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Transcript

Hello friends, I once again welcome you all to this course on Fundamentals of Agricultural Extension. In our last class we discussed about the definition and scope of extension education and today we will be discussing about the philosophy and functions of extension. The term ‘philosophy’ is derived from the Greek word philosophia, means the love of wisdom. It means the person who understands the term ‘philosophy’. He has love for wisdom, it means they respect the knowledge, understanding, insight, perception, astuteness, intelligence, acumen and good judgement. The person who has all these qualities. We say that he is having the love of wisdom and he can do that and person who does all these things, we try to call him as a philosopher. If they respect these attributes, it means they possess all these attributes. The person who has these attributes can develop the love or respect for this and hence we say that philosophers possess all these things. And generations are going to remember them.

The principles underlying the philosophy of extension education are according to the Mildred Horton. Individual is supreme in democracy. When we talk of extension activities, extension services, wherein we talk of participation of the people. So then automatically the concept of democracy comes into the picture. It means an individual who is supreme, in the sense his needs to be taken care of by the competent authorities. May it be the extension authorities or somebody else. Until unless his needs are taken care of. He is not going to respond to the issues of the society. Then, the home is the fundamental unit of civilization, that is why extension emphasizes on the whole family approach, as well as extension has the program for each and every member of the family, may it be male, may it be female, may it be the child or youth or adult, whatever it is. So everybody is taken equally by the extension. And family is the first training group of the human race. Extension also respects that and that is what is the philosophy of extension. Because the training that you are getting from your family so is going to continue forever. And in Indian context it becomes more true that. In case of Indian context it is very difficult to have the mark of delineation between the nature, culture and Indian agriculture. It is so interwoven with each and every aspect of our life, that everywhere the natural and cultural aspects are interwoven. Because agriculture is predominantly an economic activity in Indian context activity even today. Because most of the people are still dependent upon agriculture. As per the statistics 50 or 60% of the people are still dependent upon agriculture.

The foundation of any permanent civilization must rest on the partnership of man and land. And that is what has been visualized in Indian context even today. With all the technological developments, we cannot forget the relationship of man with the land. And at times they have expressed these relationships. And in the times to come it is going to continue forever, which is the principle underlying the philosophy of extension education. According to Einsminger, extension is teaching people what to want and ways to satisfy their wants. Here we are trying to translate the unfelt needs into the felt needs so that what are the things that are essential to him, let him desire for that and let him go for the desirable changes in that. So the moment we start creating all these things. So that becomes the process of extension, and this is what is the basic philosophy of extension. Extension is helping people to help themselves. This has been emphasized since ages. Even today it is going to be it is true component and in the days to come also. Nobody can work for you and nobody can learn for you. It is you who can learn for yourself. So in that context how you can help yourself is by understanding the concepts. What is that related to the development, related to your profession. And that is how you can help yourself. Maybe in whatever the profession that you are. This is what extension emphasizes upon. If you are a farmer, if you are a businessman, if you are a professional. In any profession try to understand the nuances of that. That is how you can help yourself. And that is what is the basic philosophy of extension education.

Then extension is learning by doing and saying is believing. We try to show them the results. It is not that the things are being dealt with only theoretically, or in the classroom or in the training programs or. Everything is being shown to them so that they can understand it. For which we are adopting the concepts like the method demonstrations, the result demonstrations, the whole saw demonstrations. Various methodologies are there to convince the end users. And that is what is the philosophy of extension. Then extension is the development of individuals, their leaders, their society and their world as a whole. So when we take up this the holistic approach in the development, that leads towards the altruistic development, which we say that it is the philosophy of extension. Extension is the working together to expand the welfare and happiness of the people. Because we cannot look agricultural operation in isolation. It is very complex in nature. And it needs the support from various corners like productions of the seeds, then the implements that we need, then the plant production chemicals that we need. Then the various other aspects which are essential. So put together it is a team effort, so that is why working together becomes the basic philosophy of extension. Then extension is working in harmony with the culture of the people.

In taking up all this technological developments, as well as implementing the technological changes into the field. The culture plays the dominant role. If we try to ignore the culture, there will be resistance from the community. And that is why extension pays highest respect to the culture. And another aspect that as I have already told. And let me remind you the nature, culture and Indian agriculture are having the perfect interwoven relationships. So hence we need to take culture. Keep the aspects of it related to the culture. Coming to extension is living relationship, respect and trust for each other, because in isolation we cannot deal with one farmer and we cannot separate him from other, because both of them are part of the same group and they are hearing good number of things in common. So that is why we need to understand as well as respect the relationship. And extension is a 2 way channel. It is not that only the extension professionals and the extension agents are going to provide them the information. They also get in turn, good number of things from the communities. Maybe it is the problems. Maybe it is various other services, so that it becomes a 2 way channel. And extension is a continuous and educational process. It is a never ending process. It starts at one point of time and it continues forever.

