All activities of extension service
are widely spread throughout the developing world and most governments have set
up formally structured extension services to implement extension programmes as
well as projects. The practice of extension is supported by budget, offices,
personnel and other resources to towards the success of it. However, it will be
useful to consider the principles which should guide it.
Extension is meant
for people, not people for extension
For the purpose of this, extension works with rural dweller. Only the people themselves can make decisions about the way and how they will farm or live and an extension agent does not intend to erase these knowledge and decisions from them. Rural people can and do make wise decisions about their problems if they are given full information including possible alternative possible means. By making decisions, people gain self-confidence. Extension, therefore, presents facts, helps people to solve problems and encourages farmers to make decisions. People have more confidence in programmes and decisions which they have made themselves than in those which are given to them under duress.
Extension is
responsible to its dwellers
In extension services and its agents, there are two sets of leaders. On one hand, they are accountable to their senior superior officers and to the government departments that determine rural development policies for their execution. Agents are expected to follow in accordance the policies officials and guidelines in their work procedures.
While in the other hand, extension is
the servant of the rural populations and it has the responsibility to fulfill
and provide the needs of the people in its rural areas. This simply states that
the rural poor people should have a say in deciding how effective extension
actually is. One measure of effectiveness is to see how well policies and plans
have been carried out. An equally important measure is the extent to which
incomes and living standards of the rural people have increased as a result of
extension work.
Extension is a
two way connection
Extension involves two way connections, is not a one way process in which the extension agent transfers knowledge and ideas to the farmers and their farm families. Such advice, which is often based upon the findings of agricultural and other research stations, is certainly important but the flow of information from farmers to extension and research workers is equally very important. Extension should be ready to receive and welcome farmers' ideas, suggestions or advice and opinion, as well as to give them all it takes. This two way flow of ideas can occur at different stages.
When
recommendations are being tested in the field:
A new farm practice or crop variety might produce good results at a research
station but not do well on a farmer's field. Trials on farmers' fields are an
opportunity to test research recommendations and provide feedback for research
staff on the research.
When farmers put
recommendations into practice: Sometimes
farmers discover problems with a recommendation which the research station
failed to note. With the feedback the recommendations can be adjusted
accordingly to solve the problem.
When the problem is
being defined: Being in regular
contact with the farmers, the extension agent can help research workers to
understand the farming challenges of the area and the limitations under which
farmers have to work. It is even better if the agent can bring researchers into
direct contact with farmers in order to ensure that research recommendations which
are relevant to farmers' needs.
The two way connections between
research, extension and the farmer is the fundamental to a sound extension
practice and should be the basic principle of extension activities.
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