The basic design for an Extension Administrative model for assisting people (farmers) with in on farm advances in production techniques and financial success are as varied as there are countries across the globe.
Introduction to the extension administration training module presentation
1. Introduction
Dr. Pete Vergot,
University of Florida IFAS Extension
pvergot@ufl.edu
Professional Development Module:
Extension Administration:
From Vision to Operations
2. Introduction
• The basic design for an Extension Administrative
model for assisting people (farmers) with in on farm
advances in production techniques and financial
success are as varied as there are countries across
the globe.
• Extension Administrative models may include
o a national structure
o provincial or state level,
o a group of units called districts or regions
o a local unit level which may be an area, county or
group of local villages
3. Extension ….
• Extension in most countries has its roots in assisting
farmers in changing production agricultural practices.
• Many Extension systems are based in the countries
Ministry of Agriculture or Department of Agriculture.
• In the U.S. the Extension System was developed
under the United States Department of Agriculture at
the national level and is jointly partnered with a state
entity a “Land-Grant University” and local “County”
governments to provide scientific based knowledge
and expertise to the public.
4. Sustainable and Relevant
• Questions on what is the best Extension
administrative model?
• What are the administrative practices which
make a successful “Extension System”?
• How can Extension systems be sustainable and
be relevant to funding sources at local, regional,
national and international levels?
5. Relevancy
• Extension is a relevant entity in assisting the
agricultural communities across the globe.
• Extension is in the top five sources and top ten
channels of new information.
• Many times farmers mix channels of
information with sources of information as
new techniques are passed from the early
adopters
6. Extension Delivery Models
• There are many different models of “Extension
Administration” and extension delivery.
• The Extension model that has the biggest impact has its
primary delivery method to farmers at the local level where
the farmers live, where the Extension worker becomes a part
of the local community.
• The grass roots model has provided for local clientele
decision making of the needs of farmers with continued
financial support from local, state/provincial and national
levels.
• What are the financial support mechanisms for your
Extension system?
8. Principles for Success
• Extension be an integral part of a knowledge base or
has access to continuous knowledge acquisition
• New information or technologies be “research based”
on outcomes and information
• It is favored that local Extension workers have an
appropriate support base of “Research Extension
Specialists” who can provide technical advice and
training to local Extension workers.
9. Principles for Success
• That Extension programs be grounded at the local
level by the input of local farmer needs and local
community leaders
• To continue local involvement and support that there
be procedures for determining local needs that are the
basis for the development of state and national
priorities
10. Principles for Success
• Successful Extension systems be non-regulatory,
extension personnel may teach about regulations and
food safety laws; should be separate personnel for
enforcement.
• Extension workers at the local level be trained educators
in subject matter and educational delivery methods and
processes.
• Extension leadership and base funding be fluid and able
to change with the changing local needs that have
recognition at levels of national leadership and
government.
12. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 1 – Extension Administration
Organizational Structure
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop and operationalize the Extension
Administrative processes of developing a
sound Extension Administration
Organizational Structure
13. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 2 – Extension Administration –
Performance, Personnel and Funding Structures
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop and operationalize the Extension
Administrative processes of: Performance,
Personnel and Funding Structures
14. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 3 – Extension Administration – Operations,
Communications and Information Technologies
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop the Extension Administrative processes
of Extension Operations, Communications and
Information Technologies
15. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 4 – Extension Administration –
Reporting, Marketing, Linkages and Roles
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop the Extension Administrative
processes of: Administrative – Reporting,
Marketing, developing Linkages and Roles of
Extension Administrators
Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services Professional Development Module ofExtension Administration From Vision to Operations
Introduction
Dr. Pete Vergot,
University of Florida IFAS Extension
pvergot@ufl.edu
Introduction:
The basic design for an Extension Administrative model for assisting people (farmers) with in on farm advances in production techniques and financial success are as varied as there are countries across the globe.
In every country where an Extension Service exists, one can find that there are many types of Extension Administrative models as there are Extension delivery methods.
The main Extension Administrative model includes some type of national structure, a sub set at the provincial or state level, a group of units called districts or regions and to a local unit level which may be an area, county or group of local villages. All of these components require some type of oversight or Extension Administrative model.
Extension in most countries has its roots in assisting farmers in changing production agricultural practices.
Many Extension systems are based in the countries Ministry of Agriculture or Department of Agriculture.
