External Support Plays a Bigger Role in Agricultural Extension Performance in West Papua
TELUK BINTUNI, WEST PAPUA – The effectiveness of agricultural extension workers in remote and Indigenous communities depends more on institutional support, infrastructure, and operational facilities than on individual capabilities alone. This conclusion comes from a study conducted by Salomina E.A. Homer from the Graduate Program in Agricultural Science at the University of Papua, together with Yolanda Hole and Amestina Matualage from the Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Papua. The research was published in 2026 in the International Journal of Advanced Technology and Social Sciences (IJATSS). The study focused on agricultural extension services in Teluk Bintuni Regency, West Papua, one of Indonesia’s most geographically challenging regions. The area consists of coastal zones, tropical forests, rivers, mangrove ecosystems, and dispersed Indigenous villages that are often difficult to access. Under these conditions, agricultural extension workers serve as a critical link between farming communities, agricultural innovations, and government development programs. Agricultural extension services have long been recognized as an essential component of rural development. By providing farmers with knowledge, technical guidance, and access to innovation, extension workers help improve productivity, food security, and household incomes. However, the effectiveness of extension services often varies significantly across regions, especially in remote areas where transportation, communication, and institutional support remain limited. To better understand the factors influencing extension worker performance, the researchers surveyed agricultural extension personnel across Teluk Bintuni Regency. A total of 78 respondents participated in the study, including 45 civil-service extension workers and 33 contract-based extension officers. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using an advanced statistical model designed to identify relationships between different performance-related factors. The researchers categorized the determinants of extension performance into two major groups. Internal factors included technical competence, professional knowledge, skills, motivation, work experience, and commitment. External factors included institutional support, infrastructure, transportation access, operational resources, organizational coordination, and government policies. The findings revealed that external factors had the strongest influence on all dimensions of agricultural extension performance. These factors significantly affected preparation activities, field implementation, and evaluation and reporting processes. Several key findings emerged from the study:
-External factors significantly influenced preparation performance, with a path coefficient of 0.340.
-External factors had the strongest impact on implementation performance, with a path coefficient of 0.826.
-External factors also strongly influenced evaluation and reporting performance, with a path coefficient of 0.628.
-Internal factors significantly affected planning and evaluation activities.
-Internal factors did not have a statistically significant influence on the implementation of extension activities in the field.
According to the researchers, these results indicate that highly skilled and motivated extension workers may still struggle to perform effectively without adequate institutional support. In geographically isolated regions such as Teluk Bintuni, successful agricultural extension depends heavily on transportation, operational funding, infrastructure, and organizational coordination. The study also found that most agricultural extension workers in Teluk Bintuni possess more than ten years of professional experience. Many belong to older age groups and are approaching retirement. While this extensive experience is a valuable asset, it also raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of extension services if efforts are not made to recruit and train a new generation of extension professionals. Another important finding relates to the distribution of extension personnel. Districts with more intensive agricultural activities generally have larger numbers of extension workers, while several remote districts are served by only one officer. This imbalance may limit the quality and reach of extension services in some Indigenous communities. Yolanda Hole and her colleagues from the University of Papua emphasized that improving human resource capacity remains important, but such efforts must be accompanied by stronger institutional support systems. Competent extension workers require adequate transportation, communication facilities, operational resources, and supportive policies to effectively serve remote Indigenous communities. The findings carry significant implications for policymakers at both regional and national levels. Programs aimed at strengthening agricultural extension services should not focus solely on training and capacity building. Equal attention must be given to improving infrastructure, transportation networks, operational budgets, and institutional coordination. For Indigenous farmers and rural communities in West Papua, better-supported extension services can accelerate the adoption of agricultural innovations, increase farm productivity, and enhance local food security. For government agencies, the study provides valuable evidence for designing more effective agricultural development strategies in remote, frontier, and underserved regions. The researchers concluded that agricultural development in Indigenous territories cannot rely solely on the competence of extension personnel. Institutional conditions, infrastructure availability, transportation access, operational funding, and organizational support are equally important in determining the success of agricultural extension programs in remote areas of West Papua.
Author Profiles
Salomina E.A. Homer is a researcher and graduate student in Agricultural Science at the University of Papua. Her research focuses on agricultural development, extension systems, and rural community empowerment.
Yolanda Hole, S.P., M.Si. is a lecturer in the Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Papua. Her areas of expertise include agribusiness, agricultural extension, rural development, and agricultural human resource management.
Amestina Matualage, S.P., M.Si. is a lecturer in the Department of Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Papua. Her research interests include agricultural economics, community empowerment, and rural development planning.
Research Source
Homer, S.E.A., Hole, Y., & Matualage, A. (2026). “Agricultural Extension Performance in Remote and Indigenous Communities: Lessons from Teluk Bintuni, West Papua.” International Journal of Advanced Technology and Social Sciences (IJATSS), Vol. 4, No. 6, pp. 565–584.
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