Comparative effectiveness of group extension methods in village farming in till coastal zone of Tanzania
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Date
1979-07-01
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University of Dar es salaam
Abstract
This dissertation compares the effectiveness of three group—based agricultural extension methodsi (i) demonstra—tions together with formal scheduled group discussion meetings, (ii) formal scheduled group discussion meetings alone and (iii) informal unscheduled or general meetings or contacts that were applied in 24 villages of the coastal zone in Bagamoyo, Handeni, Korogwe, and I.Iorogoro Districts, Tanzania. economic, political, administrative, educational, and environmental factors that directly
or indirectly affect the effectiveness of agricultural extension methods and the extension service in general.
The aim of the study is: first, to identify the best
or most effective group-based agricultural extension methods
Secondly, to identify constraints to agricultural extension <
methods and the extension service in general that render
agricultural extension workers ineffective and consequently
inhibit increased agricultural production. Third, the
study aims at making recommendations that will help
agricultural extension workers in villages to increase their
communication effectiveness which will hopefully lead to
increased agricultural production.
meetings, (ii) formal scheduled group discussion meetings
alone and (iii) informal unscheduled or general meetings or
which conform to tire country’s policy for villagization as . ■’ *
related to the prevailing economic and social conditions^.
It examines social Historically the agricultural extension service has
been understaffed, and most seriously under-educated (in
basic education), and under-trained (in extension and agriculture
) • Inadequate training, particularly in the extension
approach or methods, is alleged to be one of the main
causes for ineffectiveness of agricultural extension workers
and the extension service in general. The training given
lacks understanding and proper emphasis, therefore does not
produce extension workers able to communicate effectively
Consequently with farmers. extension workers have apparently
had a minor impact in inducing changes in farming.
Five operational dependent variables used in measuring
the effectiveness of the three group-based agricultural
extension methods are: (i) Knowledge of recommended farming
practices, (ii) Adoption rate of recommended farming
Results of the study show that differences exist in
effectiveness of the three group-based agricultural extension
methods as stated in the hypotheses tested. Some of
these differences are statistically significant, others
are not. Of the three group-based agricultural extension
methods studied, demonstrations together with formal
scheduled group discussion meetings proved to be the most
practices, (iii) Development increase of the village,
(iv) Income per ha and (v) Income per man-day. effective. Formal scheduled group discussion meetings vzere second in effectiveness, and informal unscheduled general
meetings or contacts v/ere last in effectiveness. The analytical
methods used in arriving at these results include
simple and multiple regression and analysis of variance.
There are also differences between Districts in relation to
the effectiveness of extension methods in respeet of the
five operational variables. Some of these differences v/ere
statistically significant, other were not. Districts
differ in levels of performance in respect to nature of
individual) but none of these
differences between Districts are statistically significant.
on average,
statistically significant differences between communal and
individual types of farming systems in respeet of the tv/o
income variables under all three types of group-based
extension methods.
Several obstacles affect agricultural information
communication in the coastal zone villages: These include
poor basic education and professional training of agricultural
extension workers, high illiteracy percentage level
among farmers, inadequate structural organization of the
extension service, poor supervision of village level
extension workers, and economic and social disparity
between villagers and extension workers. In order to improve effectiveness of the agricultural
extension approach and the extension service as a whole, it
is recommended that evaluation of the agricultural extension
service, particularly extension methods, be made more
often. Demonstrations and meetings should be the key
educational tool of the extension workers in villages. The
entire agricultural training programmes should bo reviewed
to insure that relevant subjects have their duo emphasis in
the syllabi. The number of trainees should be increased
and only form IV and above with high passes in relevant
subjects should be recruited in so far as adequate numbers
are available. Village-level agricultural extension
workers should be employees of villages. Research recommendations
for villages should be accompanied by their
economic aspects to make them complete and should be
written in layman's language for extension workers and
farmers to understand. Farmers should be required to adopt
complete packages of recommendations for a maximum increase
in agricultural production to the extent that they are
econonioally viable. There is an urgent need for a socialist
credit system to be established to serve villages*
Refresher or in-service courses for junior and senior
agricultural extension workers should be arranged annually
or after every two years. Finally, an intensive political
education campaign should be launched for villagers particularly village council members, to enlighten them on
the meaning, demands, and relevanoo of socialism in their
own context.
Description
Keywords
Group extension methods, Farming, Village farming, Coastal zone, Tanzania