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Principles are generally guidelines, which form the basis for decision and action in a consistent way. The universal truths in extension, which have been observed and found to hold good under varying conditions and circumstances, are presented.
Principle of cultural difference
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Culture simply means social heritage.
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There is cultural difference between groups of farmers also.
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The differences may be in their habits, customs, values, attitudes and way of life.
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Extension work, to be successful, must be carried out in harmony with the culture of the people.
Grassroots principle
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Extension programmes should start with local groups, local situations and local problems.
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It must fit to the local conditions.
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Extension work should start with the people where they are and what they have.
Principle of indigenous knowledge
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People everywhere have indigenous knowledge systems which they have developed through generations of work experience and problem solving in their own specific situations.
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The indigenous knowledge systems encompass all aspects of life and people consider it essential for their survival.
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Instead of ignoring the indigenous knowledge systems as outdated, the extension agent should try to understand them and their ramifications in the life of the people, before proceeding to recommend something new to them.
Principles of interests and needs
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People’s interests and people’s needs are the starting point of extension work.
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To identify the real needs and interest of the people are challenging tasks.
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The extension agents should not pass on their own need and interests as those of the people.
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Extension work shall be successful only when it is based on the interests and needs of the people as they see them.
Principle of learning by doing
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Learning remains far from the perfect, unless the people get involved in actually doing the work.
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Learning by doing is most effective in changing people’s behaviour.
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This develops confidence as it involves maximum number of sensory organs.
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People should learn what to do, why to do, how to do and with what results.
Principle of participation
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Most people of the village community should willingly cooperate and participate in identifying the problem, planning of projects for solving the problems and implementing the projects in getting the desired results.
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It has been the experience of many countries that people become dynamic if they take decisions concerning their own affairs, exercise responsibility for, and are helped to carry out projects in their own areas.
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The participation of the people is of fundamental importance for the success of an extension programme .
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People must share in developing and implementing the programme and feel that it is their own programme.
Family principle
Principle of leadership
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Identifying different types of leaders and working through them is essential in extension.
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Local leaders are the custodians of local thought and action.
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The involvement of local leaders and legitimization by them are essential for the success of a programme.
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Leadership traits are to be developed in the people so that they of their own shall seek change from less desirable to a more desirable situation.
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The leaders may be trained and developed to act as carriers of change in the villages.
Principle of adaptability
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Exension work and extension teaching methods must be flexible and adapted to suit the local conditions.
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This is necessary because the people, their situation, their resources and constraints vary from place to place and time to time.
Principle of satisfaction
Principle of evaluation
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