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

Bader Alhafi Alotaibi, Edgar Yoder and Hazem S. Kassem
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Bader Alhafi Alotaibi: Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Edgar Yoder: Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology and Education, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA
Hazem S. Kassem: Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-15

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.

Keywords: organic agriculture; extension agents; extension services; Saudi Arabia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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