EFFECT OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES ON THE ENHANCEMENT OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN SOME VILLAGES IN FAYOUM GOVERNORATE | ||
| Fayoum Journal of Agricultural Research and Development | ||
| Article 19, Volume 33, Issue 2, July 2019, Pages 110-141 PDF (11.48 M) | ||
| Document Type: Research articles. | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/fjard.2019.190576 | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The objectives of the study were to: identify some socio- economic characteristics of farmers, describe the rural social capital levels in the studied area, identify the extent to which farmers benefited from some Extension services and activities to Enhance the Social capital, and identification of differences in the degree of social capital between both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of extension services. Fayoum destrict was chosen from Fayoum governorate in terms of the number of farmers holding. Three villages were randomly selected: Demo, Sakran and Manachi Al-Khatib. A random sample of 10% of the total number of farmers in the three villages was selected. The sample consisted of 243 farmers, of which 91 were beneficiaries of agricultural extension services and activities, and 152 were non-beneficiaries of these The main findings of the study were: The most important sources of agricultural information were: personal experience, parents, relatives, friends and neighbours, for both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of agricultural extension services and activities. More than three quarters (77.4%) Indicated that their degree of exposure to these sources was either moderate (46.1%) or high (31.3%). Three quarters (75.7%) indicated that their confidence in those sources was either moderate (43% (32.5%), and 78.7% of them reported that they were either moderately (43.6%) or low (35%). The results indicate that the relative degree of social capital for sample as a hole was relatively low, as (77%) of the total social capital was moderate or low. The percentage was 49.5% for the beneficiares, compared with 49.4% for the same categories for not beneficiares Finding also indicated that the most important of extension services and, which benefited farmers concerning, Enhancement of social capital, in the field of incresing agricultural production, were: the delivery of knowledge in agricultural production (2.49) raising farmers' skills new about applications (1.8). In the field of marketing, and distribution, the most important activities were: harvest and post harvest treatments; and by-productrecycling in the field of development and conservation of natural resources it were: Identify appropriate crops for different types of soil (2.39) and rational use of irrigation water (2.36) The most important activities and extension services in farm management, it were: training on activities that increase family income (1.59), the best of farm management (1.33) and Training the rural youth to hold small interprices (1.65) and stimulate youth to participate in the development programs of their rural communities (1.1) were the most important extension activities in the field of rural youth development. The main activities in the field of contribution to public affairs and development of rural community were: get attention to education aspects (1.22) and stimulate them to participate in agricultural projects to get use of the available resources (1.19). The most important activities in the field of local rural leadership < br />development were: 1. the discovery and development of local leadership (1.17) increase efforts to help their families in the local community (1.15). The strengthening of personal relations between the extension officer and the target population (1.52), helping farmers' organizations to identify their problems and finding alternatives to solutions (1.37) were the most important activities that benefited the respondents in the field of the forming and developing of agricultural organizations Results showed significant differences in the rural social capital aspects between beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries of extension services related to: social relations, trust capital, membership < br />of organizations, leadership degree, degree of informal social participation and total degree of social capital. The results showed also that there were no significant differences in the level of participation in development projects and the degree of political participation between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of extension services and activities | ||
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