Guide to Extension Training

Guide to Extension Training
Author: Peter Oakley
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 156
Release: 1985
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9789251014530

The framework of development; Understanding extension; Social and cultural factors in extension; Extension and comunication; Extension methods; The extension agent; The planning and evaluation of extension programmes; Extension an special target groups.

Agricultural Development and Food Security in Developing Nations

Agricultural Development and Food Security in Developing Nations
Author: Ganpat, Wayne G.
Publisher: IGI Global
Total Pages: 387
Release: 2016-10-19
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1522509437

The development of sustainable agricultural systems is an imperative aspect of any country, but particularly in the context of developing countries. Lack of progress in these initiatives can have negative effects on the nation as a whole. Agricultural Development and Food Security in Developing Nations is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly material on promoting advancements in agricultural systems and food security in developing economies. Highlighting impacts on citizens, as well as on political and social environments of a country, this book is ideally designed for students, professionals, policy makers, researchers, and practitioners interested in recent developments in the areas of agriculture.

Accelerating technical change through video-mediated agricultural extension: Evidence from Ethiopia

Accelerating technical change through video-mediated agricultural extension: Evidence from Ethiopia
Author: Abate, Gashaw T.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 74
Release:
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

Despite a rapidly growing enthusiasm around applications of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to smallholder agriculture in developing countries, there are still many questions on the effectiveness of ICT-based approaches. This study assesses the effects of videomediated agricultural extension service provision on farmers’ knowledge and adoption of improved agricultural technologies and practices in Ethiopia. The study focuses on a program piloted by the Government of Ethiopia and Digital Green and poses three questions. First, to what extent does video-mediated extension lead to increased uptake of improved agricultural technologies and practices by smallholder farmers? Second, is video-mediated extension targeted at both spouses of the household more effective than when only targeted at the (typically male) household head? Third, how cost-effective is a video-mediated approach to extension provision? The study explores these questions with a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the video-mediated approach as applied to three priority crops (teff, wheat, maize) and three technologies (row planting, precise seeding rates, and urea dressing). The trial was implemented in 347 kebeles (village clusters) during the 2017 meher (rainy) season in Ethiopia’s four most agriculturally important regional states. Analysis of data from our surveys of 2,422 households and 896 extension agents indicates that the video-mediated approach is more effective than the conventional approach in achieving several key outcomes. Specifically, we find that videomediated extension reaches a wider audience than the conventional approach and leads to higher levels of agricultural knowledge and uptake of technologies in those kebeles randomly assigned to the program. While our results do point to greater participation and greater knowledge of female spouses in kebeles where both male and female spouses were targeted by the program, we do not find clear evidence that the more inclusive approach translated into higher uptake of the subject technologies and practices. Finally, we find that the video-mediated approach becomes less costly as the scale of operation increases.

Agricultural Extension A Glimpse

Agricultural Extension A Glimpse
Author: Dr. S. JANANI
Publisher: Scientific Publishers
Total Pages: 119
Release: 2019-05-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9388812891

Agricultural Extension is the application of scientific research and knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education. It plays a crucial role in promoting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agriculture for the economic growth of every country. The study of Agricultural Extension as a subject is interwoven with different concepts, facts and figures. The objective of preparing this book is to help the readers to quickly grasp the concepts in a comprehensive, systematic and effective manner. The compilation of this book is mainly to present the relevant concepts being asked in various examinations being conducted by ASRB, ARS, SRF, JRF/NET and other entrance examinations. The concepts under each heading gives an overall idea about different aspects of Agricultural Extension. It gives insights and acts as a quick guide on Agricultural Extension. Moreover, the abbreviations given at the end will give the candidates an overall idea about the questions being asked in competitive examinations. Since efforts were made to compile the reliable information, there may be some important concepts be missing. If so, the readers are welcome to give their valuable suggestions and to point out errors, if any, for improving the quality of the book.

The Million Farmers School: An evaluation of its impact on farmers’ agricultural knowledge in Uttar Pradesh, India

The Million Farmers School: An evaluation of its impact on farmers’ agricultural knowledge in Uttar Pradesh, India
Author: Kumar, Anjani
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 62
Release:
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

The Million Farmers School (MFS) is an innovative extension program initiated by the Department of Agriculture in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, in 2017. Twice in a year, the department deploys its entire extension machinery to organize nearly 15,000 training programs for about a million farmers across all districts of the state. Unlike traditional extension services, MFS integrates various facets of agricultural knowledge into a packaged product and delivers through village-level trainings where printed material on the topics of training are also distributed among participants. This study presents early findings of a process evaluation, involving assessments of program design, implementation strategies, and estimation of benefits from program participation. In addition to consultation with public officials and community organizations, a state-level representative survey was conducted on a sample of both participating and non-participating households. The early results based on matching and instrumental variable methods—suggest that knowledge outcomes are significantly better among participants vis-à-vis non-participants. The results are robust to different model specifications. The study also qualitatively assesses various aspects of the program’s design and implementation, highlighting the constraints and challenges it faces and offers implementation advice for greater efficacy in its future course.

Improving Agricultural Extension

Improving Agricultural Extension
Author: Burton E. Swanson
Publisher: Fao
Total Pages: 240
Release: 1997
Genre: Art
ISBN:

This book on Improving Agricultural Extension: a Reference Manual offers a critical review and inventory-analysis of the "State of the Art" in agricultural extension theory and best practices written by internationally known agricultural extension practitioners, educators and scholars. A total of 38 authors from 15 countries contributed to the 23 chapters of this book and thus they provided broad international perspectives, covering both theory and practice, as well as micro and macro issues related to agricultural extension. It is the third edition of a classic reference manual on agricultural extension published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Aimed at agricultural extension planners, managers, trainers, educators, and field practitioners, this book could be useful in improving the quality of agricultural extension and in generating new ideas and methods for increasing further the cost-effectiveness of agricultural extension programmes. It provides many sound and practical suggestions for developing and improving the conceptual, technical, and operational methods and tools in order to strategically plan, efficently manage, and scientifically evaluate a problem-solving, demand-driven and needs-based agricultural extension programmes.

Agricultural Extension

Agricultural Extension
Author: Ban A. W. Vam Den
Publisher: CBS Publishers & Distributors Pvt Limited, India
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2002-02
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 9788123905761

The Training and Visit Extension System

The Training and Visit Extension System
Author: Gershon Feder
Publisher:
Total Pages: 62
Release: 1985
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN:

The paper analyzes several aspects of the operation and effects of the T & V extension system. Specific questions related to the supply of, and demand for, extension agents (VEW) visits, the presence or absence of farm size bias in VEW visits, seasonal and longer-term variations in the pattern of VEW visits, the relative importance of the VEW as a source of information to farmers, and the crop yields obtained by farmers in relation to their main sources of agricultural advice are addressed in detail. The paper draws the following main conclusions. Most (85 percent) contact farmers are visited regularly, and the majority of noncontact farmers also have some interaction with VEWs, suggesting that the supply of extension services is adequate. VEWs appear to be more active in the dry season than in the rainy season, which may be attributable to an emphasis on irrigated crop technology. As experience with the T & V system increases, contact farmers appear to receive fewer visits from VEWs, but visits to noncontact farmers increase. VEWs play a more important role as a disseminators of information in areas operating the T & V system than in areas relying on the older community development system of extension.