TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EXTENSION SERVICE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
HAVRLAND, B., KAPILA, F. P.
Abstract
Agricultural extension means a continued training
that extends the former basic educational level for, mainly, rural population
employed within the agricultural sector. It involves systematic and organised
communication with farmers' communities and among farmers in order to give them
a hand. Its objectives are particularly oriented to a better insight into farming
practices, clear formulation of farmer's -wishes and identification of his problems
and looking for solutions. Cooperation between farmers and farmers with local
and regional authorities is also very important. The domain of knowledge of
the „ extension'1 mainly relates to: technical and economic problems,
organisational and management solutions, socio-economic infrastructure, way
of life and work of the farmer's family. Extension service itself merits a particular
attention, too. But usually, the subject of the socio-economic infrastructure
is more or less neglected. The above features of extension work generate different
demands upon the knowledge and working methods of the extension agents concerned.
Experience made in many countries evidences that the professional level of extension
staff for advising in the field of sustainable and economical farming technologies,
is not sufficient enough. However, particularly farm machinery constitutes one
of the crucial points in the current farming and poses problems to extension
workers. It is because it generates the highest input costs. The extension worker
can greatly influence the degree to which the machinery will impact the farmer's
costs and his access to machinery inputs. In improving the extension service
efficiency, orientation to new methodological approach represented by introduction
of technological and managerial programs based on use of computers can be subject
to great interest. An „Expert Program" provisionally called ,,ATMP
AGRO-EXPERT11 has been designed to improve the above characterised situation
in extension worker consulting capacities. Its characteristics and structure
as well as functions of its parts are described beneath.
Key Words:
sustainable rural development, developing countries,
extension service, agricultural technology management program (ATMP), D-base
of technologies