The term “agricultural extension” generally refers to the process of applying new research and knowledge to help farmers improve farming methods and techniques.
While the concept has been around for thousands of years, the word “extension” itself dates back to the 1860s in England, when universities sought to extend their practical information through lectures outside of campus.
The ways in which farmers receive this new information and technical know-how continue to evolve, often as a result of the proliferation of new communication tools. Field days and face-to-face meetings remain important venues for new information, but smartphones, podcasts, Zoom calls, and YouTube have also become important tools for both farmers and extension agents over the past decade or two. Looking to the future, early adopters are experimenting with artificial intelligence platforms similar to ChatGPT that can provide relevant and specific information.
In this new episode of the Ag Policy Connection podcast, we discuss the future of agricultural extension – there’s plenty to discuss on the topic of funding, in addition to changes in communications strategies.
Our expert panel:
– Ataharul ChoudhuryHe is an associate professor of capacity development and extension at the University of Guelph and president of the International Association of Agricultural Extension Education.
– Joy AgnewVice President for Research at Olds College;
– Jake RuggieHe is a southeastern Saskatchewan farmer and a director of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Board.
The discussion will include the following questions and topics:
– How are extensions changing?
– Do farmers have the necessary tools?
– Who should fund the expansion and what is the role of government?
– Examples of successful dissemination and knowledge transfer in Canada and globally, and how they can be measured
– Barriers to effective adoption
– What is the role of generative AI and large-scale language models in augmentation?
– Bridging the communication gap between scientific research and farmers
Check out the discussion below, or find the episode on your podcast app’s RealAgriculture feed.
The Ag Policy Connection is brought to you by the Canadian Agriculture and Food Policy Institute and RealAgriculture.
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