The role of the website of the agricultural extension and training department on the social network Facebook in the diffusion of agricultural ideas: Analytical study

The research aimed to identify the role of the website of the Agricultural Extension and Training Department, one of the formations of the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture in agricultural ideas diffusion,  As well as know its relationship with the degree of diffusion of ideas through the website. The researcher used the descriptive approach in conducting the research and used the content analysis method for the website of the Agricultural Extension and Training Department on the social network "Facebook". It is one of the formations of the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture on the link (https://www.facebook.com/iraqirshad). The content of the website was analyzed for one year the period from (1/3/2020 to 2/28/2021), The site data were recorded during the research period using a special form, including the fields of agricultural ideas, the pattern of their diffusion, the time, date and day of each idea. The degree of diffusion of each idea was measured by the extent to which followers of the site interacted with those ideas in terms of (liking or commenting and sharing them) and given numerical values (1, 2, 3), respectively. The data were analyzed by using a number of statistical methods, including the range, category length, Spearman correlation coefficient, and t-test. The results showed that (638) agricultural ideas were diffused, of which (474) ideas were diffused as agricultural information, while (164) ideas were diffused as agricultural activities carried out by Agricultural Extension and Training Department. The idea of (determining dates for planting palm seedlings) came first in the degree of diffusion, followed by second rank (beekeepers' work during the month of October). The results also showed that the most agricultural ideas that were diffused through the website were in the field of animal production, at a rate (28.8%) of the total agricultural ideas, followed by the field of horticulture and landscapes at a rate (12.5%) of the total agricultural ideas. The results showed that the website administrators used a (text and image) as style for diffusion with (67%) of the agricultural ideas on the website, while the less used style was (link). It also turned out that Tuesday and Monday were the days during which agricultural ideas were most diffused, while Friday was the least diffusion day for ideas. Most of the agricultural ideas were diffused during the period from (twelve until six)O'clock in the morning, while the month of November ranked first in the number of agricultural ideas that were circulated through the website, while it was found that the month of April of 2020 did not publish any agricultural idea. The results showed a significant correlation between the degree of diffusion of agricultural ideas on Facebook and the type of diffusion of the agricultural idea and the date of its diffusion, while the results showed none a significant correlation between the degree of diffusion of agricultural ideas through Facebook and the time of its diffused, and the field of those ideas. The researcher recommends that those in charge of managing the websites of agricultural institutions publish agricultural ideas in the form of a picture supported by text, as well as focus on the diffusion of ideas in the form of information and not as agricultural activities.