Introduction

Definitions;

Programme is a written statement containing a more pertinent factual data used in decision-
making, the problems agreed upon with priority assignment and the possible solutions to the
problems'.
Plan or Plan of work is an outline of activities so arranged as to enable efficient execution of
the entire programme. It answers the questions of what, why, how, when, where and by whom
the work is to be done.
Project is a single item of the annual plant containing the method of solution of a single selected
problem
Calendar of work is a plan of work arranged chronologically, according to the time when step
of work is to be done. It is a time schedule of work.
Aim is a broad objective. It is a generalised statement of direction and may have several
objectives. It is also said to be an end in view to give direction to the creative process.
Objective is a direction of movement. A well stated objective is always measurable. It is also
said to be a goal of growth.
Goal is a distance in any given direction, proposed to be covered in a given time.
Planning

Meaning of Programme Planning

i) Programme planning is viewed as a process through which representatives of the people are
intensively involved with extension personnel and other professional people in four activities
(Boyle, 1965):

 Studying facts and trends;

 Identifying problems and opportunities based on these facts and trends;

 Making decisions about problems and opportunities that should be given priority; and

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 Establishing objectives or recommendations for future economic and social development
of a community through educational programmes.

ii) This are the process whereby the people in the country, through their leaders, plan their
extension programme. Country and state professional extension staff members assist in this
process. The end-result of this process is a written programme statement (Lawrence, 1962).

iii) Extension programme planning is the process of determining, developing and executing
programmes. It is a continuous process, whereby farm people, with the guidance and leadership of
extension personnel, attempt to determine, analyse and solve local problems. In this, there are three
characteristics:

 What needs to be done;

 When it should be done; and

 How it should be done (Musgraw, 1962).

iv) An organized and purposeful process, initiated and guided by the agent, to involve a
particular group of people in the process of studying their interests, needs and problems, deciding
upon and planning education and other actions to change their situation in desired ways and
making commitments regarding the role and responsibilities of the participants (Olson, 1962).

An analysis of these and other definitions of extension programme planning implies that it:

 Is a decision-making, social process;

 Involves advance thinking;

 Is a progressive step-by-step process;

 Uses educational means in defining the goals and situations;

 Is built around improved technology, people, their needs, interests, resources, values,
attitudes and skills; and

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 The end-product is a written statement of situation, problems, objectives and solutions.

 Thus extension programme planning may be defined as:

A decision-making, social-action process in which extension educationists involve

people's representatives, to determine their needs, problems, resources and priorities,

In order to decide on an extension programme consisting of situation analysis, problems,

objectives and solutions, which will form the basis of extension teaching plans for a
given period.

Programme planning is the process in which extensionists work with the people in an effort to
determine their needs, problems, resources and priorities to determine possible solutions.

It involves the following activities:

 Studying facts and trends

 Identifying problems and opportunities based on the facts and trends.
 Making decisions about problem and opportunity and identify an area which would be
given an opportunity

Reason for planning of extension programme.

1) Represent in written form a statement for public use

Provides clear, conscience statement for the information of all who are connected with or
interested in the work therefore serving as a means to open dialogue with other organization
involved e.g NGOs and other rural development organizations.

2) Train local leaders.

Teaching them to analyse local problems and deal with them systematically hence helping them
to carry on in the absence of an extension workers as well as helping them to develop their
hidden abilities. It generally improves their capacities, motivation, performance and autonomy

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3) Appropriate utilization of resources

Helps avoid waste of time and money since everyone knows who does what and at what time
and the resources required.

It reduces the risk of failures caused by mistakes and misunderstanding in that it improves
efficiency by improving allocation of resources

4) Ensures community sets priorities based on their needs.

Programme planning involves community therefore identification of community needs and

setting of priorities is achieved

5) Help ensure continuity after changes of staff

Programme helps in ensuring continuity in case of transfer of staff , retirement or death

6) Justifies the expenditure of public money since extension is a public service funded
by tax payer’s money

A successful extension programme is its own justification because results can be readily
measured provided the objectives were clearly and correctly stated at the beginning

7) Effective monitoring and evaluation.

8) There is faster achievement of set goals/objectives.
9) There is motivation and cohesiveness in the community and the focus will be on set
goals and objectives.

Principles of programme planning.

1.Extension programme planning should contain factual information
It is important to take into account the conditions that exist at a particular time. This implies that
factors such as land, crops, economic trends, social structure, economic status of the people, their
habits, traditions and culture, in fact, everything about the area in which the job is to be done and

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its people, may be considered while planning an extension programme for an area. These factors
may be viewed in terms of established long-term objectives and rural policy. The outcome of
previous plans should also be reviewed and results utilized.
Brunner and Yang (1949) argue that there is no greater mistake than to assume that technical
know-how alone will solve the problems of the farmers. They say that no programme or even
technique can achieve the desired results when not in harmony with the culture of the people.
'Extension knows, if need be, the surer way is to effect cultural change by the slow but certain
process of education

Factual information can be gathered through;

 Use of Key Informants

 Social Forums i.e gathering of people and talking on issues
 Questionnaires
 Interviews and Surveys
#Factual information should relate to the history of the area and the interwoven linkages
between community and other social and physical parameters#

2.Extension programme planning selects problems based on people's interests

and needs
Sound programme building selects problems based on people's needs. I t is necessary to select
these problems which are most urgent and of widest concern. Choice of problems must be from
among those highlighted by an analysis of the facts regarding what are felt as unfelt needs. To be
effective, extension work must begin with the interests of the families. It must meet interest and
use them as a spring-board for developing further interests. It is common knowledge that people
join together because of mutual interests and needs.Extension programme must meet the felt
needs of the people. Extension workers adopt the subject matter and teaching procedure to the
educational level of the people, to their needs and interests, and to their resources.

