Administrative Problems Facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in Implementing Extension Activities and Ways to Address Them

The extension service is one of the vital services that farmers in general and farmers in particular desperately need because it takes care of them and focuses on meeting their needs as well as developing solutions to their agricultural problems. Therefore, the research aimed to identify the administrative problems of extension and agricultural training in the process of implementing extension activities and ways to address them from the point of view of agricultural extension agents in the governorates of the central region. In order to achieve the objectives of the research, the questionnaire was designed for the purpose of identifying administrative problems in the process of implementing extension activities first, and then developing treatments as a second goal by identifying the opinions of agricultural extension agents, relying on the literature related to the subject of specialized experts. The questionnaire was presented in its initial form to a group of experts to seek their views on the design components (fields, paragraphs) and verify its validity. The results showed that the percentage of agreement (75%) of the experts’ opinions was obtained by all the axes and paragraphs of the questionnaire. The research community included all the agricultural extension workers working at the headquarters of the Agricultural Extension and Training Department and its formations in the governorates of the central region. The number of those included in the research was (118) agricultural extension agents. Then treat all the data received statistically where there was (weight percentile, weighted mean). The final research results showed that all the administrative problems that were put in the design of the questionnaire are real problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department, as it obtained a weighted mean greater than the imposed mean in the scale of approval ratings used in the research. As for the results of the second objective, the results showed that the topic of interest in the participants’ reactions came in the first place as a real treatment of the administrative problems of the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the implementation of extension activities. The research recommended improving the administrative process and dealing with the principle of flexibility when drawing up the department’s policies in general, as well as working on the issue of authorizing powers for agricultural extension workers during implementation operations in order to increase the effectiveness of the extension activities implemented.


Introduction
Agriculture constitutes the economic and social sector in Iraq, as it provides food security for a third of the population, and the home of their settlement, represented by farmers and their families.Understanding the basis, and it has become one of the social and economic necessities to develop this sector and pay attention to it (Ministry of Planning, 2018: 30) [1].Agriculture is a system of life, a way of life, a source of income, and a vital basis for food and social security, and it constitutes the largest sector in the economy (lafta, ah, et, al, 2022: 2269) [2].The extension service is one of the vital services that are provided to farmers and farmers who are in dire need of it, in addition to other groups working in family farming and owners of agricultural projects.Because it cares and focuses on meeting their needs and developing solutions to their various agricultural problems to include all the different activities that provide information and services that are appropriate to agricultural environments and develop their technical, organizational and administrative skills and practices in order to improve and develop their livelihoods and lives (Blum et. al, 2020:2) [3].It is a basic means of sustaining and preserving natural resources, and improving farmers' adaptation to climate changes (Calicioglu et. al, 2019) [4].In Iraq, the government sector is the main source of the extension service, represented by its general extension departments linked to the Ministry of Agriculture and its various formations, as it is provided through an extension organization represented by the extension units and their workers and at several levels, including the central level, in which authority and responsibility are concentrated in the center, and the decentralized level, in which authority and responsibility are distributed between the center and branches, and the level of agricultural divisions or districts (Al-Ta'i, 2014) [5].There are many plans that contribute to the achievement of rural development, including the agricultural extension system, which seeks its aim to educate farmers and farmers and help them understand, assimilate and apply new agricultural innovations, and thus modernize and develop agriculture, promote production, and increase the income and resources of farmers.The effect extends It aims to improve the standard of living in the countryside (lafta, ah, et, al, 2020:1) [6] Agricultural extension also plays an important role in strengthening the link between the agricultural technical agencies and farmers, as its mission is to simplify information and the results of scientific research and include them in extension programs.(Arab Organization for Agricultural Development1994) [7]In addition to training rural people on how to use modern agricultural techniques to change their attitudes, knowledge and way of thinking, by using different teaching methods (Abdul Razzaq and Salman, 2018) [8].The process of transferring agricultural technologies is one of the most important functions that the extension body is concerned with.One of the main factors influencing this process is the good management and good preparation of the program, including an appropriate institutional framework for the mechanisms and methodologies used in the process of transferring modern technologies, as these factors constitute an obstacle if they are not done on the basis Accurate logical science.(lafta, ah, et al, 2022:7327 ) [9].The agricultural extension service is the cornerstone of agricultural development.However, the development of the sector cannot be achieved without the efficiency and effectiveness of the Agricultural decade due to social economic changes and reforms in the agricultural sector (lafta, ah, et, al, 2020:373) [10].Therefore, agricultural extension is witnessing great and continuous pressure in order to respond effectively to the needs of farmers and the challenges they face, in a way that achieves the requirements of all groups in the countryside (men, women and youth) working in agricultural activity.(Al-Taiy et.al, 2020) [11].As a result of the increasing workloads and the geographical expansion in disseminating the extension service, the agricultural extension workers face many problems and obstacles that limit and reduce the efficiency and effectiveness of their job performance.field and an urgent need to find out the characteristics of extension workers and then planning appropriate programs to avoid these problems and obstacles and provide information that facilitates the future development of extension work (Al-Zahrani and Sorour 1996) [12] Today, agricultural extension faces great challenges, and perhaps the most important of them is improving the services and programs it provides to the target audience in line with the requirements of the senior management represented by the Ministry of Agriculture (Al-Zaidi and Naji: 2016:1248) [13]This comes from the importance of extension organizations in achieving development, reducing poverty and achieving food security, which is not isolated from global changes.The reality 1259 (2023) 012135 IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1259/1/0121353 of agricultural extension is described as weak, that is, below the required level in achieving the desired goals.This weakness may be attributed to several reasons, the most important of which is poor management (Al-Dulaimi and Naji: 2016:758) [14].Thus, many agricultural development organizations, such as the Organization (FAO), confirm their interest in developing and improving extension services and achieving effective interdependence between them in order to overcome the problems and obstacles facing the extension service in implementing extension activities.As this active link represents one of the important factors and has an impact on developing the knowledge and skills of farmers, meeting their needs, and providing appropriate information to improve the activities and extension programs for farmers (Al-Taie, 2019) [15].In view of the importance of the role of agricultural extension agents in the agricultural extension work, it was necessary to research about the obstacles that face them and hinder them from performing their work more effectively, since the survival of any organization, its continuity and its ability to compete in the work environment is directly related to the effectiveness and performance of its human component (Rida and Jihad, 2011) [16].The human component of the extension institution, represented by agricultural extension, is affected by several factors, the most important of which is the conditions and laws imposed by the administration on workers that may burden the guides with administrative burdens, and thus any problem they face will affect directly or indirectly the efficiency of the services provided by them.Therefore, it was necessary to search On the administrative problems facing the agricultural extension agents and work on developing solutions and solutions to them, and thus providing extension services to the targeted in a better methods.

