AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION:

NATURE, PHILOSOPHY,
PRINCIPLES, GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Dr. Pastora S. Coloma

Professor VI/Director for Extension
 CONTENTS
 Nature & Concepts of Agricultural
Extension
 Extension Philosophy and Principles
 Extension Goals and Objectives
 Major Functions & Roles of Extension
Agencies
 Extension Program Framework
 NATURE OF AGRICULTURAL
EXTENSION

What is the Nature of AE?

Distinctive characteristics
Essential quality or kind of work
Original concept/nature of AE
NATURE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

 Field of work/specialization/discipline
Job/work (source of income)
Form of non-formal education
Process of technology promotion &
transfer (diffusion process)
Process of communication
NATURE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

Program/project of government & non-

government organizations
Community service
Agricultural development

“Goal is development of man and his

environment”
Major Field/Specialization
 Crop Science
 Animal Science
 Soil Science
 Crop Protection
 Agricultural Economics
 Agricultural Extension
“You need to become a well-trained
agriculturist first, before you can become an
effective extensionist”
Other Fields of Specialization
Agribusiness
Entrepreneurship
Agricultural Engineering
Plant Breeding/Genetics
Agricultural Marketing
Others
 Concepts/Definitions: Agricultural
Extension
Agricultural Extension
As a program (government and non-
government agencies)
-is a program of transferring or disseminating
scientific knowledge, technologies and
information from government or private
institutions to target clientele to improve
productivity and income.
 As a Job/Work
- is the job of a person hired to transfer
new technologies or innovations in
order to improve the agriculture
business of a group of people,
cooperative, or community in crops,
livestock, fisheries, and agro-forestry.
 As a Process
 Agricultural extension as technology-transfer
process involves promotion, technology
dissemination, non-formal education and
communication.

 Agricultural extension as technology

dissemination process of new and relevant
products, process, information and services from
production, harvest, post-harvest, processing and
marketing.
Agricultural extension is the deliberate
process of bringing results of research &
development (R & D) agencies to target
users in order to solve their problems &
needs.
It is basically the science and art of
disseminating technologies by extension
agencies and utilization of various
clienteles.
 Extension Clients
Extension is the well-planned
process of science-based
information and technologies to:
producers, farmers, traders,
processors, businessmen,
cooperatives, researches,
academe, students and others
 Agricultural Extension

an important aspect of community development

(barangay, town, city, province)

a major part of rural development programs

a part of agri-business development

Involves various stakeholders or players in the

supply chain
 Agricultural Extension/Extension

Terms Similar but not Exactly the Same

Community outreach/service programs

Non-formal education
Outreach/Social work
Rural development
Training/Capacity Building
Technical or farm advisory services
Consultancy services
 Clients/Target Users/Adopters
• AGRICULTURE SECTOR
-farmers, agricultural workers, agricultural technicians, agri-dealers, traders,
agri-businessmen

• PROCESSING, PACKAGING & TRANSPORT

- food, feed & fiber processing industry

• MARKETING SECTOR
-local market
- trading post/center
-corporate or institutional market
 Clients
• Schools and Universities

• Research & Development agencies

• National and local governments

• Local and international communities

 Sources of
Technologies/Innovations
• State and private universities
• Government & private research and
development agencies
• Businessmen/manufacturers/dealers/retaile
rs
• All forms of mass media (print & electronic
media
• Legitimate organizations
• Co-farmers, cooperative officers
 Kinds of Technologies
 PRODUCT

 PROCESS

 INFORMATION

 SERVICES
Philosophy of Agricultural Extension

What is philosophy?
 Education (teaching and learning)
 Agriculture
 Business
 Medicine
 Engineering
 Agricultural extension
 All disciplines
Different Philosophies in Extension

Philosophy
 is a statement of deep-seated beliefs
that guide effective and efficient
implementation of extension programs
and projects.
 Guides the decisions and actions of
managers and workers
 Motivates/energizes workers—purpose
driven work
Philosophy ……
 a body or set of general principles or
laws that govern the conduct of specific
field of knowledge
Serves as the bases for making
guidelines in the performance of doing
jobs
 EXTENSION PHILOSOPHY

