Job satisfaction of local extension agents for fisheries: Insights from farm level survey in Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess job satisfaction of local extension agents for fisheries (from here and later in LEAFs) in Melandaha and Islampur sub-districts under Jamalpur district of Bangladesh. Data were collected by the researchers from LEAFs during September to November 2021 through face-to-face interviews by using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, rank order, and coefficient of correlation were used to analyze the data. Almost all of LEAFs (97.8 percent) had low to medium job satisfaction in extension service delivery. Among fifteen job satisfaction indicators, ‘supervisor’s guidance’ was identified as the most important one. The least ranked indicator was ‘job security’. Correlation analysis showed that age, level of education, job experience, training exposure, and organizational participation of LEAFs are significantly associated with their job satisfaction. All of the LEAFs (100 percent) faced medium to high problems in the research area. The most severe of the fourteen problems was ‘farmers’ reluctance to accept new technologies,’ followed by ‘shortage of manpower’. The least important problem of LEAFs was ‘farmers are non–cooperative’. Therefore, it is highly recommended that if an advance training program for LEAFs could be organized to solve their problems, it would be great to get quality extension services and build a well-organized fisheries sector in Bangladesh which will finally help to enhance nutritional security and poverty reduction in the country.