Agricultural Extension Personnel Research Articles

Comparative Study of the Socioeconomic Characteristics and Digital Literacy Level of Agricultural Extension Personnel in Imo and Ebonyi States, South-East, Nigeria

Comparative Study of the Socioeconomic Characteristics and Digital Literacy Level of Agricultural Extension Personnel in Imo and Ebonyi States, South-East, Nigeria

Capability Enhancement of Agricultural Extension Personnel through ICT Interventions and its Economic Impact in Bangladesh

"In this paper, we evaluated the performance of various ICT interventions to empower agricultural extension personnel, especially the Sub Assistant Agriculture Officer (SAAO) and Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO), the major stakeholders in Bangladesh’s existing agricultural extension system. It is usually challenging for extension staff to keep track of their services and get up-to-date agricultural knowledge in developing nations due to the enormous geographical area and quantity of farmers and insufficient training and monitoring. Different ICT applications and tools, such as online and offline agricultural consultation services applications, a digital diary for recording the daily activities of the SAAOs, a monitoring system for the UAOs, and audiovisual materials have been developed to support the extension people. The evaluation was done after collecting data from Focus Group Discussions (FGD), Key Informant Interviews (KII), surveys, and server-side data processing. This study revealed that ICT applications have increased the knowledge base, efficiency, confidence level, and acceptance of the SAAOs and improved the financial aspects of the agriculture extension services. Thanks to ICT interventions, farmers receive timely and quality services from SAAO, leading to increased crop production and a better lifestyle for farmers."

Perception of agricultural extension personnel of their extension tasks in the governorates of Upper Egypt

Perception of agricultural extension personnel of their extension tasks in the governorates of Upper Egypt

Forage economics calculator web tool: A decision support system for forage management

Economic analysis of forage production and handling aids in making an educated decision related to growing or buying forage, setting forage prices, and purchasing additional equipment. Manual calculation of economics is highly complex, tedious, and time-consuming. Therefore, a multi-device web-based tool, called the “forage economics calculator web tool” (FECWT) was developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The tool’s interface was designed for a user-friendly experience with easy access to commands set in an easy-to-follow layout. The FECWT uses 29 input variables to generate results “dynamically” for 37 output variables, based either on the supplied default data or with user-provided inputs (imperial or metric units). The tool emphasizes the cost of the bale collection activity performed using tractor or tractor pulling an “automatic bale picker” (ABP), while the cost of other activities (planting, fertilizer & chemical application, harvesting, and baling) are provided as direct inputs. The economic analysis outputs include net return, break-even ratio, payback period, and return on investment. Features of FECWT include the sensitivity of profit to changes in input values, and downloadable reports and charts for record-keeping. Two case studies using farmers’ actual field data inputs demonstrated the FECWT’s effectiveness, with its generated results corroborating well with farmers’ records. The tool allows for “what-if” scenario analysis related to equipment purchase, effect of forage crop, net-return, and low-inputs scenario for different field areas suggests that an ABP purchase for field areas greater than ≥65ha (≥160ac) could be profitable; alfalfa and corn were the most profitable forage and grain-forage crops, where the grain revenue stream of grain-forage crops easily covers the costs and makes a profit; and a low-inputs scenario (no fertilizers, chemicals, and/or seeds) for forages (alfalfa and grass) decreased the net returns on average by 8.1 times at 50% forage yield potential suggesting the use of all inputs and increased field areas (≥65ha) make a better profit in this low-inputs scenario. Potential users of this web tool include farmers, hay producers, custom hay operators, educators, agricultural extension and financial personnel, and others interested in the economics of handling bales.

Professional Competence of Extension Personnel in Karnataka State of India

The study examines the level of professional competence among agricultural extension personnel in the Karnataka state of India. The study population was composed of agricultural extension personnel in development departments and Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (Farm science center). During 2021-2022, 285 extension personnel completed self administered surveys. The design for the data collection instrument was based on a literature review and focus group recommendations. The findings showed that respondents thought they were highly competent in the areas of program evaluation, organizational skills, human relations skills, and communication skills and moderately competent in the areas of knowledge, administration, teamwork, leadership, program planning, and implementation. Respondents’ competency differed by their cadre also; ADAs, ADHs, and SMSs had high competence levels than their counterparts- AOs, AAOs, and AHOs. The findings imply that there is a need for in-service training of extension professionals in all core competency areas. Pre-service extension education curricula need to be reviewed and updated, incorporating the core competencies highlighted in the study.

