Agricultural Information Dissemination Research Articles

Re-examining the factors influencing the adoption of ICT for agricultural information dissemination in Uganda (Rubanda, Mayuge districts, and Mbarara city)

Re-examining the factors influencing the adoption of ICT for agricultural information dissemination in Uganda (Rubanda, Mayuge districts, and Mbarara city)

Extent, levels and suitability of ICT usage for agricultural information dissemination in Uganda: A case of Rubanda, Mayuge districts, and Mbarara city

Extent, levels and suitability of ICT usage for agricultural information dissemination in Uganda: A case of Rubanda, Mayuge districts, and Mbarara city

Dissemination of Agricultural Information with Respect to Tribal Community

This study was conducted in Keonjhar district of Odisha state. Agriculture information management behaviour is to be focussed on the flow of information regarding seeking information on various practice of crops and seeking information on various agri-allied activities . The flow of information is based on the various aspect in which tribal people are most probably involved in transferring information through various methods. The result showed that observed that some respondents were receiving information about cultivation practices 33.33% followed by greengram cultivation practices 29.16% and black gram cultivation practices 25%. And 98.32% are receiving information from AAO followed by VLW (95.83%) and from training programme (54.15%) according to personal sources. According to impersonal sources majority of the respondents 64.33% are receiving information from radio followed by television (61.66%) and newspaper (59.16%). Agricultural information interacts with and influences agricultural productivity in a variety of ways. It can help inform decision regarding land, labour, livestock, capital and management. Agricultural productivity can arguably be improved by relevant, reliable and useful information and knowledge. Hence the creation of agricultural information by extension services, research, education programmes and others are managed by agricultural organizations that create information systems to disseminate information to farmers so that farmers can make better decisions in order to take advantage of market opportunities and manage continuous changes in their production systems. All these information seeking behaviours with respect to ICT, the farmers help them to manage in agricultural and other allied activities.

Kinerja Penyuluh Pertanian Lapangan di Kecamatan Kotabunan Kabupaten Bolaang Mongondow Timur

This research aims to: 1). Knowing the internal factors and external factors agricultural field extension, 2). Knowing the performance of field agricultural extension in Kotabunan District, East Bolaang Mongondow Regency. This research was conducted from October to November 2022. The sampling method was purposive sampling. This research used primary data obtained through interviews and observation and secondary data obtained from books, previous research and BPS of Kotabunan District. The data obtained is presented in tabular form and then analyzed descriptively. Category determination is obtained based an assessment or score with the measurement method used is the Likert scale. The results of the study show that the internal factors that support are the extension workers are still in the productive age, some extension workers have a formal undergraduate education indicating that the human resources of the extension workers are quite good, most of the extension workers have enough years of work/work experience and all extension workers have attended training. The external factors that support the availability of sufficient facilities, infrastructure and information to make it easier for extension agents to carry out extension activities, good extension intensity can increase cooperative relations between farmers and a supportive reward system can increase enthusiasm and motivation for extension workers to work. The performance of field agricultural extension in Kotabunan District, East Bolaang Mongondow Regency is in the very good category. Performance indicators that show very good results include the preparation of extension programs, the availability of regional map data according to commodity zoning, the preparation of agricultural extension work plans in each work area, the dissemination of agricultural technology information evenly, and the growth and development of farmer empowerment and independence. The performance of extension agents that showed poor results was the realization of business partnerships between farmers and entrepreneurs and the realization of farmers' access to financial institutions.

Facilitators and hindrances to farmers’ participation in production of farmer-learning videos in central Uganda: a thematic analysis

Videos can complement extension services provision by improving dissemination of agricultural information to farmers. However, for videos to be effective, they need to have relevant video content. This study assessed enablers and hindrances to farmers’ participation in FLV production based on a coffee FLV. Identifying enablers and hindrances to participation of farmers in production of an FLV is essential for developing strategies that optimise their participation to produce relevant FLVs aligned to their contexts. A qualitative case study research design was employed. Data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and in-depth interviews, and analysed through thematic analysis guided by the Activity theory analytical framework. The study established that farmers’ attributes especially their competencies to accomplish assigned tasks in FLV production, and motivations, were salient enablers to their participation. The other enablers were related to how the FLV process was organised, which included availability and adequacy of requisite resources, existence of clear guidelines for production of FLV, utilisation of pre-existing relationships, skilfulness of video experts and field officers, and specificity of roles. The limited interactions among actors, differing expectations, and time constraints were the major hindrances to farmers’ participation in production of the FLV. Hence, video experts should provide opportunities for improving farmers’ competences through training, offering technical support, and providing for rehearsals to build confidence. Mechanisms for improving interactions between and among farmers and video experts to harmonise expectations, promote mutual understanding, and foster knowledge sharing are also needed.

Needs assessment survey for enhancing United States child agricultural injury prevention capacity: Brief report.

