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Description
Agricultural extension services play a crucial role in improving farm productivity, technology adoption, and farmer livelihoods. This study assessed the level of paddy farmers’ satisfaction with agricultural extension services provided by the Department of Agriculture in Dambulla area of Sri Lanka and examined factors associated with satisfaction. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was employed using the Clientele Satisfaction Scale developed by (Saravanan Raj, 2009), which measures satisfaction across four dimensions: relevance, usefulness, quality, and customer service. Primary data were collected from 110 paddy farmers selected from two Grama Niladhari divisions, Yapagama and Kapuwatta, using a cluster sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and group comparison techniques in SPSS. The findings revealed a moderate overall level of farmer satisfaction with extension services, with a mean satisfaction score of 1.165. Among the four dimensions, quality of services recorded the highest mean score (M = 1.25, SD = 0.281), followed by customer service (M = 1.18, SD = 0.260) and relevance (M = 1.14, SD = 0.296). Usefulness showed the lowest mean score (M = 1.09, SD = 0.202), indicating a need for more practical and field-oriented extension support. Correlation analysis showed that farmers’ education level and farming experience were significantly associated with overall satisfaction with extension services (p < 0.05). Descriptive analysis of service frequency and access indicators revealed infrequent contact with extension officers, limited field visits, and delays in input distribution, which were associated with the observed moderate satisfaction levels. The study concludes that paddy farmers in Dambulla area are moderately satisfied with DOA extension services. Improving farmer engagement, enhancing the practical usefulness of extension activities, and strengthening field-level interactions are essential to improve farmer satisfaction and extension service effectiveness.
