Extension Design for the Use of a Mobile Application for Oil Palm Harvest Recording in Laut Tador District, Batu Bara Regency

Abstract

Harvest recording supports transparent oil palm production reporting for Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification. However, smallholders in Laut Tador District, Batu Bara Regency, continue to rely on simple manual systems that may expose harvest data to loss. This study developed an agricultural extension design for a mobile harvest-recording application and assessed its acceptance, behavioural outcomes, and continued application use. A quantitative descriptive approach was employed, with data collected through interviews and questionnaires and analysed using extension planning procedures and Likert-scale scoring. Regional potential identification informed a design specifying objectives, target participants, content, methods, media, session volume, location, timing, and costs. The objectives followed SMART and ABCD principles, with a target achievement level of 60%. Overall acceptance of the extension design reached 86.1%. Evaluation results were 80.9% for knowledge, 78.86% for attitudes, 67% for skills, and 30.4% for continued application use. These findings indicate strong acceptance of the extension design alongside limited sustained use of the application. The study provides an extension design tailored to local conditions and highlights continued assistance as a priority for translating acceptance into routine digital harvest recording and strengthening the transparency of production reporting.