private sector, INTERPAKS, A common strategy for agricultural and rural development in the third world is the operation of a government-run agricultural extension service devoted to augmenting small holder productivity. Numerous evaluations of such services, however, have concluded that they are ineffective. This paper examines an alternative strategy -- the provision of agricultural extension services by capitalist enterprise. It presents a case study of the privatization of extension services in Papua New Guinea and discusses the implications. This paper concludes that private agencies have the ability to boost agricultural production, but are unlikely to achieve broader objectives of contemporary rural development.
Akorhe, Jonathan (author), Nweke, Felix I. (author), and Nweke: Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; Akorhe: Federal Department of Agriculture, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1983-02
Published:
UK: Barking, Essex, UK : Applied Science Publishers Ltd.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 88 Document Number: C06088
INTERPAKS, Describes selected extension programs in six Southeast Asian countries. Among extension approaches observed in these countries, those programs directed by Southeast Asians overwhelmingly favored technicians' one-to-one contact with farmers in solving their problems on the spot, whereas those programs designed by Westerners included larger classes and instruction in agricultural concepts. Reviews the advantages of each approach. Given the increasing complexity of irrigated agriculture, technicians and even supervisors were found to need more training in both social and intellectual initiative. Describes how anthropological research methods can be useful in improving the accuracy and insights of administrators' information from the provincial and farm levels and how administrators can benefit from the breadth that anthropologists bring to understanding both technicians' and farmer's decision making.
