Evaluating the efficiency of the agricultural extension system in Iraq from the farmers' perspective

Introduction

The agricultural sector is one of the most vital sectors with a direct impact on the agricultural economy in most countries of the world, especially developing countries, including Arab countries. In recent decades, agriculture has become increasingly dependent on modern production techniques and methods [1] . However, these new technologies will not achieve a tangible impact in improving production efficiency and farmers' performance levels unless they are widely distributed among them. [2] Agricultural rural development is a fundamental pillar for achieving food security and social stability in Iraq. It contributes to improving infrastructure, providing basic services, and enhancing farmers' production capacities [3] , which raises the standard of living in rural areas and reduces the gap between urban and rural areas. In this context, agricultural extension plays a pivotal role as a systematic educational process aimed at transferring modern knowledge and techniques to farmers [4] , enabling them to improve their agricultural practices and increase their productivity levels. Agricultural extension services are an essential means of preserving natural resources and ensuring their sustainability by raising farmers' awareness of the importance of rational and responsible use of these resources, including water, soil, forests, pastures, and others [5] . Therefore, agricultural extension is experiencing great and continuous pressure in the field of improving management and raising the effectiveness of Responding to the needs of farmers and their contemporary challenges in a way that ensures the fulfillment of the requirements of all rural groups of men, women, and youth working in agricultural activity [6] . The agricultural extension service in Iraq is considered one of the basic factors that contribute to improving agricultural production and developing the agricultural sector in general [7] . Iraq has fertile lands and flowing rivers, which makes it one of the countries with great agricultural potential, as most of the agricultural crops that meet the needs of the local market are grown and sometimes exported abroad. In addition, Iraq has human resources capable of contributing significantly to improving agricultural performance, but these resources need continuous training and development. Hence, the importance of the agricultural extension service in providing information and modern technologies that enable farmers to increase their production and improve the quality of their crops [8] . Despite the importance of agricultural extension in supporting agricultural development and enhancing the efficiency of farmers, the provision of its services in Iraq faces many obstacles that vary in severity and impact, and can be classified into five main areas that represent vital dimensions in understanding the roots of the problem. At the administrative and organizational level [9] , weak institutional coordination and the absence of planning emerge as factors that reduce the effectiveness of extension programs. In the human field, the lack of qualified personnel and weak training programs affect Negatively affecting the efficiency of extension performance, the challenge deepens in the financial field due to the lack of funding and the weak allocation of resources necessary to implement extension activities [10] . The technical and technological field also www.extensionjournal.com faces difficulties related to the weak use of modern technology in transferring knowledge to farmers, and finally the social and cultural aspect represents an additional obstacle represented by resistance to change and the weak awareness of farmers of the culture of agricultural extension [11] .

Research Objectives

The study aims to identify statistical differences in farmers' assessment of the efficiency of the agricultural extension system in Iraq from their perspective.

Research Hypotheses

Null Hypothesis: The agricultural extension system in Iraq is not operating efficiently. Alternate Hypothesis: The agricultural extension system in Iraq is operating efficiently.

Study Area

The Republic of Iraq is located in southwest Asia and is bordered to the north by Turkey, to the east by Iran, to the west by Syria and Jordan, and to the south by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Iraq is considered a country with significant agricultural potential, with an estimated arable area of approximately 9.5 million hectares. However, the actual cultivated area amounts to only about 5 million hectares, equivalent to 22% of the country's total area. Iraq consists of three main geographical regions: the northern region (including governorates such as Nineveh, Dohuk, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Kirkuk), the central region (Baghdad, Diyala, Anbar, Salah al-Din, Wasit, Karbala, and Babil), and the southern region (including Basra, Najaf, Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Qadisiyah, and Maysan). Each region is characterized by climatic and agricultural diversity, which influences the type of crops grown and production patterns.

Research Population and Sample

According to the sample size determination table of Krejcie & Morgan (1970), populations with a size exceeding 100,000 are eligible for a sample size of 384. After determining the total sample size, the sample size was calculated for each governorate according to the proportional stratified sampling law, based on the distribution of population size in each governorate, as shown in Table 1:

Data Collection Tool:

A questionnaire was used to collect data and information for this study. A questionnaire was designed for farmers. This questionnaire included (32) questions distributed across six main axes: (Types of visits, content of the extension program, the competence of agricultural extension workers from the farmers' perspective, the impact of extension services provided on increasing production and improving income, extension communication methods and aids used, and farmer training).

