A Research on Satisfaction and Expectations of Sunflower Producers in Edirne Province Regarding Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services

The increasing demand for food with the increasing population in the world and in Türkiye, and the energy demand arising in parallel with this demand have increased the importance of oilseed production. Although vegetable oil consumption has increased in Türkiye in recent years, the production level is insufficient to meet this demand. This study examines the satisfaction levels and expectations of farmers producing sunflower in Edirne province, which has an important place among oilseeds, towards agricultural extension and advisory services. Primary data were obtained from surveys of 165 sunflower producers. The findings reveal that only 35.8% of the producers benefit from professional agricultural advisory services, while the majority of them obtain free information from seed and pesticide dealers. However, 81.2% of the producers stated that they participated in trainings on agricultural activity processes and expressed high satisfaction with the trainings provided by universities and chambers of agriculture. The areas where producers need the most information are disease and pest management, fertilizer use and bureaucratic procedures. The research draws attention to the shortcomings in the accessibility of agricultural extension and advisory services in the region and emphasizes the need to develop a sustainable strategy. Improving and expanding farmer training programs by increasing the capacity of public extension services is critical for adopting modern agricultural practices and maintaining sustainability in sunflower production. The findings of this study are at a level that can provide important contributions to policies to increase the effectiveness of agricultural extension and advisory services in Edirne.