MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURE OFFICE SERVICES AND LEVEL OF SATISFACTION OF FARMER BENEFICIARIES IN SANTA MARCELA APAYAO

This study assesses the satisfaction levels and challenges of 160 farmers regarding the Municipal Agriculture Office services in Santa Marcela, Apayao. With a mean age of 43.4 years, most farmers have a high school education, small families averaging four members, and an income of P12, 437.50 from 2.37-hectare farms. Service quality was evaluated based on assurance, empathy, tangibility, responsiveness, and reliability. Reliability ranked highest, while empathy ranked lowest. Core functions—crop development, regulatory services, fishery development, special projects, support services, farmer training, animal health programs, organic fertilizer production, and disaster services—were rated as "satisfied." These findings indicate room for improvement, aiming to achieve "Very Much Satisfied" ratings, suggesting that enhancing empathy and overall service delivery could significantly boost farmer satisfaction.