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3. Extension programme planning have specific objectives

Specific objectives emanate from the aim mission or the general objective, aims or vision.

In order to hold interest, working objectives must be set and offer solutions which are within
reach and which will give satisfaction on achievement

People must see how they or their communities are going to benefit from the proposed
solutions.

The objectives should be aimed at bringing new ideas and techniques, knowledge, better
perceptions and attitudes all leading to better homes, health and economy

Specific objectives should be stated in measurable and achievable way- SMART

In area of conservation of catchment areas, the following objectives can be adopted

 To ban livestock grazing the area effective February ,2023

 To Plant 1000 tree seedlings within three months

Each specific objective should have three aspects;

 Particular group of people

 Particular subject matter
 Definite challenge

The objectives must be periodically revised in view of the progress made. In other words, as
changes occur, objectives need to be re determined to allow for even further progress to be
realized.

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. Further, if there is to be progress and not more evolution in the development of man, the
objectives must be periodically revised in view of the progress made. In other words, as changes
occur, objectives need to be re determined to allow for even further progress to be realized.
4.Extension programme planning has aspect of flexibility

Extension programme must be kept flexible to meet the changing needs and interests of the
people. Without flexibility, the programme may not, in fact, meet the needs of the people. A
programme should be prepared well in advance of its execution but not too far ahead of time.
Ordinary events may subject it to change in part though not in total

5.Extension programme planning should be comprehensive

A good programme should cover the majority of people's important interests. It must be
comprehensive enough to embrace all groups, creeds and races at all levels and community,
block, state, national and international problems. It is futile to deal with only one phase of life in
a community as an end in itself. At the same time, a few of the most important or timely
problems should be chosen for emphasis. To avoid scattered effort, something must stand out.
Decisions must be made as to which of the needs are most urgent. The next consideration in
choosing items for emphasis is to promote efficiency by permitting a good distribution of time
and effort throughout the year. Too many things carried out simultaneously will divide either the
worker's or the people's attention.

6.Extension programme planning has a definite plan of work

No matter how well a programme is thought through, it is of no use unless carried out. This
implies good organization and careful planning for action. A plan of work is an outline of
procedure so arranged as to enable efficient execution of the entire programme. It is the answer
to what, where, when and how the job will be done. In carrying out programme plans, different
leaders and groups may work on various phases, i.e., the women in the community may work on

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one segment, the men on a second segment and youth-club members on a third. Organization
should be used as a tool to accomplish these purposes, never as an end in itself.

7.Extension programme planning is an educational process

The people who do the planning may participate in local surveys and neighbourhood
observations. This provides an opportunity for them to learn more about their own community
and area and increases their interest. The extension worker has the responsibilities of providing
local leaders with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they must have if they are to help in
educationally serving the people. Essentially, learning takes place through the experiences the
learner has and the responses he makes to the stimuli of his environment. The experience gained
in finding facts, analyzing situations, recognizing problems, stating objectives and thinking of
possible solutions and alternatives should make for a better and more effective learning
environment. The extension personnel should remember this fact and provide opportunities for
the effective participation of local people in programme planning.

8.Extension programme planning is a continuous process

Since programme planning is viewed as an educational process and since education is seen as a
continuous process, therefore it logically holds that extension programme planning is a
continuous process. There is no question of exhausting new knowledge, either in the subject
matter with which we deal or in the methods of teaching. With the constant flux of agricultural
technology, extension education is faced with an increasingly more difficult job as it tries to
serve the needs and interests of the people. Extension in a changing society must adjust and plan
for the future to serve the needs of people. The five steps useful in making necessary adjustments
are;
i. Keep choice to the people
ii. Be flexible and ready to grasp with firmness new problems as they arise.

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iii. Work with people in seeking practical solutions to their problems.
iv. Keep abreast of technological and social change.

v. Close the gap between research discovery and practical application.

It is obvious that tomorrow's problem will not be the same as today's. So extension must make
periodic adjustments in its plans to meet the changing problems. Extension must also be alert to
the change that is going on in Science and Technology. With new technology, solutions to
problems change. It is therefore necessary to view extension programme planning as a
continuous process though its recurrence is cyclic.

9.Extension programme planning is a co-ordinating process

Extension programme planning finds the most important problems and seeks agreement on
definite objectives. It coordinates the efforts of all interested leaders, groups and agencies and
considers the use of resources. It obtains the interest and co-operation of many people by
showing them why things need to be done. This is important in working with people. Within the
extension organization, the block staff may work together on an integrated programme, each
member devoting part of his energy to appropriate phases.

10.Extension programme planning involves local people and their institutions

Involvement of local people and their institutions is very essential for the success of any
programme for their development. People become interested and give better support to the
programme when they are involved in the planning process. So, extension programmes should be
planned with the people and not for them.

11.Extension programme planning provides for evaluation of results

Since extension programme planning involves decision-making procedures, so evaluation is

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important in order to make intelligent decisions aimed at achieving the stated objectives.
Matthews (1962) pointed out that extension progarmme planning and evaluation go together.
Kelsey and Hearne (1949) have said that all other principles of programme building are related
to evaluation.
Effective evaluation will, of course, depend on clear objectives, knowing which people we are
trying to teach and having records of the results in terms that reflect changes in their action.
Starting a programme with the intention of engaging in a careful evaluation at the close of a
specific period has a salutary effect on all the intermediate processes. However, provision has to
be made both for concurrent and ex-post facto types of evaluation.

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