Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana persepsi anggota Kelompok Tani Sada Arih terhadap peran penyuluh pertanian serta menganalisis hubungan antara karakteristik petani dengan persepsi tersebut. Peran penyuluh yang diteliti mencakup sebagai pembimbing, komunikator, teknisi, dan fasilitator. Metode yang digunakan adalah pendekatan kuantitatif deskriptif dengan teknik pengumpulan data melalui kuesioner, dan analisis dilakukan menggunakan tabulasi silang (crosstab) serta uji Fisher’s Exact Test. Sampel penelitian terdiri dari 10 orang anggota kelompok tani yang dipilih secara purposive. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peran penyuluh sebagai komunikator dan pembimbing mendapat penilaian "baik", sedangkan sebagai teknisi dan fasilitator dinilai "cukup baik". Namun, hasil uji statistik menunjukkan bahwa tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara karakteristik petani (usia, pendidikan, jumlah tanggungan, pengalaman bertani, dan luas lahan) dengan persepsi mereka terhadap peran penyuluh (p > 0,05). Meskipun demikian, ditemukan kecenderungan bahwa petani dengan pendidikan dan pengalaman lebih tinggi memiliki persepsi yang lebih baik terhadap penyuluh. Temuan ini menegaskan pentingnya peran penyuluh pertanian dalam pemberdayaan petani, terlepas dari latar belakang karakteristik individu petani.
Kata kunci: persepsi petani, peran penyuluh, kelompok tani, penyuluhan pertanian, karakteristik petani

This study aims to examine the perceptions of members of the Sada Arih Farmer Group toward the role of agricultural extension workers and to analyze the relationship between farmers’ characteristics and their perceptions. The roles of the extension workers assessed in this study include those of advisor, communicator, technician, and facilitator. The research employed a quantitative descriptive approach, with data collected through questionnaires and analyzed using cross-tabulation and Fisher’s Exact Test. The sample consisted of 10 purposively selected farmer group members. The results showed that the extension workers' roles as communicators and advisors were perceived as "good," while their roles as technicians and facilitators were considered "fair." However, statistical analysis indicated no significant relationship between farmers’ characteristics (age, education level, number of dependents, farming experience, and land size) and their perception of the extension workers' roles (p > 0.05). Nonetheless, there was a tendency for farmers with higher education and more experience to perceive the roles of extension workers more positively. These findings highlight the strategic importance of agricultural extension workers in empowering farmers, regardless of individual characteristics. Keywords: farmer perception, extension worker role, farmer group, agricultural extension, farmer characteristics