Admission No : AEM/Maha/384/12

Name : Shailesh Dinkarrao Sarnaik

Address : Zonal Agriculture Research Station,

Waghapur Road, Yavatmal
Maharashtra- 444 104

Programme title : Post Graduate Diploma in

Agriculture Extension Management
(PGDAEM)

Semester : Ist

Course Code : AEM 101

Course title : Introduction to Agriculture Extension

Management (4 credits)

Name of study centre : Regional Agricultural Extension

Management Training Institute
AMRAVATI (M.S.)

Signature :

Date : 19th July, 2013

Assignment Title: Extension- Concepts, functions, principle and process of extension
and its application in the development

Introduction: The use of the term ‘extension’ originated in England in 1866 with
a system of university of extension which was taken up first by Cambridge and
Oxford Universities, and later by other educational institutions in England and
other countries. The term ‘Extension Education’ was first used in 1873 by
Cambridge University to take the educational advantages of universities to
ordinary people.

Definition: According to Ensminger (1957), extension is education and that its

purpose is to change attitudes and practices of the people with whom the work
is to be done.

According to Leagans (1961) extension education is an applied science of

content derived from research, accumulated field experiences and relevant
principles drawn from the behavioural sciences synthesized with useful
technology into a body of philosophy, principles, content and methods focused
on the problems of out of school education for adults and youth.

Objective of assignment:
1. To have detail information about the concepts, functions of extension.
2. To acquire knowledge regarding the principles and process of extension.
3. To work with people for their socio-economic, psychological
development.
Details of Subtopics: Functions, principles of Extension
Application of principles of extension in the process of
development.
Review of Literature:
Concept of extension is based on the following premises
 People have unlimited potential for personal growth and development.
 The development may take place at any stage of their lives, if provided
with adequate and appropriate learning opportunities.
 Adults are not interested in learning only for the sake of learning. They
are motivated when new learning provides opportunity for application,
for increased productivity and improved standards of leaving.
 Such learning is a continuous level of rural populations and should be
provided on a continuing basis, because the problems as well as the
technologies of production and living are continuously changing.
  Given the required knowledge and skills, people are capable of making
optimal choices for their individual and social benefits.
Functions of Extension: It is essential for extension personnel to know the
functions of extension before moving in the field for performing any extension
activity. If one could not follow the basic functions of extension, the ultimate
desired results cannot be obtained. To attain the desired goals one should at
least follow the following basic functions which is mentioned below.

Change in Knowledge: means change in what people know. Before providing

information to the farmer’s one should at least know what is the present
knowledge of the clientele is and what additional information the extension
personnel want to provide to them. For example, the farmers who did not know
about the recent technologies useful for application of fertilizer, seed rates,
spacing, control measures for pests and diseases etc., the farmer will come to
know about this after attaining the training if arrange for them.

Change in skill: this is change in technique of doing things. The farmers who
never followed the improved crop cultivation practices in their fields, will be able
to utilized the various improved cultivation practices after attaining the
knowledge which was provided to them in the training programmes.

Change in attitude: Involves change in feeling or reaction towards certain things.

The farmers develop change in attitude towards looking improved crop
cultivation practices.

Change in understanding: means in change in comprehension. The farmers

come to know about advantages of seed treatment, improved crop cultivation
practices after training programme.

Change in goal: is the distance in any given direction one is expected to go

during a given period of time. The extent to which the farmer raised their goal in
crop production, say, increasing crop yield in particular season by five quintals
per hectare by following improved crop cultivation practices.
Change in action: means change in performance or doing things. The farmers
who did not follow improved crop cultivation practices earlier now follow it. This
is the change in action of doing things after knowing the advantages of the same.

Change in confidence: involves change in self reliance. Farmers felt sure that
they have the ability of attaining higher yield from the crop after using improved
crop cultivation practices.
These are some basic functions of extension; one must apply before
performing any extension activity for the farmers. The desired results one can
obtain only if theses functions of extension followed carefully.
Philosophy of Extension Education:
Philosophy is a body of general principles or laws of a field of knowledge;
it provides guidelines for performing the activities in life in a particular way.
Different individuals have different philosophies of life, e.g. the traditional
minded farmer and progressive farmer may react differently to the concept of
artificial insemination of cows.
Philosophy of extension education includes the principles or guidelines
with which to shape or mould the developmental programmes relating to that
field. It provides to extension worker the basis for working out the programmes
and the policies to be adopted in extension work.

Principles of Agricultural Extension

Principles are the fundamental laws and rules discovered by educational
researches and proven by years of experiences that now serve as guide lines for
educational endeavors which necessary for an extension worker.  Some of this
related to agricultural extension is given here.

