Effective implementation of rural development programmes will need much greater attention in the next decade if rural populations in the less developed countries are to benefit from development programmes undertaken by governments. Strategies such as civil service reform, bureaucratic innovation, capacity building, and different types of organization development may be useful in this regard. But expanding the problem-solving capacity of rural development organizations themselves, through the utilization of organizational members within different levels of hierarchy, will continue to be a superior way of increasing program success than the use of external consultants with "bags of tricks”. This study undertook a multi-level study of problem perception by policymakers, supervisors and field personnel in Kenya's agricultural extension service in order to: (1) identify important problems perceived by field staff and other personnel as causing frustration, dissatisfaction, and lowered morale; (2) determine any influence of demographic factors on problem perception; and (3) determine any commonality in problem perception between policymakers, supervisors, and field staff. Using interview guides with open-ended questions, in-depth interviews were undertaken for a selected number of policymakers at the head office, extension supervisors at six provincial headquarters' offices, and field extension staff of the Ministries of Agriculture, and Livestock Development in four different districts in Kenya. Major findings of the study were: (1) that field personnel and other extension staff perceive a wide range of problems; (2) that most prominent problems originate from within the organization itself rather than the external environment; and (3) although some perceived problems tended to lose their sharp definition and recognition by officials as one moved up the hierarchy, there was a surprisingly high level of commonality in problem perception between field personnel, supervisors and policymakers. The high level of commonality is seen as a good basis for future planned change aimed at improving the problem-solving capacity of the organization. / Ph. D.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [158]-160).

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

No description available.

This study investigated the information needs of agricultural researchers and extension agents in addressing farmers' production-related constraints and information needs in The Gambia. The overall objective of the study was to identify the types of farmers' production-related problems faced by the above agents of change, which were translated into information needs, types of information providers and delivery systems used, and to assess their effectiveness. Coupled with this was the need to gauge the status of the T & V (Training & Visit) model of extension in the country as well as the linkage between research and extension. The sample comprised 32 researchers from NARI who were all included because of their small number and 68 extension agents selected through stratified random sampling from the Departments of Agricultural Services, Livestock Services, Fisheries and Forestry. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among the respondents located in the five divisions across the country. The findings indicated that out of a total of 54 respondents, 63% represented the extension agents while 37% were researchers. Of the same figure, 92.6% were male while 7.4% were female. The researchers' ages ranged from 31 to 56 years old, while the extension agents were between 25 to 55 years old. With regard to educational qualifications, most of the highly qualified staff were within the research services while extension had the least. It was also revealed that 59.3% of the respondents have more than 15 years of work experience. In respect to language proficiency, it was observed that 98.1% could speak more than one local language, that is to say, ranging from two to four languages. The findings also established 44 cases of information needs, which Gambian researchers and extension personnel experienced with only 11 information providers used to satisfy those needs. Of these information providers, professional forums (96.3%) and personal sources (81.5%) featured prominently as the most frequently used and effective sources. Personal contact (81.5%) was the most common delivery system employed to disseminate information and technical advice to farmers. As regards the respondents' perceptions about the T & V (Training & Visit) model of extension in the country and the linkage status between research and extension, 68.5% believed that T & V is non-existent while 79.6% attested to the current weakness of the research-extension linkages in the country. Finally, it was recommended that an agricultural library be established in each division to cater for the information needs of all the stakeholders. Also, the unit for the Research-Extension Liaison Officer (RELO) should be reinstated to further strengthen the linkage, coordination and interactive communication between research and extension services. / Thesis (M.I.S.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

The Soviet Union occupied her southern neighbor Afghanistan on Thursday, December 27, 1979. Soon after the occupation, significant impacts were felt on agriculture and other sectors of the economy. Agriculture was affected in many ways from the integrity of irrigation systems to the cultivation of opium poppies. Agricultural extension, as the main department within the Ministry of Agriculture, was severely affected in terms of programs, organization, personnel, budget, methods, relations with farmers, and transfer of improved technologies. This study was designed to assess the impacts of the occupation and identify recommendations for the future development of the system. A survey design was used. Sixty-two Afghans with detailed knowledge about the Soviet occupation and agriculture participated in the study. The survey included 34 mostly open-ended questions, covering three areas: demographic characteristics of respondents, impacts of the occupation, and prospects for the future of the Agricultural Extension System of Afghanistan. The majority of participants were highly educated and lived in North America after departing Afghanistan. The results also showed that during the occupation many participants were assigned to passive positions or lost their jobs. The occupation affected the attitudes of the farmers, reduced the cultivation of agricultural land, destroyed the infrastructure for delivering agricultural services, altered the types of crops grown and reduced the number of people working in agriculture. Millions of landmines remain a serious threat to those who return to farming. Recommendations are made for the Government, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Higher and Vocational Education, Agricultural Extension System, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and International Aid Agencies. Agricultural extension rehabilitation should be given high priority to meet the emerging challenges of increasing agricultural production by adopting modern technology, generating suitable marketing channels for surplus agricultural products, providing equal development and working opportunities for Afghan women, protecting natural resources, utilizing professional returnees, and replacing poppy cultivation with regular food crops. Perceptual and structural obstacles may militate against providing proper support for agricultural development in Afghanistan. The overall reconstruction and development of the Afghan Agricultural Extension System is a prerequisite for the future development of the Afghan agriculture sector. Establishing a stable Afghan government and support from the international coalition are essential to rebuilding this important sector of the economy.

Thesis (PhD) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 1999. / "A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy" Bibliography : leaves 218-224.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury,1994. Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean,1994. / A thesis submitted to the School of Agriculture and Rural Development, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, and The Faculty of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Western Sydney Nepean, in part fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliography - leaves 310 - 328 and appendices.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.