As agricultural production and the food system becomes increasingly complex and integrated establishing professional standards for Extension services (also known as rural advisory services in different parts of the world) remains an important topic. For example, the New Extensionist Learning Kit developed by the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services represents the complexity associated with delivering Extension services and helping growers adopt the latest innovations and technologies. To meet these demands, Extension networks need to focus on professionalization—ensuring consistency, rigor, and credibility in the services they offer. However, there have not been any empirical instruments available to measure perceptions of professionalization capacity in Extension networks. Working with a team of amazing collaborators we developed and validated a scale to address this need.
Key Findings
Our research set out to validate a tool to measures the professionalization capacity of Extension networks. Through testing, we confirmed the tool’s reliability and identified two primary factors that impact professionalization:
Awareness of Professionalization Potential: For Extension services to be recognized as a profession, they must communicate their value—showing the public and stakeholders how essential, exclusive, and complex their work really is. Building this awareness is the first step toward professional recognition.
Operational Integration: Beyond awareness, Extension networks need to demonstrate professional autonomy and show that their services are vital. Clear, consistent messaging that highlights the value of Extension services is critical for establishing their professional status.
Practical Implications for Extension Networks
If Extension services are going to be recognized as a profession, they need to focus on two primary areas:
Cultivating a Strong Professional Identity: Extension networks need to move beyond simply offering services; they need to craft and communicate a distinct identity that reflects their expertise and value. Developing a narrative around this identity will help build trust and position Extension services as partners in agricultural production.
Strategic Alignment: It’s not enough to simply operate as a service provider; Extension networks must demonstrate their ability to function independently while strategically aligning with the needs of stakeholders. This means defining clear goals, outlining the resources needed to achieve them, and showing how these efforts contribute directly to the success of their partners. Again, clear, consistent communication about these efforts helps stakeholders see the long-term value of working with an Extension professional.
Professionalization is not just a buzzword—it’s an important step for Extension services to remain relevant and impactful. By focusing on building awareness and integrating operations, Extension networks can position themselves as trusted partners in agriculture, helping producers adopt new innovations and improve production practices. Please share your insights in the Comments. I've included the full manuscript below if you would like to learn more.
Lamm, K. W., Lamm, A. J., Davis, K., Sanders, C. E., Powell, A., & Park, J. (2023). Extension networks and dissemination of horticultural advancements: Development and validation of a professionalization instrument. Horticulturae, 9(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9020245
Comments