IEEC 2016

The Beginning

Conceived in May 2014, this idea of International Extension Education Conference was formally approved in August 2014 and notified by BHU authority.

Discussion with scholars of national and international repute about my ideas fruited in different avenues for conference subject. Criticism extending to vagueness of the idea, applicability for farmers and academicians etc. boosted the thought process. Andrew Landers, Professor Cornell University asked me to answer his questions. Happy with my answers he encouraged to go for this conference that is specially designed to discuss Agricultural extension- teaching, research and services. The initial contributions from Dr. R Saravanan MANAGE, Shaik N Meera ICAR-IIRR, Dr Aditya & Ram Dutta, from BAU, Prof.Shivendra Kashyap GBPUA&T,Prof. N. Kishore Kumar, College of Agriculture-Vellayan Trivandrum of Kerala, Dr R D Pandya, N M College of Agriculture, Navsari Gujarat, Dr. P.S.Badal , Dr. O.P.Mishra & Dr. B. Jirli, BHU helped me to compile different topics and put them in the conference theme and subtheme. Finally, my Post-doc supervisor, Dr Rick D Rudd from Virginia-tech, USA finalized the topic and the subthemes encouraging me to conduct the conference.

Like many extension scholars, I have many questions in my mind about the discipline of Extension its existence, application and contributions to society. The doubts were clarified when I started my job as extension worker in KVK and then as a teacher in Agricultural Extension Education. I still believe to have solid base data base for extension teaching, extension research and extension service that will guide our extension system in changing society, market and time. This International Extension Education Conference is a very small attempt towards attainment of the very objective.

My beloved students who worked tirelessly putting their heart and soul to the conference and are my actual driving force, I pray for their growth in academics and personal development. It gives me pleasure to name few students who dedicated one year completely to see the IEEC a grand success. They are Neha Upreti, Sravan Taminana, Dhiraj Mishra, Sundharvadivu.S,Jai Prakash, Anupam Dakua. I am very happy that all of them are engaged in this profession directly or indirectly and doing well in their respective positions. Salute to their efforts.

Kalyan Ghadei
Organising Secretary