Agricultural
extension is one of the necessary conditions for the development of
agriculture. It is regarded as the center of the activities between the
researcher and the farmer. To many people, it is just the provision of
technical advice to farmers to help them increase their agricultural output.
In
this unit, it will be revealed that extension takes a central position in
relationship to the other aspects of agriculture such as crops production,
livestock, and forestry and so on.
Definition of Agricultural Extension
Agricultural extension is a form of educational service for training and influencing farmers (and their families) to adopt improved practices in crop and livestock production, management conservation and marketing.
Here,
the concern is not only about teaching and securing adoption of particular
improvement practices, but about changing the outlook of the farmer to the
point where he will be receptive to innovation- and on his own initiative, can
continuously seek means of improving his farm business and home.
The Concept of Agricultural Extension
It
is a broad concept which does the following:
1.
Provides information/education to the farmer and his family.
2.
Asks the farmer to adopt improved practices in the following areas:
a.
Increasing his agricultural production
b.
Management
c.
Conservation
d.
Marketing.
3.
Makes him receptive to innovation, and thus motivated to continuously seek
means of improving his farm business and home. Specifically, the agricultural
extension officer transmits research findings from research institutes or
universities to farmers and obtains feedback from farmers (for researchers) for
further research, analysis and validation of facts. These duties are carried
out through a systematic educational approach under the atmosphere of mutual
trust and respect.
Read On: Importance of Research in Agriculture
Dissemination of
Information
Categories
of relevant information transmitted to farmers through the agricultural
extension officers include the following:
1.
Agricultural inputs- importance and techniques of applying fertilizers,
insecticides, pesticides etc.; and information on sources of supplies or
provision of these inputs to farmers.
2.
Agricultural practices- improved techniques of soil cultivation, conservation
and general management of farm land.
3.
Appropriate techniques for production, management, harvesting processing and
storage of different crops.
4.
Improved techniques of production and management of livestock including
processing and preparation of their products.
5.
Information about rural institutions that are relevant to the needs of
farmers-for example, financial institutions, market, cooperation etc.
When
the information is passed to the farmers, they need to accept and adopt same to
improve their harvest and livestock production output.
However,
while some farmers readily adopt (early adopters) the innovations, some are
hesitant (late adopters) and others do not adopt the innovations
(non-adopters), due to several factors related to the three principal actors
within the extension service system.
The Principal Actors
Within
the extension service system, the principal actors are:
1.
The farmers, who are sole beneficiaries of all agricultural extension work
2. The extension officers whose responsibility it is to disseminate the information to the farmers,
3. The government, that determines the
extension services through the development of manpower, recruitment of
extension officers, and provision of resources (funds, transportation,
communication etc.) for effectiveness of the services.
Rate of Adoption
Some
of the factors which are responsible for the rate of adoption of innovations by
farmers are as discussed below:
1. Economic factor:
This includes the capital outlay required by the farmer in order to practice
the new techniques; and it also includes the economic returns. Any new
technique that attracts high cost tends to be adopted slowly; while those of
low cost implication but with high returns is readily adopted. Thus, any doubt
on the reliability or profitability of the innovation reduces its chances of
being adopted.
2. Complexity of the
innovation: The more complex the techniques are, the
more difficult it is for the farmers to adopt the innovation. Farmers tend to
accept innovations that are simple to understand and practical’s than those
that require high skill to execute.
3. Visibility of returns: Agricultural business depends on nature, hence farmers contend with more risks than entrepreneurs in other sectors. On account of this, farmers are generally unwilling to take additional risks arising from adoption of innovation.
For
instance, the idea of taking insurance on farming business is not something
that farmers will readily jump at. Although farmers are aware of the advantages
of insuring their farms, the benefit will not be enjoyed by an insured farmer
except risk occurs.
4. Divisibility of innovations: Nigerian agricultural sector is characterized by millions of small-scale farmers. As such, they are the focus of agricultural development programmes.
Innovations should, therefore, be such that could be
easily adopted by small scale farmers on their small farm land holdings.
Techniques
which can be easily tried on a small scale level are often readily adopted by
farmers, than those to be practiced on large scale only. Farmers with small
land holdings do not readily adopt innovations compared with their contemporaries
with large land holdings.
