Extension Performance and Satisfaction Level of Bali Cattle Farmers in South Konawe Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Objective: Extension officers play an important role in increasing community participation and are tasked with preparing, implementing, and evaluating the performance that has been carried out by the performance evaluation of extension workers in the Republic of Indonesia Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 91/Permentan/OT.140/9/2013.   Theoretical framework: The increase in livestock population is inseparable from the role of agricultural extension workers who always guide breeders to produce Bali cattle. Livestock rearing in Konawe Selatan Regency is dominated by small-scale community farms with natural and human resources that have the potential to support the development of Bali cattle. However, the development of Bali cattle in this area has not been carried out effectively. Field extension officers have held various counseling regarding cattle development, but many breeders still have not changed their farming methods.   Method: The location for the study was determined by purposive sampling, considering that South Konawe Regency is an area designated by the government of the Republic of Indonesia as a source area for Bali cattle breeds. Using statistical data, the sub-district area used as the study location was determined by stratified random sampling based on the criteria for low, medium, and high population numbers of Bali cattle. Furthermore, respondents were determined by snowball sampling up to 300 farmers for each sub-district and descriptively analyzed using independent evaluation scores.   Results and conclusion: The findings regarding the performance of livestock extension agents in South Konawe Regency have not given satisfaction to Bali cattle breeders, as evidenced by the analysis of the competence and role of extension agents. This study concludes that to increase the population of Bali cattle, the role of extension agents is very important, and of course, the government must further increase the competence and role of extension agents in the South Konawe Regency.   Implications of the research: The findings in this study can be concluded that the competence of extension workers and the role of extension agents both in East Kolono District, Buke District, and Tinanggea District fall into the bad and not good categories according to PERMENTAN RI No. 91/Permentan/OT.140/9/2013 regarding the performance of livestock extension agents.   Originality: The novelty of this research lies in evaluating the performance of extension workers by the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 91/Permentan/OT.140/9/2013.