Sometimes you might want to make a deliberate effort to establish
farmers' discussion groups, which you hope will continue to meet on
a regular basis.
These are some basic factors which make for success:
 publicize the meetings effectively;
 make sure that the meetings have a definite
 purpose, relevant to the farmers' interests and
 needs;
 try to identify, beforehand, individuals who will
 make good group discussion leaders and who are
 prepared to take on the role of chairman or
 secretary;
 establish a schedule of meetings which is convenient
 for the majority of potential participants;
 offer leadership in the initial phase, but explain that
 the goal is that the group should be able to operate
 effectively on its own;
 continue to show an interest in what the groups are
 doing, by making fairly regular visits;
 remember that groups of this kind are successful
 only if the members feel that they are getting
 something worthwhile from the meetings!

THE DISCUSSION PROCESS
Discussion can mean a variety of things-from a few questions
thrown out at the end of a talk or a demonstration, to a free-for-all
conversation without a guide or guidelines. The essential processes
of purposeful discussion are indicated in the diagram already
introduced in Chapter Five, when we were reviewing the basic
models of extension communication.


 Extension
 /1 Worker






The assumption is that both the extension worker and the farmers
have some knowledge relating to the "material" or topic of discus-