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Essay Composition On – Agricultural Extension – For W.B.C.S. Examination.
প্রবন্ধ রচনা – কৃষি সম্প্রসারণ – WBCS পরীক্ষা।
The proliferation of interconnected computers on a global scale has made the world to become compacted in terms of knowledge and information sharing. Information in this age is the key resource element for developing and establishing a prosperous, dynamic and viable for any nations. Thus, a country is termed as rich or poor based on how information rich or poor the country is.Continue Reading Essay Composition On – Agricultural Extension – For W.B.C.S. Examination.
The quantum leap and advancements witnessed in recent times in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have transformed virtually everything; individuals, societies, nations, businesses and markets and have generated tremendous wealth and economic prosperity in many countries around the world. ICT is now the driving-force of all prosperous and progressive nations and hence all countries are striving towards establishing a robust and sound ICT sector that will serve as a catalyst for rapid socio-economic development.
Despite all these, the development, awareness and utilization of ICT in Nigeria compared to developed nations like the United States of America and Europe is grossly inadequate. Adedeji (2001, as cited in Salawu, 2008) emphasize that Nigeria is progressing even though at a slow pace as pointed out. Nigeria is still counted among countries that are poor in information sharing. However, in the last few years, there has been significant changes and progress in ICT development in the country. The Federal Government took bold steps to reverse the trend by formulating appropriate policies and measures that will bridge the digital divide. Nigeria with a population of 140,431,790 millions, National Population Commissions (2006) located in West Coast of Africa with 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and over 274 ethnics groups has tremendously coming up in development of ICT in rural areas. The expansion of ICT in rural area has brought about rural development in many villages. However, about 80% of Nigerian lives in rural area. ICT has improve easy communication among the ruralite, easier to medical care, better access to educational tools, easier access to government and government initiatives, reduction in rural urban migration, knowledge sharing and enhanced productivity linked to better access to communication (Ndukwe, 2008).
In developing countries such as Nigeria, rural people have greatly depended on extension worker for technological advice and information transfer on their farming activities. In essence, extension worker transfer technical advice to the rural people. Boone (1990) describes extension service as a human process in which technical information are integrated and used to help rural people in achieving their potentials. The term agricultural extension is a professional communication intervention deployed by organizations to disseminate agriculture knowledge and technologies to rural communities. Extension has a long history, based on adult education, communication science, community development, rural development, international development, and has strong linkages with agriculture research and practice. (Karbasioun et al., 2007).
It is important to disseminate information about new technologies so that the farmer is able to make use of the latest agricultural developments. For technology to be successful, it is necessary that it should serve a useful purpose to the end user. Therefore, the institution that bridges the gap between farmers and agricultural research scientists or ministry is the Agricultural Extension Service (AES). The main objective of agricultural extension services is to transmit latest technical know-how to farmers. Extension service is one of the departments in Agricultural Development Project (ADP) under the ministry of agricultures, fisheries and forest resources (state or federal Level). Extension worker on field are normally the junior staff in the department which range from Level 6 officers to level 9 and sometimes level 10 as well. Agricultural extension workers are intermediaries between research (i.e. ministry) and farmers, they work directly with the farmers and depend on information been received from the ministries which in most cases came late to them, this might happened due to inadequate information sharing device system between the field extension workers and the ministry. They serve as facilitators and communicators, helping farmers in their decision-making and ensuring that appropriate knowledge is implemented in order to obtain the best results. It is generally carried out in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between agricultural extension workers and their clientele (farmers).
In other word, rural people are those that live in rural area which most of their activities is farming. In view of Deavers and Brown (1985), categories rural area on social, demographics and economic information which includes; agriculture, nearest to nature, persistence poverty and reduction in population growth. Rural area is faced with various problems which include: environmental degradation, inadequate channel of information for extension workers to rural people, poor portable water supply, inadequate social amenities, high level of unemployment rate, poor health facilities, high level of literacy and poverty. Of these entire problem faced by the ruralite, late of information delivery to the rural people by agricultural extension workers is one of the most significant aspect which needs to improve because it causes declination in agricultural produce and poor socio economic activities of the farmers. The existence of late information from the ministry to the extension workers is addressed by designing a conceptual model for extension information sharing portal.
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