CREDIBILITY OF SAAO IN EXTENSION SERVICES AS PERCEIVED BY THE FARMERS

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine and describe the credibility of Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer (SAAO) in extension service as perceived by the farmers and explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of the farmers and their perception of creditability of SAAO of DAE in the Bhaluka Upazilla under Mymensingh District. Kachina Union among the 11 Union of Bhaluka Upazilla selected purposively as the locale of the study. Farmers of Kachina, Batazor and Palgoan village under Kachina Union constituted the population of the study. A list of 1051 farmers from the selected villages was prepared with the help of Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officer of this area. Ten (10) percent of the population was randomly selected from the list of total population. Thus, 105 farmers constituted the sample of the study. The independent variables were: age, level of education, family size, farm size, annual income, training exposure, reading of newspaper, reading of agricultural printed materials, listening farm radio talk and watching agricultural TV programs. The dependent variable of this study was the credibility of SAAO in extension service as perceived by the farmers. The highest (59.05 percent) of the respondents opined belongs the medium level of creditability compared to 21.90 percent low and 19.05 low and high level of as perceived by the farmers. Level of education, annual income and reading of agricultural printed materials had significant positive relationship with the credibility of SAAO in extension service as perceived by the farmers.