Policy Engagement and Extension
authored by: Kausik Pradhan, Chigilipalli Mounika, Shashikant Seepana, Anil Kumar, Shreyasi Samaddar, Swapnamay Ghosh & Basu Anand
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Policy Engagement and Extension provides a systematic understanding of the relationship between public policy and agricultural extension systems. It explains how policies establish institutional direction, determine funding, define operational responsibilities and influence the effectiveness of extension services. At the same time, it demonstrates how evidence generated through extension research and field experience can contribute to policy formulation, implementation, assessment and reform.
The book introduces the meaning, characteristics and classification of policies before examining policy advocacy, policy analysis and the policy-development process. It discusses stakeholder mapping, evidence generation, policy briefs, communication strategies, coalitions, advisory groups, digital platforms and other mechanisms for influencing policy decisions. International experiences in agricultural extension policy provide readers with comparative perspectives and transferable lessons.A major strength of the book is its practical orientation. Exercises guide readers in analysing national and state agricultural policies, comparing extension policies across countries, interviewing policy actors, identifying the evidence required by decision-makers, assessing stakeholder influence and diagnosing policy bottlenecks affecting Extension and Advisory Services.
Professor Kausik Pradhan is an accomplished academic and researcher in the field of Agricultural Extension. He is currently serving as a Professor in the Department of Agricultural Extension at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal, India. He has served as a key trainer in various programmes on participatory extension, group dynamics, and the strengthening of Farmers’ Producer Organisations (FPOs). He has been associated with more than six nationally and internationally funded research and development projects, including an ICAR–National Agricultural Science Fund project.
His areas of expertise include technology socialisation, women’s empowerment, micro-planning, entrepreneurship management, natural resource management, value addition and supply chain management, participatory extension, market-led extension, and need-based technology delivery models through FPOs. His need-based extension delivery models through FPOs have been recognised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as innovative technologies. He has participated in training programmes, workshops, and conferences on food system innovation and sustainable, resilient farming systems in Australia, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
Prof. Pradhan currently serves as the Chief Editor of the Indian Research Journal of Extension Education and has previously served as Associate Editor of more than five national and international journals. He has published 147 research papers in reputed journals, contributed 27 book chapters, and co-authored 10 books. His contributions have been recognised through several awards, including the Young Scientist Award, Science Excellence Award, and Best Extension Professional Award. He is a Fellow of the International Society for Research and Development, the Scholars Academic and Scientific Society, and the Society of Extension Education.
Chigilipalli Mounika holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture from Dr. YSR Horticultural University, V.R. Gudem, and an M.Sc. in Agricultural Extension from Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani. She qualified the ASRB–NET in Agricultural Extension in 2023 and 2025 and the UGC–NET in Adult Education in June 2025. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya (UBKV), Pundibari, West Bengal.
She has actively participated in numerous national and international seminars, conferences, and workshops, both online and offline, where she has presented her research findings. Her academic contributions include book chapters, popular articles, meeting notes, and research papers in reputed journals, particularly in the areas of Agricultural Extension, soft skills, and climate change. She has also undergone training in statistical tools, software applications, and recent advances in Agricultural Extension. Her contributions have been recognised through awards such as the Best M.Sc. Thesis Award, the Ganga Singh Chauhan Memorial Award, and several poster and oral presentation awards.
Dr. Shashikant is working as an Assistant Professor-cum-Junior Scientist in the Department of Extension Education at Nalanda College of Horticulture, Noorsarai, Nalanda, Bihar, under Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur. He has 12 years of experience in teaching, research, and extension. He has been involved in more than five research projects and has authored five books. He has published 35 research papers in NAAS-rated journals and more than 100 articles in various publications. His areas of experience include Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the use of ICT tools for training and disseminating crop improvement technologies.
Seepana Anil Kumar is a Ph.D. Research Scholar in the Department of Agricultural Extension Education, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Telangana, India. He completed his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Horticulture from Dr. Y.S.R. Horticultural University, Venkataramannagudem, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, in 2020. He obtained his M.Sc. in Agricultural Extension Education from Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra, in 2022.
He qualified the ASRB–NET in 2023 and the UGC–NET in Adult Education in June and December 2024. He has contributed to the academic community through research papers, book chapters, and popular articles published in reputed national and international journals. He has also received awards at national and international conferences.
