Concept of Extension

o the core concept of extension is education (Mosher, 1975)

o is an educational process offered to persons in rural or

out-of-school communities (Sison, 1981)

o is an educational activity outside the usual school that

involves formal institutions reaching out to needy clients to
improve their health, wealth or socio-cultural well-being
(Valera, et.al., 1987)
Concept of Extension

o a process of integrating indigenous and derived

knowledge, attitudes and skills to determine what is
needed, how it can be done, what local cooperation and
resources can be mobilized and what additional
assistance is available and may be necessary to
overcome particular obstacles (Sim and Hilmi, 1984)

o a method of non-formal education aimed at inducing

behavioral changes to improve technical knowledge and
skills to enable in income generating projects and thereby
increase income (Swanson, 1984; Misra, 1990)
Common elements in the definitions of extension
(Roling, 1998)

1. Extension is an intervention.
2. Extension uses communication as leverage
instrument.
3. Extension depends on voluntary change as a
condition for effect.
4. Extension includes targeting processes
5. Extension is deployed by institutions
6. In general, extension is a professional
communication intervention deployed by an
institution to induce change in voluntary behaviors
with a presumed public or collective utility (Roling,
1988).
Philosophy, Principles and Objectives of Extension
Philosophy of Extension

 Extension is based on the philosophy that rural people are

intelligent, capable and desirous in receiving information and
making use of it for their individual and community welfare.
 Extension starts where the people are and with they have.
Improvement can begin from there.
 The classroom is where the people are: on the farms, in their
homes and villages.
 People learn to do by doing.
 Extension works with and through the people. Local leaders are
trained by extension workers to extend the information to
others.
 Education is carried on either with groups of people or with
individuals.
 The spirit of self-help is essential for democratic living.
 Extension thus involves working with people where they are,
building on what they have and adding to what they know.
Objectives of Agricultural Extension

To act as intermediary between agricultural development

institutions and target groups, making available to farmers the
latest results of research for understanding and application.

To aid in the transfer and adaptation of research results to/by

the farmers as target groups/clientele.

To establish/structure new institutions whether state-

organized or self-help institutions that can influence the whole
agricultural production system.

To mobilize all necessary resources in extension work

including farm inputs, concerned agencies/institutions, funds,
facilities and experts/people involved in the
dissemination/adoption of innovation in the rural environment.
Principles of Extension

 Economic necessity. Extension serves the economic

objectives of the nation through the productive use of the
country’s natural resources.

 Extension bases its programs on people’s needs, as well

as on technical and national economic needs.

Extension is an education process. It is an informal

educational process which aims to teach rural people how to
improve their level of living by their own efforts, through
making wise use of natural resources for the benefit of the
individual, the family, the community and the nation.

 Extension cooperates with other organizations which aim

to develop individuals, community and nation.
Changes in Extension
According to Cardenas (1995), much of the problem
in conventional research and extension has been in the
process of generating and transferring technology, and that
much of the solution lies in farmers’ own capacities and
priorities. Farmers’ active involvement as partners in all
aspects of research and extension under the more
participatory model has led into a pattern of mutually
coherent concepts, values, methods and actions along a
populist philosophy and is termed a “paradigm shift.” The
paradigm shift is characterized as participatory because it
involves local people as active participants in all phases of
research and extension; it can bridge the gap between
development professionals and resource poor farmers; it
leads to finding new way to understanding local knowledge,
strengthen local capabilities and specially, it is a potential in
meeting local needs.
 Information from both indigenous knowledge and
international scientific knowledge systems tend to be
more effective than those which utilize technical
information only.
 Particular approaches will be most successful when they
fit national aspirations.
 Cultural factors need to be considered in planning any
extension program.
 Approaches used should be gender sensitive.
 More participatory approaches tend to fit best in national
systems where public administration is more
decentralized.
 Approach should encourage two-way communication
linkages between and among sponsors and clients.
 An approach is effective if it could develop sustained,
vigorous, dynamic and creative leadership.
Daghang Salamat!