Meaning of ExtensionFeatured of Extension Principles of extension

PHILOSOPHIES UNDERLYING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORK.

FUNCTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSIONSCOPE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

SIGNIFICANCE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

ByAllah Dad Khan

Extension refers to voluntary out- of –school adult education programme carried out in a systematic way (affecting the livelihoods of the recipients) which makes use of teaching and learning principles and carried out in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.

No fixed curriculum It is a non classroom project The audience is heterogenous and non

captive Subject matter is practical and intended

for immediate use Values people rather than things It is based on the needs of the people.

Extension education starts where the people are:

Extension workers must gain the confidence of their audience:

People have unsatisfied wants: The best programmes are those determinedly

the local people and extension staff working together:

Participation in extension programme is voluntary and must meet varying needs:

Agricultural extension is concerned with three basic educational tasks namely:

• Dissemination of useful and practical information related to agriculture, home economics, youth programmes and rural community development.

• Practical application of such knowledge to help farm people identify and analyze their problems thus bringing improvement in a systematic way through carefully planned, organized and implemented programmes.

• Assisting farmers in using the technical knowledge gained to solve their own problems.

Philosophy of democracy and culture: Philosophy of Education for all: Philosophy of social progress Philosophy of teaching: Philosophy of Cooperation: Philosophy of Leadership:

Persuasion of farmers of the value of change Transmission of research results to the

farmers: Provision of guidance to the farmers:

Staff training and Turnover: Lack of financial support for Extension : Inadequate supporting services: Long decision-making and communication

process: Lack of credit facilities: Lack of Monitoring and Evaluation of

Extension activities:

• As a catalyst: The change agent speed up or accelerate the rate at which the people accept changer the rate as which the people accept change.

• As a solution giver: He/She has an idea about the farmers problems and needs and similarly render the idea in order to bring effective solution to the needs and problems of the farmers.

• As a process helper: Helpers m the process of solving the farmers problems and needs.

• As a resource linker: The extension agent serves as a link or bridge between the clienteles and where necessary inputs, research findings etc can be obtained,

Local leaders can be of invaluable assistance to an extension agent in a number of ways:

• They can assume responsibility for certain activities in the agent's absence.

• Help to organize local extension groups.• Assist directly in the spread of new ideas and practices by

demonstrating them in their fields.• They can generally serve as a point of contact between the

extension agents and farmers.• More farmers can be reached through the local leaders than the

extension agent could by himself.• Working through local leaders builds closer ties with local farmers,

thereby encouraging farmers' confidence in the extension service and their willingness to participate in the extension activities.

• Enlistment of local leaders in identifying problems and developing relevant technologies will assist sustainability of change programmes.

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