Extended Abstract

Introduction

The agricultural sector is one of the fundamental pillars of both the rural and national economy, playing a decisive role in economic growth and sustainable development. One of the basic principles of supporting the agricultural sector is the provision of appropriate and inclusive services to its stakeholders. In this regard, the agricultural extension system, as one of the subsystems of agriculture, is inherently educational and service-oriented and plays an important role in the development process, particularly rural development. However, such training activities are effective only when agricultural producers actively participate in these programs and their participation results in satisfaction. Therefore, it is highly important and necessary to assess the satisfaction of agricultural producers. In this context, customer satisfaction index models (CSIMs) have been introduced for measuring satisfaction. Among the most comprehensive and widely used of these models is the European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI). This model has been applied by various researchers in different fields, yet no study has been conducted to evaluate farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension training programs using this model. The present study addresses this research gap. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the satisfaction of agricultural agricultural producers in Khorramabad County with extension training courses through the application of the European Customer Satisfaction Index model. The findings of this study offer critical insights for policymakers, providing a robust empirical foundation for formulating evidence-based strategies. These results enable planners to optimize agricultural extension services, effectively bridge the gap between institutional objectives and stakeholder needs, and ultimately foster sustainable participation, ensuring that future strategic policies are both highly targeted and operationally efficient.



Material and Methods

This study, like other satisfaction-related studies, was conducted using a survey method. The statistical population consisted of 15,000 agricultural producers in Khorramabad County who had participated in extension training courses in 2025. Based on Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, a sample of 375 participants was selected. It should be noted that a multi-stage cluster sampling method proportional to sample size was used to select the sample members, and data were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire items were measured on a 5-point Likert scale (very low, low, moderate, high, very high). Content validity and construct validity were used to assess the validity of the instrument. The content and face validity of the instrument were established through evaluation by a panel of subject-matter experts, including faculty members from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Lorestan University. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the questionnaire items (0.830–0.872). Finally, SPSS23 and SmartPLS4 software were used for data analysis.



Results and discussion

The results of the structural equation modeling analysis showed that the variables of hardware quality, humanware quality, perceived value, and image had a positive and significant effect on participants’ satisfaction with the extension training courses. However, the effect of expectations on satisfaction was not statistically significant. The results also indicated that image, satisfaction, humanware quality, and hardware quality had a positive and significant effect on participants’ loyalty to the extension training courses. Among these variables, image had the strongest direct effect on both satisfaction and loyalty to the extension training courses. This suggests that the reputation, branding, and institutional image of the agricultural Jihad organization serve as a psychological “anchor” for stakeholders. When an institution is perceived as professional and prestigious, stakeholders are not only more satisfied with the individual courses but are significantly more likely to commit to long-term participation (loyalty).





Conclusion

The findings suggest that although participants’ initial expectations did not have a significant effect on final satisfaction, the other qualitative and perceptual components were directly and positively associated with a satisfying experience. Empirical findings demonstrate that hardware quality, humanware quality, perceived value, and image are critical determinants of agricultural producers’ satisfaction with extension training courses. An important finding of this study was the central role of image, a variable that not only had the greatest impact on satisfaction but also exerted the strongest direct effect on participants’ loyalty to future courses. It was also found that, in addition to satisfaction, both training quality (hardware and humanware) and image are key factors in fostering sustainable loyalty. Based on these findings, it is recommended that policymakers and managers of extension training programs adopt a multidimensional approach and focus on improving image-related indicators (including branding and organizational image), optimizing physical infrastructure and information technology (hardware quality), and strengthening the communication and content-delivery skills of instructors (humanware quality). Such interventions can serve as strategic drivers of enhanced farmers satisfaction and long-term loyalty.