“Statement that members of an

agency formulated, disseminated,
believed and guided the
management of programs
implemented”
 Philosophy Statement

“Extension programs aim for the

development of people”
“Development of the people’s
knowledge, skills and attitudes in
order for them to progress”
“Development the economic,
social, cultural and environmental
aspects of man”
 CLSU PHILOSOPHY
“The ultimate measure of the
effectiveness of CLSU as an institution
of higher learning is its contribution to
and impact on the educational,
economic, social, cultural, and political
and moral well-being and
environmental consciousness of the
people it serves”
 Bases of Philosophy
Religion
Education & Training (educational level)
Status (social & economic)
Technical Expertise/Field of
specialization
Perception, attitudes
Experiences
others
 Principles of Extension
What are principles?
 guides in your work decisions, & actions
 helps workers to become effective and
efficient in their jobs
 Directs what to do, why and how it
should be done
“Principles are universal but people are
not”
 Principles of Extension
Needs and interest
Learning by doing
Cultural differences
Programs are based on the economic &
social conditions
Sustainability
Environmental protection
 Principles of Extension
Appropriate use of extension
approaches & methods
Cultural change
Uses the process of education (teaching
& learning), and communication
Partnership, linkaging & networking
 Classic Principles
1. Extension program starts where people
are and with what they have.
2. Classrooms in extension can be anywhere.
3. People learn to do by doing.
4. Principle of self-help is basic in extension.
5. Principle of satisfaction.
6. Principle of voluntary education
7. Democratic principle
 Goals & Objectives
What are goals?

Goals are long-term statement of

purposes.
 what do you want to attain/achieve
 condition, status, performance,
aspirations
Characteristics of Goals/Objectives

 Guides the organization, agency,

personnel,
 Based on current resources (human &
non-human)
 Not permanent/can be change
 Mandate of the agency/organization
 Formulated by the agency
 Time frame
Popular Characteristics:Goals
S---simple (understood by all)
M—measurable
A---attainable
R---realistic
T--- time frame
E—encouraging/motivating
S—satisfying
T---transforming (changes people &
environment---development)
 Extension Objectives
What are program objectives in extension?
(characteristics)
-- short-term in nature, immediate
-- measurable with clear indicators
of performance or achievement
-- reviewed daily/very often
--put people to action
--bases of daily/weekly/monthly/annual plans
Hierarchy of Goals/Objectives
LEVELS
National
Organizational
Regional
Provincial
Local (city/municipal/barangay)
LEVELS OF GOALS/OBJECTIVES

 NATIONAL

 LOCAL

 COMMUNITY

 PERSONAL/INDIVIDUAL
 Goals in Extension
 Adoption of technology by clients
 Improve productivity
 Increase income
 Food sufficiency
 Food security
 Global competitiveness
 Poverty reduction
 Higher level of living
 Improve quality of life
 Objectives in Extension
 Organize farmers into cooperatives &
register
 Adopt appropriate production technology
 Acquire production loan from banking
institutions
 High loan repayment
 Viable business of cooperatives & farmers
 Good marketing system
GENERAL/COMMON FUNCTIONS OF
EXTENSION AGENCIES
a. Technology promotion & dissemination
b. Technology transfer – thru various process
of teaching & learning
c. Motivates clients to use/buy the
technology
d. Technology marketing
e. Technical or farm advisory services
(production, postharvest, processing,
packaging up to marketing)
 ROLES OF EXTENSION AGENCIES

1. Search mature and appropriate

technologies
2. Technology promotion
3. Educator/capacitate clients
4. Facilitator/assist
5. Coach and mentor
6. Problem solver
7. Empower to make their own decisions
 ELEMENTS/FRAMEWORK
 Extension agency (Source)

 Technology & innovations (message)

 Extension
channels/approaches/methods

 Clients (receivers)