Popularization of Medium Maturing Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) Variety (Alamura) and on Farm Evaluation of Its Root Yield Performance at Halaba Zone, Weira District, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are one of the most important root crops for their high -carotene content, which protects against vitamin A deficiency. But in the most rural areas of the country, there is a serious health problem related to vitamin A deficiency. The associated causes of inadequate intake and production of this crop are lower adoption, weak extension support, and inaccessibility of improved varieties. For that, demonstration of a recent variety of sweet potato is a necessary action. Hence, it improves the adoption rate, creates awareness, and contributes to food and nutritional security. Accordingly, two farmer training centers and ten farmers were purposely selected to conduct the demonstration. The variety "Kulfo" was used for the experiment by using a 10m x 20m plot size for each variety. Evaluations were conducted during the mid-maturity stage, through the field day, and field visits with concerned stakeholders, beneficiaries, and surrounding farmers. Based on the result, the yield of the new variety and the standard check are 22.5 tons/ha and 10.5 tons/ha, respectively. The result shows that the yield of the improved variety has a 114.3 percent yield advantage compared to the standard check. In addition, the result of cost-benefit analysis reveals that the new variety has 65250.1 Ethiopian Birr more return than the standard check and is ranked by farmers by its disease resistance, taste, and productivity. Therefore, the new variety is recommended for further scale up in the Halaba zone and other similar agro-ecologies, and agricultural extension personnel will be encouraged to facilitate communication among farmers-researchers and vein multiple cooperatives.

Evaluating Agricultural Extension Agent’s Sustainable Cotton Land Production Competencies: Subject Matter Discrepancies Restricting Farmers’ Information Adoption

Cotton is more chemically intensive than many other commodities, which negatively impacts rural livelihoods at higher rates. Improvement in environmental stewardship of cotton would substantially impact the long-term sustainability of agriculture in cotton producing regions globally. Extension personnel provide producer education to improve these issues that ultimately impact economic growth and quality of life in rural areas, but their proficiency to foster innovation and diffusion of crop-specific content is unknown. A 48-item survey was administered to agricultural extension personnel in five U.S. states to develop an understanding of extension professionals’ current knowledge in sustainable cotton production and sustainability, identify pertinent training needs to address in future professional development curricula, and to discern the value of crop-specific competency evaluation in organizational needs assessment. A ranked discrepancy model and an exploratory factor analysis of survey results indicated a glaring need for training in all evaluated competency areas to improve sustainability in cotton producing regions. Synchronous or asynchronous trainings could be developed for change agents to better serve the needs of rural cotton producers. Knowledge transfer or adoption diffusion of rural land sustainability recommendations to farmers will be challenging to achieve in the study’s region until change agent’s proficiency of sustainable cotton production practices improves.

Job Involvement and Organizational Commitment of Women Agricultural Extension Personnel

Job involvement and organizational commitment are the important factors aff ecting the job performance of employees in an organization. For achieving organizational eff ectiveness, both play a crucial role. In this study, an attempt has been made to analyze the level of job involvement and organizational commitment of women extension personnel in Kerala. For this, 180 women extension personnel from Kerala State Department of Agriculture and 30 VFPCK women extension personnel were selected. Thus, a sample of 210 respondents was studied. Job involvement and organizational commitments were measured using a fi ve-point Likert-type scale with scores 1 to 5, developed by Kanungo (1982) and Mowday et al., (1979) respectively. Results of this study indicates that job involvement and organizational commitment are related and mediate the organizational performance. The fi ndings of the present study have implications for the extension organizations that are attempting to enhance organizational commitment through increased job involvement

How Does Organizational Climate Contribute to Job Satisfaction and Commitment of Agricultural Extension Personnel in New Valley Governorate, Egypt?

How Does Organizational Climate Contribute to Job Satisfaction and Commitment of Agricultural Extension Personnel in New Valley Governorate, Egypt?

THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AMONG AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PERSONNEL IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

To enhance agricultural production in developing countries, the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in extension delivery services is of great importance. This study examined personal characteristics of respondents, type of ICTs available, benefits of use of ICTs and constraints to use of ICTs among extension officers in Lagos State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred (100) Agricultural Extension Personnel from among the Extension agents employed in the State’s ministry of agriculture and cooperative. Structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentage and mean were used to present and summarize the data. Inferential statistics (chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation) were used to describe the type of relationship that exists between the variables in the stated hypotheses. The mean age of the respondents was 39years. Fifty five (55%) were females, and 57% of respondents were B. Sc. holders. Majority (70.0%) were married and 64% were Christians. The mean job experience of the respondents was 16years. Availability of radio set rated high by majority (72%) while 91.0% of respondents had access to radio set. In provision of current information; television was rated high by majority (93%) while in contacting farmers, extension service delivery and improved production; mobile phone was rated high mostly (80%), (84%) and (78%), respectively. High access charge of internet was identified as constraint among majority (81%) of the respondents. Inferential statistics revealed a significant relationship between personal characteristics of respondents and use of ICTs such as age (X2 = 5.2003, P<0.05), religion (X2 = 3.822, P<0.05) are related, further result of correlation test of relationship between personal characteristics. Age (r = 0.183, P<0.05) and Educational level (r = 0.218, P<0.05) and use of ICTs were significantly related. Moreover, test of analysis showed significant relationship between type of ICTs available (r = 0.605, P<0.05) and use of ICTs. In conclusion, higher education level of respondents affected their use of ICTs and influenced by their age. Therefore, the development agencies/institutions involved in Agricultural extension programmes should be sincere and improve upon their efforts.

A review of possibilities for using animal tracking devices to mitigate stock theft in smallholder livestock farming systems in rural South Africa

Stock theft is among the major challenges faced by livestock farmers in South Africa. It has severe consequences especially for smallholder farmers, who collectively own a large share of the South African livestock herds but individually keep small herds. In recent years, technological improvements and innovations have made it possible to track livestock movements by using GPS animal tracking devices. Low-cost GPS has been developed and used elsewhere and in the local commercial sector. Given the well-known role of extension, i.e. information and technology dissemination, the possibility that smallholders adopt GPS animal tracking devices should be evaluated. However, very few studies have made a case for using this technology in curbing stock theft among smallholder farmers. This review therefore addresses the likelihood that smallholder livestock farmers in South Africa adopt GPS animal tracking devices to mitigate the impact of stock theft. Using a semi-systematic and a snowball literature review approach, we consulted and reviewed the relevant literature and official statistics relating to stock theft and smallholder livestock farming. Results from the reviewed literature suggest that the likelihood of GPS animal tracking device adoption by smallholders will depend on a) the awareness about the devices and how they work, b) the acuteness of stock theft for a farmer and how livestock contributes the farmer’s livelihood, and c) the income level, access to mobile phones and risk behaviour of farmers. Our literature findings identify areas for future research and may help agricultural extension personnel with future research topics.

Determining sensor-based field capacity for irrigation scheduling

Irrigated agriculture is a major consumer of freshwater and acreage of irrigated land has increased as producers have become increasingly reliant on irrigation to ensure adequate yields and reduce production risks. Information about the soil’s field capacity, or the water content after a saturated soil has drained for at least 24 h, is needed to determine the soil’s readily available water, or the amount of water that can be safely removed by plants. To address the challenges associated with using soil water sensors in highly variable soils, soil water measurements were included in ongoing cotton irrigation studies during the 2017 through 2019 growing seasons at the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research Center near Portageville. Sensor-based field capacity values were compared among multiple commercially available sensors. Time-domain reflectometry sensors (Acclima TDR 315) were installed at four depths and five locations each of the three years. In addition, resistance-type sensors (Irrometer Watermark 200SS) were installed at five depths and five locations for two years. The goal was to provide guidance on how best to use soil moisture sensor data for irrigation management. Although water continued to move in the profile for more than 24 h after saturation, the average change between 24 and 48 h at each observed depth was < 0.015 m3 m−3. Observed values for coarser textured soils were much wetter after 24 h than expected based on published field capacity values and in one case, even a small difference in sensor location had a large effect on the observed field capacity. Furthermore, soil apparent electrical conductivity was highly correlated to measured field capacity, which could result in a much faster and less expensive way to estimate field capacity compared to collecting and analyzing soil cores. These findings demonstrate that the application of soil moisture sensors for irrigation management is site specific, and differences can be observed over short distances within a field. The research is continuing to better meet the needs of agricultural producers, consultants, research and extension personnel, and others for information to improve irrigation management.

