Department was established in 1980 under the Centre of Advance Studies in Agricultural communication (CASAC) in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The main goal of CASAC was to accelerate the transfer of agriculture technology through its innovative academic programme to produce skilled Communication/ Extension professionals.

Vision

Aims to become the Centre of Excellence in the field of Agricultural Communication and Extension at national as well as international / regional level.

Mission

Establish an appropriate agriculture information and communication systems for quick and efficient dissemination of best and latest agriculture technology to the farmers with emphasis on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture Communication and extension.

Undertake need-based and demand-driven action research in different areas of agriculture communication and extension.

Establish an Apex Centre for Human Resource Development in extension and extension

Mandate

Establishing Centre of Excellence in the discipline of Agriculture Communication and Extension.

Strengthening and developing new academic programmes in the discipline of Communication and Extension.

Providing trained and skilled Communication and Extension professionals.

Developing need-based and demand-driven agriculture information and knowledge system.

Integrating and developing innovative ICT applications in agriculture education research and extension.

Designing, developing and testing of multimedia products and strategies.

Conduct need based location-specific, commodity-specific action researches as per the priorities set forth by the state government.

To provide in-service training to Teachers and Scientists of SAUs and ICAR.

Thrust areas of teaching and research include the following:

Standardizing Teaching Methodology and Educational Technology in agriculture education.

Designing, developing and testing of media / media combinations for effective TOT.

Exploring the potential and prospects of Multimedia, Expert Systems and ICT applications in agriculture

Exploring strategies for Privatization of Agriculture Extension Services: Alternatives & Delivery mechanism.

Competency Assessment in terms of Communication and Presentation Skills of University Students as well as Teachers, and suggest suitable training interventions / strategies for skill upgradation.

Infrastructure

            The Department has the following facilities- equipped modern equipments and aids - for effective teaching, training and research

Radio Lab: Besides serving as a laboratory for UG and PG students, this lab regularly produces 20-25 radio programmes which are broadcast by Rampur and Almora stations of All India Radio. The programmes include straight talks on various subjects of Agriculture, Veterinary, Home Sciences and Fisheries.

Video Lab: : Besides serving as a laboratory for UG and PG students, this lab produces video capsules on all important  events and developments on the campus of the University such as Seminars, Symposia, Conferences, Meetings / Press Conferences of visiting dignitaries. Additionally, this lab also produces a video magazine – Parikrama – a monthly round of major events and developments which telecast on the campus-wide cable television network.

Audio Visual Lab: Provides Audio-Visual and PAE equipments as per the demand of various colleges. This lab also facilitates the audio recordings of all important events and developments on the campus.

Photography Lab: Provide photographic coverage of major events (Seminars/ Conferences), visiting dignitaries and important Meetings.

Multimedia Lab: Provide computer support and internet services to the teachers and students of the department.

Documentation Centre/ Departmental Library: This has a sizeable collection of book and Periodicals for use by the students and teachers of the department.

Besides, there are two Central level facilities being managed by the Department

Information Centre: It serves to demonstrate, to the visiting dignitaries as well as farmers,  various technology packages developed by the University scientists

Educational Technology Cell: It provides Training in the use of educational technology to the University teachers as well as Scientists / teachers of SAU/ ICAR institutes.

Research Projects Completed

Farm broadcast improvement programme

Communication gap and constraints analysis in wheat production technology

Communication support for adult education programme

Communication profile of farmers

Utilizing cassette special communication system

Farm publications improvement programme

A study of communication institution and training needs of extension personnel

Development of alternative communication strategies for transfer of technologies among small and marginal farmers

An analytical study of Anganwadi Workers & Rural Women under ICDS with reference to communication system.

Trends in content coverage readership behaviour with respect to regional newspapers.

Documentary film utilization for rural development

Designing Training of Teachers in instructional skills

Training

The department has conducted national and international level workshops for academic and development professionals in the areas of media production, development communication, Training of Trainers, educational technology and ICTs in transfer of technology.

