Participation of farmers in the stages of planning, implementing and evaluating agricultural extension activities in Damietta Governorate

The research aimed mainly to identify farmers' participation in the stages of planning, implementing and evaluating agricultural extension activities in Damietta Governorate. This is by identifying the most important agricultural extension activities in which the respondent farmers participate and the extent to which they benefit from them, and the level of farmers' participation in the stages of planning, implementation and evaluation of the extension activities studied (self-assessment and objective evaluation). Also, identifying the level of willingness of the respondent farmers to participate in these stages in the future. In addition, identifying the opportunities and challenges facing them while participating in agricultural extension activities. This research was conducted in three centers in Damietta Governorate, namely (Kafr Saad - Zarqa - Faraskour) on a random sample of 150 respondents, representing 10% of the total participants in extension activities in the selected villages of the centers. To achieve the objectives of the research, necessary data were collected using the questionnaire form by the personal interview of the research sample after designing and preparing in an appropriate manner for this purpose. An initial test was conducted, which provided the opportunity to modify and put it in its final form. Several statistical methods including weighted average, arithmetic mean, Pearson's simple correlation coefficient and tabular presentation were used to analyze the data and extraction conclusions.
The research reached a number of results, the most important of which are: that 60% of the respondents have an average level of actual participation in the activities, and that more than half of the respondents, 51.3%, have an average level of benefit from the activities, and that nearly half of the respondents, 49.3%, indicated that the total level of their participation in the implementation stages of agricultural extension activities is currently a self-estimated average.
The results of the objective evaluation of farmers' participation in the stages of planning, implementation and evaluation of the extension activities studied indicated that the average implementation of the tasks for the preparation and planning stage of extension seminars was 53.75%, and the average implementation of tasks for each of the implementation and evaluation stages of extension seminars was 54.86% and 34%, respectively.
The results also showed that the average execution of tasks for the preparation and planning phase of field days was 60.6%, and the average implementation of tasks for each of the implementation and evaluation phases of field days was 44% and 42.6% of the total tasks, respectively.
The results showed that the average implementation of tasks for the preparation and planning stage of field schools was 52.4%, and the average implementation of tasks for each of the implementation and evaluation stages of field schools was 47.8% and 35.6% of the total tasks, respectively, objectively evaluated. Also, about 31.3% of the total respondents indicated that they have a high willingness to participate in the future in the stages of extension activities.
The most important opportunities mentioned by the respondents to further strengthen participation in extension activities were: holding several extension seminars for farmers periodically, with a weighted average of 2.12 degrees. Work to strengthen relations and gain farmers’ trust periodically with a weighted average of 2.0 degrees. Regarding the most important challenges that affect participation in activities, they are: poor material capabilities of agricultural extension to carry out extension activities with a weighted average of 2.22 degrees, farmers’ reliance mainly on their expertise and practical experiences with a weighted average of 2.13 degrees.