1. Principle of Interest and Needs:

  The rural people should voluntarily participate in the extension work. 
Extension work must be based on the needs and interests of the people.  These
interest and needs differ form individual to individual, form village to village,
form block to block and form state to state and therefore there cannot be one
programmes for all people. To be effective, extension work must begin with the
interested and needs of the people.  Many times the interests of the rural people
are not the interest of the extension worker.  Even though the sees the needs of
the people better than they do themselves, he must begin with the beds and
interests as they (the people) see them.
2.  Principle of Cultural Difference:
The educational methods should be in line with the culture of the people
in order to make extension education effective.  Extension work is based of the
cultural background of the people with whom the work is done.  Improvement
can only begin form the level of the extension worker has to know the level of
the knowledge and the skills of the people methods and tools used by them,
their customs, traditions, beliefs, values etc. before starting the extension
programme. In’ a vast country, like India different extension methods need to be
used for different states, as people in these states differ in their thinking living
and culture.  The blueprint of the extension programme developed for one area
may not be applicable as such in another area but it can serve as a guide in
similar cultural areas.
3.  Principle of Cultural Change:
To change the behaviors of the people through extension education, the
extension worker should gain the confidence of the rural people.  It is obvious
 that the change agent who works personally with the villagers must know what
the villagers know and what they think.  They should believe that what the
extension worker says has relevance to their daily life.  For example, extension
worker shows same demonstrations or trials on the farmer’s field.  He gave the
information about positive and negative point of that trial and also discus the
about their difficulties with the farmers.  Then the farmers that, he is doing for
their welfare only.  Taking the changes in the needs of the rural people into
account the extension worker has to change his area of work.  The situation
prevailing twenty years ago when the extension service started and today is
quite different, and therefore, with growth and development the extension work
has to be changed to meet the cultural changes among the people.

4.  Principle of Participation:

The participation of the people is of fundamental importance of the
success of any educational endeavor.  People must share in the development of
a programme and must feel that it is their own programme.  Good extension
work helps the rural people identifying their problems and then helping them in
solving these problems, people will not feel attached to the work if they are
given ready-made things.  Extension helps people to help themselves.  Actual
participation and experience of people in these programmes creates self-
confidence in them and also they learn more by doing.
5.  Principle of Adaptability in the Use of Teaching Methods:
People differ form each other, one group differs form another group and
conditions also differ form place to place.  These people differ in their level of
understanding and knowledge and therefore, only one extension method will
not be of use in providing information to all, An extension programme should be
flexible, so that necessary changes can be made whenever needed to meet the
varying conditions. No single extension teaching method is effective under all
situations.  Written material will be of use for those who can read it, radio
programmes for those who have radio, meetings for those who can attend.  Like
these different situations requires difference teaching methods.  New situations
also arise where a special combination of method is necessary. Research show
that, the use of more than one extension method carries the message effectively
to the people.
Thus the extension methods must have flexibility to be adapted to
members of a community who differ in age, education, economic and social
status.
6.  The Grass Toots Principle of Organization:
A group of rural people in local community should sponsor extension
work.  The programme should fit in with the local conditions.  The aim of
organizing the local group is to demonstrate the value of the new practices or
programs so that more people would participate.
Different groups work in rural communities.  The extension worker should pay
attention to the needs and interests of these groups while planning extension
 programmes.  In same places the extension programmes are thrust on the
people and the imposed innovations; many times have no relevance to the
interests of these small groups.  Unless the farmers feel that the ideas coming to
them are useful they will not come ahead to adopt them.  As the buildings based
on should foundation last long similarly the programmes based on the needs and
interests of these small groups would give better results in extension work.
7.  Principle of Leadership:
It is said that there is one leader in ten persons.  Local leaders are the
guardians of local thoughts and action and can be trained and developed to best
serve as interpreters of new ideas to the villagers.  They are the representatives
of the local situation.  Extension work is based of the full utilization of local
leadership. The selection and training of local leaders to enable them to help to
carry our extension work is essential to the success of the programme. People
have more faith in local leaders and they should be used to put across a new
idea so that it is accepted with the last resistance. All communities have leaders
or potential leaders Extension workers and specialists should train and orient
these voluntary leaders for good extension work.
 8.  The Whole-family Principle:
The family is the unit of any society.  All the members have equal
importance and they should be developing equally.  Extension work is for the
whole family and it should reach all the members of the family.  Extension work
will have a better chance of success if the extension workers have whole-family
approach, instead of separate and un integrated approach.  There should be
place for the farer, his wife and children in the programmes.  Such programme
will be useful and popular.  Any innovation liked by male member of the family
but did not like by other, then decision of adoption may affected.
9.  Principle of Satisfaction:
The end product of the efforts of extension teaching is the satisfaction
that comes to the farmer hiss wife or youngsters as the result of solving a
problem, meeting a need, acquiring a new skill or some other changes in
behavior.  If the peoples are not satisfied by participating in democratic societies
people cannot be made to move like machines.  They continue the things only
when they get satisfaction through these innovations.  Satisfaction is the key to
success in extension work.  “A satisfied customer is the best advertisement”.
10.  Principle of Evaluation:
Extension is based upon the methods of science and it needs constant
evaluation.  It is necessary to determine the teaching results in an unbiased way. 
For this it is necessary to review the development made so far and see whether
the extension work is proceeding in the right direction.  If it is not, then it is
necessary to take corrective measures.  Extension work is educational in nature
and therefore, its effectiveness should be measured by measuring the changes in
people resulting form the teaching process.  It is no longer enough to have only
plans and methods but it is necessary to determine the teaching results by
 scientific way.  The results of such evolutions would help the extension workers
in improving the quality of the programmes in the future.

