AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION.

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1

Clubs; Economics; Educational Needs; Educational Philosophy; Educational Policy; Extension Agents; Extension Education; Farm Management; Federal Aid; Government Role; Industry; Inservice Education; National Surveys; Private Agencies; Professional Education; Rural Extension; Specialists; State Government

AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION HAS LONG EMPHASIZED TECHNICAL ADVISORY SERVICE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC ASPECTS OF FARM PRODUCTION AND FARM LIFE. ONLY IN TASMANIA HAS FARM MANAGEMENT BEEN STRESSED. DEMANDS FOR THE WHOLE-FARM APPROACH HAVE PRODUCED A TREND TOWARD GENERALISM FOR DISTRICT OFFICERS IN MOST STATES. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, MASS MEDIA, AND BUSINESS, INDUSTRIAL, RESEARCH, AND RURAL GROUPS SUPPLEMENT STATE GOVERNMENT EFFORTS. IN PARTICULAR, THE PRIVATE SERVICES OF FARM MANAGEMENT CLUBS, INTRODUCED IN 1956, NOW EMPLOY ABOUT TWICE AS MANY GENERALIZED EXTENSION WORKERS AS ALL THE STATE GOVERNMENTS COMBINED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE AT PRESENT NO SPECIAL FACILITIES IN AUSTRALIA FOR PROFESSIONAL AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION TRAINING. FUTURE PROGRESS IN AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WILL REQUIRE BETTER TRAINED FARMERS, MORE SKILLED CONSULTANTS, ADEQUATE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND EXTENSION RESEARCH, PARTICIPATION OF THE RURAL POPULATION IN VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS, CLOSE TEAMWORK BETWEEN EXTENSION GENERALISTS AND SPECIALISTS, AND CLOSER COOPERATION AMONG ALL THE EXTENSION SERVICES. THIS DOCUMENT IS CHAPTER 8, IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA, BY R.N. FARQUHAR, AVAILABLE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, HAWTHORN, VICTORIA. (LY)

1968

ED014627