all such matters one must wonder if traditional social patterns reassert

themselves after a while, after outside observers, who sparked the inter-

active process, leave.

 For both, technical learning and broader education, practical

training and direct farmer-to-farmer interaction can play extremely

valuable roles. Farmers often can learn many things (such as use of new

machinery, identification of insects, analysis of characteristics of

new varieties) more thoroughly and rapidly in the field than they can

in the classroom, even with the best of audio-visual equipment. Often

the best, most trusted teacher is another farmer who successfully uses

a new technique. Indeed, one of the dangers of audio-visual aids is that

their use might discourage a training/education program from using field

trips and practical demonstrations. Of course, practical work can be

overdone. In China there have been reports that physical labor in the

agriculture schools (or at least one model school that is being

criticized) was so extensive that students had no time for theoretical

training.

4. Sources of Extension Information

 An extension system with inaccurate or irrelevant information is

worse than a financial drain. It poisons the farmer's perception of modern-

ization and reinforces reluctance to try new techniques. Unfortunately,

it is not unusual for extension agents to offer erroneous and contradictory

information. Farmers who follow their advice find their yields may increase,

but insect losses may increased the next year. Or they may find two extension


 Gillian Hart, "Labor Allocation Strategies in Rural Japanese House-
holds," PhD. Disertatibn., Cornell Agricultural Economics, 1978, Chapter 4.