Requirements for Using Digital Agricultural Extension in Providing Extension Service from Viewpoint of Agricultural Extension Agents

The research has aimed to determine the requirements for using digital agricultural extension in providing an extension service from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents. The research population has included all agricultural extension agents who work in the Agricultural Extension and Training Department, the Training and Rehabilitation Center, the Agricultural Extension Center for Training, Al-Tarmiya Farm, as well as Al-Rashidiya Farm in Baghdad Governorate. Thus, a random sample has been taken from the research population at a rate of (83%). Accordingly, the proposed sample size has included (83) agricultural extension agents (from male and female). To achieve the goal of the research, a questionnaire has been prepared that included four axes: administrative requirements, technical and financial requirements, human requirements, and requirements of integrating the target audience to use digital agricultural extension. The agreement of extension agents on the requirements has been measured by using a five-point Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, somewhat agree, disagree, strongly disagree), and the following scores have determined for the scale expressions (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) respectively, hence, the general results (for the five axes) have shown that the majority of agricultural extension agents have had a high level of agreement with all requirements of using digital agricultural extension in providing agricultural extension services, with an average of (213.45) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the realism and objectivity of the requirements that have addressed in the research, which will provide an appropriate ground and achieve a satisfactory level of efficiency and effectiveness in the process of using digital agricultural extension in providing the agricultural extension service, if they implement and activate by the decision makers (authorities) in the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture.


Introduction
Development in the agricultural sector depends on a number of important factors, including agricultural research and agricultural extension services, so, the agricultural research seeks to innovate agricultural technologies and find appropriate solutions to agricultural problems, in return, agricultural extension agents (in cooperation and coordination with agricultural research) performs an important function represented in facilitating access of agricultural technologies for the target audience, as well 2 as acquiring them the necessary knowledge, skill and experience [1].This requires use multiple communication methods via the agricultural extension agents to ensure that the desired effects and aims will be achieved, so, the diversity in use extension methods is important to educate the target audience on various agricultural development issues, and achieve the required behavioral change, which helps in meeting and solving their needs and problems [2][3][4].In addition, that will facilitate the task of dealing with the target audience who are diverse in their characteristics, whether in their knowledge, social, cultural, or economic levels, as well as their different abilities in understanding, perception, and application [5].Thus, the task of the agricultural extension agents requires use of multiple and appropriate extension methods and means to deal with the huge amount and variety of renewable agricultural information [6,7].Accordingly, agricultural extension agents will not be able to achieve this unless they have appropriate knowledge, skill and experience in their work, which enable them succeed in transferring and facilitating modern technologies to the target audience [8,9].Also, that will enable them to provide effective and efficiency agricultural extension services in the countryside, which are necessary to face various challenges and problems in agricultural sector such as low productivity, food insecurity and malnutrition, food price crises, depletion of natural resources, changing and uncertain markets, environmental degradation, climate change ... etc., which directly affect in agricultural sector and process of achievement the integrated rural development [10,11].In addition, the problem of large numbers of target audience in the countryside, and their spread in wide geographical areas, which makes the task of agricultural extension agents very difficult due to the few numbers of agricultural extension agents compared to the large numbers of the target audience [12].Even if the agricultural extension agents have real desire and motivation to work diligently and dedicatedly outside official working hours to face problem of large numbers of target audience, that will collide with limited financial allocations which are necessary to implement agricultural extension activities in all target audience areas [13].Thus, it is possible to improve agricultural extension agents level of response for needs and problems of agricultural sector (especially in developing countries), and to face problem of limited numbers of agricultural extension agents, as well as facing problem of limited financial allocations, by following a set of reform procedures, including the confession of digital agricultural extension as a tool for rural development, as well as helps and supports other traditional methods in achieving their aims [14,15].However, the process of using digital agricultural extension also needs many requirements to succeed in performing its tasks, for example requirements of developing capacities and skills of agricultural extension agents in digital agricultural extension services, or requirements of motivate and educate the target audience to use digital agricultural extension services, and facilitating the process of benefiting from it [16].Also, it is necessary to have suitable administrative requirements which ensure of providing effective and efficient agricultural extension service [17].Based on the foregoing, there is a series need for developing and improving the agricultural extension system in Iraq by using digital agricultural extension to support other agricultural extension methods, or use it as a substitute of them in emergency cases; Therefore, determining and diagnosing the requirements of use digital agricultural extension considering very important for the agricultural extension organization, the agricultural extension agents, and the target audience alike, before implement any plan or initiative of digital agricultural extension, so, due to the lack of Iraqi studies in this field, the current research has come to answer the following research question: -What are the requirements for using digital agricultural extension in providing extension services from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents?

