Farm Visit

A basket of dokong from DOA Project at Kg Muda Jaya, Pagoh, Muar.


Farm Visit and farmers home visit is the most practical extension approach in providing new technologies to the farmers. It was one of the oldest and popular extension system applied throught the world especially for agriculture country. This concept is to have a farm visit to one farmers or a group of farmers. For certain countru which has group farming project, it was the best method for agriculture extension agent to had Farm Visit Activity. For Group Farming area normally the group leader will be the contact person in extension supported with thier committee members. Meeting with group farming members is the best method provided all group members available to attend the agriculture extension meeting. It was very practical approach for Paddy Group Farming in Malaysia copare to other comodity group farming. Farm visit provide new information or Agriculture Practices direct to the farmers.

Extension Agent visit Goat Farm and deliver on Goat Diseases.

The purpose of having farm visit is as follow:

a. To enhance better link between farmers and extension agent.
b. To introduce new ideas/new technology to farmers
c. To assist farmers needs (Agriculture aspect)
d. To explain and develop farmers skill to new technologies/modified technologies
e. To study and analyze problems and study farmers need before planning a new project
f. To monitor the development progress on agriculture practices
g. To plan what type of Demo Plot suitable
h. To had proactive discussion with active farmers
i. To train local leader among the farmers.

Farm visit to commercial brassica farmers in Sengkang, Muar.

Steps for farm visit activity started with Planning before farm Visit, Implemantation of Farm visit and finaly monitoring the farm visit. Planning farm visit is important for us to know WHO is the farmers we want to visit in waich area, what comodity, when and basic preparation. We has to determine who we want to meet, what is the purpose of farm visit, check previous record on farm visit , what is the tool required for farm visit, What type of information suitable and finally what type of approaches applied. During farm visit the extension agent must be POLITE, start talking with interesting topic and powerfull, Ask more participation from the farmers, Encourage farmers to talk more active and use whatever tools suitable to convice the farmers. Write on notebook whatever issues disscussed and provide the alternatives of solutions.

A group of Extension Agent and SMS from technical branch visit Coconut MATAG Farm.

After Farm Visit we had to monitor and produce activity report. Extension agent has to revise and check their farm visit program regularly so the there is not much implemantetion problem. If there is a highly technical issue the local extension agent cannot solve, he mus refer to Senior Technical Officer at District level or higher authority such as Subject Matter Specialist (SMS). Prepare a next farm visit program with new ideas or other issues. The final importance is to had a evaluation every six months about the farm visit program and prepare a activity report.

By
Agriculture Extension
Agent, Muar
Johor