Agricultural Extension Education

Overview

Brief Background and History:

We are living in the era, where food security and food safety is the primary concern for the agriculture sector. In a country like Bangladesh, increasing number of population with decreasing amount of cultivable land make this the major challenge for the agriculturist and policy makers to ensure sustainable utilization of the existing resource for maximum outcome. Agricultural extension plays a crucial role in boosting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agriculture as an engine of pro-poor economic growth as it provides a critical support service for rural producers meeting the new challenges confronting agriculture: transformation in the global food and agricultural system, including the rise of supermarkets and the growing importance of standards, labels, and food safety; growth in nonfarm rural employment and agribusiness; constraints imposed by natural calamities and demand of inputs and other challenges that affect rural livelihoods; and the deterioration of the natural resource base and climate change. Thus, it was felt necessary to develop teaching and learning facilities to develop trained and skilled manpower in the areas of agricultural extension and education in Bangladesh. Thus Sylhet Agricultural University came forward and took initiatives to develop such facility. The department of Agricultural Extension Education has started functioning with the very inception of this university on November, 11, 2008.

Since inception, department focused on developing master degree program on the agricultural extension and education and within very short time finalizes curriculum and syllabus for prospective Master of Science in Agricultural Extension and Education. In July 2013, the first batch of master's student was enrolled, and at present 25 masters students are continuing their education in the same program.

Motto:

“Learning by doing. Seeing is believing.”

Focused ongoing action:

Developing research and educational collaboration with pertinent national and international institutions; and preparing the department for doctoral level education in near future.

Mission:

The department of Agricultural Extension Education mission is to educate at university level, conduct research and provide advice, transfer technology, dissemination of innovation to contribute to sustainable agricultural production, develop leadership, and motivate farmers to adopt new technology. 

Vision:

The goal is to be a state of the art institute for agricultural extension education and research – that will be able to address the ongoing and emerging issues at national level as well as international level.

To realize this vision, we need to maintain the highest standard and innovativeness in education and research. Besides we need to build relevant and practical advisory service with open and comprehensive communication channel.