The edited book has been prepared through collection of precious research articles from eminent Extension scientists, which have contributed papers on Institutional arrangements for technology delivery, innovative Extension approaches, break through methodologies in Extension research, the reach and effectiveness of ICT tools in technology delivery, youth and gender inclusive extension strategies and Extension strategies for changing scenario of Agriculture. Papers in this book would definitely make an impact among Extension scientists and post graduate scholars of Extension in Agriculture, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences.The inputs that this book offers will be of much helpful to the researchers, administrators and policy makers. From the research findings of the selected research papers of this book, the Extension researchers can sharpen their future research strategies, the Extension administrators and policy makers in the Government can get to know about the impact and constraints of several institutional mechanisms of technology delivery which will facilitate them in evidence based policy making.

Extension education is no more an out -- of -- school education alone. The science and practice of extension has been found useful for environment, health, education, small industries as well. There have been many changes in the way extension should be organized. Privatization of extension is seriously being considered, extension has also been added as the third dimension of general universities as well, participatory methods of extension are being tried and new information technologies are finding application in providing useful information to farmers, scientists and students communities. The book Advances and Challenges in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development" covers the applications of areas like extension education, extension educational technology, administration and management, human relation in development administration and human resource development, participatory approaches, recent approaches in extension techniques, extension strategies for changing agricultural scenario and rural development, transfer of technology efforts, and recent advances in research methodology which has highly innovative methods of applications and implementation. This book would prove helpful to the extension and rural development workers in planning and manipulating communication strategies. Besides that it will be useful to the students in the field of extension and rural development. This book will be very helpful to the researchers, planners, policy makers in planning and decision-making regarding agricultural extension and rural development."

The book has been divided into the 5 major sections covering the following: Section I: Covers on the articles focused towards the major themes of strengthening Technology Application and Delivery systems, ICT, BLESS, NRM and women empowerment. Section II: Dealt with the extension strategies in development departments, institutional mechanism including NGOs, new media tools and impact assessment, followed by management of Natural Resources including ITKS. Section III: Gender mainstreaming, women empowerment, international experiences and policy issues have been synthesized under Section IV and V respectively. This book would enable in exposing the extension professionals on a cross cultural approach in various development spheres of extension reforms in India.

Newer technologies for increasing agricultural production are now becoming available at a much faster rate. But the mechanism for transferring them to the uneducated and small producers in an effective manner does not exist. There is an urgent need for a communication network at the service of the poor farmers in our country like the global communication net work which makes the latest findings available without delay to research workers in any particular field. It is not only knowledge that is needed, but an approach which will be able to supply the right knowledge and tools to the right people, at the right time and above all at the right place. In developing countries, the other alternative viz., traditional methods have special advantages over modern agricultural techniques because: o The capital and technological skill requirements in the use of traditional technologies are generally low. o Their adoption often requires little restructure of the traditional societies. o These traditional technologies are not other than the indigenous knowledge. o By adopting such indigenous knowledge, our ancestors did not face any problem of large scale pest out break or economic crisis unlike the today's farmeThis book covers wide areas of traditional practices viz. , traditional varieties, crop protection, crop management, storage structure, medicinal plants, farm tools, ethno veterinary practices, fisheries, post harvest techniques and other miscellaneous practices. The practices are rationalized and the rational practices will serve the scientists with new technology for test verification and to select the viable technology for field level recommendation. This book will serve as highly useful reference material to the community of scholars and scientific workers both in the laboratories and applied fields. This will set the phase for the future generation in this area.