The Services Provided by the Chambers of Agriculture to the Farmers and the Farmers' Satisfaction with These Services: The Case of Terme District of Samsun Province

Abstract

In this study, the services provided to the farmers by the chamber of agriculture in Terme District of Samsun Province, and the satisfaction of the farmers from these services were examined. Participants of the study were 384 farmers operating in the district, determined by the Cochran sampling formula. According to the research findings, the average farmer in the region was 57.39 years of age, owned 23.46 decares of property land, had monthly income of 3250 TL and farming experience of 40.37 years. The subjects that farmers benefit most from agricultural advisors are good agricultural practices, combating plant diseases and pests, fertilization and cultivation of plant products. Farmers are very satisfied with the agricultural advisors working in the agriculture chamber. It is thought that agricultural advisors have sufficient knowledge in professional matters and adequate communication skills. Farmers have expectations from the chamber of agriculture to provide them with more technical support, to provide information on agricultural product and input prices, to organize frequent visits to villages, and to provide support in marketing and sales.