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture. Data were collected via a questionnaire, which was sent electronically to all enlisted extension agents in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. In total, 69 extension agents completed the questionnaire, representing a 54% response rate. Overall, extension agents had slightly positive attitudes toward organic farming but were unsure about their role and participation in this. Furthermore, their perceptions of the role of ES in organic agriculture significantly varied according to their age, work experience in organic agriculture, and education level. These findings have implications for the design of future training programs for the professional development of extension agents and will enable planners, policy makers, and related ministries to devise viable and workable policies and plans that truly reflect the concerns and challenges of extension agents and consider the skills of extension agents that need to be improved. This research will also have positive implications for the national organic agriculture policy, as it provides research-based information on the actual players in the farming systems of Saudi Arabia.

Highlights

This result is similar to previous findings that extension agents in the Philippines tend to have a positive attitude toward organic agriculture [52,53]
The present study showed that extension agents with more agricultural experience tended to consider organic farming as being more important and had more interest in training than those with less agricultural experience—extension agents with little experience lacked knowledge of the contemporary organic agriculture context and had a lower interest in acquiring new knowledge and skills
It is clear that the extension agents surveyed in Riyadh Region had a slightly positive perception of organic farming and it is more likely that those extension agents who did not respond felt more negatively toward organic farming and chose not to respond for that reason

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The agriculture sector plays a vital role in ensuring food security, realizing economic diversity, and alleviating poverty globally [1]. Agricultural development relied on the intensive use of agricultural inputs to address the increasing demand for food. The heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has led to adverse environmental effects [2,3], including soil erosion, the deterioration of soil fertility, and adverse effects on human health [4,5]. Intensive input-based agriculture conflicts with optimal and sustainable natural resource utilization, driving many countries to adopt eco-friendly, sustainable practices such as organic farming [1,6]

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