With this let us move on to philosophy of extension education as explained by Dahama in 1965. Dahama says that it is the process of self-help. Extension is nothing but the self-help. We have already said that how you can help is. Helping, by helping oneself. Extension is helping people to help themselves which emphasizes on the self-help. Then people are the resources. This is another important issue that we need to understand. Sometimes we say that he is good for nothing or he is not a useful contributor. Maybe from one context or one point of view. But he is acting as his own resource. But we need to identify the qualities within him and that is what is another important issue as a part of philosophy. Then it is a cooperative effort. In Indian context it becomes more true, because majority of the holdings are small and marginal. Without coming together we cannot achieve the desired results, specially in Indian context. And extension has its foundation in the democracy we have already said. Until and unless we adopt this democratic approach, wherein the majority carries the point, we cannot be successful extension professionals. It involves a 2 way channel of knowledge and experience. And it is based on creating interest by seeing and doing.

So in the process of adoption we can visualize this particular thing. So when we classify the adopters into various categories. So there is a category known as innovators. Looking into them so the entire society follows, the process of adoption wherein we say that yes; whatever the scientific community says it is one aspect, but what the local people are telling them so that’s a different aspect with beginning through the innovators and end through the laggards. And it’s based on the voluntary and participation in extension programs is almost free till date. Maybe in the days to come we are moving towards the private extension efforts, wherein we are sharing the cost but till date it is free. And it is voluntary in nature. We cannot compel anybody to take active part. But the individual who becomes a part of this particular process is going to harness the benefits. It is a process of persuasion and education of the people. Since the last three lectures we have been emphasizing on the educational aspect of the extension. And it is the program based on the attitudes and values of people, because it is as per their needs and it is a never ending process. And it is continuous in nature.

With this understanding of the basic philosophy of extension. Now let us move on to functions of extension. What is expected from the extension professionals? Extension professionals are expected to bring the change in the knowledge. So the knowledge has its prerequisite in case of information. So when we provide appropriate information. That needs to change in knowledge. But how do we arrive at this information. This information. To arrive at this information, the prerequisite is the data. It is the raw fact which is not yet processed. But the moment we start processing the data, that becomes the information, and when this information is understood or digested by person who is receiving this information, that becomes his knowledge. When he understands it then he makes use of it, that becomes his wisdom. And that is, what is the function of extension. Then the change in skill. The ability of an individual to perform a particular task. So that is his skill. Maybe he is having enough knowledge, but he don’t have that particular ability to take up that particular gained knowledge in the desired  manner. It means, he lacks skills. So when he does that. So he exhibits his skill. And extension is there to provide him the skills. For example we try to teach them regarding the concept of grafting in case of horticultural crops. But until and unless he involves himself in preparation of the scion, preparation of the rootstock, then going through the process of budding or chipping or air layering or whatever it is. Then propagation of the plant. So that is the skill of an individual.

Then change in attitude. When we say that attitude. Attitude is nothing but the mental predisposition of an individual for the stimulus. So based on his previous experience so when he gets a particular stimulus, he reacts accordingly. If he is not having any previous experience, so then there is no reaction at all. So how to change that particular attitude. Maybe he is having the positive or negative experiences. Prior experiences. But it is the challenge for an extension professional to change his attitude, because attitude is depending upon his knowledge and skill. So it is very complex process. Then change in the understanding and change in the goal. So the moment we want to achieve the change in understanding. Its prerequisite is the changing the understanding of the people and changing the goal for the people. Those are the short term things which needs to be achieved at regular intervals, so that looking into the results his understanding is changed and because of that he is going to change his behavior. Then the change in action. Most of the time the learners are going to gain enough knowledge, but the knowledge is not put into action or the process of adoption. So until and unless extension takes up this particular activity. We cannot say that the process of extension is complete. And that is how bringing changes in the action is one of the important function of extension. Then the last one. That is the change in confidence. We can inculcate the change in confidence only when we show them the appropriate results, with the help of result demonstration or with the help of the meta demonstrations and ultimately when looking into the outcome and the output. So he will be changing his levels of confidence. And makes up his mind to make use of the gained information and/or the knowledge.

With this now coming to the conclusion on the concept that philosophy is achieved through concentrating on the problems by methodological approach and its dependence of rational argument. So the moment he tries to understand the philosophy of extension, and he tries to understand the functions of extension. So automatically the process of change is going to begin with. Then the philosophy of extension emphasizes on teaching people how to think, not what to think. Because in case of, if we start telling about what you need to think about or how you need to. So then it becomes a guiding process for them. So it is not helping them in the long run because it is going to develop the concept of dependency. But instead of that we teach them how to think. It means we are trying to provide them all possible alternatives. Then the ultimate decision is left to the receiver. So that he can develop as a professional. Then the functions of extension, namely the change in behavior, change in action leading to change in the living standards are the basic functions of extension, wherein the various methods of extension are being made use of in this particular process. So with this we are concluding the topic on the philosophy and functions of extension. And in the next class we will be discussing about the objectives of extension.

Thank You.