Agricultural extension and training needs of farmers in the small island countries: A case study from Samoa

Number of participants: 15.

Table 5: Major problems in agriculture faced by farmers

PROBLEM	IMPORTANCE			EFFECT			SEVERITY			DECISION
PROBLEM	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	DECISION
1. Obtaining Gramoxone permits	5	5	33.3	5	8	53.3	5	6	40.0	5
	4	1	6.7	4	2	13.3	4	1	6.7
	3	1	6.7	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	1	6.7
2. Rodent damage	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	1	6.7	4
	5	4	26.7	5	7	46.7	5	2	13.3
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	3	20.0	3	0	0.0	3	4	26.7
	2	2	13.3	2	2	13.3	2	4	26.7
3. Pests and diseases	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	3
	5	9	60.0	5	6	40.0	5	7	46.7
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	1	6.7	3	3	20.0	3	2	13.3
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
4. High cost of inputs	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1
	5	10	66.7	5	10	66.7	5	7	46.7
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	2	13.3
	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
5. Weeds	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	2
	5	7	46.7	5	8	53.3	5	8	53.3
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	2	13.3
	3	2	13.3	3	1	6.7	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
	1	0	0.0	1	1	6.7	1	0	0.0

Table 6: Major pests and diseases faced by farmers

PROBLEM	IMPORTANCE			EFFECT			SEVERITY			DECISION
PROBLEM	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	DECISION
1. Corm rot and redness of petiole of taro	5	9	60.0	5	7	46.7	5	9	60.0	2
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	0	0.0	3	1	6.7	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
2. Taro armyworm	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	3
	5	5	33.3	5	5	33.3	5	5	33.3
	4	2	13.3	4	0	0.0	4	4	26.7
	3	3	20.0	3	3	20.0	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
3. White fungus	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	4
	5	3	20.0	5	4	26.7	5	2	13.3
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	2	13.3	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	1	6.7	2	0	0.0
4. Gaogao	1	4	26.7	1	4	26.7	1	6	40.0	1
	5	9	60.0	5	9	60.0	5	5	33.3
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	4	26.7
	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
5. Rodents	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	4
	5	2	13.3	5	1	6.7	5	0	0.0
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	5	33.3	3	7	46.7	3	0	0.0
	2	2	13.3	2	1	6.7	2	3	20.0
	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	6	40.0

Number of participants: 35.

Table 7: Major problems in agriculture faced by farmers

PROBLEM	IMPORTANCE			EFFECT			SEVERITY			DECISION
PROBLEM	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	DECISION
1. Pests and diseases	5	9	25.7	5	10	28.6	5	10	28.6	3
	4	1	2.9	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	1	2.9	3	1	2.9	3	2	5.7
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	1	2.9
2. Mimosa pudica (giant mimosa)	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	5
	5	4	11.4	5	0	0.0	5	1	2.9
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	7	20.0	3	3	8.6	3	4	11.4
	2	2	5.7	2	7	20.0	2	2	5.7
3. Expensive agricultural tools and equipment	1	0	0.0	1	5	14.3	1	5	14.3	2
	5	9	25.7	5	11	31.4	5	8	22.9
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	2	5.7	3	1	2.9	3	1	2.9
	2	1	2.9	2	1	2.9	2	2	5.7
4. Lack of knowledge of how to start a plantation	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	1	2.9	1
	5	18	51.4	5	10	28.6	5	16	45.7
	4	0	0.0	4	3	8.6	4	0	0.0
	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
5. Insufficient planting materials	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	4
	5	10	28.6	5	2	5.7	5	5	14.3
	4	1	2.9	4	7	20.0	4	1	2.9
	3	4	11.4	3	2	5.7	3	1	2.9
	2	1	2.9	2	2	5.7	2	2	5.7
	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0

Table 8: Major pests and diseases faced by farmers

PROBLEM	IMPORTANCE			EFFECT			SEVERITY			DECISION
PROBLEM	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	Ranking	Farmers	%	DECISION
1. Taro leaf blight	5	12	34.3	5	15	42.9	5	20	57.1	2
	4	2	5.7	4	1	2.9	4	0	0.0
	3	2	5.7	3	1	2.9	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	1	2.9	2	0	0.0
2. Banana leaf streak	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1
	5	14	40.0	5	20	57.1	5	20	57.1
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	1	2.9	3	0	0.0	3	0	0.0
	2	1	2.9	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0
3. Discoloration of giant taro (taamu) corm flesh	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	1	0	0.0	4
	5	7	20.0	5	6	17.1	5	7	20.0
	4	6	17.1	4	2	5.7	4	2	5.7
	3	0	0.0	3	4	11.4	3	0	0.0
	2	0	0.0	2	0	0.0	2	2	5.7
4. White fungus in tomato	1	2	5.7	1	2	5.7	1	3	8.6	5
	5	3	8.6	5	4	11.4	5	7	20.0
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	1	2.9
	3	3	8.6	3	4	11.4	3	1	2.9
	2	5	14.3	2	3	8.6	2	1	2.9
5. Banana bunchy top	1	0	0.0	1	1	2.9	1	4	11.4	3
	5	9	25.7	5	11	31.4	5	12	34.3
	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0	4	0	0.0
	3	1	2.9	3	1	2.9	3	1	2.9
	2	2	5.7	2	1	2.9	2	0	0.0
	1	1	2.9	1	1	2.9	1	1	2.9