Research Aims
 Determine the administrative requirements to use the digital agricultural extension from viewpoint of agricultural extension agents. Determine technical and financial requirements to use the digital agricultural extension from viewpoint of agricultural extension agents. Determine human resources requirements to use the digital agricultural extension from viewpoint of agricultural extension agents.

Research Hypothesis
The process of determining the requirements of use digital agricultural extension in providing extension services will lead to multiple administrative, financial, technical and human resources requirements, in addition to the requirements of integrating the target audience, and all these requirements will be highly approved by agricultural extension agents, as they are the executive and field agency responsible of use digital agricultural extension in countryside.

Research Importance
The importance of the research in general is related to the urgent and severe need to develop and improve the traditional agricultural extension systems in developing countries (including Iraq) to be able effectively and efficiently to face the rapid fluctuations and growing challenges in the environment such as: the increase of population, the spread of epidemics, water scarcity, desertification, limited financial allocations, and the lack of qualified agricultural extension agents compared to the large numbers of the target audience, which in turn can be fixed and solved by investing and exploiting the digital opportunities in the agricultural extension work, so, the importance of the research can be summarized as follows:  Contribute in diagnosing the administrative, financial, technical and human resources requirements that are necessary and prioritized to use digital agricultural extension in providing extension services to target audience. The research represents a qualitative contribution, so, its results can contribute in preparing plans and implementation programs of digital agricultural extension, and its results can help in selecting and training agricultural extension agents (of both sexes) who are able to use digital agricultural extension in agricultural field work, as well as its results will lead to conduct other scientific research that contribute in promotion and development the process of using digital agricultural extension in Iraq.

Research Methodology
The research has aimed to determine the requirements of use digital agricultural extension from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents; Accordingly, the appropriate research approach is the descriptive approach, and the most appropriate research method of this approach is the analytical diagnostic method, which was adopted in the research to achieve accurate diagnosis and objective identification of the requirements of use digital agricultural extension, and then interpret results in light of possible reasons.This type of research has proven its effectiveness in many areas, including political, economic, social and others, by using data collection methods and interpreting information through questionnaires and personal interviews [18].

Research Population and Sample
The Then, a random sample has taken from research population which consist of (83%) from the five agricultural extension places, so, the random sample has included (83) agricultural extension agents (from male and female) which has used to carry out research and achieve its aims.

Research Tool
In order to build a measure to determine the requirements of use digital agricultural extension from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents, dependence has been made on a group of scientific sources specialized in agricultural extension, as well as scientific sources related to computers and information technology, in addition to the opinions of a group of experts specialized in agricultural extension in the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences \ University of Baghdad, as well as experts specialized in computer and information technology who work in the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture.Hence, four research axes were identified in order to determine the requirements of use digital agricultural extension, which was measured by asking the agricultural agents (from male and female) about the extent of his agreement or disagreement with the paragraphs that make up the four axes, which are: administrative requirements (13) paragraphs, technical and financial requirements (15) paragraphs, human resources requirements (8) paragraphs, and requirements of integrating the target audience to use digital agricultural extension (12) paragraphs; and this was done by using a five-state Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, agree to some extent, disagree, strongly disagree), and the following grades were determined for the scale statements (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) respectively.

