Role of social values and attitudes in agricultural extension
- Attitudes is the feeling of like, dislike, attraction, repulsion, interest or apathy toward other persons, objects, situation or ideas.
- Extension worker should understand the value system in a village and implement the programs in such a way that the programs are not going to interfere with the value system. For example, piggery is not introduced in Brahmin areas.
- Religious festivals and other local functions form important part of village life. Extension workers can look upon these festivals as potentially useful for technology transfer through exhibition, demonstration, etc.
- Knowing the value of the society helps in development of suitable techniques and technologies. For example, the color of some varieties of wheat is not liked by the buyers and thus sells less. When the extension workers bring this to the researcher’s knowledge the researcher would evolve new varieties which do not have these drawbacks. This is a good example of how the value factor can influence both the extension worker and researcher and work for the betterment of the society.
- Understanding of social values and attitudes will allow extension workers to analyse and assess rural situations with greater effectiveness and accuracy and make for more successful promotion of change among the people