UNIT III.

PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

__________________________________________________________________

Topic 4. Approaches in Extension

__________________________________________________________________

Extension approach is the style of action embodying the philosophy of an extension

system which by and large determine the direction and nature/style of the various aspects of that
system, such as, its structure, leadership, program, methods and techniques, resources, and
linkages.

It is an organized and coherent combination of strategies and methods, designed to make

rural extension effective in a certain area.

1. The general agriculture extension approach.

 This approach assumes that technologies and knowledge that are appropriate for
local people exist but are not being used by them
 The purpose is to help farmers’ increase their production.
 The approach is usually fairly centralized and government controlled. This is a
typical case of top-down planning.
 This approach does provide farmers with information on a number of production
alternatives form one single source.
 Success is measure in the adoption rate of recommendations and increases in
national production.

2. The agricultural extension participatory approach

 This approach focuses on the expressed needs of clients or farmers group

 This approach assumes that farmers are skilled in food production from their land,
but their levels of living could be improved by additional knowledge.
 Active participation by farmers themselves is necessary and produces a
reinforcing effect in group learning and group action
 Local people evaluate their own programs and play a role in establishing research
agenda.
  Implantation is often decentralized and flexible. It goal is increased production
and an improved quality of rural life.
 Success is measured by the number of clients/farmers actively participating and
the sustainability of local extension organizations.

3. The project approach

 This approach concentrates efforts on a particular location, for a specific time

period, often with resource from external agencies.
 Part of its purpose is often to demonstrate techniques and methods that could be
extended and sustained after the project period.
 This approach uses large infusions of outside resources for a few years to
demonstrate the potential of new technologies.
 Change in the short term is often a measure of success.

4. The farming systems development approach

 This approach takes a systems or holistic perspective in situation analysis and

technology development at the local level.
 This approach assumes that technology which fits the needs of farmers is not
available and needs to be generated locally.
 Close ties with research are required and technology for local needs is developed
locally through an iterative process involving local people and a multidisciplinary
team of researchers and extension workers
 Advantages of this system includes strong linkages between extension and
research personnel and the commitment of farmers to using technologies they
helped to developed.
 Success is measure by the extent to which local people adopt and continue to use
technologies developed by the program.

5. Educational Institution approach

 The approach uses educational institutions which have research capability to

provide extension services for rural people.
 Implementation and planning are often controlled by those who determine school
curricula
 Emphasis is often on the transfer of technical knowledge
 Implementation is through non-formal instruction of group of individuals, through
a college or university
  The measure of success is people’s participation in the schools’ agricultural
extension activities
 The advantage of this approach is the relationship of specialized scientist to field
extension personnel

6. The commodity specialized approach

 This approach groups all the functions of increased production (extension,

research, input supply, marketing and prices) under one administration.
 Extension is fairly centralized and is oriented towards one commodity, and the
agent has many functions
 Planning is controlled by a community organization for the purpose of increasing
production of a particular commodity
 Technology tends to be appropriate and distributed in a timely manner because it
focuses on a narrow range of technical concerns
 The measure of success is usually the total production of the particular
commodity

7. Cost sharing approach

 This approach assumes that cost-sharing with local people will promote a
program that is more likely to meet local situations and where extension agents
are more accountable to local interest
 Its purpose is to provide advice and information to facilitate peoples self-
improvement
 Success is measured in terms of the people’s willingness and ability to share some
of the cost either individually or through their local government units

8. Training and Visit approach

 A fairly centralized approach which is based on the rigorously planned schedule

of visits to clients and in service training of agents and subject matter specialists
 This is a top down approach which emphasizes the dissemination of
unsophisticated low-cost improved practices, and teaching farmers to make best
use of available resources
 Close links are maintained between research and extension
 It provides closer technical supervision and logistic support but a high cost
 Agents are only involved in technology transfer
 Success is related to increases in the production of particular commodities
covered by the program