The Qualities of an Extension Worker
Despite the various technologies and innovations available to farmers to aid food production, most farmers still use traditional methods of farming, as these technologies and innovations are either slowly adopted or not adopted at all.
It is now patient to look at some Qualities of an extension Worker and how they could influence the adoption of innovations for sustainable agricultural production. Some of these Qualities of an Extension Worker are:
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Originality
Originality as one of the Qualities of an Extension Worker connotes that the extension agent must be unique in taught, words and in actions.
The extension worker as an agent of change should be special in personality, and not easily influenced by the opinion of farmers.
He should have the ability to express himself with confidence and not depend on the opinion of others before he can make decisions in solving the problem of the farmers.
The extension worker should have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, to possess the confidence to express himself adequately.
Leadership
This is one of the most important Qualities of an Extension Worker that is required to guide the farmers in the adoption and practicing of innovations.
The effectiveness of farmers’ responses to the adoption of new farming techniques and methods is affected by the leadership style possessed by the extension worker.
It is required of extension workers to be effective leaders among leaders to attain desired goals and objectives.
He must be able to know the way to follow in other to solve the farmer’s problem which will then lead to effective performance.
He must be a person of a calm temperament to be able to inspire rural farmers to achieve their desired goals.
The extension worker as a leader should be able to create an avenue for farmers to increase their standard of living, expanding production, processing, and marketing.
with the aid of the leadership ability of the extension worker, he should be able to identify agro-based industries within those localities and link farmers with other industries or farmers, to acquire better information on modern agriculture and newly developed plant varieties and the breed of animals.
Initiative
Initiative as an essential Qualities of an Extension Worker gives the extension workers the ability to spend extra effort in ensuring that the problems of farmers are achieved.
An extension worker must possess good initiative to solve the farmers’ problems first before referring them to the research station for a solution.
The effectiveness of an extension worker to demonstrate these skills to farmers can help speed up the farmers’ level of adoption of information.
Since the extension worker has a high ability to solve farmers’ problems without difficulties the farmers as rational individuals will want to emulate the extension worker and possibly exhibit such quality.
Initiative skills will propel the extension worker to take steps to solve the problem of the farmers without being directed.
The teaching of extension workers with high initiative skills will be treated by the farmers with all levels of seriousness because the instructions are innovative, enthusiastic, and fulfilling.
The initiative skills of the extension worker can influence the farmers’ level of assimilating information relating to modern technologies and innovation that can boost food production.
Organization Ability
The extension worker must have good organization skills, he must be able to organize his speech or material before delivery.
The effectiveness of any extension activities will depend on how the extension worker plan, organize, and executes his activities.
Organizational ability is one of the Qualities of an Extension Worker that makes him able to organize the training of farmers.
Before executing any program the extension worker must ensure he coordinates himself properly in a manner that will make clientele accept and adopt his information.
Problem-Solving Ability
An extension worker must possess good problem-solving skills.
He should be able to identify farmers’ problems and solve them if they fall within his area of specialization, or if not within his capacities or area of specialization he should be able to refer them to the appropriate departments where such problems can solve.
An Extension worker must not leave the farmers’ problem unattended or handle it with levity this will make the farmers lose credibility in the ability of extension services.
Clear Judgments
This is one of the Qualities of an Extension Worker that enables the extension worker to appreciate the problem confronting the farmers, and proffer solutions to that problem.
The extension worker must have great foresight to be able to solve the farmers’ multidimensional problem.
For example, If a farmer is complaining of some deficiency symptom noticed on the farm, the extension worker should be able to identify the causes of the problem and prevent the deficiency system from going further to destroy the farmer’s crops or animals.
The extension worker must be able to see farmers’ problems beforehand, a put modalities in place to avert such challenges.
Reliability/ Honesty
An extension worker must be honest and reliable so that he can win the trust and confidence of the rural farmers. Reliability or honesty breeds trust, and trust can fast-track the farmers’ level of accepting technologies or innovations,( as cited by Obiyai, Ekpebu & Ekubo)
Once the farmers have established a level of trust in the extension worker as a man that is true to his words, and not a double standard individual adoption of the innovation and research findings becomes very easy.
