Theoretical And Practical Study On Pluralistic Agricultural Extension

With the transition of agricultural development and pluralistic demands for incomeincrease of farmers, the agricultural extension system based on traditional planning model ischallenged. The monopoly of the goverment public extension system is competed bypluralistic approaches. Pluralistic agricultural system is coming into a trend.The dissertation analyzed the agricultural extension in terms of its pluralitic elementscontained, explored the theoretical ground underpinning this pluralistic extension from theperspectives of public goods, communication, extension spectrum, decentralization as well asthe power of influence. The foreign extension systems of U.S, Netherland, Australia andJapan were studied in hope of finding the useful experiences to China's extension reform. Thedifferent extension players in China such as govement public sector, agricultural university,farmers cooperative organization and agriculture-related industry were analyzed in terms oftheir motives or incentives, extension models, advantages in carrying out the extension anddisadvantages concerned. For the refelction of the theorectical exploration and systemconstruction, the practical extension implemented by the government extension system,corporation, agricultural university and farmers cooperative organization were studied ascases evidence. Some conclusions were made as follows:â…°) The pluralistic elements are actually inherently contained in agricultural extension,which is believed to be the ground for understanding the pluralistic extension.â…°) The theory of public goods indicates that agricultural extension is of the attributes ofpublic goods and pluralistic agricultural extension servies are actually the response to thepluralistic demands, which in turn makes the agricultural extension segemented and specified,â…²) Pluralistic agricultural extension is the incarnation of multi-communication sourcesand approaches. The different extension models (approaches) are the game betweensender-focused or receiver focused perspective of communication.â…³) Pluralistic extension is the adaptation to the social and economic change in thecontext of decentralization. The extension spectrum showes that the integration of differentextension modeles is the best approach to fit the complexity of rural development.â…´) Pluralistic agricultural extension is the pattern of diverse institutional arrangements ofoptions, indicating the diverse choices of agricultural extension services available to farmers. A mature extension system is of pluralistic approaches.â…µ) Pluralisitc agricultural extension is a way to make sure the participation ofstakeholders involved in agricultural extension providers, in which government plays animportant role of facilitation and coordination.As the important part of the dissertation, the construction of pluralistic extension system(called as butterfly model) in the context of China were discussed with respect to itsguidelines, strategies and underpinning measures, based on the above analysis. It highlightsstrengthening the government extension system, giving full play of the strengths of differentextension providers, pushing forward the contracting extension as well as communicationplatform.