Extension Services in Agriculture Sector

2012

Journal of agricultural research

A study was conducted during the year 2009 to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of various information delivery methods used by the extension field staff (EFS) of private sector in the Punjab, Pakistan. A cross-sectional research design was used for the study. A sample of 408 farmers was drawn by using Fitzgibbon table. Only 260 respondents (who were able to rate the strengths and weaknesses of extension methods) reported that they got extension services from private sector. The data were collected through personal interviews with the help of pre-tested and validated interview schedule. The data were analyzed by using computer software (SPSS). About 98.5 percent of the respondents reported that group discussion was a commonly used method followed by TV channels (62.7%) and telephone calls (52.3%). Regarding effectiveness of communication, overall mean value (2.11) depicts that it was considered a weakness of the private extension system by the end users. The study concludes t...

This paper examined the Indian Agricultural Extension Systems and its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Various lessons learnt over a period of time have also been documented. Hence, the paper recommends that the extension managers and policy makers should focus on the identified strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats with a view of evolving an effective and sustainable extension system. There is an urgent need of making extension services truly more responsive to local concerns and national policy.

International journal of Home science, 2020

In the last 50 years, Indian agriculture has made huge strides, showing single resilience in being a major contributor to Indian economy. Now it is widespread having agreed that sound agricultural development is necessary for most developed countries overall economic results. Agricultural production depends to a large extent on good research framework for need-based and demand-driven technologies in accordance with efficient transfer of technology programme to liaise researchers with extension staff together with end users. India has undergone significant changes in the framework of agricultural extensions since the start of the 21st Century. The goal of many countries, where ICT has increased significantly in the agricultural extension provide adequate access to agricultural information through medium. If extension staff use ICT efficiently and effectively, it will their work is simpler and, in addition, enables their distribution of information. ICT allows them analyze data, prepare work plan and budgets, and easily reach farmers. Grass root state level extension activities are largely based on the Agriculture coordinators and Kishan Salahkar. Since we know this is the digitalization age, the basic aim of the study is analyze the use of ICTs by the Agriculture coordinator and Kishan Salahkar, who are separate identified as the agriculture para-extension worker. In order to carryout their job effectively and successfully, the agriculture coordinator and kishan salahkar must have awareness, e-readiness and positive attitude towards use of ICT tools, proper training and availability of ICT tools which makes them competent and fast in carrying out their duties in the work.Based on the present study, it can be inferred that one of the respondents did not have adequate ICT training, the majority of respondents expressed low ICT infrastructure and other resources and low e-readiness level and faced different constraints in the use of ICTs. To prevent problems and enhance the e-readiness of extension staff, it is therefore important to provide proper training and proper care and management of the use of ICTs. Introduction The world is moving quite rapidly. The changes are evident in every aspect of life, It is politics, culture or economy and one of the most important change drivers in the technology. Information is important for technology growth. Information consists of the compilation of facts collected by different means of communication and plays a critical role in the Fast-growing generation. At the same time, technology allows quick and quick collection of information fast. Information and technology together have developed a new division called Information Technology (IT). IT requires data processing on a network. That's it. can be achieved by using the hardware, software, facilities and support infrastructures manage the knowledge and distribute it. IT has dramatically changed our everyday lives over the recent years. ICT is an acronym that can be commonly defined as communication and Processing technologies that facilitate communication and the processing and transition of information by electronic means. Kumari Navarathne (2003), described ICT as recording, processing, storing, electronically communicating information on a digital medium. It makes an efficient and cost-effective movement of information items, individuals, and resources across national and regional borders. Rajashri (2008) [5] , ICTs can play a significant role in making information available at fair cost to the farming community. Raj et al. (2016) [4] , stated that the slogan of agricultural extension and education is to transfer information related to scattered and often anecdotal research lessons to specific individuals, ICT has emerged very quickly and widely adopted by the future generation of India. Therefore ICT holds great promise for the transition of the agricultural sector.

1 Effective January 2007, the Discussion Paper series within each division and the Director General's Office of IFPRI were merged into one IFPRI-wide Discussion Paper series. The new series begins with number 00689, reflecting the prior publication of 688 discussion papers within the dispersed series. The earlier series are available on IFPRI's website at . 2 IFPRI Discussion Papers contain preliminary material and research results. They have been peer reviewed, but have not been subject to a formal external review via IFPRI's Publications Review Committee. They are circulated in order to stimulate discussion and critical comment; any opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of IFPRI.

2012

Key messages, findings and recommendations .:. As a response to address constraints facing agriculture extension service, the Web-based and Mobile-based Farmers Advisory Information System (W-FAIS & M-FAIS) were developed to minimize various constraints hindering agricultural production such as lack of timely agricultural information; poor delivery of extension services because of few extension officers, lack of incentives as well as under-utilization of K'Ts. • :. The W-FAIS and M-FAIS ws released for public use in January 2015 that followed anawareness campaign which was conducted in Kilosa District. The project improved working efficiency of the extension officers, provision of equal access to information and agriculture innovation system to the farming community I inking all major actors of agricultural sector such as farmers, transporters, traders, input suppliers, extension officers, researchers and policy makers, which makes easier for the establishment of community initiative for solving complex problems in agriculture. • :. Issues of quality control were monitored through the use of agriculture innovation system. The agriculture innovation system consists of networking with members of Kilosa community radio, local telecentre, researchers from Sokoine University of Agriculture and representative actors from farmers, processors and traders. • :. The study proposes a policy for establishing a national framework for validation of agriculture knowledge information systems. For this policy to work the following aspects should be operational: establishment of an e-Agric-Extension Policy; improving collaboration and capacity building; and strengthening ICT infrastructure

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences

The term 'agricultural extension' is a professional communication intervention deployed by public and private agencies or organizations to disseminate agriculture knowledge and technologies to rural communities. The public sector agency represented by the State Department of Agriculture is disseminating the agriculture and allied technologies among the farm families over the last few decades. The attitude is considered as the main variable or factor that has a great impact on the adoption rate of any technology by farmers and consequently, on the overall production rate. Experiences have shown that the favourable attitude towards any programme is bound to

This paper provides an overview of extension services and constraints and challenges faced by the extension system of Pakistan. The evidence from existing literature on agricultural extension systems is examined and approaches in Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan with particular reference to crops (including fruit) and livestock extension services are and synthesized.