Questionnaire Validity and Reliability
The method of content validity and face validity [19] was used to measure the validity of the questionnaire by presenting the questionnaire (in its initial form) to (10) arbitrators (judges) from faculty members at the University of Baghdad / College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / Department of Agricultural Extension and Technology Transfer, as well as arbitrators in the field of computer and digital applications, then the necessary modifications were made to the questionnaire, and after completing the questionnaire in its final form, a Pre-Test was conducted in October of the year (2022) using the final questionnaire on a random sample consisting of (12) agricultural extension agents from the Agricultural Extension and Training Department, the Training and Rehabilitation Center, and the Agricultural Extension Center for Training.The purpose of the Pre-Test was to verify the consistency (reliability) and stability of the results, as well as to reveal the validity of the content and the extent of clarity and distinction of the paragraphs in the questionnaire, then Cronbach's Alpha (α) equation was used to examine the reliability of the results because it is suitable for obtaining a stability coefficient from the data set for a graduated scale of expressions, and this method is characterized by being short in effort and avoiding the effect of transferring the effect of training or avoiding an effect remembering and trying to avoid some of the previous answers, all of which are disabled features in the Retest method for example [20].Thus, the results showed that the coefficient of reliability was high for the four axes of requirements of use digital agricultural extension, which ranged between (0.897) as a minimum and between (0.958) as a maximum, so, this indicates that the questionnaire has a high degree of reliability, and it can be relied upon in field application to achieve the objectives of the study.This is according to the Nunnally & Bernstien scale, which adopted (0.7) as a minimum for reliability [21].Then, Pearson Linear Correlation Coefficient was used to examine the validity of the internal consistency between each paragraph of the axis and the total score of the same axis.The results showed that all Pearson's correlation coefficients between the axis' paragraphs and the total score of the axis are statistically significant at a significant level (0.01) and (0.05), where the minimum for the correlation coefficients was (0.604), while the upper limit was (0.956), accordingly, all the paragraphs of each axis are internally consistent with the axis to which they belong, which proves the validity of the internal consistency of the axes and paragraphs of each axis.

Data Collection
After completing all stages of the process of preparing and developing the questionnaire, the researcher proceeded with the process of collecting data, and the data was collected in the questionnaire through a personal interview with the agricultural extension agents (from male and female), as well as communication and follow-up with them using social media to answer questions about the nature and objectives of the research or questionnaire, so, the data collection process took about two months, which extended from 1/11/2022 to 29/12/2022, noting that all the questionnaires were obtained from the agricultural extension agents (the research sample).

Statistical Processors
Appropriate statistical methods were used to achieve the aim of the research, which are arithmetic means, standard deviation, categories, numbers and percentages, simple linear correlation law (Person), Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and (Steven K. Thompson) equation to determine the required sample size from the target population.

Results and Discussion
First of all, the results of the general approval level (in all axes) have shown that the highest value obtained by the agricultural extension agents when measuring their level of agreement is (240) degrees, and the lowest value obtained by the agricultural extension agents is (148) degrees, with an arithmetic mean and standard deviation of (209.58) and (23.152) degrees, respectively, as shown in  that the majority of agricultural extension agents have approved level of the requirements within the high approval category, with an average of (213.45)degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the realism and objectivity of the requirements that have been determined in the research, which includes administrative requirements, technical and financial requirements, the human resources requirements, and the requirements of integrating the target audience to use the digital agricultural extension, which would provide an appropriate ground and achieve a satisfactory level of efficiency and effectiveness in the process of using digital agricultural extension in providing agricultural extension service if they implement and activate by the decision makers (authorities) in the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture.Hence, these requirements in the four axes will be clarified in some detail when presenting the results for each axe separately, with an explanation of the possible reasons behind arranging these requirements, as follows:

Administrative Requirements
The results have shown that the highest numerical value obtained by the agricultural extension agents in the administrative requirements is (65) degrees, while the lowest numeric value of their agreement is (39) degrees, with an arithmetic mean and standard deviation of (56.98) and (6.65) degrees, respectively, as shown in Table No. (3).Following the above table, it can be concluded that the majority of agricultural extension agents have approved level of the requirements within the category of high approval, with an average of (58.55) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the importance of providing these administrative requirements, as they are considering the cornerstone that determines the success or failure of the process of using digital agricultural extension in providing the agricultural extension service, as well as being the main factor that guarantees the support and provision (facility) of the rest requirements.Following the above table, it can be concluded that all administrative requirements have obtained a high degree of approval and confirmation by agricultural extension agents, as the paragraph (The participation of agricultural extension agents in symposiums and training courses on the use of digital extension in the provision of agricultural extension service) ranked first, that may be due to the importance of the role played by training courses and symposiums in increasing and developing their knowledge and capabilities as well as their skills and experience in the field of using digital agricultural extension in providing extension service, and in the second and a half place came a paragraph (Need for a clear future strategy for five years as a first step that ensures the preparation of all material, financial and technical requirements to transition towards digital agricultural extension to eliminate red tape (Bureaucratic Procedures) in extension work, as well as to save time, effort and money), and a paragraph (There should be coordination between the technical and agricultural departments to use digital agricultural extension) this may be due to the necessity of having clear strategic plans for the extension activities that will be implemented, and confirming that there is integrated coordination between all departments and technical units to ensure maximum effectiveness and efficiency in work, with the need to evaluate the achievement in each year (of the five years) and in the light of its results, appropriate adjustments and corrections will be made.In the last place came a paragraph (Encourage the private sector to invest in the development of communication and internet technologies in the countryside, in a way that facilitates the use of digital agricultural extension in agricultural districts and sub-districts) and this may represent a supportive and important pillar that guarantees the success of the continued use of digital agricultural extension by the target audience in the countryside, without any technical obstacles such as poor coverage and high subscription prices for internet packages.

Technical and Financial Requirements
The results have shown that the highest numerical value obtained by the agricultural extension agents in the technical and financial requirements is (75) degrees, while the lowest numeric value for their approval is (37) degrees, with an arithmetic mean and standard deviation of (66.01) and (8.462) degrees, respectively, as shown in Table (5).Following the above table, it can be concluded that the majority of agricultural extension agents have approved level of the requirements within the category of high approval, with an average of (67.61) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the need to provide these requirements, as they represent the hardware and software requirements which will use to implement the digital agricultural extension activities, and their existence ensuring the achievement of the objectives and vice versa, and The results in Table (6) have shown the high degree of approval of these requirements, as well as their order of importance from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents., where has placed firstly, and this may be due to the necessity and importance of providing an internet network capable to transmit agricultural extension information and consultations at the required time and place, as well as to ensure the provision of various communication channels between extension agents and the target audience when using digital agricultural extension.Additionally, the paragraph of (Keeping abreast with global developments, and updating the digital devices and applications which used in providing the extension services) has placed secondly, and the importance of this may be due to ensure communication through digital agricultural extension in maximum effectiveness and effectiveness with the local and international regions, as well as transfer everything new and appropriate to local environments immediate.The last place has occupied by a paragraph (Finding a kind of cooperation and coordination with government and private satellite and radio channels to promote the digital agricultural extension activities), and the importance of this may be due to the function performed by these channels that support, promote and strengthen the use of digital agricultural extension in the countryside.

