AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION METHODS USED BY EACH OF GOVERNMENTAL AND NON- GOVERNMENTAL AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS IN DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO POTATOES FARMERS CONCERNING SOME PROCESSES OF POST-HARVEST ACTIVITIES IN SOME VillAGES OF MUNOFIA AND GHARBIA GOVERNORATES

The main objective of this research was primarily to identify those agricultural
extension methods used by each of governmental and non-governmental
organizations in disseminating information to farmers concerning some post-harvest
processes in some village of Munofia and Gharbia governorates. The studied
processes compromised crop collection, dehydration treatment, storage in appropriate
bags, storage in refrigerators, taking care of seeds after their storage (in burlap bags
and refrigerators). Affiliated with the previously mentioned main objectives, there
were some other objectives: (1) to identify knowledge level of farmers concerning the
previously mentioned technical processes; (2) to determine different knowledge
sources that playa role to farmers concerning the studied technical processes; (3) to
determine relative importance to different agricultural extension methods used by
each of governmental and non-governmental organizations in relation with the
studied agricultural processes; and (4) to raise some suggestions, derived from the
research findings, to policy-makers.
The research was conducted during the period February-March, 2005, in
some villages of Munofia and Gharbia government. Munofia and Gharbia
governorates were selected purposively as they have been among the biggest
Potatoes producers. Similarly, two districts were selected from each governorate
(Ashmoun and Munof districts/Munofia Governorate, and Tanta and Kafrel-Ziat
districts/Gharbia Governorate). A systematic random sample encompassed 200
potatoes farmers were drawn from eight villages (25 farmers each), based upon the
official records available in the village agricultural cooperatives, (Munofia
Governorate: villages of AI-Barania and Shama/Ashmoun District, Fisha EI-Kobra and
Gezzi/Munof District; Gharbia Governorate: villages of Kafrel-Mansouria and Manial
EI-Hoishat/Tanta District, and EI-Dalgamoun and Kelib Diar/Kafrel-Ziat District). A
pre-tested written questionnaire and interpersonal interviews were used in collecting
the research data, and thirteen obtained questionnaires were excluded for some
technical reasons (the final sample size encompassed 187 farmers). Frequency
tables, arithmetic mean, percentage, standard deviation, Spearman's rank correlation
coefficient, and "t' test were used in analyzing the obtained research data. The
research findings indicated that there was a significant difference between each of the
governmental and non-governmental extension service in extension methods used in
relation with the studied technical processes. Discussions, interpretations and
suggestions were revealed and addressed.