PERCEPTION OF EXTENSION AGENTS ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES IN BANGLADESH

Abstract

The main focus of the study was to identify to determine the level of perception of extension agent on sustainable agricultural practices and also find out the relationship between the characteristics of extension agent and their perception. The field investigation was carried out in Charghat, Bagha, Puthia and Paba upazilas (administrative unit) under Rajshahi district of Bangladesh. Eighty extension agents were selected as the sample of the study following the simple cluster sampling and data were collected from them during 20 March to 22 April 2013. For measuring the perception on sustainable agricultural practices, a 5-point Likert type scale was used and as usual methods were followed to find out the respondents characteristics. Descriptive statistical and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was also applied. Results indicated that the respondents had top most perception on the sustainable agriculture practices of in respect of ‘sustainable agricultural practices may require additional management beyond conventional practices and the lowest rank was the ‘recommended sustainable agricultural practices are not new and only need refinement to increase profit and protect the environment’. The highest proportion (51.25%) of the respondent had in medium perception category compared to 37.5 percent in high and 11.25 percent in low perception category on sustainable agricultural practices. Correlation test indicated that innovativeness, cosmopolitness, source of information, knowledge and environmental awareness had positive significant relationship whereas age, level of education, service experience, training exposures, job satisfaction and aspiration had no significant relationship with the perception on sustainable agricultural practices.