Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Agricultural Extension among the Farming Community in Sri Lanka

Muthubandage Mahinda Herath, Nobaya Ahmad, Mohammad Mujaheed Hassan, Wan Munira Wan Jaafar

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v11-i11/11663

Open access

Conventional agricultural extension approaches are insufficient to assist farmers in dealing with increasingly complex challenges in the agriculture sector. As part of the process of community development, this study aims to identify challenges among farmers and provide support for developing high-quality technologies adoption mechanisms through the community development process. This paper presents the help of conceptual applications for developing an innovative agricultural extension mechanism in Sri Lanka. It is mainly based on the following objectives; (1) to identify the structural performance of agricultural extension systems, (2) to identify achievements and constraints to improve the innovation-friendly extension process, and (3) to provide suggestions on the extension process. Preliminary results from previous studies show that the novel process influences adaptive group thinking rapidly. The integrated approach provides lessons for development and food security, and sustainability improvement. The lessons learned from this initiative can be applied to efficient participatory extension and training models. Long-term sustainable development of agricultural communities necessitates the establishment of new innovative development strategies based on a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of development resources while considering the characteristics of socio-demographic territories and strong policy development to fill gaps and expose critical information to policymakers.

Alawattage, C., Graham, C., Wickramasinghe, D., Tanima, F. A., Brown, J., Dillard, J., Alawattage, C., Graham, C., & Wickramasinghe, D. (2019). Microaccountability and biopolitics: Microfinance in a Sri Lankan village. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 72, 38–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2018.05.008
Athukorala, W. (2017). Identifying the role of agricultural extension services in improving technical efficiency in the paddy farming sector in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Economic Research, 5(1), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.4038/sljer.v5i1.58
Bendul, J., Rosca, T., & Hoffmann, T. (2015). Sustainable technology transfer for poverty alleviation: a unified framework for challenges and transdisciplinary solution approaches. Sustainable Development and Planning VII, 1(May), 823–834. https://doi.org/10.2495/sdp150691
Braga, F. (2015). The sustainable agriculture initiative platform: The first 10 years. Journal on Chain and Network Science, 15(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.3920/JCNS2014.x015
Brocklesby, M. A., & Fisher, E. (2003). Community development in sustainable livelihoods approaches - An introduction. Community Development Journal, 38(3), 185–198. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/38.3.185
Daskon, C. D. (2015). Significance of cultural values in securing asset portfolios of rural communities. Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences, 38(1), 31–50.
Dayaratne, S. P., & Gunawardana, K. D. (2015). Carbon footprint reduction: A critical study of rubber production in small and medium scale enterprises in Sri Lanka. Journal of Cleaner Production, 103, 87–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.09.101
FAO. (2018). Country gender assessment Of agriculture and the rural sector in sri lanka. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United, regional office for Asia and the Pacific
Fischer, E., & Qaim, M. (2012). Gender, agricultural commercialization, and collective action in Kenya. Food Security, 4(3), 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-012-0199-7
Friis-Hansen Esbern. (2005). Agricultural development among poor farmers in Soroti district, Uganda: Impact assessment of agricultural technology, farmer empowerment and changes in opportunity structures. Impact Assesment Workshop, 1–26.
Goel, R. K., Yadav, C. S., Vishnoi, S., & Rastogi, R. (2021). Smart agriculture – Urgent need of the day in developing countries. Sustainable Computing: Informatics and Systems, 30(January), 100512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.suscom.2021.100512
Hailu, B. K., Abrha, B. K., & Weldegiorgis, K. A. (2014). Adoption and Impact of Agricultural Technologies on Farm Income: Evidence From Southern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. International Journal of Food and Agricultural Economics, 2(4), 91–106. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.190816
Ibrahim, M. B., Hassan, S., & Sanyang, D. (2017). Social Capital in Agricultural Community Development: A Review. IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, 10(07), 07–10. https://doi.org/10.9790/2380-1007010710