Additionally, the Department also conducts Personality Development Workshops, Public Speaking Skills, and Communication & Presentation Skills workshops for students and as per the demand

Publications

The faculty members have altogether published 6 Books, 27 Chapters in Books, 176 Research Papers, 191 Abstracts, 178 Popular Articles, 55 Monographs/ Review Articles and 6 training Manuals.       

Faculty members

Degrees Offered                   

M. Sc. (Agric. Extension & Communication)

Ph. D. (Agric. Extension & Communication)

Admission to these courses is done through an entrance examination conducted by the University.

Courses Offered Under Different Programmes

The academic curriculum for both M. Sc. and Ph. D. were developed through deliberations with the faculty of Agricultural Communication and Foreign Consultant/ Experts associated under FAO/UNDP scheme right from the inception of CASAC. The programmes, however, have been modified so as to reflect the current trends in agriculture communication and extension.

1. Ph.D. (Agricultural Extension and Communication)

Core Courses:

AAC–666 : Advanced Management Techniques in Extension and

                     Communication (3)

AAC–700 : Advances in Agriculture Extension(3)

AAC–730 : Advanced Methods in Behavioural Research(3)

AAC–600 : Seminar(2)

Basic Supporting Course:

BPS–671 : Theory of Sampling (3)

Elective optional courses

Minor

Thesis

Deficiency course for the students coming from Master’s level programme other than Agriculture Communication & Extension/Development Communication

AAC–520 : Communication Theory(Cr Hrs–2)

 2. M.Sc. (Agricultural Extension and Communication)

Core Courses:

AAC–500 : Rural Sociology(3)

AAC–520 : Communication Theory(2)

AAC–510 : Psychology of Human Behaviour(2)

AAC–530 : Research in Extension and Communication(3)

AAC–540 : Extension Programme Planning and Management(3)

AAC–650 : Trends in Extension Education(2)

AAC–600 : Seminar(1)

Basic Supporting Courses

BPS–561 : Statistical Methods(3)

TPF–605 : Personal Computer practices(2)

Elective/minor optional courses

AAC–690 : Thesis (15)

Deficiency courses for those who have not completed communication elective at Bachelor’s level:

AAC–400 : Communication Process & Strategy(2)

AAC–404 : Media Production & Utilization(3)

Deficiency Course for students coming from other Universities

Communication Theory

Optional Courses (Common for M. Sc. and Ph. D.)

AAC–610 : Speech Communication(3)

AAC–663 : Organisational Communication(2)

AAC–611 : Interpersonal Communication for rural development (3)

AAC–621 : Video for rural development(3)

AAC–630 : Photography for Development(3)

AAC–631 : Field publicity methods (3)

AAC–632 : Advertising and Public Relations (3)

AAC–633 : Folk & Traditional media (2)

AAC–640 : Publication Editing & Production(3)

AAC–641 : Agricultural Journalism (3)

AAC–642 : Science Reporting (3)

AAC–643 : Script Writing for development media(2)

AAC-650  : Trends in Extension education (2)

AAC–635 : Training for HRD(3)

AAC–652 : Rural Development programmes in India (2)

AAC–657 : Youth Work (2)

AAC–658 : Agriculture Education(2)

AAC–636 : Managerial Skills (2)

AAC–668 : Presentation Skills (2)

Minor in Social Science

AAC–661 : Dynamic of Social Change (2)

AAC / BHS –702 : Foundations of Psychology (3)

AAC/BHS–653 : Dynamics of Rural Leadership (2)

AAC–660 : Communication Evaluation

Undergraduate Level

(i) B. Sc. Agriculture

AAC–303 : Fundamentals of Extension Education and Rural Development (3)

AAC–304 : Communication and Diffusion of Agricultural Innovations (3)

(ii) B. Sc. Food Technology/B. Tech. Agric. Engg.

AAC–300 : Introduction to Communication and Extension

Degrees Awarded

The department has so far awarded 125 M. Sc. and 17 Ph. D. degrees.