Human Resources Requirements
The results have shown that the highest numerical value obtained by the agricultural extension agents in the human resources requirements is (40) degrees, while the lowest numeric value of their agreement is (29) degrees, with an arithmetic mean and standard deviation of (34.65) and (4.536) degrees, respectively, as shown in Table No. (7).Table 7. Distribution of agricultural extension agents' answers according to their approval to the human resources requirements.Following the above table, it can be concluded that the majority of agricultural extension agents have approved level of the requirements within the category of high approval, with an average of (35.7) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the need to provide these requirements which considering true guarantor to provide skilled and experienced manpower who will be the responsible of carrying out the digital agricultural extension process, and in itself will be the factor of determining the success or failure of the entire digital agricultural extension process, and the results in Table (8) have shown the high degree of approval of these requirements, as well as their order of importance from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents.Following the above table, it can be concluded that all human resources requirements have obtained a high degree of approval and confirmation by agricultural extension agents, as the paragraph (Ensuring that agricultural extension agents (both sexes) have a high level of learning and skills in training courses evaluations that qualify them to use digital extension applications) has come in first place, and this may indicate that training courses have a major and crucial role in the success of the use digital agricultural extension from two aspects, firstly, it plays a crucial role in developing the knowledge, skills and experience of agricultural extension agents in all matters related to the use of digital agricultural extension, secondly, it is represented by the degree of evaluation that has obtained by the agricultural extension agents (both sexes), which is considering a major criterion for his\her selection (or exclusion) to work in the digital agricultural extension.The last place has occupied by a paragraph (Work on integrating or participating agricultural extension agents (both sexes) who are using traditional methods and means with modern digital methods and means of communication through intensive training programs that work to achieve this) and this may indicate the necessity and urgent need for a gradual transformation of agricultural extension work in Iraq from traditional methods to modern methods based on the use of information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the agricultural extension process in the countryside, because of its benefits and capabilities that often exceed the advantages of traditional methods (such as the reduction of time, effort and money, as well as the speed and range of information and technologies spread), and at the same time it works to support and assist traditional methods in achieving targets objectives with the highest effectiveness and efficiency.

Requirements of Integrating the Target Audience to Use Digital Agricultural Extension
The results have shown that the highest numerical value obtained by the agricultural extension agents in the requirements of integrating the target audience is (60) degrees, while the lowest numeric value of their agreement is (32) degrees, with an arithmetic mean and standard deviation of (51.94) and (6.76) degrees, respectively, as shown in Table No. (9).Table 9. Distribution of agricultural extension agents' answers according to their approval to the requirements of integrating the target audience.Following the above table, it can be concluded that the majority of agricultural extension agents have approved level of the requirements within the category of high approval, with an average of (53.75) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the need to provide these requirements because the target audience is considering the main target (and may be the only one in some cases) of the digital agricultural extension process, so, creating conducive or suitable environment which ensure their participation in the digital agricultural extension process is a fundamental pillar for the success of this process and vice versa.The results in Table (10) have shown the high degree of approval of these requirements, as well as their order of importance from the viewpoint of agricultural extension agents.Table 10.The approval degree of agricultural extension agents on the paragraphs of the requirements of integrating the target audience.
No. Following the above table, it can be concluded that all requirements of integrating the target audience have obtained a high degree of approval and confirmation by agricultural extension agents, the paragraph of (Supporting the exchange of experiences between the target audience and the agricultural extension agents through the digital agricultural extension platforms) has come in the first place, and this may indicate that the main aim behind using digital agricultural extension is to find farmers who are able to diagnose their own problems and treat them by themselves, as well as develop and improve their behavior by themselves, and then attract and transfer this goodness to other people close to them, thus, it is possible to achieve this with the support of agricultural extension agents to exchange experiences between the target audience themselves through the digital agricultural extension platforms.The last places have occupied by a paragraph (Studying and diagnosing the refusing reasons of use digital social media or websites by the target audience in the countryside) and the paragraph (Need to determine the appropriate educational content for the target audience, stemming (arise) from their priority and necessary problems), so, this may indicate the need to identify the reasons which are preventing the target audience from use digital applications and work to find appropriate solutions to ensure effective participation in all digital agricultural extension activities by the largest possible numbers of the target audience, and there is a necessity to determine the appropriate, effective and integrated educational content for any group of target audience, whether they are peasants, farmers, animal breeders, rural women, local leaders, or rural youths from male and female.

