Extension approach
Garforth’s definition of terms:
-
-
Extension model
- is a representation in words or diagrams of an institution or process or situation models highlights the key features of the things they represent is a simplification of reality
-
-
-
- can be descriptive or normative
Extension approach is the general, overall orientation of extension activity within a particular organisation or geographical area
“the style of action within a system” - Contado (FAO, 1990) assumed that approaches are determined by policy makers which further determines the roles of the extension worker in the planning of extension programmes
-
-
Extension strategy is the broad outline of the planned sequence of activities, methods and events by which an extension agency intends to achieve its objectives
(strategy for increasing the number of wood lots by communities) -
Extension system comprises all the components (such as institutions, cadres of staff, methods) which are used to put extension into practice, the relationships between tose components and the procedures for carrying out various tasks.
1. Farm enterprise: commodity specific – whole farm system

Some organisations focus on specific commodities while others take the whole farm and its farming systems or the whole household economy as their concern
1


Commodity specific extension is generally only effective where there is high economic returns – cash crops

Specialist back up required even in whole farm or general agricultural orientation
Advantages and disadvantages of commodity specific extension:
Advantages:

 having specialist extension staff at field level high level of contact



Disadvantages:
 farmers may be faced with several extension workers from different agencies needs and potential of the whole farm may not be considered their narrow focus means that environmental factors may be ignored extension objectives are determined by agency needs and priorities,

 not those of farmers only minority of farmers may be potential beneficiaries
2. Clientele: target category – all house holds some organisations offer their services to any person or household while others provide separate services to different categories of clients
 policy of working with all farmers (whole farm) on an equal basis usually leaves some types of farmers out – (concentration with innovative farmers)
 target orientation can be an effective way of making sure disadvantages farmers or households gain more benefit from





 extension target orientation recognises the needs of ‘women in farming’
Need to target extension activities since the client differ in the following: gender scale of farming level of education range of existing enterprises level of existing technology
2


 resources available dependency on common property resources and therefore, they will differ in



 the sorts of technology their priorities their readiness to take risk their willingness to take part in group activities
2. Means of influence: enforcement – problem solving
 to influence the behaviour of their clients, extension agencies may rely on enforcement, advice and information, education and training,
 or on participatory problem solving methods enforcement may seem to be against all principles of extension but sometimes it has to be used to achieve behaviour change
3. Objectives: technology transfer – organisations
 immediate objective of extension is often seen as technology transfer. However, some agencies will give more priority to building up farmers’, or rural people’s organisations
 technology transfer is said to happen on a large scale when organisations come into being
4. Scale: individual -- group
 focus of extension until now was mostly on individual farmers or households but action is often required on a larger scale, e.g. soil conservation and pest control
 studies indicate there are chances of technologies being adopted if disseminated through groups of farmers
Some common sets of arguments for focusing extension support on groups:
 meeting farmers in group can contact and influence more clients which would be cost-effective and improve efficiency
3

 social psychology suggests group setting can speed up learning, attitude change and adoption of new ideas
 working in groups can serve a wider spectrum of clients more equitably
 farmer groups can ensure extension becomes demand driven rather than supply driven
 through groups and organisations, disadvantages farmers can find a voice and economic power
5. Scope: information only – material inputs also

Some organisations restrict their agents to education and information tasks, while others allow them to supply inputs and technical services
6. Payment: clients pay – free service

Until the mid-1980s, in many situations, extension services were
 provided free of charge and the cost met from taxes
Farmers are now increasingly being asked to pay for some of the

 cost of extension for two main reasons:
High recurrent costs of public sector extension service
Information and advice viewed as ‘private goods.’
8. Direction: top down – bottom up
 in most extension systems, it is assumed that technology flow from research to extension to farmers
 today farmers are also recognised to develop technology through experience and experimentation and as such capable of preparing their extension programmes
♫ analysis of current situation
♫ understanding how and why change take place both on individual farm and rural economy
♫ political, economic and ideological factors planners and politicians’ perceptions of rural population
4