Results and Discussion

Statistical Significance Test (One-Way Analysis of Variance Test)

The research community consists of three main geographical regions: the northern region (including the governorates of Nineveh and Kirkuk), the central region (including the governorates of Baghdad, Diyala, Anbar, Salah al-Din, Wasit, Karbala, and Babil), and the southern region (including Basra, Najaf, Dhi Qar, Muthanna, Qadisiyah, and Maysan). The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test will be used to identify statistical differences between these regions in farmers' assessment of the efficiency of the agricultural extension system in Iraq, based on the various axes included in the questionnaire. 1-Types of visits to reach farmers Table (2) shows the results of the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the differences between the three agricultural regions in farmers' assessment of the efficiency of various types of extension visits within the agricultural extension system in Iraq: www.extensionjournal.com The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicate significant differences at a significance level of 0.05 or less (p = 0.019) between the three geographical regions in farmers' evaluation of the visit axis, with the southern region recording the highest average (17.3) compared to the central region (15.8) and the northern region (13.2). This disparity reflects farmers' greater satisfaction with agricultural extension visits in the southern region. This is likely due to better organization of visits in these regions or relative stability in extension services compared to other regions, particularly the northern region, which may suffer from weak field coverage or limited human resources. 2-The content of extension programs and their relevance to farmers' problems Table (3) shows the results of the one-way analysis of variance, testing the differences between the three agricultural regions in farmers' evaluation of the efficiency of extension program content and its relevance to farmers' problems within the agricultural extension system in Iraq: The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicate significant differences at a significance level of 0.05 or less (p = 0.031) between the three geographical regions in farmers' assessment of the content of extension programs and their relevance to their problems. The central region recorded the highest mean (18.40) compared to the northern region (16.28) and the southern region (15.93). This disparity reflects farmers in the central region's perception of the greater relevance of the extension programs offered to their agricultural problems. This is likely due to better coordination between extension and research institutions or the intensity of interactive extension activities in these regions, given their proximity to the capital compared to other regions.

3-The Competence of Agricultural Extension Workers from the Farmers' Perspective

Table (4) shows the results of the one-way analysis of variance, testing the differences between the three agricultural regions in farmers' assessment of the competence of agricultural extension workers within the agricultural extension system in Iraq: The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicate no significant differences at a significance level of 0.05 or less (p = 0.217) between the three geographical regions in farmers' assessment of the axis of agricultural extension workers' competence. The averages were very close and relatively high (20.8 for the central region, 20.6 for the southern region, and 20.4 for the northern region). This convergence reflects a high and consistent level of satisfaction among farmers across the various regions with the performance of extension workers. This is likely due to a relative improvement in extension workers' skills or the similarity of the methods used in agricultural extension across all Iraqi governorates. 4-The axis of the impact of extension services provided on increasing production and improving income Table (5) shows the results of the one-way analysis of variance, testing the differences between the three agricultural regions in farmers' assessment of the impact of extension services provided on increasing production and improving income within the agricultural extension system in Iraq: The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicate significant differences at a significance level of 0.05 or less (p = 0.027) between the three geographical regions in farmers' assessment of the impact of extension services provided on increasing production and improving income. The northern region recorded the highest average assessment (21.1) compared to the central region (16.8) and the southern region (19.2). This disparity reflects the greater positive impact of extension services in the northern region. This is attributed to the fertility of its soil, its high suitability for agriculture, and the few agricultural problems it faces compared to other regions, facilitating tangible increases in production and improved agricultural income.

5-Extension Communication Methods and Aids Used

Table (6) shows the results of the one-way analysis of variance, testing the differences between the three agricultural regions in farmers' assessment of the extension communication methods and aids used within the agricultural extension system in Iraq: The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicate no significant differences at a significance level of 0.05 or less (p = 0.389) between the three geographical regions in farmers' assessment of the extension communication methods and aids used. The averages were close (21.7 for the northern region, 21.5 for the central region, and 21.6 for the southern region). This closeness reflects the similarity in the extension devices and tools used. This is attributed to the fact that the agricultural extension system in Iraq is characterized by a central administrative system, where directives and instructions are issued uniformly to all agricultural extension centers in the governorates, making the aids almost identical across the different regions.

6-Farmer Training Axis

Table (7) shows the results of the one-way analysis of variance to test the differences between the three agricultural regions in farmers' assessment of the efficiency of farmer training within the agricultural extension system in Iraq:

Conclusion

1. Agricultural extension in Iraq enjoys the confidence of farmers, particularly in the ability of extension workers to explain and interact directly with them. 2. From the farmers' perspective, extension workers' visits to farmers are irregular and require improvements in planning mechanisms and geographical distribution. 3. The content of extension programs does not cover all farmers' needs and requires greater farmer involvement in their design. 4. There are statistically significant differences between Iraqi regions in the effectiveness of some extension services from the farmers' perspective, indicating disparities in field performance between regions and requiring balancing and concerted efforts.

Recommendations

Based on the results of this study and to improve the efficiency of the agricultural extension system in Iraq, the researcher recommends the following: 1. The need to involve farmers in designing and updating extension programs to ensure they align with their actual needs and achieve greater implementation effectiveness.

The central government should open the door to

appointments for qualified agricultural extension workers according to fair professional standards, taking into account specialization and geographical distribution to compensate for the severe shortage of personnel.

The study recommends increased coordination between

the General Authority for Extension and various supporting agencies, whether governmental or civil society organizations, to activate the role of extension in developing the agricultural sector and improving the marketing of agricultural produce.

References

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