Research Aims
The aim of the research is to identify the administrative problems facing the implementation of extension activities, which include the following aim6  Identifying the administrative problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the implementation of extension activities. Determining the proposed solutions to the administrative problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the implementation of extension activities.

Materials and Methods
After completing the researcher's review of the reference review of the literature related to the issue of the problems of implementing agricultural extension activities, and standing on the scientific experiences of various countries of the world, and reviewing previous scientific studies that dealt with multiple research methodologies.Therefore, in order to achieve the main objective of this research, the descriptive approach was adopted to access detailed data and facts about the problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the field of implementing agricultural extension activities.From Kandalji's point of view, the descriptive approach is a very accurate approach that is adopted to study a phenomenon or obstacle related to a society, institution, or even organizations (Kandalji, 2012: 120) [17].On the other hand, Elyan believes that the descriptive approach is considered one of the curricula of an accurate and clear scientific nature in the subject of tabulating and analyzing data in order to reach recommendations that would develop and improve reality and overcome obstacles (Alyan: 48) [18].

The Research Community and its Sample
The research community included 50% of the governorates of the central region of Iraq (Baghdad, Babylo, Wasit, Karbala).The sample included all agricultural extension in the agricultural extension and training departments in the central governorates at their various job levels.In view of the effort and time required for such a research that seeks to identify the problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the field of implementing extension activities, so the researcher decided to select all agricultural extension agents in the agricultural extension and training departments in the aforementioned governorates.

Data Collection Tool
A questionnaire was prepared and approved in data collection, and the questionnaire is a common and important method in collecting data and its use is great in obtaining information and facts related to the attitudes and opinions of the respondents (Khamqani: 2017) [19].The questionnaire included two parts, the first of which was a measure of the problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the field of implementing extension activities.

Search Tool
Preparing a questionnaire to collect data by looking at scientific sources, studies and research related to the subject, and consulting specialists in the subject from researchers and university professors.Accordingly, (10) paragraphs were identified in the field of administrative problems.To measure these problems, a five-level scale was developed according to importance, which are (completely agree, agree, somewhat agree, disagree, completely disagree) and weights (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) were given to it, respectively.In order to determine which of the problems were more important to the Agricultural Extension and Training Department, they were arranged in descending order of importance and depending on the weighted mean for each problem, data was collected from the (118) respondents during the period from 12/25/2022 to 4/6/ 2023.After collecting the data, it was coded and tabulated, then the data was analyzed using manual analysis and the statistical program (SPSS), and statistical methods (weighted mean, percentage weight) were used to analyze that data.