Jayaratne, K. S. U., & Acker, D. G. (2003). Going Forward In Agricultural Extension?: Problems and Alternatives in Diffusing Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Sri Lanka. AIAEE 2003 Proceedings of the 19th Annual Conference, September, 325–333. Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Jayasinghe, M. S., Smith, C., Chai, A., & Ratnasiri, S. (2016). The implications of income dependent equivalence scales for measuring poverty in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Social Economics, 43(12), 1300–1314. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-03-2015-0061
Jayaweera, S. (1999). Women in Sri Lanka. (Issue May). Asian Development Bank. Programs Department (West).
Kaur, K., & Kaur, P. (2018). Agricultural Extension Approaches to Enhance the Knowledge of Farmers. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 7(2), 2367–2376. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.702.289
Kazbekov, J., & Qureshi, A. S. (2011). Agricultural extension in Central Asia: Existing strategies and future needs. In IWMI Working Papers (Vol. 145). https://doi.org/10.5337/2011.211
Madan, S., & Maredia, K. (2021). Global Experiences in Agricultural Extension , Community Outreach & Advisory Services. Case Studies of Global Experiences in Agricultural Extension Training & Visit Model of Extension in Developing Counties. In innovations in agricultural extension (pp. 1–16). Michigan State University.
Mahaliyanaarachchi, R. P., & Bandara, R. (2010). Commercialization of Agriculture and Role of Agricultural Extension. Sabaragamuwa University Journal, 6(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.4038/suslj.v6i1.1686
Meyers, W. H., Ziolkowska, J. R., Tothova, M., & Goychuk, K. (2012). Issues Affecting the Future of Agriculture and Food Security for Europe and Central Asia. FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, 3(1), 100–173.
Muzari, W., Gatsi, W., & Muvhunzi, S. (2012). The Impacts of Technology Adoption on Smallholder Agricultural Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review. Journal of Sustainable Development, 5(8), 69–77. https://doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v5n8p69
Omar, J. A., Bakar, A. H. A., Jais, H. M., & Ibraik, F. M. (2011). A Reviewed Study of the Impact of Agricultural Extension Methods and Organizational Characteristics on Sustainable Agricultural Development. International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST), 3(6), 5160–5168.
Osumba, J. J. L., Recha, J. W., & Oroma, G. W. (2021). Transforming Agricultural Extension Service Delivery through Innovative Bottom–Up Climate-Resilient Agribusiness Farmer Field Schools. Sustainability, 13(7), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073938
Palmer, R. (2007). Skills for work?: From skills development to decent livelihoods in Ghana’s rural informal economy. International Journal of Educational Development, 27(4), 397–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2006.10.003
Qamar, K. . (2005). Modernizing National Agricultural Extension Systems: A practical guide for policy- makers of developing countries. Research, Extension and Training Division Sustainable Development Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Statistics Sri Lanka. (2020). Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey 1st Quarter (Issue 88). Sri Lanka Labour Force Statistics Quarterly Bulletin, Department of Census and Statistics, Ministry of Finance, Economy and Policy Develpment
Theis, S., Lefore, N., Meinzen-Dick, R., & Bryan, E. (2018). What happens after technology adoption? Gendered aspects of small-scale irrigation technologies in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Tanzania. Agriculture and Human Values, 35(3), 671–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-018-9862-8
Tonda, E., & Susan, C. (2015). Technology Challenges and tools for the implementation of the water- related sustainable development goals and targets. Water and Sustainble Development, c, 1–18.
Uziak, J., & Lorencowicz, E. (2017). Sustainable Agriculture – Developing Countries Perspective. IX International Scientific Symposium “Farm Machinery and Processes Management in Sustainable Agriculture”, Lublin, Poland, November, 389–394. https://doi.org/10.24326/fmpmsa.2017.70
Waddington, H., Snilstveit, B., Hombrados, J., Vojtkova, M., Phillips, D., Davies, P., & White, H. (2014). Farmer Field Schools for Improving Farming Practices and Farmer Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 217–336. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2014.6
Wanigasundera, W. A. D. P. (2015). Status of Extension & Advisory Services in Sri Lanka (Issue 001). Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Weerasekara, S., Wilson, C., Lee, B., Hoang, V., & Managi, S. (2021). The impacts of climate induced disasters on the economy?: Winners and losers in Sri Lanka. Ecological Economics, 185(July 2020), 107043. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107043
World Bank. (2007). Reviving Sri Lanka ’ s Agricultural Research and Extension System?: Towards More Innovation and Market Orientation.

In-Text Citation: (Herath et al., 2021)
To Cite this Article: Herath, M. M., Ahmad, N., Hassan, M. M., & Jaafar, W. M. W. (2021). Agricultural Extension among the Farming Community in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(11), 1819–1835.