He is ever conscious that there is sufficient knowledge, from accumulated experience, invention and science, to improve and increase agricultural production to any height to which national development could possibly aspire. Yet this knowledge is often difficult to apply. It has not been co-ordinated into practical application in the mind of the average landman. It is all too often presented by segment specialists with insufficient appreciation of basic agriculture. There is a natural tendency for the farmer, bombarded by too specialised knowledge from many quarters, to become confused, and in consequence he makes false starts as the popularity of one subject or another dominates agricultural publicity and thinking for a time.
All knowledge is based on simple fundamental truths.
If these can be presented in a reasonable order and relationship to the farmer, he can learn quickly to employ the knowledge to the same extent as if he were master of all these sciences. If some aspect of engineering is necessary or desirable in agriculture, then the engineering aspect should be imparted to all officers of agriculture who contact farmers. Likewise with soil conservation, if it is a necessary part of farming, then every agricultural officer should know the techniques and be able to advise the farmer. These techniques are very simple and not difficult to learn. All these matters can be fully covered in teaching for practical use in a very simple fashion, and covered, notwithstanding the expert's continuous tendency to preserve his standing by making simple things appear difficult.