Communication and Development
Communication plays an important role in the development of a nation. It is an integral part of development. Societies cannot change and develop without communication, as it is a process of social interaction through which people are influenced by ideas, attitudes, knowledge and behavior of each other.
Communication has attained a great importance in the developmental programs. It is through the process of communication that people are made aware of the nature and objectives of the programs.
The useful developmental messages are conveyed to the target groups through various communication approaches. This helps masses in acquiring new knowledge required for coping with fast changing society.
It helps people in adoption of innovations for the improvement of their practices, methods and quality of life.
Development as an objective is planned transformation of society from one stage of life and living to well-defined and known goal. It is a process in which man is the objective as well as the tool of development.
All objectives of transformation are to make man live as a human being, with better clothing, food, shelter, health and education. This cannot be achieved without man’s involvement.
He cannot be involved unless the whole process of development is communicated to him as a desirable and acceptable objective. Communication, thus, becomes a key factor in the process of development.
Thus, communication is very important in fostering the development process in a country. It can be a powerful instrument in integrating diversified society. It can create an ethos of change and progress.
Communication by itself does not produce development. Communication should be designed or tailored to fit the various development projects. This can be done by experimenting on communication strategies for development.
Communication is very important for development planners and practitioners as they mediate between specialists and layman. They are required to develop and use effective communication strategies in order to play their role effectively.
Communication is the foundation upon which development planner builds various programs of attaining the goals of economic and social advancement of society by communicating the knowledge of useful technology.
It means that the advancement of the country lies in the effectiveness of its communication system at every level. Thus, communication occupies a pivotal position in the process of development.
In the field of extension education, communication serves as the most vital means in convincing people for the acceptance and adoption of innovations. Extension education involves communication of technical know-how to the people.
Thus, it is very difficult to draw a distinct line between extension education and communication. In reality, extension education would be dependent to a large extent on the art and technique of effective communication.
It is a main vehicle of transmission of the useful messages for their application through implied behavioural change. In other words, communication is a means to achieve the objectives of extension education. Profession of extension education cannot exist in the absence of effective communication.