Examining Post traumatic Growth After a Natural Disaster: An Appreciative Inquiry

With the frequency and intensity of natural disasters expected to increase as climate change persists, it is crucial for agricultural educators and extension agents around the world to develop the capacity to assist individuals in the wake of traumatic natural disasters. Data were collected in January 2019 and surveyed Georgia residents who they themselves, or someone they cared about, were affected by Hurricane Michael which occurred in October 2018. Data were measured using a modified version of Tedeschi and Calhoun’s (1996) 21-item posttraumatic growth inventory. Highest mean posttraumatic growth score was associated with the Relate to Others scale, while the lowest mean score was associated with the Appreciation of Life scale. Approximately 48% of respondents reported a large or very large change in their compassion for others and their appreciation of each day as a result of their traumatic experience. Female respondents scored higher than male respondents on all the posttraumatic growth factors. Significant differences at the .05 level between male and female mean posttraumatic growth scores were identified for five scale factors; personal strength; spiritual change; appreciation of life; and overall posttraumatic growth. These findings suggest females may be more adaptive to traumatic events and more likely to be receptive to the potential to perceive positive benefits resulting from traumatic experiences. An associated recommendation would be for agricultural educators and extension personnel to utilize the appreciative inquiry approach when assisting individuals recovering from natural disasters and other traumatic events. Keywords: posttraumatic growth; Hurricane Michael; natural disasters; appreciative inquiry

Agricultural extension and advisory services strategies during COVID‐19 lockdown

The COVID‐19 lockdown policies that began in 2020 caused an unprecedented shock to developing countries’ agricultural activities, especially those in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia. To reduce some of the impacts of COVID‐19 events, agricultural extension and advisory personnel created an avenue to assist farmers in these developing countries. However, since COVID‐19 protocols restricted public gatherings and close contact activities, agricultural extension activities had to be performed using unconventional ways such as mobile phones, radio, and television. This paper highlights some of the challenges agricultural extension and advisory service personnel encountered using these unconventional means of communication for their activities. We also present some solutions to these challenges that can enable policymakers to enhance agricultural extension activities performed unconventionally.

Farmers’ constraints and extension strategies for increasing the adoption of recommended plant protection practices in brinjal cultivation

Brinjal is a major vegetable crop grown in Tamil Nadu and it is one of the crops that uses the most chemicals for pest control. Though agricultural scientists and extension personnel are emphasizing on merits of Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM) methods, the adoption of IPDM is limited among farmers as they faced with multi pronged challenges. The major constraints faced by farmers in adoption of the recommended practices and extension strategies to improve the adoption by the farmers are described in this study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted and the research was carried out with 120 brinjal growers purposively selected from two blocks of Salem district in Tamil Nadu. Nearly half of the brinjal growers (45.83%) felt that high incidence of pest and non-availability of predators, traps (45.00%) were the prime constraints. Multi disciplinary approach to research, educating people are some of the methods suggested.

Determinants of Fertility Trend at District, Divisional and Regional Levels and Policy Implication for Poverty Alleviation

Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries of the world (1278 persons per sq. km.) but it represents one of the few countries in developing world where the pace of fertility decline has been unparalleled over the last few decades despite pervasive poverty and under-development. It has been passing through a critical phase of fertility transition. The data was collected for this research from the following five sources: i. Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2012-13 for fertility rate, contraceptive use, proportion of children engaged in work and access to mass media and ICT of women. ii. Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh for literacy rate, iii. Population Census 2011 for population density characteristics of different districts, iv. Directorate of Agricultural Extension personnel for daily average wage rate of agricultural labor and v. Bangladesh Poverty Map, 2014 for the level of poverty of different districts. This study contributes to basic knowledge of the structural determinants of fertility rate in the Bangladesh by analyzing the expanded set of determinants at district level, namely contraceptive use, literacy rate, daily wage rate of agricultural labor, population density, child labor, access to mass media and ICT of women and poverty level using spatial data analysis techniques. In this study, the binary join matrix/binary contiguity matrix and inverse distance spatial weight matrix techniques are used to capture spatial dependence in the data. This analysis extends the spatial model by allowing spatial dependence to vary across divisions and regions. The results strongly indicate that the fertility associated with contraceptive use, literacy rate, daily wage rate of agricultural labor, child labor, poverty level and their neighbors’ districts. These results suggest that district should pay particular attention to policies in neighboring districts and policy maker should realize that declining the fertility rate in neighboring districts are likely to affect fertility rate in their own district, therefore, a key issue for policy development is how to stimulate the contraceptive use, educational attainment, promote daily wage of agricultural labor and decrease child labor and poverty level could control the fertility and result in sustainable development and poverty alleviation of regions that are both high fertility and economically lagging. This needs to be addressed both in terms of national level policies and more emphatically within regional and sub-regional development strategies than it has been hither.