On the other hand, if an extension worker possesses questionable character, it will breed mistrust on the part of the farmers which will affect the level of assimilation of innovations and research findings.
Reliability/honesty/trustworthiness as the Qualities of a Good Extension Worker that are necessary for the assimilation of modern farming techniques and modern farming innovations.
Communication Skills
An extension worker must have good communication skills to pass innovations and ideas to farmers in clear and simple terms.
Communication skills as one of the Qualities of a Good Extension Worker determines farmers’ behavior in adoption innovation.
The extension worker must be bold, have good oratory abilities, and the knowledge of the native local language.
Extension workers who are from a different ethnic group must not be posted where he does not understand the native language.
If an extension agent is posted to an area where he does not understand the language, such workers will not be able to communicate effectively with farmers in their native language, hence transmission of practical innovation will not be effective.
To avoid communication breakdown both the extension workers and the farmers must have a mutual understanding of what is taught and communicated.
Freedom from Local Politics
The agricultural extension worker is a catalyst for change, for the extension agent to bring the much-needed change to the farmer he must be free of local politics.
If the farmer notices that the extension worker is a politician, the farmers will lose trust in the extension worker. The teaching and ideology of the extension worker will be seen as mere political languages.
On the other hand, the extension officer must not use political ideology to win the confidence of all the target farmers.
Respect for Culture and Traditions
The extension worker must possess good social ability to succeed in his endeavor. Every community has does and doesn’t, he must respect their does and don’t as stipulated in the community.
The extension worker should respect the way of life of the people. He must not be a high-shouldered individual, and be down to earth to the farmers’ level.
If the extension agent is posted to a particular community he should dress like them, eat their kind of food, and drink the available water while maintaining the aims and purpose of all these.
By doing all these, the farmers can accept the extension as one of their own and possibly win their hearts. This will facilitate the acceptance of what teaching the extension has to offer.
Technical Knowledge
This is one of the important Qualities of an Extension Worker which requires him to possess adequate knowledge of the subject matter and to impact such knowledge on the farmers.
He should be an individual who is constantly learning to keep himself abreast of current information in the field of agriculture.
The extension worker must be able to attend conferences, symposiums, and seminars to be current as a change agent.
He should be able to use the knowledge possesses to motivate farmers to acquire skills and abilities that will help them increase food production.
Punctuality
“Time they say is of the essence” so the agricultural extension agent should be able to keep to time, whenever he arranges meetings with a group of local farmers.
He should not be an individual who does not keep to time or punctual to meetings, seminars, and workshops.
The negative effect of this behavior is that the farmers will lose confidence in him, and his message of change.
Frequently Ask Questions
What are the Agricultural Extension officer’s Job descriptions?
The innate qualities of an extension worker are crucial in executing their role effectively in helping farmers improve their farming methods and techniques. Some of the agricultural extension worker job descriptions are:
Job Description of the Village Extension Workers
The job description of the village extension worker is :
- Regularly visit farmers to create a good rapport and understand farmers’ problem
- Carry out training in the form of meetings, campaigns, demonstrations, field days, and exhibitions to educate farmers on the modern system of farming.
- Help solve the farming problem and provide advisory services.
Job description of the Subject-Matter Specialists.
The job description of the Subject-Matter Specialists are
- They are the knowledge-based of the extension station with the latest recommendations and findings related to production and contact with the research station
- They help Village Extension Workers solve the farmer’s problem
- They train Village Extension Workers latest methods and techniques of farming
- They help to back Village Extension Workers in solving the farmer’s problem
- They are knowledge-based on the agricultural extension hence they have the current information and
- They provide information about the farmer’s problems and the solution to the extension station.
Job description of the Supervisory Staff or Extension Officers
The job description of the supervisory staff or extension officers are
- They help to execute the organization function of the extension program i.e. they plan, organize, coordinate, and implement agricultural extension activities.
- They help to Supervise and monitor agricultural extension worker field staff.
- They guide, motivate, and evaluate the performance of the extension program
In conclusion
The role of the extension worker in 21st-century agriculture is very enormous and requires excellent Qualities to execute or solve farmers-related problems.
The agricultural extension worker must be punctual, have technical knowledge, and communication skills, and be reliable/honest in dealing with farmers to be able to win farmers to adopt current innovative practices in farming.