KOMUNIKASI PERSUASIF PENYULUH PERTANIAN DALAM PENGEMBANGAN USAHATANI PADI SAWAH DI DESA WONUA MONAPA KECAMATAN MOWILA KABUPATEN KONAWE SELATAN

Abstrak

Persuasive communication is a crucial factor in determining the effectiveness of agricultural extension, as it plays a significant role in building trust, influencing farmers' attitudes, and encouraging them to adopt agricultural innovations in farming practices. Effective persuasive communication by agricultural extension agents is expected to support the development of lowland rice farming through the delivery of information that is relevant to farmers' needs and local conditions. This study aimed to describe the persuasive communication of agricultural extension agents in the development of lowland rice farming in Wonua Monapa Village, Mowila District, South Konawe Regency. The study employed a descriptive quantitative approach. The research population consisted of 123 lowland rice farmers belonging to seven farmer groups, while 55 respondents were selected using the Slovin formula and the proportional random sampling technique. Data were collected through structured interviews using questionnaires, field observations, and documentation studies. The research variable was the persuasive communication of agricultural extension agents, which was measured using three dimensions: credibility, identification, and similarity. The data were analyzed descriptively using a five-point Likert scale scoring technique and classified based on the class interval method. The results revealed that the persuasive communication of agricultural extension agents was categorized as high, with a percentage of 91%. The credibility dimension was also categorized as high (89%), followed by the identification dimension (89%) and the similarity dimension (87%). These findings indicate that the extension agents were able to establish farmers' trust, develop positive interpersonal relationships, deliver information based on practical field experience, and adapt their communication to the socio-cultural characteristics of the farming community. Therefore, persuasive communication has been effectively implemented in supporting the development of lowland rice farming in Wonua Monapa Village.

Kata kunci

• Credibility
• Innovation Adoption
• Similarity
• identification