The effect of field agricultural extension roles on the capacity level of rice farmers in Pesawaran Regency, Lampung, Indonesia

Abstract

This study explores the effect of field agricultural extension on rice farmers’ capacity levels and the factors that influence farmers' capacity. This research was conducted in Negeri Katon District in October-November 2021. The respondents were 62 heads of farmer groups in the district. This study used a survey method with a quantitative descriptive approach. The results showed that the effect of field agricultural extension on farmers’ capacity levels could be categorized as moderate, and the overall level of farmer capacity could be classified in the medium category. This is an interesting finding considering the daily activities of farmers consist of farming but their capacity is not yet high. This finding shows that farmers still need agricultural extension agents (AEAs) but the number of AEAs is still limited, meaning that extension activities do not run optimally. The factors that influence the level of farmer capacity are age, level of formal education, length of farming experience, land size, number of dependents, and the role of AEAs. The number and role of AEAs affect the capacity of extension workers; therefore, the number of AEAs must be increased.