Advances in Life Sciences, 2016

It has been suggested that 'agri-expert systems' might have a significant role in the future by enabling large number of people so that they can access human experts. It is, therefore, important to understand how potential users interact with these computer systems. This study investigates the level of awareness, frequency and nature of agri-expert system use by the extension professionals in Kerala with respect to Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) expert systems (KAU FERTULATOR and E-crop doctor) and Kissan Kerala expert system. A survey was conducted among three targeted segments of Kerala's extension professionals with a sample of 100 respondents actively involved in the field of agriculture. Results showed that the level of awareness among the respondents on agri-expert system was relatively high, frequency of agri-expert system use by extension professionals was occasional and nature of usefulness of agri-expert system perceived by extension professionals was very useful in case of KAU expert systems and useful in case of Kissan Kerala expert system.In order to improve awareness of extension professionals, necessary training should be given to them. Constant updating of agri-expert systems also increases frequencyand nature of usefulness of agri-expert system use by the extension professionals in Kerala.

2009

The study on agricultural information flow has revealed that only 40 per cent farm households access information from one or the other source. The popular information sources among farmers have been reported to be fellow progressive farmers and input dealers, followed by mass media. The public extension system has been found to be accessed by only 5.7 per cent households. Only 4.8 per cent of the small farmers have access to public extension workers as compared to 12.4 per cent of large farmers. The sector-wise study on the type of information, sought has revealed that a majority of the farmers have sought information on seed (32-55%) in the cultivation sector; on health care (26-54 %) in animal husbandry; and on management and marketing (8-46 %) in fisheries. Regarding adoption of information by farmers, input dealers and other progressive farmers have depicted greater influence mainly due to easy and convenient access to these sources. The study has suggested promotion of farmers-led extension and strengthening of public extension services to improve coverage and efficiency of agricultural information delivery systems.

American Journal of Applied Sciences, 2009

Problem statement: The majority of rural population in Iran has limited access to agricultural information. However, bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas has been a major challenge for authorities in Iran. Agricultural extension by its nature can have an important role in this regard. Approach: This study aimed at examining the perception of extension specialists in Iran about appropriate policies that can affect the application of ICTs by extension service. A questionnaire was developed and data was collected from 182 extension specialists. Regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The stepwise method was used in the regression analysis. Results: Results showed 80% of the variance in the policies which affect the application of ICTs by extension service could be explained by three variables, advocating the participation of rural population in ICTs project planning, open source system and the integration of conventional information delivery system with new ICTs. Conclusion and Recommendations: Results showed that in order to deploy ICTS as an appropriate technology for extension service in Iran, financial, social, human and organizational sustainability should be achieved over time. Policies that provide affordable access to information need to be carefully identified and examined. Agricultural extension in Iran needs to address the policy and regulatory issues that impact on the use of the ICTs. The issue is not to replace the existing technologies, but the extension service should integrate the conventional information delivery system with new ICTs.

Agricultural Research Journal, 2022

In today’s world extension must improve the capacity of farmers on entrepreneurship through the lens of the Agricultural Innovation System at the farm level. Extension advisory systems have changed worldwide. It has evolved from the introduction of the T&V system to the adoption of ICT and enterprise-led extension and will evolve continually. In developing countries, agriculture can serve as an engine for economic growth. However, the productivity of these countries is far lesser than that of developed countries (Aker, 2001). Therefore, to reverse this yield gap, adopting a range of improved technologies and practices is often critical (Kumar et al., 2020). The extension advisory services can help bridge these knowledge gaps of farmers and the adoption of new technologies (Ferroni and Zhou, 2012). Various extension approaches and advisory services are followed in developing countries. Especially, the importance of the extension advisory systems (including relations between different actors in the extension systems) in improving the productivity, production and income of the farmers was strongly felt as these are the indicators of rural development.

2010

The aim of this study was to analyze the agricultur a extension system in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The findings of the study show that weak extension-farmers linka ge system prevails in the area. Despite the commitm ent of the government to provide extension services to the farmers at doorst eps, the farmers complain about no visits of the ex t nsion field workers to their farms. The study concludes that the weakness of the extension system was due to the lack of devotion, motivation and sense of responsibility among extension agents and weak moni tori g system. The normal task of transferring and disseminating of appropriate agricultural technologies to farmers an d good farm practices would not be sufficient for a gricultural production unless supported by an effective extension system. Extension department need to exercise a more proact ive and participatory role which should be based on strong extension-farmers l inkage.

Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 2019

Information needs to be expressed by farmers have often been understood as extension needs. However, the mandate of extension services is more than just providing information about agri-inputs and its supply chain. The present study was undertaken to determine the extension needs of vegetable growers. The study sample comprised of 160 vegetable growers spread across four villages in two districts of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The data was collected through personal interviews using a pre-tested structured interview schedule. The study findings revealed that a large majority of the vegetable growers expressed high extension needs. Certain attributes of farmers such as age, education, farming experience, information-seeking behaviour, media exposure and income were found to have a significant relationship with the extension needs of vegetable growers. The study findings will help policymakers, technology developers, extension scientists and field extension agents learn about the ex...