Chapter 4

Extension Programme Planning

Rural development refers to
the process of improving the quality of life and economic
well-being of people living in rural areas.
This development can be brought with the following
1. Economic growth: Increasing economic opportunities and
income levels in rural areas.
2. Social development: Improving access to education,
healthcare, and social services.
3. Infrastructure development: Building roads, bridges, and
other physical infrastructure.
4. Poverty alleviation: Reducing poverty and inequality in
rural areas.
Definition of Rural Development
Definition:
"The process of enhancing the quality of life of rural people by
providing them with improved economic opportunities, social
justice, and physical infrastructure, thereby enabling them to
become self-reliant and participate fully in the nation's
development."
(Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India)
The first step in any systematic attempt to promote rural
development is to prepare useful programmes based on people
needs.
The development of such programmes, require planning which
harmonize with the local needs as the people see them and
with the national interests with which the country as a whole is
concerned,
This is an important responsibility of extension personnel at all
levels-national, state, district, block and village.
Some relevant terms to required understand in programme
planning
Programme is proclamation, Prospectus, listing of events to be
done in chronological fashion.
Planning is designing a course of action to achieve desired
ends.
The planning process involves studying the past, and present in
order to forecast the future -
which helps to determining the goals to be achieved and steps
to reach them.
Aims: Aims are generalized and broad statement of directions
e.g. The improvement of farmers' economic condition.
Objectives: Objectives are expression of ends towards which
our efforts are directed e.g. To increase the yield of crops by 30
per cent.
Goal: Goal is the distance in any given direction one expects to
go during a given period of time e.g. to increase yield of crop
by 10 quintals per hectare in the current year.
Problem: It refers to a situation, condition, or issue that is yet
unresolved.
Solution: Solution is a course of proposed action to change an
unsatisfactory condition to one that is more satisfying.
Plan of work: outline of activities for efficient execution of
work.
Calendar of Work: Activities to be undertaken in particular
time sequence.
Extension Programme is a
 statement of situation,
 objectives,
 problems and
 solutions.
 Kelsey and
Hearne(1967)
says that an "extension programme" is a
 set of clearly defined, consciously conceived objectives or
ends,
derived from an
 adequate analysis of the situation,
which are to be achieved through
 extension teaching activity'. Leagans
(1961)

What is programme planning?

Programme planning: Programme planning is a decision-
making process which involves critical analysis of the
existing problems and evaluation of available best
alternatives to solve these problems by cooperative efforts
of the people for community growth and development.
Objectives of Programme
1. To ensure careful consideration of what is to be done
and why.
2. To establish objectives toward which progress can be
measured and evaluated.
3. To have a means of choosing the important (deep
rooted) from incidental (less important) problems.
4. To help develop leadership.
5. To avoid wastage of time& money and promote
efficiency.
6. To justify expenditure and to ensure flow of funds.
7. To have a statement in written form for public use
PRINCIPLES OF PROGRAMME PLANNING
Principals are the fundamental truths and settled rules of
action.
For starting any extension programme following principles to be
keep in mind
1. Extension programmes should be based on an analysis of
the past experiences, present situation and future
needs.
2. Extension programmes should have clear and
significant objectives, which could satisfy important
needs of the people.
3. Extension programmes should fix up priority on the
basis of available resources and time.
4. Extension programmes should clearly indicate the
availability and utilization of resources.
5. Extension programmes should have a general
agreement at various levels.
6. Extension programmes should involve people at the local
level.
7. Extension programmes should involve relevant
institutions and organization.
8. Extension programme should have definite plan of work
9. Extension programme should provide for evaluation of
results and reconsideration of the programme.
10. Extension programmes should provide for equitable
distribution of benefits amongst the members of the
community.
Steps in Extension Programme Planning Process
Five essential phases (SOTER) i.e.
 Analysing the Situation,
 Objectives or Goals to be Accomplished,
 Teaching,
 Evaluating the Teaching,
 Reconsidering (Leagans, 1961).

1. Collection of facts
In planning an agricultural extension program, data on
farmers' crop choices, technological know-how, and
available irrigation facilities can be gathered through
surveys and Panchayat records to identify key areas for
improvement.
2. Analysis of situation
In an agricultural program, after gathering data on crop
yields and irrigation issues, farmers and extension workers
might analyse the results together. They could identify
water shortages as a major problem, leading to the
development of better irrigation strategies tailored to the
local context.
3. Identification of problems
In a rural health program, data might reveal multiple
issues like lack of clean water, poor sanitation, and limited
healthcare access. Instead of addressing all at once, the
program may focus on improving clean water access, as
it's feasible with the available resources and time,
ensuring better results and avoiding community
disappointment.
4. Determination of objectives and goals
In a village education program, if the need for adult
literacy is identified, the objective might be to reduce
illiteracy. A specific, actionable goal could be to teach
basic reading and writing skills to 100 adults within a year,
ensuring that the program aligns with local resources and
community willingness to participate
5. Developing plan of work and calendar of
operations
For a vegetable cultivation program, the plan of work
might include tasks like seed distribution, marketing
partnerships, and farmer training. The calendar of
operations would detail dates for seed procurement,
planting schedules, the arrival of fertilizers, and the
 specific days for training sessions on pest control,
ensuring everything aligns for the growing season.
6. Follow through plan of work and calendar of
operations
In a pest management program, an extension agent might
conduct field demonstrations on using pesticides,
regularly visit farms to check progress, and solve
unexpected problems like incorrect pesticide application. If
farmers report a pest outbreak despite following the
advice, the agent can provide alternative solutions and
gather feedback for further improvement.
7. Evaluation of progress
In a rural water conservation project, the objectives may
include increasing water storage capacity by 20%. The
evaluation would involve setting this as the standard,
collecting data on water usage and storage before and
after implementation, and assessing whether the 20%
goal was met. This data helps determine the program's
success and what improvements may be needed.
8. Reconsideration and revision of the programme
In a crop diversification program, if the evaluation reveals
that farmers struggled with the new crop's irrigation
needs, the program can be reconsidered with input from
agricultural scientists and local bodies. Adjustments, such
as providing additional irrigation training or resources, will
be made to address the issue and ensure the program
runs more smoothly in the future.
Important References
 Ray, G. L. (2017). Extension Communication and
Management. New Delhi, Kalyani Publishers. Pp. 227–248.
 Sandhu, A. S. (2003). Extension Programme Planning. New
Delhi, Oxford and IBH Publishers.