The Role of Agricultural Extension in Improving Tomato Productivity and Marketing from the Perspective of Farmers in Balad District, Salah al-Din Governorate

• 1Amani Abbas Fadhil 2Saad Obaid Fayyadh 3 Majeed Hadi Salih al-Hamdany

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This research aims to study the role of agricultural extension in improving the productivity and marketing of tomato crops from the perspective of farmers in Balad District, Salah al-Din Governorate. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach and used a questionnaire consisting of 32 items distributed across four domains: extension, production, marketing, and obstacles. A five-point Likert scale (1–5) was used. Data were collected during January 2026 from a sample of 98 farmers and analyzed using frequencies, percentages, arithmetic means, and standard deviations. A one-way ANOVA (F-test) was also used to measure statistical differences. The results showed that the level of agricultural extension's role was moderate, tending towards high, with its role being more prominent in production aspects compared to marketing aspects. The results also revealed the presence of major obstacles, most notably weak marketing, high production costs, water scarcity, and the spread of agricultural pests. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences based on age and years of experience, while no differences were found based on educational level or farm size. The research concludes that agricultural extension contributes to improved production and marketing, but its tools need to be developed and its marketing role strengthened to address agricultural challenges in the study area. The research recommends enhancing the role of agricultural extension by increasing the number of field visits to farmers in Balad District and developing extension programs that focus on the marketing aspect of tomato production, not just production.

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