Effectiveness of Implementation of Decentralisa Tion Policy in Agricultural Extension: A Comparative Perception of Extension Officers in Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Decentralisation policy in agricultural extension services was introduced in Indonesia since the issuance of joint-ministerial agreement between the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Home Affairs in 1991, and was later modified in 1996. Consequently, several tasks and responsibilities concerning the agricultural extension services were transferred from the central government to the management of the district governments. The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing the effectiveness of implementation of decentralisation policy in agricultural extension services by utilising a model adapted from the public administration and finance of Rondinelli and Cheema (1983) and Rondinelli et al. (1984; 1989). A correlational research design was used in the study. The population of this study comprised the extension officers at the Rural Extension Centres (RECs) in island of Java. A multi-stage random sampling method was employed to select 107 groups of field extension workers (GFEWs) and 107 the heads of RECs (BRECs) in West Java, Central Java and East Java Provinces, Indonesia. In addition, data from the heads of the BIPPs (HBIPPs) and contact farmers were also solicited. Personal and group interviews as well as self-administered questionnaires were used in the data collection.