The public extension in the last quarter century in Manisa Province in Türkiye

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to reveal some extension indicators in the province, to contribute to the extension memory of the country, and to develop advice for the extension system by examining the change in the last quarter century. Material and Methods: The main material of the study consisted of the data from 229 extensionists working in Manisa Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and some district directorates. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors affecting occupational satisfaction of extensionists. Results: The number of young, female and university educated extensionists has increased. While the time devoted to extension has decreased, the bureaucratic workload has increased. The number of farmers served by an extensionist increased by 43% during the covered period. Extensionists who spend a lot of time on farmer training were found to become satisfied with their work. Conclusion: The employment policy should be planned in such a way that one extensionist serves 200 farmers. Extension activities should be carried out with project logic by defining criteria such as time, region, targets, budget, opportunities, collaborations, and result indicators.