Current Status of Cooperative Agricultural Extension Services in Japan and Its Implication for Korean Extension System

일본의 농촌지도사업 현황과 우리에게 주는 시사점

The objectives of this study were 1) to review the current status of cooperative extension services in Japan, and 2) to draw implications for improving Korean agricultural extension system. Faced with various problems since its localization of extension services in 1997, Korean agricultural extension needs to be improved and strengthened in order to continually achieve the national goals of food production, balanced national development and preservation of environment, at the same time to meet increasing needs of farmers. The results of the study revealed the major characteristics of agricultural extension services in Japan as follows; 1) Each agricultural extension centers were administratively and technically coordinated by the prefectural (provincial) government, 2) There were 11 public corporations with agricultural extension functions under the MAFF(Ministry of Agricultural Forestry and Fisheries) financed by government subsidies 3) Agricultural experiment stations at provincial level were responsible for developing agricultural innovations for farmers' adoption, 4) The functions and operation of the agricultural extension centers were independent from the local agricultural administration. Some of the implications drawn from the study were as follows; 1) In order to accomplish major objectives of agricultural extension services in Korea legal status of agricultural extension centers should be changed from city/county to provincial government, 2) It would be desirable to establish public corporations concerned with agricultural extension under the Rural Development Administration, 3) Provincial Rural Development Administration should be reinforced in terms of applied farming research and diffusion of new technology, 4) Agricultural extension centers should be independent from administrative function and be separated from administration at the city/county level.