Conclusions
Based on the research results that have been reached, it can be conclude the following:  The research results have shown that the majority of agricultural extension agents have agreed on the administrative requirements which are considering necessary to use digital agricultural extension in providing agricultural extension services, and this may reflect the importance of providing these administrative requirements because they are the cornerstone that determines success or failure in the process of use digital agricultural extension, in addition they are considering the main determinant that ensures the support and provision of the rest requirements. The research results have shown that the majority of agricultural extension agents have agreed on the technical and financial requirements which are necessary to use digital agricultural extension in providing the agricultural extension services, and this may reflect the need to provide these requirements, as they represent the hardware and the software requirements which will use to implement the digital agricultural extension activities, and their existence ensuring the achievement of the objectives and vice versa. The research results have shown that the majority of agricultural extension agents have agreed level of the human resources requirements within the category of high approval, with an average of (35.7) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the need to provide these requirements which considering true guarantor to provide skilled and experienced manpower who will be the responsible of carrying out the digital agricultural extension process, and in itself will be the factor of determining the success or failure of the entire digital agricultural extension process. The research results have shown that most of agricultural extension agents have approved level of the requirements of integrating the target audience within the category of high approval, with an average of (53.75) degrees, which is higher than the general average, and this may reflect the need to provide these requirements because the target audience is considering the main target (and may be the only one in some cases) of the digital agricultural extension process, and in its absence, the digital agricultural extension process will not be completed; Accordingly, creating conducive or suitable environment which ensure their participation in the digital agricultural extension process is a fundamental pillar for the success of this process and vice versa.

Recommendations
According to the results and conclusions which have revealed by the research, it can be recommend the following:  The Ministry of Agriculture should be developed strategic plans for the gradual shift towards use digital applications in agricultural extension work, and that plans should be included mechanisms to provide administrative, financial and technical requirements as well as human resources requirements that the current research results have shown their actual need and approval by agricultural extension agents. The Training and Rehabilitation Center and the Agricultural Extension Center for Training should be implemented intensify training courses and specialized symposiums (before the implementation of strategic plans) in the field of using applications and digital platforms in the digital agricultural extension, with the participation of local and international organizations which are supporting this approach as well as work on developing the knowledge and skills of agricultural extension agents (male and female) and changing their attitudes towards using digital applications to provide agricultural extension services. The Ministry of Agriculture need to involve the private sector (with long experience, high skill and integrity) within the development programs for agricultural extension agents to be a support for the executive authorities in the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, and that may ensure the success of dissemination and adoption of the digital agricultural extension in the countryside. The Agricultural Extension and Training Department must be developed plans to implement specialized extension programs, in full cooperation and coordination with the extension farms in all governorates, which aim to provide and create a conducive or suitable environment that ensure the participation of the target audience in the digital agricultural extension process, and working on develop and increase their knowledge and capacity in using digital agricultural extension applications, as well as diagnosing their problems and finding appropriate solutions for them, as they are the main beneficiaries of agricultural extension services. It is very important to find real and solid mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation that ensure the achievement of all objectives (or what the research has reached) on the ground, and that should include standing on actual levels of achievement, solving field problems, and accountability those responsible for lagging, wasting, or squandering public money, and these would guarantees the investment of money, time and effort in effective and efficient plans, programs, and activities in the field of digital agricultural extension.

Table 1 .
Distribution of agricultural extension agents (of both sexes) according to their Places.

Table 3 .
Distribution of agricultural extension agents' answers according to their approval to the administrative requirements.

Table 4 .
The approval degree of agricultural extension agents on the paragraphs of administrative requirements.

Table 5 .
Distribution of agricultural extension agents' answers according to their approval to the technical and financial requirements.

Table 6 .
The approval degree of agricultural extension agents on the paragraphs of technical and financial requirements.Following the above table, it can be concluded that all technical and financial requirements have obtained a high degree of approval and confirmation by agricultural extension agents, as the paragraph (Providing a high-quality internet network as well as other communication services, such as: text messages, call center to provide agricultural advice by phone, or a hotline for emergency and disaster situations)

Table 8 .
The approval degree of agricultural extension agents on the paragraphs of human resources requirements.