New developments in agriculture with
increasing emphasis on a business oriented approach from the earlier production oriented
approach necessitate that institutions of higher agricultural education reorient their
programmes to meet emerging challenges. A rethinking is required in terms of clientele /
target group, curricular content, and modes of delivery and strategy.
This issue of the
Extension Digest brings together papers, which focus on the existing agricultural
education scenario, and the future strategy required to make agricultural education more
responsive to emerging challenges.
Abstract
Sustainable agriculture
means,improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of the
earth’s finite resources.Agricultural development is sustainable if it assures that
the productive capacity of the agriculture sector will be sufficient to meet current and
future needs.
Sustainable agriculture requires
attention to resource conserving technologies and practices,local groups and institutions
and external organizations working in partnerships with local people.
This issue of the Extension
Digest looks at the various facets of agriculture,future challenges , new approaches and
policies,and documents case studies of sustainable practices around the globe.
The challenge of moving towards
sustainable and profitable farming has resulted in increased need for
technologies,economic advice and organizational skills on the part of farmers.The
challenge extension now faces is of informing educating a large population of farmers.
Agriculture extension in many
countries is being reoriented to provide more demand based and sustainable
services.Options pursued include full commercialization,devolving control to local
government units,cost sharing between extensionists and farmers,contracting service
delivery to private firms , NGOs ,farmers organizations and supporting farmers self-help
groups.
This issue of the Extension
Digest focuses on different extension approaches in different countries for increasing
coverage,relevance,and ensuring sustained finance for sustainable,profitable and
productive farming for the future.
Abstract
Use participation is critical for
innovative,relevant and efficient technology development.There is ample evidence that
group rather than individual participation is more effective in promoting demand driven
research.Experiences emphasize the need to organize farmers to enable them to exert
pressure on research and extension to make technology more need based.
Working with farmers’
organizations also facilitates dissemination of agriculture technologies and provision of
agriculture support services to a broader constituency.A strong farmers organization can
strengthen farmers capacity for indigenous agriculture development,influence agricultural
policy and make agriculture researches and extension workers more accountable to their
needs.
The current issue of the digest
focuses on farmers’ organizations,their role in technology development and
transfer,conditions influencing their effectiveness and documents case studies of farmers
organizations in India and other countries.
