The objectives of the study were as follows: 1. To investigate the following of the Agricultural Extension Service in the United States (North Carolina) and Ghana: A. Background and History; B. Organization; C. Program Areas; D. Communication Proceses and Methods Used; and E. Reporting and Evaluation of Frog rams. 2. To write a descriptive comparison of the two extension systems. 3. To make recommendations for the improvement of the Ghanain Extension Service based on the findings. Ghana has an Agricultural Extension Service which has not been successful in changing the life of the peasant farmers and needs to be improved if agriculture is to be successful in Ghana. It is now believed by the Ghanain policy makers that agriculture is a more stable and everlasting base for the economy and again needs to be a primary source of income. The methods used in this study were as follows: A. Resources Review. A resource review was made of tha elements selected for the study. B. Sources of Information. Additional information was obtain.ea from other sources such as the Agricultural Extension Service in the United States and Ghana through personal interviews. C. A descriptive comparison was made of all of the elements studied, and conclusions were drawn. D. Recommendations for the improvement of the Ghana Extension Service were made. The comparison of the Agricultural Extension Service in the United States and the Ghanain Extension Service shows a number of similarities and differences. There are differences in the organizational structure, methods used to carry out the Extension programs, variety of programs and methods of reporting and evaluation of programs. Ten important recommendations resulted from the study for the improvement of the Agricultural Extension Service in Ghana. 1. That laws or decrees be enacted to provide a legal basis for the organization and operation of the extension service by the Ghana government. 2. That a formal functional organizational relationship be established between the Agricultural Extension Service and the higher educational institutes. 3. That advisory committees be organized at each level of the organizational structure of the Agricultural Extension Service. 4. That clientele committees' input be utilized in the development process of the program areas. 5. That the Home Economics area be emphasized so that it will have more impact on the local people. 6. That youth programs be established as a part of the total extension programs. 7. That the program areas of the Extension Service be developed and implemented at the local levels. 8. That an evaluation unit be created as part of the Extension division. 9. That the farm demonstration technique of teaching. be used as the primary teaching method, and 10. That adequate working relationships be established at the top organizational level and maintained at the local levels :between the Agricultural Extension Service and all agriculturally related institutions. / Ed. D.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1958 P32

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1963 A23 / Master of Science

Study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No effective programmed extension exists in the South African pome fruit industry. There is a lack of farmer response and involvement, a lack of coordinated dissemination of information and no systematic and scientific approach in the development of extension programmes for the industry. Particularly important is the lack of a systematic conceptualisation of problems and specifically the lack of identification of the most direct determinants of behaviour (the psychological field forces) and a lack of the systematic addressing of these human constraints. DOvel's revised extension programme model was used as basis for this study. It included the identification, prioritisation, conceptualisation and determination of perceived problems that need to be addressed in the extension programmes. The most important identified problems that needs attention in an extension programme are producers' knowledge relating to all aspects of strategic planning (ie knowledge of basic principles, what is attainable, the advantages and disadvantages and the practical implementation), knowledge relating to the practical implementation of irrigation, bitter pit control and practices to increase fruit size, and knowledge that relates to basic principles of marketing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen doelgerigte geprogrammeerde voorligting bestaan vir die Suid-Afrikaanse kernvrugindustrie nie. Daar is 'n tekort aan produsentebetrokkenheid, 'n tekort aan gekoordineerde verspreiding van inligting en daar is geen sistematiese en wetenskaplike benadering in die ontwikkeling van voorligtingsprogramme vir die industrie nie. Besonder belangrik is die afwesigheid van 'n sistematiese konseptualisering van probleme en meer spesifiek die tekort aan die identifisering van die meer direkte determinante van gedrag (die psigiese veldkragte) en die aanspreek van hierdie menslike beperkings. DOvel se hersiene model vir geprogrameerede voorligting het as basis gedien vir die studie. Die studie het ingesluit die identifisering, prioritisering, konseptualisering en bepaling van produsente se persepsie van aangespreek behoort te word. probleme wat binne voorligtingsprogramme Die belangrikste probleme wat in die studie geïdentifiseer is wat aandag moet geniet in voorligtingsprogramme is die produsente se kennis van alle aspekte van strategiese beplanning (kennis van basiese beginsels, kennis wat betrekking het op wat bereikbaar is met strategiese beplanning, die voor- en nadele daarvan asook die praktiese implementering van strategiese beplanning), kennis wat betrekking het op die praktiese implementering van besproeiing, bitterpit beheer en die verbetering van vruggroote asook die kennis wat betrekking het op die basiese beginsels van bemarking.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 1980. