Correlation of Effectiveness of the Pluralistic Extension Approach Used in the Madiskarteng Pagsasaka (Inginuitive Farming) Program

The study aimed to determine the relationship between the Pluralistic Extension approach used in the Madiskarteng Pagsasaka program to the farmer-students' attitude towards the use and adoption of the rice and rice-based technologies discussed in the program. Overall, the socio-demographic profile of the respondents had a weak to no relationship with their perceived effectiveness of the program. Results showed that only monthly income was positively and significantly related to the respondents' perceived effectiveness of the PhilRice Text Center (r= .281*, p< .05). Findings, however, showed that only the learning center and the program content had a significant relationship with the perceived usefulness of some technologies. Perceived usefulness of water management was positively and significantly related to the perceived effectiveness of the learning site (r= .274*, p< .05). However, results showed that only two components of the program had a significant relationship with one of the technologies in the PalayCheck™ System. Among the economic variables, monthly income and family income were significantly related to the respondents’ perceived usefulness of the component technologies under the PalayCheck™ system. Results showed that respondents who perceived the technologies as easy to use also perceived that the technologies were useful. The result of the correlation analysis for perceived usefulness, ease of use, and adoption for Area 1 or seed quality and variety showed a positive and significant relationship for both usefulness and ease of use to adoption. Unlike area 1 where significant relationships were seen between adoption, usefulness, and ease of use, adoption of component technologies under area 2 was more related to ease of use. For area 3, adoption of component technologies was mostly positively related to ease of use, while some also showed a positive relationship to usefulness. Adoption of component technologies under area 4 or nutrient management was mostly highly and positively significant to perceived usefulness and ease of use of the technology except for first nutrient application during 0-14DAT which was only positively related to ease of use (r= .356**, p< .01). There were two component technologies under area 5 or water management. Adoption of alternative wetting and drying observation well was both highly and significantly related to usefulness (r= .483**, p< .01) and ease of use (r= .356**, p< .01. For management area 7 or harvest management, most of the component technologies were significant to the respondents’ perceived ease of use. Lastly, component technologies under area 8 which tackled more post-harvest practices, were all positively significant to the respondents’ perceived usefulness and ease of use of the technologies