COOPERATION OF EXTENSION ORGANIZATION WITH OTHER RURAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

Extension organizations and its officers should work interactively with the other organizations that provide the necessary services to farmers and their families within the rural dwellers. Extension is one of the several areas of the many economic, social and political activities that seek to produce noticeable change for the betterment of the people located in the rural society. Extension activities must be prepared to cooperate with all other such organizations, both government and non-government, and to take them into account when preparing to implement extension policies.

Health extension services

This part of extension is so that the extension officers is kept aware of all local health challenges, particularly that of nutritional levels. Agricultural development and nutrition are closely related and the officers must keep closely in touch with health programmes and projects and adapt the programme to conform to all local health requirements.

Political institutions

In political institution, the local political leaders have the responsibility of rendering active support to the extension officers in other to assist them; they may also be brought into closer touch with local farmers.

Support organizations

In support organization such as those which supply agricultural or other inputs, credit facilities or marketing services. Such inputs must be available in sufficient quantity, in the right place and at the right time if they are to be of any use for the purpose in which they are meant.

Local school extension organization

In local school farm extension organizations the extension officer can have early and easy access to the farmers of the future, and begin to equip them with the farming knowledge and skills which are required for farming.

Community development

Community development objectives are very similar to the educational work of extension. Extension agents often work very closely with community development workers to break down local social and cultural barriers to change, and thereby encourage community action programmes.

It is essential that the extension agent in the field know what his colleagues in other services and government departments, and that they understand what he is executing. Close cooperation not only avoids duplication but provides opportunities for integrated farm programmes.

Extension with other different target organizations

An extension activity recognizes that not all farmers in one area will have the same challenges. Some will have more land than others and will be willing to try out new ideas while others with fewer resources will probably be more cautious. Extension cannot offer a single package of advice which is suitable to all farmers. Different groups need to be identified and the agent will have to develop programmes which are appropriate to each group.

In the resent era, much of extension effort was concentrated on the progressive farmer who was expected to spread the new ideas to others. It has been seen that this does not always workout and productive due to the fact that progressive farmers often have different challenges. The farmers have more land, more education and are usually more involved in the marketing of their farm produce.

Finally, extension organizations must however be aware of the existence of different farming groups and plan its programmes accordingly to such groups. The smallest and poorest farmers’ category will need particular attention, as they may lack the basic resources needed to become involved in extension activities. The point to stress, therefore, is the existence of farmer groups with different resources as well as skills in any community, and the need for extension to respond to these groups accordingly to their capacity.