All the problems cannot be solved at one time. Sound programme building selects problems based on people’s needs, and the problems are those which are most urgent, are of widest concern, and have a priority. Choice of problems must be from an analysis of the facts i.e. regarding their felt and unfelt needs. To be effective, extension work must begin with the interests of families. The needs of most urgent concern and widespread interest should be given first priority.
Brunner(1945) said that an extension programme must meet the felt needs of the people.
Leagans(1961) recommended that the extension workers adopt the subject matter and teaching procedure to the educational level of the people, their needs, interests and their resources. People’s needs are the basis for developing meaningful programmes.
Concept of Need Leagans (1961) defined people’s needs as the differences between what is, what could be, and what ought to be.
What is: indicates the present state of affairs, the existing situation. This involves collection of facts about the people, their attitudes, knowledge, level of living, physical factors like soils, crops, livestock and levels of production etc at the present time.
What Could Be: This is an ideal situation, which in many cases may remain unattainable by the people.
What Ought To Be: It is the attainable situation i.e. the realistic goal which the people select with or without outside help.
Need, therefore implies a gap between the existing situation, and the desirable situation. The nature and extent of the gap indicates significance of the problem.
Needs may be classified into two categories
Felt Need: consciously recognized need i.e. the need of which people are aware of eg. electricity, school, drinking water, hospital etc.
Unfelt Need: Unrecognized need i.e. the need of which people are not aware of at present. People, may however be made aware of unfelt needs through appropriate motivational techniques e.g. girl education, women empowerment etc.
Participants