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OSPOMMNING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is indeed possible for agricultural institutions to render optimum services to farmers provided that such services meet the requirements of the farmers. Insofar as the agricultural extension and information arm of these services operated in the past, the emphasis was on keeping abreast - on a scientific basis - of the needs of commercial farming. The reason for this was that over the years a clear picture of the commercial farmer as individual and his particular needs had emerged and the focus was on this. The opposite is true of developing agriculture. It is evident from available literature that there are substantial differences between them, and that these may well have a very real influence on the nature of their information requirements. Inadequate knowledge and information concerning the developing farmer - mainly as a result of very little personal contact at grassroots level - therefore create a gap in the armour of the National Department of Agriculture (NDA) as a service organisation. This study is aimed at making a contribution to this inadequate - often totally lacking - pool of knowledge and to formulate a strategy that could narrow this gap. To gain an insight into and become conversant with the world of small farmers and subsistence farmers and the influence that the realities of their lifestyle may ultimately have on their ultimate information requirements and the implementation thereof, a profile was compiled of traditional small-scale farmers in several Rural Areas of the Western Cape Province. This information was acquired from recent surveys and studies carried out in these areas. Using this profile as background, an attempt was made to describe the information environment by using a qualitative investigation method known as the focus group data collection technique. The findings of the investigation show that the very real need for land ownership and the availability of financial assistance are primary needs. Before these problems are solved to the satisfaction of small farmers, it can not be expected that they will identify information as a high priority. As regards the utilisation of specific channels of information, fellow-farmers and agricultural extension officers are identified as the most important personal channels, with the radio and printed media as the major mass-media channels. In the absence of a departmental communication strategy, development support communication (DSC) is put forward as a potential strategy to bridge the shortcomings that emerged form the investigation. In fact, DSCis the liaison between interest groups with a view to reaching consensuswhich leads to action in which the interests, needs and abilities of all role players are taken into account. The role of the go-between to act as mediator between ground-level communities and institutions such as the NDA's Directorate of Communication, and extension and research would also be vital. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Institusionele dienslewering in die landbou kan optimaal geskied mits dit aan die behoeftes van boere voldoen. Sover dit landbouvoorligting en -inligting as die ondersteuningsarm daarvan betref, is in die verlede op wetenskaplike grondslag tred gehou met die behoeftes van die kommersiële boerdery aangesien 'n kennispoeloor tyd opgebou is oor dié boer as persoon en sy besondere behoeftes. In ontwikkelingslandbou geld die teendeel. Uit die literatuur blyk dit dat daar aansienlike verskille tussen kommersiële en kleinboere bestaan wat 'n wesentlike invloed op hul inligtingsbehoeftes mag uitoefen. 'n Onvoldoende kennispoel van die ontwikkelende landbouer, grootliks as gevolg van weinige grondvlakkontak, skep gevolglik 'n gaping in die mondering van die Nasionale Departement van Landbou (NDL) as diensleweringsorganisasie. Die studie is daarop gerig om 'n bydrae te lewer tot die gebrekkige en dikwels algehele ontbrekende kennispoel en 'n strategie voor te hou ten einde die gaping te vernou. Ten einde op hoogte te kom met die leefwêreld van kleinboere en bestaansboereen die invloed wat die gegewe mag uitoefen op hul uiteindelike inligtingsbehoeftes en -benutting, is 'n profiel saamgestel van tradisionele kleinboere in verskeie Landelike Gebiede van die Provinsie Wes- Kaap. Die inligting is bekom uit resente opnames en studies wat in die Gebiede uitgevoer is. Met die profiel as agtergrond, is voortgegaan om kleinboere in Landelike Gebiede se inligtingsomge_wingte beskryf deur gebruik te maak van 'n kwalitatiewe ondersoekmetode bekend as die fokusgroepdata-insamelingstegniek. Die bevindings van die ondersoek toon dat die behoefte aan grondbesit en die beskikbaarheid van finansiële hulpbronne primêre behoeftes is. Alvorens dit tot bevrediging van kleinboere opgelos word, kan nie verwag word dat inligting as 'n hoë prioriteit deur hulle beleef sal word nie. Wat die benutting van spesifieke inligtingskanale betref, word medeboere en landbouvoorligters as die belangrikste persoonlike kanale gemeld, met die radio en die gedrukte media as die belangrikste massamediakanale. By gebrek aan 'n departementele kommunikasiestrategie word ontwikkelingsteunkommunikasie (aSK) as 'n potensiële strategie voorgehou om die leemtes te oorbrug wat in die ondersoek aangetoon is. aSK is in wese die skakeling tussen belangegroepe met die oog op konsensusbereiking wat oorgaan tot aksie en waarin die belange, behoeftes en vermoëns van alle rolspelers in berekening gebring word. Van groot belang in die aSK-strategie is die rol van die tussenganger wat bemiddelend optree tussen grondvlakgemeenskappe en instellings soos die NDL se direktoraat Kommunikasie, landbouvoorligters en selfs navorsers.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the perceptions of the University of Arizona College of Agriculture graduate students on the importance of Extension functions for rural development. In this study graduate students were grouped into: (1) American and international graduate students; and (2) graduate students with and without previous professional work experience. A questionnaire was mailed to 200 graduate students for the assessment of the importance of 34 Extension functions for rural development. The total response rate was 58%. To analyze the responses two statistical tests were used: the Student's t-test and the Spearman's rank order correlation (rs). It was found that the American and international graduate students perceived a majority of the Extension functions alike, but the international students gave them greater importance. Overall, these students ranked the functions similarly. The graduate students with previous professional work experience gave greater importance to the Extension functions than those without such experience, but their rankings were similar.