The basic design for an Extension Administrative model for assisting people (farmers) with in on farm advances in production techniques and financial success are as varied as there are countries across the globe.

1. Introduction
Dr. Pete Vergot,
University of Florida IFAS Extension
pvergot@ufl.edu
Professional Development Module:
Extension Administration:
From Vision to Operations

2. Introduction
• The basic design for an Extension Administrative
model for assisting people (farmers) with in on farm
advances in production techniques and financial
success are as varied as there are countries across
the globe.
• Extension Administrative models may include
o a national structure
o provincial or state level,
o a group of units called districts or regions
o a local unit level which may be an area, county or
group of local villages

3. Extension ….
• Extension in most countries has its roots in assisting
farmers in changing production agricultural practices.
• Many Extension systems are based in the countries
Ministry of Agriculture or Department of Agriculture.
• In the U.S. the Extension System was developed
under the United States Department of Agriculture at
the national level and is jointly partnered with a state
entity a “Land-Grant University” and local “County”
governments to provide scientific based knowledge
and expertise to the public.

4. Sustainable and Relevant
• Questions on what is the best Extension
administrative model?
• What are the administrative practices which
make a successful “Extension System”?
• How can Extension systems be sustainable and
be relevant to funding sources at local, regional,
national and international levels?

5. Relevancy
• Extension is a relevant entity in assisting the
agricultural communities across the globe.
• Extension is in the top five sources and top ten
channels of new information.
• Many times farmers mix channels of
information with sources of information as
new techniques are passed from the early
adopters

6. Extension Delivery Models
• There are many different models of “Extension
Administration” and extension delivery.
• The Extension model that has the biggest impact has its
primary delivery method to farmers at the local level where
the farmers live, where the Extension worker becomes a part
of the local community.
• The grass roots model has provided for local clientele
decision making of the needs of farmers with continued
financial support from local, state/provincial and national
levels.
• What are the financial support mechanisms for your
Extension system?

7. Questions?

8. Principles for Success
• Extension be an integral part of a knowledge base or
has access to continuous knowledge acquisition
• New information or technologies be “research based”
on outcomes and information
• It is favored that local Extension workers have an
appropriate support base of “Research Extension
Specialists” who can provide technical advice and
training to local Extension workers.

9. Principles for Success
• That Extension programs be grounded at the local
level by the input of local farmer needs and local
community leaders
• To continue local involvement and support that there
be procedures for determining local needs that are the
basis for the development of state and national
priorities

10. Principles for Success
• Successful Extension systems be non-regulatory,
extension personnel may teach about regulations and
food safety laws; should be separate personnel for
enforcement.
• Extension workers at the local level be trained educators
in subject matter and educational delivery methods and
processes.
• Extension leadership and base funding be fluid and able
to change with the changing local needs that have
recognition at levels of national leadership and
government.

11. Questions?

12. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 1 – Extension Administration
Organizational Structure
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop and operationalize the Extension
Administrative processes of developing a
sound Extension Administration
Organizational Structure

13. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 2 – Extension Administration –
Performance, Personnel and Funding Structures
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop and operationalize the Extension
Administrative processes of: Performance,
Personnel and Funding Structures

14. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 3 – Extension Administration – Operations,
Communications and Information Technologies
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop the Extension Administrative processes
of Extension Operations, Communications and
Information Technologies

15. Extension Administration Objectives:
• Lesson 4 – Extension Administration –
Reporting, Marketing, Linkages and Roles
oExtension Leaders, Ministry and Mission
personnel will gain knowledge and skills to
develop the Extension Administrative
processes of: Administrative – Reporting,
Marketing, developing Linkages and Roles of
Extension Administrators

16. Questions?

17. Terms of Use and Disclaimer:
This training module was produced as part of the United States Agency for International Development,
USAID, project “Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services”, MEAS.
www.meas-extension.org
The module was made possible by the generous support of the American people through USAID. The
contents are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the
United States Government.
© Pete Vergot III, University of Florida and the MEAS Project
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
Users are free:
• to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work
• to Remix — to adapt the work
Under the following conditions:
• Attribution — Users must attribute the work to Pete Vergot III
(But not in any way that suggests that the author or his home institution
endorse the user or the user’s use of the work.)