A study on devoloping agricultural extension and advisory system in Manisa

The purpose of the study was; to determine the current situation of agricultural extension and advisory services in Manisa province and to discuss necessary conditions to increase the effectiveness of agricultural extension and advisory services. The main material of the study was the data collected from all agricultural advisors working in Manisa Chamber of Agriculture and 18% of the advisors working in provincial agricultural directorate of the ministry by a face-to-face interview method in 2017. In this way, this study is based on primary data collected by questionnaires. The result of the study showed that the public extensions agents have 7.6 years of experience, while private extension agents have 3.9 years. According to public extensions agents they have contributed 6.5% to 71% in services to farmers, and the farmers' union extension agents think 23.1% to 80.8%. The important finding of the study is that public extension agents provide services to 361 farmers and private extension agents to 70 farmers. Numbers of farmer served by public and farmers' union extension agents were found to be significantly different. Furthermore, it was found that 50% of the farmers' union extension agents were looking to change their jobs. While 7.4% of agricultural extension officers allocate their entire time period to extension, only %36 of agricultural consultants allocates their entire time to extension. This situation, which has led to major disruptions in public extension in particular, needs to be corrected. The ratio should be increased in both groups. It should be stressed that in this framework, agricultural extension officers and consultants must be engaged in bureaucratic and administrative affairs that do not hinder their primary duties.