Principles of Extension

Principles are generalized guidelines which form the basis for decision and action in a consistent way. The universal truth in extension which have been observed and

found to hold good under varying conditions and circumstances are presented.

1. Principle of Cultural Difference:

Culture simply means social heritage. There is cultural difference between the extension agents and the farmers. Differences exist between groups of farmers also. The

differences may be in their habits, customs, values, attitudes and way of life. Extension work, to be successful, must be carried out in harmony with the cultural pattern

of the people.

2. Grass Roots Principle:

Extension programmes should start with local groups, local situations and local problems. It must fit to the local conditions. Extension work should start with where

people are and what they have. Change should start from the existing Situation.

3. Principle of Indigenous Knowledge:

People everywhere have indigenous knowledge systems which they have developed through generations of work experience and problem solving in their own specific

situations. The indigenous knowledge systems encompass all aspects of life and people consider it essential for their survival.

Instead of ignoring the indigenous knowledge systems as outdated, the extension agent should try to understand them and their ramifications in the life of the people,

before proceeding to recommend something new to them.

4. Principle of Interests and Needs:

People’s interests and people’s needs are the starting points of extension work. To identify the real needs and interests of the people are challenging tasks. The extension

agents should not pass on their own needs and interests as those of the people. Extension work shall be successful only when it is based on the interests and needs of the

people as they see them.

5. Principle of Learning by Doing:

Learning remains far from perfect, unless people get involved in actually doing the work. Learning by doing is most effective in changing people’s behaviour. This

develops confidence as it involves maximum number of sensory organs. People should learn what to do, why to do, how to do and with what result.

6. Principle of Participation:

Most people of the village community should willingly cooperate and participate in identifying the problems, planning of projects for solving the problems and

implementing the projects in getting the desired results. It has been the experience of many countries that people become dynamic if they take decisions concerning

their own affairs, exercise responsibility for, and are helped to carry out projects in their own areas.

The participation of the people is of fundamental importance for the success of an extension programme. People must share in developing and implementing the

programme and feel that it is their own programme.

7. Family Principle:

Family is the primary unit of society. The target for extension work should, therefore, be the family. That is, developing the family as a whole, economically and

socially. Not only the farmers, the farm women and farm youth are also to be involved in extension programmes.
8. Principle of Leadership:

Identifying different types of leaders and working through them is essential in extension. Local leaders are the custodians of local thought and action. The involvement

of local leaders and legitimization by them are essential for the success of a programme.

Leadership traits are to be developed in the people so that they of their own shall seek change from less desirable to more desirable situation. The leaders may be

trained and developed to act as carriers of change in the villages.

9. Principle of Adaptability:

Extension work and extension teaching methods must be flexible and adapted to suit the local conditions. This is necessary because the people, their situation, their

resources and constraints vary from place to place and time to time.

10. Principle of Satisfaction:

The end product of extension work should produce satisfying results for the people. Satisfying results reinforce learning and motivate people to seek further

improvement.

11. Principle of Evaluation:

Evaluation prevents stagnation. There should be a continuous built-in method of finding out the extent to which the results obtained are in agreement with the

objectives fixed earlier. Evaluation should indicate the gaps and steps to be taken for further improvement.

The Philosophy of Extension:

Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom, a body of general principles or laws of a field of knowledge. Essentially philosophy is a view of life and its various components.

The practical implication is that the 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.

According to Kelsey and Hearne (1967), the basic philosophy of extension education is to teach people how to think, not what to think. Extension’s specific job is

furnishing the inspiration, supplying specific advice and technical help, and counselling to see that the people as individuals, families, groups and communities work

together as a unit in ‘blueprinting’ their own problems, charting their own courses, and that they launch forth to achieve their objectives. Sound extension philosophy is

always forward looking.

Function of Extension:

 The function of extension is to bring about desirable changes in human behaviour by means of education. Changes may be brought about in their

knowledge, skill, attitude, understanding, goals, action and confidence.

 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. 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 is the distance in any given direction one is expected to go during a given period of time. The extent to which the 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.

 To bring desirable change in behaviour is the crucial function of extension. For this purpose the extension personnel shall continuously seek new

information to make extension work more effective.

 The farmers and homemakers also on their own initiative shall continuously seek means of improving their farm and home. The task is difficult because

millions of farm families with little education, scattered in large areas with their own beliefs, values, attitudes, resources and constraints are pursuing

diverse enterprises.

Scope of Extension:

Kelsey and Hearne (1967) identified nine areas of programme emphasis, which indicate the scope of agricultural extension.

These are:

(1) Efficiency in agricultural production,

(2) Efficiency in marketing, distribution and utilization.

(3) Conservation, development, and use of natural resources.

(4) Management on the farm and in the home.

(5) Family living.

(6) Youth development.

(7) Leadership development.

(8) Community development and rural area development.

(9) Public affairs