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Problems Faced by the Sub-assistant Agriculture Officers (saaos) Working in Department of Agricultural Extension

Md. Imran Hamid
Undergraduate Student, Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208

Susmita Datta
Undergraduate Student, Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208

Md. Matiul Islam
Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The overall agricultural development of Bangladesh is rapidly progressing. The advancement in agricultural attainments is not a problem free venture. Various new problems are being faced by the SAAOs (Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers) at present. Thus the purpose of this study was to determine the extent of the problems faced by the SAAOs regarding agricultural extension at field level and to explore the relationships between the selected characteristics of the SAAOs and the faced problems. A number of 46 problems of SAAOs were selected as the
focus issue (dependent variable). The study was conducted in Batiaghata and Dumuria upazila under Khulna district. Data were collected from randomly selected 53.97% of the SAAOs (34 out of 63) from each upazila, using an interview schedule during July10 to September 25 of 2019. A problem severity index (PSI) was used to make comparison among the 46 selected problems. Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (ρ) was used to ascertain the relationship between the focus issue (ordinal type of data) and personal characteristics of the respondents. In Batiaghata upazila about two-third of the SAAOs (61.5%) had moderate problems where, “slow rate of promotion compares to other govt. job”, “difficulties of getting promotion” and “shortage of manpower” ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd position, respectively. In Dumuria upazila majority of the SAAOs (71.4%) had moderate problems where, “every block covers large area”, “shortage of manpower” and “difficulties of getting promotion” ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd position, respectively. Student t-test result (t Stat 0.35; P(T<=t) two-tail 0.73) showed that there is no significant difference between the problems faced by the SAAOs of Dumuria and Batiaghata upazila. There was no significant relationship between extent of problems and selected characteristics in Batiaghata and Dumuria upazila, except job experience of SAAOs had showed a positive significant relationship. The SAAOs are facing various newly emerged problems at present while conducting agricultural extension activities which should be taken under consideration for priority based solution for sustainable agricultural advancement.

Keywords: Extent of problems, Problem severity, Sustainable agriculture

Location: Undergraduate Student, Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208

Start Date: 10-07-2019

End Date: 25-09-2019

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Non-commodity: Management

Objectives:

Thus the following specific objectives were formulated to conduct this piece of study.
I. To determine and describe the selected characteristics of the SAAOs.
II. To analyze the problems faced by the SAAOs in conducting extension activities.
III. To measure the extent of problem in agricultural extension.
IV. To explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of the respondents with the extent of problem.

Methodology:

The study was completed following “descriptive and diagnostic” research design in Batiaghata and Dumuria upazila at Khulna district. The researchers selected Batiaghata and Dumuria upazila and randomly selected 13 SAAOs from Batiaghata upazila (out of total 21 SAAOs) and 21 SAAOs from Dumuria upazila (out of total 42 SAAOs) for the research purpose. The data was collected from the SAAOs (53.97% of the total) by face to face contact with an interview schedule during July 10 to September 25 of 2019. The SAAOs remain very busy in executing departmental duties and responsibilities by moving to and fro all the days of a week, and thus it is very difficult to include all of them in the interview. The selected characteristics of the respondents were age, educational qualification, family size, job experience, family income, training received, organizational participation and cosmopolitanism. All selected characteristics were measured following standard procedure and then categorized and arranged in simple tables for interpretation and discussion. Number, frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and range were used for statistical description. Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient “ρ” was used to ascertain the relationship between selected characteristics of the respondents and faced problems. Throughout the study, at least five percent (0.05) level of probability was used. Student t-test was performed to find out the difference between the problems faced by the SAAOs of Dumuria and Batiaghata upazila. Problem severity score was computed for each respondent from his/her response to the asked question. Each respondent was asked to indicate his/her response against problems on selected broad areas (typologies) related to, or somehow having influence on, agricultural extension, such as (1) personal related (2) field/economic related (3) IT related (4) job satisfaction related and (5) other. Ultimately 46 problems of SAAOs were incorporated, after having rigorous discussion with upazila level BCS (Agril.) Officers and University Teachers who are involved in extension teaching, in the interview schedule. The researchers have chosen wide varieties of problems faced by the SAAOs as an attempt to not exclude any of a problem consciously. Each respondent was asked to identify the problems intensity he/she has faced along with the extent of the problem against each of the statements. The extent of the problem was measured using 5-piont rating scale as ‘severe’, ‘acute’, ‘moderate’, ‘less severe’ and ‘not at all’, and the rating scale was assigned scores as 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, respectively. The problem extent score of a respondent was determined by summing the scores of all the problems. The possible range of score was 0 to 184. The severity of an individual problem was determined based on problem severity index (PSI). The possible range of PSI was 0 to 52 in Batiaghata and 0 to 84 in Dumuria upazila. The PSI was determined by using the following formula: PSI= N₁×4+N₂×3+N₃×2+N₄×1+N₅×0; Where, N₁=Number of respondents extended the problems and related as severe, N₂= Number of respondents extended the problems and rated as acute, N₃= Number of respondents extended the problems and rated as moderate, N₄= Number of respondents extended the problems and rated as less, N₅= Number of respondents did not extent the problems at all, After determination of PSI, the severity of the problem was determined by following formula (%) Severity of the problem= (observation problem extension score) / (Possible problem extension score) x 100. The rank order of the problems was determined based on the severity (%) of the problem. The problem which obtained the highest percentage of severity got the first rank and then the second rank and so on. The rank continued from 1st to 46th to ensure relative position of every included problem.

Source of Information: Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 7, No. 1, April 2020: 61-73.

Article Link (Online Journal): ISSN : P-2409-0603, E-2409-9325

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The findings of the study indicate that all (100%) of the respondent were in moderate to acute problem extent category. Common problems faced by the SAAOs were “slow rate of promotion of SAAOs compared to other govt. jobs”, “difficulties of getting promotion”, “shortage of manpower”, “every block cover large area”, “large area has to be covered by an SAAO”, and “shortage of computer”. Among the identified 46 problems in agricultural extension slow rate of promotion of SAAOs compare to other govt. job was highly severe problem. It might be prevailing due to lack of Governmental awareness regarding promotion policies. Job experience showed positive significant relationship with problem extent. This indicates that the SAAOs who had high experience can easily identify their problems and can solve them in a proper way. Thus it could be said that the SAAOs are facing various newly emerged problems while conducting agricultural extension activities which should be taken under consideration for priority based solution for sustainable agricultural advancement.

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