Agricultural extension

Agricultural extension is the application of scientific research and new knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education. The field of 'extension' now encompasses a wider range of communication and learning activities organized for rural people by educators from different disciplines, including agriculture, agricultural marketing, health, and business studies.

Extension practitioners can be found throughout the world, usually working for government agencies. They are represented by several professional organizations, networks and extension journals.

Agricultural extension agencies in developing countries receive large amounts of support from international development organizations such as the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Extension terminology

The use of the word 'extension' originated in England in 1866. Modern extension began in Dublin, Ireland, in 1847 with Lord Clarendon's itinerant instructors during the Great Famine. It expanded in Germany in the 1850s, through the itinerant agricultural teachers called Wanderlehrer, and later in the United States via the cooperative extension system authorized by the Smith–Lever Act of 1914. The term was later adopted in the US, while in Britain it was replaced with "advisory service" in the 20th century. A number of other terms are used in different parts of the world to describe the same or similar concept:

Arabic: Al-Ershad ("guidance")

Bengali: সম্প্রসারণ (shomprosharon 'extension')

Dutch: Voorlichting ("lighting the path")

German: Beratung ("advisory work")

French: Vulgarisation ("popularization")

Italian: Assistenza tecnica e divulgazione agricola ("agricultural technical assistance and popularization")

Spanish: Capacitación ("training", "capacity building")

Thai, Lao: Song-Suem ("to promote")

Persian: Tarvij & Gostaresh ("to promote and to extend") - ترویج و گسترش

Hindi: vistaar ("to extend")- विस्तार

Somali: hormarin & ballaarin' ("to promote and extend"')

Nepali: प्रसार

In the US, an extension agent is a university employee who develops and delivers educational programs to assist people in economic and community development, leadership, family issues, agriculture and environment.