11.  Principle of Applied Science and Democracy:

Applied agricultural science is not a one-way process.  The problem of the
people is taken to the scientists who do the experimentation necessary to find
out the solution.  The extension worker transmits the findings of the laboratories
to the farmers, but the farmer has the freedom to decide the adoption or
rejection of the innovation.  In democracy, freedom of thought and the unbiased
and objective approach of the scientist, establish facts used in the solution of
problem.  But farm families can voluntarily adopt these facts to satisfy their own
needs.
12.  Principle of Trained Specialists:
Extension is the bridge between scientists and farmers.  It is very difficult
for a multipurpose extension worker to keep himself abreast with all the latest
findings of research in all the branches of science.  If there are no trained cannot
thrive.  These specialists have the responsibility of solving the problems of the
extension workers in their subject.  The subject matter specialist should have a
broad outlook and he should know other subject matter fields related to family
problems thereby concentrating on the welfare of the whole family and making
his special.
13.  Principle of Co-operation:        
Extension programmes are for the people by the people. The idea behind
the extension work is the coming together of the rural people and the extension
workers for social upliftment.  The extension programmes should be the people’s
programme with government aid.  Most members of the village community will
willingly co-operative in carrying out a project.  All should co-operate and help
each other for this task of social upliftment.
Principle of learning by doing In extension work, farmers should be
encouraged to learn new things by doing and buy to believe on innovations or
new ideas, until they see the results with their own eyes.  So that extension
workers have to develop their faith. The motive for improvement must come
form the people, and they must practice the new ideas by actually doing them. 
It is learning by doing, which is most effective in changing people’s behavior and
developing the confidence to use the new methods in future.

Process and steps involved in Agricultural Extension

The Extension Educational Process: Extension education is

a participatory process and involves five essential and interrelated steps. The
sequence of steps is discussed on the basis of concepts developed by Leagans
(1967).
 TEACHING
(What to teach & how to teach)

OBJECTIVE EVALUATION
(What should be) 2 4 (What has been result)

SITUATION 1 5 RECONSIDERATION

Fig.1- Diagrammatic representation of process of agriculture extension.

First Step: The first step consists of collection of facts and analysis of the
situation. Facts about the people and their enterprises; the economic, social,
cultural, physical and technological environment in which they live and work.
These may be obtained by appropriate survey and establishing rapport with the
people.

Second Step: The next step is deciding on realistic objective which may be
accomplished by the community. A limited number of objectives should be
selected by involving the local people. The objectives should be specific and
clearly stated, and on completion, should bring satisfaction to the community.
Objectives should state the behavioral changes in people as desired economic
and social outcomes.

Third Step: The third step is teaching, which involves choosing what should be
taught (the content) and how the people should be taught (the methods and
aids to be used). It requires selecting research findings of economic and practical
importance relevant to the community, and selection and combination of
appropriate teaching methods and aids.
 Fourth Step: The fourth step is evaluating the teaching, i.e. determining the
extent to which the objectives have been reached. To evaluate the results of an
educational programme objectively, it is desirable to conduct a re-survey. The
evidence of the changed behavior should be collected, which shall not only
provide a measure of success, but shall also indicate the deficiencies, if any.

Fifth Step: The fifth step of the entire extension educational programme on the
light of the results of evaluation. The problems identified in the process of
evaluation may become the starting point for the next phase of the extension
educational programme, unless new problems have developed or new situations
have arisen.
Thus, the continuous process of extension education shall go on, resulting
in progress of the people from a less desirable to a more desirable situation.

References:
Introduction to Agriculture Extension Management, MANAGE, Hyderabad
Education and communication for development, O.P.Dhama and O.P.Bhatnagar
Web pages from http://www.agriinfo.in
 Post Graduate Diploma in
Agricultural Extension Management

ASSIGNMENT

Course 101: Introduction to Agricultural Extension Management (4 credits)



Submitted to

NATIONAL INSTITUE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION MANAGEMENT

( An organization of Ministry Agriculture, Govt. of India)
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030 A.P., India

Submitted by

SHAILESH DINKARRAO SARNAIK

Junior Research Assistant,
Zonal Agriculture Research Station,