IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/epplan/v62y2017icp9-14.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Core competency requirements among extension workers in peninsular Malaysia: Use of Borich’s needs assessment model

Author

Listed:
  • Umar, Sulaiman
  • Man, Norsida
  • Nawi, Nolila Mohd
  • Latif, Ismail Abd.
  • Samah, Bahaman Abu

Abstract

The study described the perceived importance of, and proficiency in core agricultural extension competencies among extension workers in Peninsular Malaysia; and evaluating the resultant deficits in the competencies. The Borich’s Needs Assessment Model was used to achieve the objectives of the study. A sample of 298 respondents was randomly selected and interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Thirty-three core competency items were assessed. Instrument validity and reliability were ensured. The cross-sectional data obtained was analysed using SPSS for descriptive statistics including mean weighted discrepancy score (MWDS). Results of the study showed that on a scale of 5, the most important core extension competency items according to respondents’ perception were: “Making good use of information and communication technologies/access and use of web-based resources” (M=4.86, SD=0.23); “Conducting needs assessments” (M=4.84, SD=0.16); “organizing extension campaigns” (M=4.82, SD=0.47) and “Managing groups and teamwork” (M=4.81, SD=0.76). In terms of proficiency, the highest competency identified by the respondents was “Conducting farm and home visits (M=3.62, SD=0.82) followed by ‘conducting meetings effectively’ (M=3.19, SD=0.72); “Conducting focus group discussions” (M=3.16, SD=0.32) and “conducting community forums” (M=3.13, SD=0.64). The discrepancies implying competency deficits were widest in “Acquiring and allocating resources” (MWDS=12.67); use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and web-based resources in agricultural extension (MWDS=12.59); and report writing and sharing the results and impacts (MWDS=11.92). It is recommended that any intervention aimed at developing the capacity of extension workers in Peninsular Malaysia should prioritize these core competency items in accordance with the deficits established in this study.

Suggested Citation

  • Umar, Sulaiman & Man, Norsida & Nawi, Nolila Mohd & Latif, Ismail Abd. & Samah, Bahaman Abu, 2017. "Core competency requirements among extension workers in peninsular Malaysia: Use of Borich’s needs assessment model," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 9-14.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:62:y:2017:i:c:p:9-14
    DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2017.02.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149718916301859
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2017.02.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:asi:ajosrd:2012:p:76-95 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Bonye, Samuel Z. & Alfred, Kpieta B. & Jasaw, Godfred Seidu, 2012. "Promoting Community-Based Extension Agents as an Alternative Approach to Formal Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Northern Ghana," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society (AESS), vol. 2(01), pages 1-21, March.
    3. Singh, K.M. & Swanson, B.E. & Meena, M.S., 2013. "Reforming India’s Pluralistic Extension System: Some Policy Issues," MPRA Paper 48916, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 07 Aug 2013.
    4. Samuel Z Bonye & Kpieta B Alfred & Godfred Seidu Jasaw, 2012. "Promoting Community-based Extension Agents as an Alternative Approach to Formal Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Northern Ghana," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 2(1), pages 76-95.
    5. Prodham, F.A. & Afrad, M.S.I., 2014. "Knowledge And Perception Of Extension Workers Towards Ict Utilization In Agricultural Extension Service Delivery In Gazipur District Of Bangladesh," International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology (IJARIT), IJARIT Research Foundation, vol. 4(2), December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hazem S. Kassem & Abdel Raouf Suleiman Bello & Bader M. Alotaibi & Fahd O. Aldosri & Gary S. Straquadine, 2019. "Climate Change Adaptation in the Delta Nile Region of Egypt: Implications for Agricultural Extension," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Sicelo Ignatius Dlamini & Wen-Chi Huang, 2020. "Towards Intensive Co-operated Agribusiness: A Gender-Based Comparative Borich Needs Assessment Model Analysis of Beef Cattle Farmers in Eswatini," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Suvedi, Murari & Ghimire, Ramjee & Channa, Ty, 2018. "Examination of core competencies of agricultural development professionals in Cambodia," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 89-96.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Damba, Osman T. & Ansah, Isaac Gershon Kodwo & Donkoh, Samuel A. & Alhassan, Amin & Mullins, Gary R. & Yussif, Kamaldeen & Taylor, Musah Salifu & Tetteh, Bright KD. & Appiah-Twumasi, Mark, 2020. "Effects of technology dissemination approaches on agricultural technology uptake and utilization in Northern Ghana," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    2. Hongmi Koo & Janina Kleemann & Christine Fürst, 2020. "Integrating Ecosystem Services into Land-Use Modeling to Assess the Effects of Future Land-Use Strategies in Northern Ghana," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Mamiya Binte Ahsan & Guo Leifeng & Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam & Beibei Xu & Shah Johir Rayhan & Abdul Kaium & Wang Wensheng, 2022. "Barriers, Challenges, and Requirements for ICT Usage among Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers in Bangladesh: Toward Sustainability in Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-27, December.
    4. Ahmadpour, Amir & Soltani, Shohreh, 2014. "The Need for a Strong Public-Private Linkage in Agricultural Extension System (Case Study: Sari Township, Iran)," International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development (IJAMAD), Iranian Association of Agricultural Economics, vol. 4(1), pages 1-10, March.
    5. Singh, K M, 2018. "Modern Extension Approaches for Livelihood Improvement for Resource Poor Households," MPRA Paper 104304, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 23 Sep 2018.
    6. Singh, Pushpa & Singh, K M & Shahi, Brajesh, 2018. "Information and Communication Technologies for Integrated Pest Management- Some Experiences," MPRA Paper 104327, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 23 Dec 2018.
    7. Singh, K.M., 2015. "A Note on Indian Agricultural System vis-à-vis ATMA Model," MPRA Paper 67134, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 08 Oct 2015.
    8. Singh, K M, 2018. "Public Private Partnership for effective marketing of Agricultural Produce," MPRA Paper 104310, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 15 Oct 2018.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:epplan:v:62:y:2017:i:c:p:9-14. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/evalprogplan .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.