Shreyasi Samaddar is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. She completed her B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture from Visva-Bharati University, Bolpur Shantiniketan, Birbhum, in 2022, and her M.Sc. in Agricultural Extension Education from the ICAR–National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, in 2024. She qualified the ASRB–NET in Agricultural Extension Education in 2025 and the UGC–NET in Adult Education in December 2024.
Her research focuses on the multidimensional assessment of livelihood vulnerability among tea garden workers in North Bengal. She has actively participated in numerous national and international seminars, conferences, and workshops. She has authored research papers, book chapters, and popular articles in national and international publications and has undergone specialised training in statistical analysis, research software, and recent advances in Agricultural Extension.
Swapnamay Ghosh is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. He completed his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture from Seacom Skills University, Bolpur Shantiniketan, Birbhum, in 2022, and his M.Sc. in Agricultural Extension Education from Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha, in 2024. He qualified the ASRB–NET in Agricultural Extension Education in 2025.
His research focuses on the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of farming communities to climate change. He has authored research papers, book chapters, and popular articles in national and international publications. He has also undergone specialised training in statistical analysis, research software, and recent advances in Agricultural Extension.
Basu Anand completed his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture from Bihar Agricultural University in 2021 and his M.Sc. in Agricultural Extension Education from Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya in 2023. He qualified the UGC–NET in 2024 and the ASRB–NET in 2024 and 2025. He secured All India Rank 28 in the ICAR–SRF examination in 2023 and ranked first in the GBPUAT Ph.D. entrance examination in 2023.
Chapter 1: Why Policies Matter?
Chapter 2: Using Evidence to Influence Policy Change
Chapter 3: Practical Exercises
Agricultural development is increasingly influenced by the interaction between policy frameworks and extension systems. This book explains how policies guide, finance and strengthen extension services and how extension evidence contributes to policy formulation, implementation and reform. It introduces policy concepts, types, processes, advocacy tools and analytical approaches while examining international extension-policy experiences. Practical exercises enable readers to analyse policies, interview key actors, assess evidence requirements, study stakeholder influence and identify delivery bottlenecks. Designed for students, researchers, extension professionals and policymakers, the book combines theory with practical application to promote informed engagement and support sustainable, inclusive and responsive agricultural development through effective policy-extension relationships.
Policies provide the institutional structure, direction, financial support and operational framework required for effective agricultural extension. Without clear policies, extension programmes may suffer from inconsistent decisions, fragmented implementation and unclear responsibilities. This chapter introduces the meaning, characteristics, sources and different types of policies and explains their importance to extension organizations. It examines how policies guide decision-making, establish limits, allocate resources and connect organizational goals with field activities. The chapter also introduces policy advocacy, analytical approaches and the policy-development process. Together, these concepts enable extension professionals to understand policy environments, participate constructively in decision-making and improve the responsiveness, accountability and effectiveness of extension services.
1 - 81 (81 Pages)
USD42.00 USD37.80
Policy influence requires credible evidence, a clear understanding of decision-making processes and communication tailored to relevant audiences. This chapter explains how extension research, programme experience and stakeholder knowledge can be converted into evidence for policy change. It discusses identifying policy problems, assessing alternatives, setting advocacy objectives, recognizing policy champions, building coalitions and selecting appropriate routes of influence. Policy briefs, research reports, dialogue platforms, advisory committees, social media and ICT-based communication are examined as practical tools. The chapter also reviews global extension-policy experiences, helping readers understand how institutional, political and socioeconomic contexts shape policy decisions and how evidence-based engagement can support effective agricultural reforms.
83 - 130 (48 Pages)
USD42.00 USD37.80
This chapter converts policy concepts into practical learning activities related to agricultural Extension and Advisory Services. Readers are guided to analyse national and state policies, compare extension frameworks across countries and interview key actors in government, universities, commodity boards and development organizations. Exercises examine the evidence policymakers require, the roles of public, private and civil-society stakeholders and policy bottlenecks affecting district-level delivery. Institutional mapping, compliance audits, consultations, convergence scorecards and policy-reform notes provide structured diagnostic tools. The chapter develops analytical, communication, interviewing and problem-solving skills while encouraging learners to design decentralized, accountable, gender-responsive and climate-sensitive improvements to extension policy and implementation.
131 - 161 (31 Pages)
USD42.00 USD37.80
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