Topic One: Concept and philosophy of Extension

The term "Extension" 2 The use of the word "extension" derives from an educational development in England during the second half of the nineteenth century. Around 1850, in universities of Oxford and Cambridge about how they could serve the educational needs, near to their homes It was not until 1867 that a first practical attempt was made in what was designated "university extension Initially, most of the lectures given were on literary and social topics, In 1890s agricultural subjects were being covered by peripatetic lecturers in rural areas

Extension and development Today, it is becoming common to apply the extension to different areas of development for both rural and urban. In Ethiopia for instance extension principles and methods begin to apply successfully in heath, marketing and micro and small enterprise development sectors

Extension and Rural development When agricultural extension is used to achieve rural development goals, it functions for wider purposes. In that case it deal for instance with nonfarm rural development such as rural micro enterprise development and marketing. This function of extension is beyond agriculture is becoming common practice in Ethiopia.

Extension and Rural development Considering the diversification of livelihood in agriculture and non agriculture sector for rural development it seems appropriate for extension to take wider role of rural extension in this case. In the condition of agricultural diversification extension could also take a function for different purpose for instance crop, livestock, natural resource conservation, and nutrition, etc.

Extension and Rural development There is other emerging purpose of extension with the rapid socioeconomic changes taking place in both urban and rural areas. This may create new audiences and new programmes, and reflecting to the changes. Some of the likely purposes extension could take include food security, youth development in the food processing, food safety, environment and climate change, entrepreneurship development and related development programmes.