Safwan Abou Assaf*(1) Bassam Al Atalah(1) Ghada Janoud(2)and Remal Saab(1)
(1). Sweida Research Center, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR), Damascus, Syria.
(2). Directorate of Agriculture and Agricultural Reform, Sweida, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Dr. Safwan Abou Assaf. E-Mail:aboassaf2011@hotmail.com).
Received: 21/06/2018 Accepted: 05/11/2018
Abstract
Agricultural policies and plans try to support barley as an important component of crop combination in Sweida governorate. The research aimed to identify the most important interactions between agricultural extension and barley farmers in Sweida governorate (located in the south of Syria), and to identify the most important problems of production facing barley farmers. To achieve these goals, different statistical tools were used including Spearman and Pearson coefficients and 4-point Likert scale. Data were collected from a random sample of barley farmers in Sweida governorate during season 2014/2015. The results revealed that interaction degree was weak in 51.74% of the sample and moderate in 30.23%. In spite of this result, there was a significantly positive relation between the interaction degree and each of: the presence of the agricultural extension unit in the village, registration in an agricultural cooperative, farmer’s age, experience in agriculture, the main work of the farmer (whether it is related to agriculture or not). The most important problems face barley production from the farmers’ point of view was the increase in labor and fuel prices. The participation of the farmer in the research and in the extension unit’s activities at all stages, is highly recommended to improve the interaction with agricultural extension and scientific research centers.
Keywords: Agricultural extension, Extension activities, Barley, Sweida governorate.
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