Strategies for capacity building of agricultural extension personnel in using information and communication technologies for transfer of technology

A study was conducted among 150 agricultural extension personnel from five districts of Kerala to identify the constraints faced by the agricultural extension personnel in using information and communication technologies (ICTs) in transfer of technology and suggested strategies for their capacity building. Lack of proper training facility was recorded as the most experienced constraint with a mean score value of 9.48, followed by inadequate computer facility (8.82) available to them. The other major constraints experienced by the extension personnel were poor technical know how and conducting trainings at inappropriate times with a mean score of 8.32 each and lack of financial resources formain taining the ICT tools with the mean score of 8.03. It is suggested to categorise the extension personnel into two groups viz., those extension personnel who need the basics of ICTs and those extension personnel who require the knowledge on advanced ICTs. Target specific training modules, hands on experience, well established infrastructure, adequate funds and personnel for repair and maintenance, computer based trainings and advanced circulation of annual training calendars among extension personnel by the training organizations are the suggested strategies for the capacity building of extension personnel of Kerala in using ICTs.

TR22 Güney Marmara Bölgesindeki Süt Sığırı İşletmelerinde Yeniliklerin Benimsenmesini Etkileyen Faktörler

The present study was aimed to define the factors affecting the adoption of innovations in dairy cattle farms in Balıkesir and Çanakkale provinces in TR22 South Marmara Region, Turkey. The data were collected from 221 farms by a stratified random sampling method. The study was performed between March and November 2019. This study was used the ordered probit model to evaluate the data. The results revealed that the age of the farmers, household size, dairy cattle experience, household income, the number of dairy cattle, frequency of the internet use, meeting frequency with other farmers and contact frequency with agricultural extension personnel had a positive impact on farmers' adoption of innovations; whereas farmers' contact frequency with veterinaries had a negative impact. As a result, farmers' adoption of innovations in dairy farming activity can be increased with farmers who are open to innovations regarding animal husbandry and knowledgeable about the importance and the necessity of innovations adoption

Gender differences in information needs and communication behaviour among the tribal farm families in Odisha, India

This study was conducted among 160 tribal farm women and men in Odisha to understand the gender differences in information needs and communication behaviour. The tribal farm women were interested in information on value addition to forest-based resources and best practices in livestock management. The predominant information needs among men were on sources of quality inputs, monsoon advisory, market demand for various products and access to institutional finance. The study found fewer similarities and more differences in male and female communication styles. The males were observed to be contentious and dominant, while the farm women in tribal communities were observed to be exhibiting friendly, attentive, precise and open communicator styles. Majority of the respondents rarely utilized the formal sources of agricultural information, such as agricultural extension personnel, and occasionally used researchers and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for receiving information on agricultural technologies. The flow of communication was found to be mostly horizontal among farm women, whereas it was horizontal and vertical among men. The interpersonal channels were regarded as most credible sources of information, both localite and cosmopolite among men, and localite among women, rather than mass media sources. Most of the informal sources such as family members, friends, progressive farmers and opinion leaders were regularly utilized by them for gathering and dissemination of agricultural information. This needs the attention of researchers and extension personnel to utilize the personal localite sources for information dissemination to ensure better outreach among tribal farm families, especially among the farm women. The Spearman's rank correlation revealed that there were no gender differences in the association of socio-personal variables with the communication behaviour.

Developing a standardized tool for assessing the ICT competence of the agricultural extension personnel

Knowledge and information is the key ingredient for driving the engine socio-economic progress of an economy in the present century. Therefore, development in 21st century is driven by the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for collection, storage, processing, retrieval and dissemination of the agriculture information to farmers. ICTs offer means of facilitating two-way interaction in an easy, fast and reliable way between research-extension-farmer systems. In order to reap the potential benefits of ICTs in agriculture, development functionaries must be well competent in using all means of information and communications technologies for extension. Extension personnel’s competence in using ICTs for agriculture and allied activities benefit’s the individual, organizations and nation. Accordingly, the thrust of training for extensionists’ should be aligned towards designing competency-based ICT trainings. The preliminary step for planning a competency-based ICT training programme is assessment of the training gap i.e. difference between existing and required ICT competencies of extension personnel. Studies done earlier in this context are very diverse and focus on specific ICTs, rather than whole. This paper presents a set of standardized 45 statements for measuring the ICT competence of the extension personnel. A total of 118 statements were sent to 154 experts for relevancy testing through online Google form. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS software and MS Excel. With the use of outlier analysis, factor analysis and reliability analysis, ICT competence tool for extension personnel were finalized. The competency tool will contribute towards effective human resource development interventions for the extension personnel.