A Comparative Study on the Performance of Private Extension Agencies vs Public Extension, Using Selected Indicators, Hamadan Province

These days, promotion of farmers' technical-scientific abilities in agriculture is one of the main challenges in this sector. Agricultural extension as a motivate power source in agricultural development can be more effective in solving these problems via acceptance of responsibility in the educational concepts. But it faces numerous obstacles because of absence of a proper informational system that not only could transfer new research findings but could also prepare the basis for exchange of traditional information. Following privatization arguments and decrease of governmental incumbency, foundation of private educational – extension agencies has become mooted. The purpose of this study was a comparison of the performance of private extension agencies vs. public extension using selected indicators in Hamadan Province. A descriptive and correlational survey method was employed in the study. The population of the study included all managers of the private and public extension agencies in Hamadan Province (N=73). Two questionnaires were designed for the research. Content and face validity were established by a panel of experts consisting of faculty members from the department of Agricultural Education and Extension in Tehran and Tarbiat Modarres Universities as well from the related executives. A pilot test involving 30 questionnaires was conducted in Jihad-e-Keshvarzi and some private extension agencies of Zanjan Province. Cronbach’s Alpha for the questionnaires related to Private Extension Agencies was %86 while for Public Extension questionnaires it was 0.84.Results showed that the mean for private and public extension agencies' performance during the past 2 years, were 32.88 and 23.84 respectively. Only 10% of the public extension managers and experts as against 6.1% of private extension managers and experts were educated in the field of agricultural extension and education. The means of precedent executive activities for public and private extension respondents were 14 vs. 2.5 years, respectively, the results of the study indicated that the mean of public extension performance was 23.84 and the mean for private extension agencies' performance was 32.88 during the past 2 years. Findings also revealed that there is no significant difference between the Performance of private extension agencies and that of the public extension organizations.