Agriculture extension scientist and former Vice-Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru, K. Narayana Gowda, has been unanimously elected by the International Extension Professionals as president of International Society of Extension Education. He will have a tenure of five years. His election took place at the recently held international conference on ‘Doubling the Income of Farmers in SAARC Countries-Extension Strategies and Approaches’ in Kathmandu.
Prof. Gowda is known for his national-level innovative farm extension models and extension education that are practical in nature. The most significant one is ‘ARYA’ (Attracting and Retaining of Youth in Agriculture), which is being implemented by Krishi Vigyan Kendras since 2015 across the country.
He played a crucial role in scaling up Krishi Melas being organised by the UAS-B into the international level and also contributed to the economic development of several villages in Tubagere hobli of Doddaballapur taluk through a model that focussed on integrated farming. Presently, he is working on evolving a national model on ‘Extension System’ to accelerate transfer of technology with required effectiveness among the farming community.
