The agricultural extension and communication study program lecturer team was divided into three research groups: the rural sociology research group, the agricultural communication research group, and the agricultural extension research group. Group research allows lecturers and students to develop knowledge through research activities and their application in community service activities and learning development.

The agricultural extension research group seeks to develop education, training and support the community to increase their knowledge, skills and capacities in various aspects of life. Activities focused on conducting research and development related to counselling and community empowerment. This aims to generate new knowledge, seek innovation, and develop more effective methods of providing counselling and empowerment to the community so that primarily changes in the behaviour of farmers in a better direction in line with accelerated development. The Agricultural Extension research group always strives to establish collaboration and strengthen networks with institutions, community organizations, government and the private sector regarding community outreach and empowerment. This allows for exchanging knowledge, resources and experience to improve the quality of counselling and community empowerment. This research group is an inclusive and open place for all levels of society. The aim is to provide proper education, training and support for the community to develop their potential, improve their welfare and participate actively in community development.

The Rural Sociology research group seeks to develop a variety of knowledge reflected in several courses: Rural Sociology, Human Ecology, Social Change, Dynamics of Village Development, and several other elective courses. Initially, rural studies focused on rural development concerning the village’s social, cultural and economic conditions. Science then developed since there was an awareness that the condition of the village community could not be separated from environmental aspects (eco-sociology). In addition, the political aspect is important because rural poverty, environmental damage, disaster mitigation, and others cannot be separated from the role of policymakers. Since then, studies have developed to see how environmental changes and changes in ecosystems (ecology) will, in turn, cause social and economic changes in rural farmers through the facilitation of political policies. At least the importance of the relationship between the village community and its ecology has implications: (1) The Human Ecology course forces scholars in this research group to develop new findings related to this matter, (2) The focus of the study of some members of the research group was directed at patterns of human and environmental relations; for example, in 2014 and 2015, the related research was on the Resilience and Adaptation of Kelud Mountain Slope Farmers (Faculty et al.) and Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change (Dissertation Grants), (3) Develop various studies that lead to a sustainable livelihood approach (political policies are an important part of the approach), political ecology, cultural ecology, and political economy.

The Agricultural Communications Research Group was developed to become a research and information centre for agricultural development communications by focusing on information and knowledge management, development communication management, and media and information communication technology studies. This is reflected in several courses under the auspices of the Agricultural Communications laboratory: Personal Communication, Business Communication, Mass Communication, Communication for Innovation, Intercultural Communication, Agricultural Communication and Information Technology and Multimedia (TIM) courses. In addition, scientific development efforts at the Agricultural Communication Laboratory can also be seen in research and community service activities carried out by members of the Agricultural Communication Research Group, which are directed at information and knowledge management research, such as research entitled Negotiation of Millennial Farmer Communication Identity in the Era of Agriculture 4.0 ( 2021), Information Flow to Accelerate Agricultural Adoption 4.0 at the Farmer Level (2022), Use of Social Media for Knowledge Sharing: Efforts to Accelerate the Standardization of Robusta Coffee Quality Based on Geographical Indications (2022 and 2023). As well as developing communication studies such as the Response of Affected Farmers to the Development Policy of the National Strategy for the Solo-Yogyakarta Toll Road in Central Java (2023) and the Strategy for Developing Organic Rice in Organic Communities (2023) and many more studies and community service activities carried out by Research Agricultural Communication Group for scientific development and participation in agricultural development.