In the U.S. the Extension System was developed under the United States Department of Agriculture at the national level and is jointly partnered with a state entity a “Land-Grant University” and local “County” governments to provide scientific based knowledge and expertise to the public.
Extension administrators and leadership members have questions on what is the best Extension administrative model and what are the administrative practices which make a successful “Extension System”.
Extension leaders and extension workers have asked specifically how they can make their Extension system more sustainable and be relevant to both the local farming clientele (both sustainable and production farmers) and to funding sources at local, regional, national and international levels.
Extension is a very relevant entity in assisting the agricultural communities across the globe.
When reviewing the research of what “Sources and Channels" of information farmers used to learn new agricultural practices, one finds Extension usually in the top five sources or channels of new information.
Extension in the U.S. has been near the top of the “sources” of new information for the transfer of new knowledge or production techniques on farms. Extension is in the top ten of channels of how farmers receive new information of sustainable agricultural practices.
Many times farmers mix channels of information with sources of information as new techniques are passed from the early adopters, in most cases a family member or a neighbor, to becoming mainstream farming practices which sometimes blurs the true beginning, or source, of the knowledge.
Many countries including the U.S. have tried different models of Extension Administration and delivery including moving Extension agents from local based "county level" to a more “regional” and “multi-county” delivery method.
The Extension model that has the biggest impact has its primary delivery method to farmers at the local level where the farmers live and where the Extension worker becomes a part of the local community.
This model has provided for local clientele decision making of the needs of farmers with continued financial support from local, state/provincial and national levels. What are the financial support mechanisms for your Extension system?
This grass roots approach gives direction to form the many guiding principles, which have made Extension successful.
That Extension be an integral part of a knowledge base or has access to continuous knowledge acquisition and a learning system.
That new information or technologies that is transferred to local farming clientele by local extension workers or state extension specialist be “research based” on outcomes and information from the research component of a university system or that the National Extension system of the country follow practices which are “research based”.
To support the transfer of this “research based knowledge” It is favored that local Extension workers have an appropriate support base of “Research Extension Specialists” who can provide technical advice and training to local Extension workers.
That the Extension systems administrative model that the administrative leadership not be bloated with functions that are not in direct delivery to local farmers.
That Extension programs be grounded at the local level by the input of local farmer needs and local community leaders assisting in the funding of operations of Extension to provide ownership at the local level. With this ownership that processes are in place for continuous local involvement in the hiring and funding of local extension workers operations.
To continue local involvement and support that there be procedures for determining local needs that are the basis for the development of state and national priorities along with a process of reporting outcomes and impacts throughout the Extension system from the local to the national levels.
Successful Extension systems be non-regulatory, meaning that extension workers be educators and do not have the authority or responsibility to enforce agricultural regulations or laws. This is crucial in acquiring and keeping the confidence of farmers. The extension personnel may teach about regulations and food safety laws; however there should be separate personnel for enforcement.
That Extension workers at the local level be trained educators in both the subject matter and educational delivery methods and processes. It is also important that continued professional development is a part of a continuing strengthening of local extension workers. In many cases, as local Extension workers are compensated for their advanced training and have avenues for advancement in position they will stay on to continue their career with Extension.
That Extension leadership and base funding be fluid and able to change with the changing local needs that have recognition at higher levels of national leadership and government.
Extension Administration Objectives:
Lesson 1 – Extension Administration Organizational Structure
Extension Leaders, Ministry and Mission personnel will gain knowledge and skills to develop and operationalize the Extension Administrative processes of developing a sound Extension Administration Organizational Structure
Lesson 2 – Extension Administration – Performance, Personnel and Funding Structures
Extension Leaders, Ministry and Mission personnel will gain knowledge and skills to develop and operationalize the Extension Administrative processes of: Performance, Personnel and Funding Structures
Lesson 3 – Extension Administration – Operations, Communications and Information Technologies
Extension Leaders, Ministry and Mission personnel will gain knowledge and skills to develop the Extension Administrative processes of Extension Operations, Communications and Information Technologies
Lesson 4 – Extension Administration –Reporting, Marketing, Linkages and Roles
Extension Leaders, Ministry and Mission personnel will gain knowledge and skills to develop the Extension Administrative processes of: Extension Administration –Reporting, Marketing, developing Linkages and Roles of Extension Administrators