Results and Discussion
The first objective: to identify the administrative problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the implementation of extension activities.In light of the presentation, analysis and discussion that they face during the implementation of the activities, which amount to ten paragraphs distributed on two axes, which are the administrative problems and the proposed treatments, the results showed that there is a convergence in their views on these administrative problems, as shown in the following table6

Administrative Problems
The seventh paragraph (routine administrative and executive procedures for extension activities) came from the administrative problems ranked first in the measure of administrative problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the implementation of extension activities from the point of view of agricultural extension agents when analyzing their data.The ninth paragraph (indifference on the part of some administrative authorities in informing farmers of the times of extension activities) came from the administrative problems in the last rank in the scale of relative importance.The results of the research showed that the counselors indicated that there are ten paragraphs as administrative problems, as real problems facing the process of implementing the activities.Their responses, the weighted mean, ranged between (3.30-3.77),with a weight percentile ranging between (66-75.4%),with an average of (3.30) degrees, with an average weight percentile of (75.4%), according to the approval scale.Its numerical values range between (1)(2)(3)(4)(5), and this average shows The administrative problems are at an important level, and the rest of the results are as shown in Table (2).The table above shows the realism of the problems in the implementation of extension activities, where it is clear from the results that most of the respondents emphasized the paragraph (the routine administrative and executive procedures for extension activities) as a real obstacle, which reinforces this by obtaining the first place in terms of the level of importance.It achieved a weighted mean of (3.77) degrees and a weight percentage of (75.4%), which is higher than the weighted means of the other paragraphs.Farmers in the implementation of extension activities, when the paragraph (indifference on the part of some administrative agencies in informing farmers of the times of extension activities) ranked last, as it achieved a weighted average of (2.94) degrees and a percentage weight of (73.5%).The administration concerned with informing farmers about the times of extension activities is one of the factors that contribute to the success of extension activities.The second objective: to identify the proposed treatments for the administrative problems facing the Agricultural Extension and Training Department in the implementation of extension activities.In light of presenting, analyzing and discussing the answers of the respondents about the treatments that they face during the implementation of the extension activities, the results showed that there is a convergence in their views on these treatments, as shown in the following table:

Administrative Processors
The seventh paragraph (attention to the participants' reactions related to organizational matters and working with them) came from the administrative treatments in the first place in the scale of the treatments for the implementation of extension activities from the point of view of agricultural extension workers when analyzing their data.The sixth paragraph (setting administrative instructions and flexible laws on methods to implement extension activities) came from the treatments in the last rank of the scale of relative importance.The results of the research showed that the agricultural extension agents indicated that there are ten paragraphs as administrative treatments in the process of implementing extension activities, which are real treatments.The weighted averages of their responses ranged between (4.13-4.30)degrees, with a percentage weight that falls between (82.6-86%) according to the scale of approval.Its numerical values range between (1-5) degrees, and this average indicates that the treatments for administrative problems are at an important level, as shown in Table (3).Table 3. Distribution of the respondents according to their agreement on the paragraphs of the proposed treatments for administrative problems.It is clear from the data of the table above the realism of administrative treatments in the implementation of extension activities, where it appears from the results that most of the respondents emphasized the paragraph (attention to the participants' reactions related to organizational matters and working with them) as a real treatment, which reinforces this by obtaining the first place in terms of the level of importance It achieved a weighted mean of (4.30) degrees and a weight percentile of (86%), which is higher than the weighted means of the other paragraphs.This is due to the agricultural extension agents' keenness to provide feedback from the implementation of extension activities and benefit from them by identifying and addressing weaknesses and strengths, benefiting from them and working to develop them.While the paragraph (setting administrative instructions and flexible laws on ways to implement extension activities) ranked last As it achieved a weighted mean of (4.13) degrees and a percentage weight of (82.6%).This may be due to the help of flexible administrative laws in enhancing integrity and transparency in the implementation of extension activities.In addition, flexible administrative laws help in protecting workers in extension activities and ensuring their rights and safety.

Conclusion
The results showed that there are several administrative problems suffered by workers in the Agricultural Extension and Training Department.The results showed that there was agreement by the respondents on the proposed treatments.

Table 1 .
Number of agricultural extension agents in agricultural extension and training departments.

Table 2 .
Distribution of respondents according to their agreement on the paragraphs of administrative problems.