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Agriculture)) --University of Limpopo, 2007 / The study was designed to outline the production process of a video film with farmers and its use as a tool for agricultural extension with other farmers engaged in similar development processes. The production process of the video film followed five stages namely: (1). Planning stage, where the production idea was discussed between the producer and the director. (2). Pre-production where brainstorming and conceptual framework were made. (3). Production stage was the shooting stage. Production took place at different venues with farmers and extension officers. (4). The editing stage using conceptual framework and Non Linear Editing (NLE) method to organize the video film into sequence; and (5) Distribution to project the video film with farmers in ten rural areas of the Limpopo province. Following the above-mentioned process, an eleven-minute film called Phanda na Vhulimi was produced with farmers, farmer’s leader as the main character and extension officers. Phanda na Vhulimi captured the farmer in her field, during meetings at various venues as a leader and during a public function in the village with provincial leaders. A back voice extensionist supplements the visual information with a description of the support process. In the ten villages the video film Phanda na Vhulimi was then projected to farmers following the subsequent steps: (1) Preparation for projection was a stage for arranging projection venues and setting sound to audible volume. (2) Pre-projection, here the researcher made a short presentation about the study without disclosing the content of the video film. (3) Projection was a stage of playing the video without pausing or talking by the projecting person (researcher) with exception to the viewers. (4) Post projection stage iii was where the video film was discussed with farmers, during this stage the researcher was acting as the facilitator to bring in farmer-to-farmer experience in relation to what was portrayed. After projections, an open-ended questionnaire was used to conduct this research. The raw data collected were analyzed by dividing it into two themes. The themes were divided into subsections as follows: preparation of the video film, reflection by the viewers/participants of the video film and learning during the projection process. The results of the study indicated that people in rural areas of South Africa watch television. There is a culture of shooting still pictures and watching video films but not hiring as they find it expensive, as a result, they borrow or watch with neighbours, friends i.e. other villages or watch family videos produced during special events. With this culture people are used to see pictures-both moving and still, therefore they will criticize less good quality pictures when they come across them. The study discovered that when a video film is produced with characters of the same background targeted audiences associate themselves with the product and feel that it represents them and their activities. These video films can be used as a tool to compliment not to replace the available methods of presentations. / Department of Labour SETASA NSF

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2012 / Agricultural Extension workers could play a key role in fostering sustainable agriculture production as well as economic growth. The training for extension staff is a step towards sustainable development. Agriculture is an important sector in the South African economy. Its existence impacts directly on job creation, rural development, food security, foreign exchange and poverty reduction. Because the agricultural sector is crucial to rural development and contributes significantly to any initiative to alleviate poverty, it is for this reason that there is a great need for strong extension and advisory services led by governmental operations in partnership with relevant role-players. The study therefore makes use of qualitative data to determine the level and frequency of achievements, challenges, and demographic information of extension officers. Data collection instruments, such as interviews and group discussion, are used to measure the outcomes of the extension training. The results of this study will inform the Department of Agriculture on the achievements, challenges and resolutions into enhancing effectiveness of training for extension staff. The major conclusions and recommendations include: A majority possess national diplomas. In terms of the job requirement, a person must possess a BSc degree in agriculture. It is recommended that bursary must be awarded to extension officers with diplomas so that they upgrade their qualification to a BSc degree. A majority of the extension officers received on the job training, for example, in customer care, HR practices, participatory extension approach and basic computer literacy. It is recommended that training should be accelerated in participatory extension approach, and customer because of the imperative to transmit agricultural skills and knowledge to the farmers in endeavour to promote sustainable agriculture and rural development. According to the study, the training provided to most extension officers was outdated because it was not applicable to current challenges. It is recommended that a study should be undertaken on the situational analysis of the challenges being experienced by the farmers. The study also found out that the infrastructure such as office accommodation, poor technology; insufficient funds disabled the extension officers to transfer the skills to the farmers. It is recommended that there should be sufficient resources to address these challenges.

Following concerns expressed by canegrowers in the Burdekin River Irrigation Area (BRIA) of Northern Queensland regarding rising groundwater and salinity the Department of Primary Industries instigated action to investigate and develop Best-On-Farm Water Management Practices. The purposes of this project were to improve landholder awareness of water use to maximise cane production while minimising the likelihood of salinity and changes in the groundwater balance, and to facilitate the development of soil and water management practices on a range of soils in the BRIA. The project lasted for 12 months, and this short duration affected research methodologies and techniques selected. Groups of farmers were organised, participation was good and useful outcomes resulted. These included: improved landholder awareness of the relationships between salinity, water use and groundwater; identification of a range of best practices; identification of social theories about water management practices; development of an extension model based on the value of indigenous knowledge; equality between government and farmers; examination of underlying assumptions in relation to water management by both government and farmers; identification of issues for future research and extension. / Master of Science (Hons)