5. Compatibility of
innovations with community belief: Innovations must be
consistent or compatible with existing ideas, belief or norms of the target
community. Those which seem to contradict the customs or ideas of beneficiaries
are usually rejected. An example of this is production of pig in a
predominantly Islamic community.
6. Socio-economic status of
farmers: Farmers who are wealthy and highly influential in the
community often seek for and make greater use of extension information. Thus,
they take greater risk than farmers of low socio-economic status.
7. Educational level of
farmers: Farmers’ rate of adoption of innovation, sometimes,
depends on their educational background. The more educated the farmers are,
usually, the more readily they adopt innovations introduced to them.
8. Role conflicts:
Farmers are the target of cooperative extension officers and agricultural
extension officers. Problems of role and personality conflicts often arise
between the agricultural and cooperative extension officers on the field. This
tends to negatively influence farmers rate of adoption of new farm techniques.
9. Reliability of extension officers: Extension service is an enormous task which demands a large population of dedicated extension officers for effectiveness. However, the problem of shortage of extension officers, lack of financial resources, mobility etc., prevent them from performing their duties effectively.
Thus,
farmers tend to lose confidence in the whole package of innovation introduced
to them. The failure of an extension officer to keep his/her promise of
providing inputs of production or additional information reduces the confidence
of farmers in him/her.
10. Extension officer’s
approach: The approach of communicating with farmers is very
relevant- to enhance acceptability. Thus, extension officers need to understand
each situation, based on the socio-cultural characteristics of the target
group. Mutual respect and trust is paramount to the success of extension
service. Farmers tend to be less interested in the innovation introduced to
them disrespectfully.
The
methodology of imparting information is also essential. In this regard, the use
of audio-visual aid, motion picture (video), demonstration plots etc., tend to
enhance the understanding of farmers and their acceptance of innovation.
11. Malpractices/fraudulent
acts: It is human to make errors. However, when errors are
committed intentionally, it becomes fraud. Cases of the involvement of
extension officers in fraud are observed on the field. Thus, farmers who have
been victims of such malpractices in the past are usually skeptical about
innovations brought to them by innocent extension officers.
12. Insufficient financial
resources: Government, rarely, provides adequate funding for
extension services in the country. Extension officers are unable to perform
effectively due to lack of mobility and non-payment of traveling expenses. The
poor state of rural infrastructures- such as roads hampers extension services.
13. Shortage of extension officers: The shortage of extension officers is due to failure on the part of the government to recruit adequate manpower for extension service programmes. The present extension service manpower level is grossly inadequate to cope with the contact with the extension officers.
Thus, innovations
previously adopted by farmers are later dropped when they are faced with
difficulties, and there is no extension officer to consult.
14. Frequent changes of
government policies: Government formulates policies to ensure
rapid agricultural development. However, there were cases in the past when
farmers adopted innovations, and then along the line, a new policy is
formulated with adverse effect on the farmer’s business. A farmer who has
suffered this in the past is often hesitant when it comes to accepting new
techniques. For example, government policy may encourage importation of maize
to meet increased demand of the poultry sector.
On
assessing the performance of the agricultural sector, another policy such as
ban on importation of all grains may be announced to protect the local
producers of grains, if local demands exceed supply; many farmers may be forced
out of the industry.
15. Availability of
facilities which must accompany innovations for achievement of expected results:
Modern
agriculture depends mostly on the use of high yielding varieties (HYV) which
depend on fertilizers and irrigation. Thus, timely provision of fertilizer in
adequate quantity and irrigation facilities tend to encourage farmers to adopt
new planting materials. This is because irrigation reduces the effects of the
adverse weather conditions on crops and livestock production.
Conclusion on Agricultural Extension Service
You
would have realized that agricultural extension is a system of disseminating
information from research institutes to farmers within the shortest possible
time; more so, rural farmers are trained so as to acquire the necessary skills
and knowledge.
From
the concept of agricultural extension, it has been made clear to you that agricultural
extension serves as the rallying point for the components of agricultural
systems, namely- production, supply, credit marketing, research and regulation
which form the nerve center of agricultural development.
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