The Comparison of Implementation of Rural Development by Agricultural Extension System at Grassroots Level between Thailand and China

Abstract

This study focused on the comparison of implementation of agricultural extension to rural development between Thailand and China. Thailand is distinguished from China in terms of approaches to implementation of agricultural extension. The noticeable distinction lies in that alternatives chosen by Thailand are public, participatory approach and need oriented way, while those chosen by China are mixed public and private, top-down, technology driven way. However, the conventional extension methods such as demonstration, mass media are still the major choice both in Thailand and China. Agricultural Technology Transfer and Service Center (ATTC), as the fundamental operational extension institution at grassroots level in Thailand, firstly makes developing plans, and then conducts the extension activities by steering committee under the help of facilitators in participatory way. ATTC conducts various well-planned training activities through learning by systematic observations, training by successful farmer and specialists by demonstration, mass media, and live project, but most important learning process is highly emphasized to build up the farmer's capacity of self-reliance. Meanwhile Township Agricultural Techniques Extension Station (TATES) is the fundamental, operational extension agency at grassroots level in China, which implements extension programmes under the top-down direction. It is noticeable that it is flexible, diversified extension approaches co-exist in China, such as "Technical contracts between extension agents and farmer households", "Technique and agricultural input combination approach", "Extension by Technical Association in the village", "the company-led extension", other than the conventional approach. Those approaches are really practical to accommodate the