extension

Agricultural Extension



Aged 4713

Fall 2002



Manuel Corro



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In this class we will learn about:



 Definition of Extension

 Importance of Extension in Ag. Development

 Elements for a Effective Agricultural

Extension Service

 Alternative models in organizing Agricultural

Extension in developing countries









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Agricultural research is important

because:

 Help to improve development

 economic growth

 poverty alleviation

 rural development

 improve management of natural resources

 Ag research is central for boosting

productivity

 It is the primary engine of the economic

growth







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Importance of Agriculture in

Economic Development



 Increase the supply of food for consumption

 Release labor for industrial employment

 Enlarge the size of the market for industrial

output

 Increase the supply of domestic savings; and

 Earn foreign exchange

Eicher and Staatz, 1998



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Definition of Extension

 Extension is an on-going process that have

two dimensions:

 Communication

 Educational



 Communicate useful information to people

 Assist people to acquire the knowledge to

use the information or technology

 Extension or non-formal education can be used in

agriculture and non-agric. programs



Swanson and Claar, 1984

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Agricultural Extension



 Agricultural Extension is an on-going process

that Communicate useful information to the

people and assist them to use the

information or technology to improve the

quality of their life, their families and

communities.





Swanson and Claar, 1984



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The Adoption Process

(AKAP sequence)

 A: Farmer awareness

 K: Farmer knowledge

 Testing, and

 Experimenting



 A: Farmer adoption of technology or

practices

 P: Changes in farmers’ productivity





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Conditions for a successful

Agricultural Extension Service

 Organized Information based on

accumulated knowledge and/or

research, suitable for a particular

environment.

 Information used to educate

professional agriculturists. (higher

education in Ag)

 Appropriate funds and administrative

organization structure

 Legislative or official mandate that

prescribes Agricultural Extension







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Elements for an Effective

Agricultural Extension Service

 Extension Agent

 Good communication skills

 Good technical knowledge

 Teaching method

 Demonstration

• Methods

• Results

• Type

 Supporting Funds

 Infrastructure



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How is Extension doing in

Developing countries?

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The Many Faces of Extension in

Developing Countries



 Because extension is a process it can be

organized in different ways.

 Extension may be implemented by the

public or private sector

 Public sector has more Educational

purposes (broader)

 Private extension service main purpose is

to transfer technology (narrow)





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Agricultural Extension is not a one-shot

effort.



 It entails a continuos, long term

process of contact with farmers to

understand their production

conditions and to guide research to

develop recommendations that

respond to farmers’ needs.





Benor D., Harrison J. Q., Baxter M. 1984

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General Problems with Extension

in Developing Countries

 Organization

 Dilution of Effort

 Coverage and Mobility

 Demonstrations

 Training

 Unspecialized Staff

 Lack of Ties with research

 Status of Extension Personnel

 Duplication of Services

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Who does Extension in Developing

countries?

 Federal government trough Ministry of

Agriculture conducted most of the extension

work in Developing Countries

But, other institutions could be involved:



 Private Sector

 Agricultural Universities

 Non-governmental Organizations





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Alternative Models to Organizing

Extension





General models

 Ministry-Based General Extension

 Training and Visit Extension (T&V)

World Bank

 University-Based Extension

 Agricultural Universities (Land grant

system)



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Alternative Models to Organizing

Extension



 Extension to selected clientele

 Commodity based Extension

 Extension as a Commercial Service

 Participatory Extension services









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Training & Visit system





 Its goal was to improve Ministry based

Extension system in developing countries

 Developed by Daniel Benor in 1970’s

 Supported by World Bank loans

 A professional system of extension based on

frequently updated training of extension

workers and regular field visits. (T&V)







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Commodity based Extension



 an example of private Extension service in

Mexico

 Nestle Dairy Company Extension service

 Goal: improve quality of milk supplied to

Nestle factory

 Extension agent: Nestle employee

 Clientele: small and medium dairy producers

 Company provides some inputs ( feed, vet

medicine, as loan



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