International comparison of extension agent objectives and construction of a typology

dc.contributor.authorLandini, Fernando
dc.contributor.authorTurner, James A.
dc.contributor.authorDavis, K.
dc.contributor.authorPercy, Helen
dc.contributor.authorVan Niekerk, Johan
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-18T14:24:46Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractPURPOSE : To analyse and compare the extension objectives of individual extension agents across nine countries. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : Extension agents from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Paraguay, and South Africa were surveyed using convenience sampling (n = 2707). A typology of extension agents with different profiles of objectives was built using data from five of the countries. FINDINGS : The most frequent individual extension objectives were to increase farmers’ knowledge through training, and productive modernisation of farms. Four types of extension agents were identified: the socially-engaged extension agent; the agricultural production and business expert; the trainer of subsistence farmers, and the pro-poor practitioner. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : Researchers can use these results to analyse specific institutional settings, and extension institutions to reflect on the type of extension agent that best fit their institutional goals and to select practitioners accordingly. THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS : Productive modernisation persists as a fundamental individual extension objective in many countries. Individual extension objectives are not stand-alone preferences but clusters of interrelated priorities, which do not necessarily coincide with those of extension institutions or national policies. Practitioners’ agency plays a key role in realising (or not) a fit between extension service offerings and demand for extension services, and contributes to a wider repertoire of advisory styles in extension systems than implied by extension institutional objectives. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This research adds to the literature by examining individual extension agents, rather than the institutional extension objectives, and providing a typology of agents with different profiles of objectives.en_US
dc.description.departmentAgricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Developmenten_US
dc.description.embargo2022-12-06
dc.description.librarianhj2022en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe University of La Cuenca del Plata (Argentina), AgResearch (New Zealand), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets.en_US
dc.description.urihttp://www.tandfonline.com/loi/raee20en_US
dc.identifier.citationLandini, F., Turner, J. A., Davis, K., Percy, H., & Van Niekerk, J. (2022). International comparison of extension agent objectives and construction of a typology. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 28:4, 415-437, DOI: 10.1080/1389224X.2021.1936091.en_US
dc.identifier.issn1389-224X (print)
dc.identifier.issn1750-8622 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1080/1389224X.2021.1936091
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/85572
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherRoutledgeen_US
dc.rights© Taylor and Francis. This is an electronic version of an article published in Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 415-437, 2022. doi : 10.1080/1389224X.2021.1936091. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.comloi/raee20.en_US
dc.subjectExtension agentsen_US
dc.subjectAdvisory servicesen_US
dc.subjectExtension objectivesen_US
dc.subjectGoalsen_US
dc.subjectTypologyen_US
dc.subjectAgencyen_US
dc.titleInternational comparison of extension agent objectives and construction of a typologyen_US
dc.typePostprint Articleen_US

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