Prospectus of the Creation of the Agricultural Extension Research Society of Japan
On entering into the 21st century all the parties concerned make great efforts to restructure Japan's agriculture and the rural community which have been drastically changing these days.
In particular, the extension service is thought to be the most basic and important administrative measure to promote both agriculture and the rural community. Therefore, it is highly expected to fulfill the tasks entrusted to it. In response, it is literally trying to find the best way to perform an optimum and efficient service.
In fact, the extension service has been rapidly taken over by a younger generation of extension advisors. In addition, they have less chance to take an initiative in first introducing their extension activities or achievements and then discussing together with the parties concerned. Therefore, there are voices of the needs to set up a society raised among them.
On the other hand, the theory or the application of the extension service is studied only by universities or research institutes. Therefore, researchers also wish to create a society where they can share their knowledge and experience with the front runners including advisors.
Further, exchange programs with foreign countries have been more and more actively carried out. So, there is also the need to establish an organization based on which the information of the extension service implemented in foreign countries is aggressively collected and data based.
We believe that the exchange programs greatly contribute to not only the development of our extension service, but also that of foreign countries with particular emphasis on developing countries.
Obviously, the extension service is the practical and comprehensive service performed in the field. Therefore, it is not completed by an extension officer alone. But, it can achieve its goal only when it opens itself and frankly discusses the entire issues with which locals are faced by inviting all the parties concerned. Those include farmers, officers of municipalities and agricultural organizations, researchers and professors. Indeed, we need to create a society now.
Against such a background we propose the founding of the Agricultural Extension Research Society of Japan. It is intended to support the extension service practically and logically, but also to contribute to the development of Japan's agriculture and the rural community.
September 1994
Proposers
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