extension units. China's new policies adopted after 1977 stressing the

importance of science, technology, the value of rigorous formal training,

and the benefits of farm management will most likely lead to a profes-

sionalization of the extension system. China's experience, in particular,

not only offers innovative approaches to assuring farmer input. It also

highlights the difficulties of doing this while developing a professional

extension system capable of dealing with very sophisticated, specialized,

information. A similar lesson emerges from the Guatemala project, where

better results were obtained by backstopping the monitor with an

agronomist.

 Communication between extension and scientific researchers is

not the responsibility of extension personnel alone. The organization

and values of the agricultural science research units--which are shaped
forces that control research--influence how .mucIJscientists are receptive

to feedback. Research and extension systems have different goals, and are

subject to the control of different ministries. Sterling Wortman warns:

 Too often, scientists as well as extension leaders consider the
 activities leading to adoption by farmers are not the responsi-
 bility of the research establishment. Until th s erroneous
 idea is overcome, progress will be slow indeed.

 The difficulties inherent in this problem should not be minimized.

Scientists often prefer to work in laboratories or nearby experimental


 1Edgar G. Nesman, "The Basic Village Education Project: Guatemala,"
pp. 121-131.

 2Sterling Wortman, "The Technical Basis for Intensified Agricul-
ture," Agricultural Development, Proceedings of a conference sponsored
by the Rockefeller Foundation, April 23-25, Bellagio, Italy (New York:
The Rockefeller Foundation, 1969). Cited in Burton Swanson, Coordin-
ating Research, Training, and Extension," in Training for Agriculture
and Rural Development (Rome: FAO, 1976), p. 9