(a) What is Agricultural Extension? (b) Enumerate seven roles of an Agricultural Extension Worker.

Answer Details

(a) Agricultural Extension. Agricultural extension is an informal, out-of-school educational service that takes useful, research-based agricultural knowledge, improved skills and new technologies to farmers and their families on their farms and in their homes. It teaches farmers to adopt improved practices so that they can increase their production, raise their income and improve their standard of living, and it also carries the farmers' problems back to research stations.

(b) Seven roles of an Agricultural Extension Worker:

1. Teaching farmers improved farming practices and new technologies (for example through demonstrations).
2. Passing on the results of agricultural research from research institutes to the farmers.
3. Conveying the farmers' problems and needs back to research stations and government for solutions.
4. Advising and guiding farmers on the selection and use of improved inputs such as seeds, fertilisers and agro-chemicals.
5. Helping farmers to form and run cooperative societies and other farmer organisations.
6. Assisting farmers to obtain credit, inputs and marketing facilities.
7. Motivating and encouraging farmers to adopt innovations, and helping to improve rural home and community life (nutrition, health and sanitation).