Author : Narimah Ismail

Summary : This study sought to find out the Malaysian farmers' sources of development information; the characteristics of a credible extension agent as perceived by farmers; and the most credible interpersonal sources of development information as perceived by farmers. The study also determined the relationships between the characteristics of farmers such as age, education, contact with extension agents, mass media exposure, participation in organizations and cosmopoliteness, and their perception of a credible extension agent, hence, a credible source of information. The respondents' sources of development information differed with the type of information sought. Generally, they sought information from the 'authority' on a particular subject, that is, the midwives and rural nurses for health and nutrition information; the extension agents for agricultural information; and the teachers for information on education. The Penghulu was the most important source of veterinary information. He was the second important source of most of these different types of development information. Important sources of a particular type of information were also perceived as most the credible source of that type of information. Local leaders were largely perceived as credible sources of development information. The farmers perceived that a credible extension agent was one who was: 1) qualified; 2) dynamic; 3) safe and 4) sociable. Thus, to be an effective instrument of change, the extension agents should possess the characteristics grouped under these categories. Farmers' education, organizational participation, and cosmopoliteness were significantly related to their perception of a credible extension agent based on safety, qualification dynamism, and sociability dimensions of credebility. Positive relationship existed between age, mass media exposure, contact with extension agent, and perception of a credible extension agent, though the relationships were not significant.