Performance Determinants of Agricultural Extension in the City Tidore Islands North Maluku province

Abstract

The role of agricultural extension agent from 1978 until the 1980's showed an important role in the development of national economy. In the 1990's the perceived role of the instructor began to decline, both in quantity and quality (performance level). The condition is occurring nationwide, including in the City Tidore Islands North Maluku province. Therefore we need a study that aims to analyze the factors thought to affect the performance of extension workers and formulating appropriate counseling strategies based on the implementation of the determinants of performance extension. Data collection conducted in mid-May through June 2011 thousands through census methods. The study population was defined as many as 56 people 67 people from the extension of existing civil servants. The results showed a correlation factor of age, period of employment, training, instructor perceptions of the tasks / jobs, media utilization, reward systems, active community participation, support supervision monitoring, planning, implementation, and evaluation of extension programs, applying principles of adult learning, and communication skills real contact with the performance of agricultural extension. The analysis showed a factor of training, perceptions of job/task, use of the media, community participation, and implementation of extension programs have real impact on the performance of agricultural extension. The average performance of extension agents were the category of being, where the extension is not optimal in planning, implementing and evaluating activities properly instructed. This is caused by a lack of creativity, initiative, and the ability of trainers to build cooperation and communication with the target extension. The implementation of agricultural extension that is not optimal in the City Tidore Islands affected several determinants of performance of extension, namely: (1) lack of competence in aspects of the implementation of extension programs. (2) lack of extension agents utilize the available media, (3) perception of extension agents to the task / job, (4) the intensity of training, and (5) active participation of the community.

Pembangunan Pertanian hingga saat ini mempunyai peran sentral sebagai tulang punggung pembangunan perekonomian nasional. Peran penting sektor pertanian tersebut tidak terlepas dari peran penyuluhan pertanian sebagai bagian yang terpenting dari pembangunan pertanian secara umum. Setelah tahun 1990 peran penyuluh pertanian dari tahun ke tahun terus menunjukkan penurunan yang cukup signifikan, baik dari segi jumlah maupun tingkat kinerja yang dicapai. Bergulirnya era reformasi dan otonomi daerah, kegiatan penyuluhan pertanian yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah dinilai merosot sampai ke titik nadir Margono Slamet (2001). Kinerja penyuluh pertanian di seluruh wilayah Indonesia hingga saat ini masih rendah. Mencermati kondisi tersebut, pada tahun 2005 pemerintah mencanangkan Revitalisasi Pertanian, Perikanan dan Kehutanan (RPPK) dan Revitalisasi Penyuluhan Pertanian (RPP) telah ditindaklanjuti dengan terbitnya Undang- Undang Nomor 16 Tahun 2006 tentang Sistem Penyuluhan Pertanian, Perikanan dan Kehutanan (SP3K). Dari dimensi organisasi atau kelembagaan, lembaga penyuluhan harus independen sebagaimana amanat undang-undang nomor 16 Tahun 2006. Sedangkan dari dimensi personil, upaya mengatasi kekurangan penyuluh pertanian terus dilakukan.