The Administrative Structure of Agricultural Extension Workers and Its Role in Job Performance in Iraq
Amal Najim Hasan
Scientific Research Commission/Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Baghdad, Iraq.
Jasim Mohammed Saleh
*
Environmental and Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology and Environmental Center, University of Fallujah, Fallujah, Iraq.
Saaz Abbas Naser
College of Medicinal and Industrial Plants, Kirkuk University, Kirkuk, Iraq.
Sadam Abbas Haskah
Department of English and Islamic Studies, Imam Aladham University, Baghdad, Iraq.
Adnan Ibrahim Khamis
College of Energy and Environmental Sciences, Al-Karkh University of Science, Baghdad, Iraq.
Ali Razzaq Abbas
Environmental and Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology and Environmental Center, University of Fallujah, Fallujah, Iraq.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Despite its quiet influence, how farm advisors are managed shapes who talks to whom - steering duties in ways that quietly align with farming progress. Behind each assignment lies a system nudging effectiveness, smoothing cooperation between offices while staying alert to what growers face daily. Instead of numbers, voices tell the story here - interviews uncovering patterns within Iraq's extension frameworks through careful observation and open-ended reflection. One way they reached their goals? Through a questionnaire. Mostly, folks involved were farm advisors - about seven out of ten - from Baghdad’s Extension and Cooperation team during fall 2025; ninety one took part. To check how well jobs matched office setups, researchers built a measuring tool. Two main parts made up that system. One section looked at how well the office setup works for staff, broken into 79 points across nine areas. With scores on relevance running from zero up to two hundred thirty-seven. Then came the segment about giving workers real influence in their roles - checking consistency meant polling others beyond the main group. Researchers applied the Feckernbach method, landing on figures of eighty-six percent and eighty-nine out of a hundred. Results suggested the farm training department’s management layout fits poorly with what most field officers need. The system struggles to grow stronger over time. People feel held back from using their full skills. Messages flow only downward. Tech tools hardly appear in daily tasks. A closer look showed almost no strong ties to similar farming organizations. Not much gets done without better support - motivation runs low, power stays centralized, and workplace conditions fail many. What stands out is how the system fails its people - rules get in the way more than they help. Too often, daily tasks hit roadblocks because leadership doesn’t match what fieldworkers actually need. Fixes came up after seeing these issues: changes aimed at smoothing operations and lifting barriers. When management works right, teamwork across units improves. Clarity grows around who does what. Choices become smarter when structure backs them instead of blocking progress.
Keywords: Administrative structure, agricultural extension employees, apparent honesty, job performance, decision-making, functional empowerment