Extension –
Meaning The word ‘extension’ is derived from the Latin roots, ‘ex’ – meaning ‘out’ and ‘tensio’ meaning ‘stretching’. Stretching out is the meaning of extension.
The term Extension originated in England in 1866 with a system of university extension .Dr. J. P. Leagans of USA is known as the father of extension,
Education: It is the production of desirable changes in knowledge (things known), attitude (things felt) and skills (things done), either in all (or) one or more of human behaviour.
Types of Education
Informal Education – Is the life long process by which every person acquires knowledge, skills, attitudes and insights (capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding) from daily experiences and exposure to the environment at home, at work, at play etc.
Non-formal Education – Is an organised, systematic educational activity carried on outside the frame work of the formal system to provide selected types of learning to particular subgroups in the population, including adults and children.
E.g.: adult education, vocational education, functional literacy, continuing education, extension education etc.
Scope of Extension Education
Efficiency in marketing, distribution and utilisation.
Conservation, development and use of natural resources.
Management on the farm and in the home.
Family living.
Youth development.
Leadership development.
- Community development
- Efficiency in agricultural production.
PRINCIPLES, PHILOSOPHY PROCESSES AND OBJECTIVES OF EXTENSION
Principles underlying the Philosophy* of Extension
1. Extension is an organisation to plan, execute and evaluate programmes with the people, and not for the people.
2. Extension is an organisation set up to teach people and motivate them to action, not to dictate what people should do.
3. Extension should help people to help themselves.Philosophy of Extension
Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, a body of general principles or laws of a field of knowledge.
Philosophy of a particular discipline would furnish the principles or guidelines with which to shape or mould the programmes or activities relating to that discipline.
The philosophy of extension work is based on the importance of an individual in the promotion of progress for rural people and for the nation.
Extension Educators should work with people to help them, develop themselves and achieve superior well-being.
Functions of Extension
Change in knowledge-
means change in what people know.
For example, farmers who did not know of a recent HYV crop came to know of it through participation in extension programmes.
The Extension Agents (EAs) who did not know of Information Technology (IT) came to know of them after attending a training course.
Change in skill –
is change in the technique of doing things.
The farmers learnt the technique of growing the HYV crop which they did not know earlier.
The EAs learnt the skill of using IT.
Change in attitude –
involves change in the feeling or reaction towards certain things.
The farmers developed a favourable attitude towards the HYV crop.
The EAs developed a favourable feeling about the use of IT in extension programme.
Change in understanding –
means change in comprehension (capacity of understanding something).
The farmers realized the importance of the HYV crop in their farming system and the extent to which it was economically profitable and desirable, in comparison to the existing crop variety.
The EAs understood the use of IT and the extent to which these would make extension work more effective.
Change in goal –
The what extent farmers raised their goal in crop production, say, increasing crop yield in a particular season by five quintals per hectare by cultivating the HYV crop.
The EAs set their goal of getting an improved practice adopted by the farmers within a certain period of time by using IT.
Change in action –
means change in performance or doing things. The farmers who did not cultivate the HYV crop earlier cultivated it.
The EAs who earlier did not use IT in their extension programmes started using them.
Change in confidence-
involves change in self-reliance.
Farmers felt sure that they have the ability of raising crop yield.
The EAs developed faith on their ability to do better extension work.
The development of confidence or self-reliance is the solid foundation for making progress.
Second step:
The next step is deciding on realistic objectives which may be accomplished (Purpose) by the community.
A limited number of objectives should be selected by involving the local people.
The objectives should be specific and clearly stated, and on completion should bring satisfaction to the community.
Objectives should state the behavioural changes in people as well as economic and social outcomes desired.
Third step:
The third step is teaching, which involves choosing what should be taught (the content) and how the people should be taught the methods and aids to be used.
Fourth step:
The fourth step is evaluating the teaching .
To evaluate the results of an educational programme objectively, it is desirable to conduct a re-survey.
In the example, the re-survey after the fixed period of time, indicated that the crop yield had increased by 10 percent.
It, therefore, indicated that there was a gap of 10 per cent in crop yield in comparison to the target (objective) of 20 per cent fixed earlier.there was lack of proper water management and the farmers could not apply the fertilizer and plant protection chemicals as per recommendation due to lack of funds.
Fifth step:
The fifth step is re-consideration.
The problems identified in the process of evaluation may become the starting point for the next phase of the extension educational programme,
After re-consideration of the results of evaluation with the people, the following teaching objectives were again set up.
For example, they were, training the farmers on proper water management practices
General objectives (Function): The general objectives of the extension are-
To assist people to discover and analyse their problems, their felt and unfelt needs.
To develop leadership among people and help them in organising groups to solve their problems.
To keep the research workers informed of the peoples' problems from time to time, so that they may offer solutions based on necessary research.
To assist people in mobilising and utilizing the resources which they have and which they need from outside.
Eg.: To increase the a production and productivity of Paddy in India.
The major objectives of Extension may also be categorized as follows:
Material - increase production, income.
Educational - change the outlook of people or develop the individuals.
Social and cultural - development of the community.
The Concept of Rural Development
Scope and Importance of Rural Development
Rural development is a dynamic process which is mainly concerned with the rural areas. These include agricultural growth, putting up of economic and social infrastructure, fair wages as also housing and house sites for the landless, village planning, public health, education and functional literacy, communication etc.
1. about three-fourth of India's population live in rural areas,
2. nearly half of the country's national income is derived from agriculture,
3. around seventy per cent of Indian population get employment through agriculture,
4. bulk of raw materials for industries come from agriculture and rural sector,
Objectives: The major objectives of rural development are:
- to achieve enhanced production and productivity in rural areas,
- to bring about a spatial balance in social and economic development,
- to bring about improvement in the ecological environment
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (NOW RURAL DEVELOPMENT) AND EXTENSION SERVICE IN INDIA
The community development programme in India aiming at the all-round development of the rural people and the Extension ServiceThe evolution of this programme and the new set-up are described in four stages:
Stage I -Pre-Independence Era (1866-1947)
Stage II - Post-Independence Era (1947-1953)
Stage III - Community Development and National Extension Service Era (1953-
1960)
Stage IV - Intensive Agricultural Development Era (1960-onwards)