Role of Agricultural Extension in reducing post-harvest loses of potatoes in Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt

The primary aim of this research is to understand the role of agricultural extension services in reducing potato crop losses from the perspective of farmers. The study focuses on:1. Evaluating farmers' assessments of potato crop losses in the study area.2. Understanding the role of agricultural extension services in reducing potato crop losses from the farmers' perspective.3. Identifying the main problems faced by potato farmers regarding post-harvest practices and their suggestions for overcoming these issues in the study area.To achieve the study's objectives, data were collected from a sample of 163 respondents from three villages in Qalyubia Governorate using a questionnaire during March 2024. The data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, range, mean, standard deviation and relative weight.The results indicate that storage is the major contributor to potato crop losses, with the highest relative weight (48.77%), followed by grading and packaging (42.64%). Harvesting and sorting contribute less to losses compared to other processes. The study also shows that private agricultural extension services are perceived by farmers as the most effective in reducing potato crop losses with a relative weight of (70.23%), receiving a higher positive evaluation than government extension services (70.03%).