Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This thesis investigates the communication and perception between the Extension Development Department and the farmers working in the Kostanay region of Kazakhstan. The agricultural extension program was introduced to the Kostanay region in 2009 after privatization reform.
Most of the agricultural lands have been privatized by the rural people. The thesis is based on six interviews with the officers from the Extension Development Department and the farmers of the Kostanay region. The semi-structured interviews are used for data collection. Models of
environmental communication and theory of Symbolic Interactionism has been used to analyze the findings. The research uncovered that there are difficulties in the communication process due to poor infrastructure in the villages, the communication on an irregular basis, farmer’s
passiveness and not taking the role of others. Some recommendations on how to improve the communication process and relationship between the extension officers and the farmers of the Kostanay region are given such as developing the human resources, developing infrastructure and changing the farmers’ and extension officers attitudes towards new technologies and innovations.