Agricultural Extension Systems in the Coming Years on the Question of Models and Approaches

농업여건 변화에 부응하는 농촌지도기구의 개편방안

Our agricultural extension system with all its success and failures, rewards and punishment was introduced 50 years ago with particular reference from United States. Some of the established principles and policies of effective extension work were shaken off for immediate result. But the results were not praiseworthy. The purpose of this study is to throw some light on the question of systems and approaches on agricultural extension that can adequately meet the challenges of the future. Our extension system is `special government type` which administers a nation-wide network of extension and training services in close collaboration with that of the experiment station. This type, however, has innate weakness which inclined to be standardized, inflexible, and irrelevant to actual needs of farming communities and problems of farmers. In this regard, it is necessary to consider another approaches of agricultural extension: `Government Type`, `Agricultural University`, `Farmers Organization`. The characteristics features, advantages and disadvantages of these models have been discussed. Each model has been found wanting in one way or another to meet the needs and interest of the present Korean situation. In view of the agricultural situation, and considering the expected changes of farmers and technologies in the years ahead, the `modification (especially to the direction of provincial government) of preset system` was expected which would be operationally flexible and organizationally unified and decentralized. The modification of present system should include the following characteristics: 1) universal contact with client system, 2) local planning based on the needs of clients, 3) using multiple method of nonformal education, 4) fitting with both general and specialized farming systems, 5) accommodating variable clients, technologies and educational objects.