The dissemination of childhood agricultural safety and health information and resources through organizations that farmers trust enhances implementation and the Socio-Ecological Model can help identify these organizations. However, to become effective partners in improving agricultural health and safety, organizations need to build capacity in child agricultural safety and health, thus, more information is needed about these organizations' current practices, needs, and capacity for leadership, policy makers, and knowledge mobilization. An online survey was administered to organization leaders with an interest in child agricultural injury prevention, chosen through agricultural health and safety organization membership lists. Invitations to participate in the online survey were mailed to 95 organization leaders with three weekly reminders, resulting in participation from 50 organization leaders (53% response rate). Respondents indicated a high level of awareness of child agricultural injuries, yet few were actively engaged in injury prevention. When asked about "needs" for building capacity in injury prevention, over half (56%) identified a need for more promotion and dissemination of safety resources and strategies, including ATV safety, no extra riders on equipment, and keeping young children out of the worksite. The only topic that more than half of the organizations (54%) identified as "needing more information" was childhood agricultural injury surveillance. This assessment yielded valuable details for identifying opportunities, priorities, and topics for future collaborations and capacity building. Findings help inform national and international planning committees' work, such as the next iteration of a US National Action Plan for Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention, scheduled for release in 2024.

Mobile Telephony as an ICT Tool for Agricultural Information Dissemination in Developing Countries: A Review

In emerging nations, the use of information and communication technology has considerably benefitted the advancement of agriculture, health, rural development, and education. This technique has had a considerable impact on the way agriculture is developed in third-world countries. For information on the weather and prices, farmers now have direct access to the market, buyers, customers, and the metrological department. Information and communication technology has increased farmer incomes all over the world. It is now vital to provide access to facilities and introduce technology to rural areas where farmers lack knowledge, information, and skills regarding this technology. Several studies have also demonstrated that the adoption of information and communication technology tools in agricultural production has increased agricultural productivity. A few of the major problems and challenges that farmers encounter includes inadequate information transfer, poor agricultural practices, record reconciliation between farmers, the government, and traders, and a lack of understanding of the best farming techniques

Effectiveness of social media agricultural information on farmer’s knowledge

The agriculture research and extension institutes are a major source of agricultural information and they are making full use of all information dissemination methods to bridge the information gap among farmers. Social media platforms are dominating agricultural information dissemination platforms in field level. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of agricultural information disseminated through social media on farmer’s knowledge level. The Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study with a sample of 120 respondents, covering all three erstwhile districts form the Southern Telangana Zone of Telangana state. majority of the respondents had low (75.20%) level of knowledge on agricultural technologies followed by medium (26.67%) and high (0.83%) before intervention to social media. after intervention to social media the respondents had low (51.70%) level of knowledge on agriculture technologies followed medium (42.50%) and high (5.80%). It was found that significant difference existed between the extent of knowledge of respondents before and after use of social media (Z value 8.76). The variables digital literacy, social media usage, information processing, mode of access and preference, and social media participation found to be positive and significant relation with knowledge levels on agriculture technologies at one per cent level of significance. Further variables farm size, social media network and readiness to accept information found to positive and significant at five per cent level of significance.

Credibility of Information Sources and Channels as Perceived by Paddy Farmers in Telangana State

This paper investigates perceived credibility of paddy farmers’ information sources and channels. The dissemination of agricultural information to farmers has been one of the crucial factors for the transmission of newer and relevant technologies. Farmers’ information needs are transforming to more need-based than demand-driven. A sum of 120 respondents was selected based on proportionate random sampling from two villages selected from each of the two blocks of Khammam district. Mean per cent score was used for obtaining the degree of credibility of sources and channels. Opinion leaders in personal localite sources, agricultural scientists in personal cosmopolite sources, result demonstration in personal cosmopolite channels and television in impersonal cosmopolite channels were perceived as highly credible by paddy farmers. One-third of respondents had high level of overall credibility.

Farmers Perception of Access and Use of Modern Information Communication Technologies in Enhancing Smallholder Tea Production in Kakamega County, Kenya

The smallholder tea sector in Kenya forms the second-largest agricultural exporter after horticulture, contributing 4 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Modern communication technologies (MCTS) are key in supporting production, processing and marketing across the tea sector value chain. Despite the availability of all these technologies, their access and use by smallholder tea farmers for production and tea auction price monitoring are still minimal. Further, farmers’ perception of access and use of modern communication technologies is not well known. The objective of this study was to evaluate smallholder farmers’ perceptions on access and use of modern communication technologies in enhancing tea production in Shinyalu subcounty.The study was anchored on diffusion of innovation that emphasizes on the five attributes of an innovation. The study evaluated the farmers’ perception of access and use of MCTs. The study adopted a descriptive research design where fisher’s formula was used to get 162 out of 1,600 smallholder tea farmers who were systematically sampled and interviewed. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Likert perception test scale was also used test perception statements. The data was cleaned and analyzed in form of frequencies and percentages and chi-square The results established that majority of the tea farmers (36%) had acquired basic literacy levels of education to use modern technologies in tea production. It also established that modern technologies such as smartcard technology 78%, mobile phone text messages 62% and personal digital assistants 61% were the most essential tools for enhancing access to farm inputs, market information and tea management information. However, extension agents 61% played a complementary role in unpacking and linking modern tea technologies from the source to farmers. A positive association was revealed between farmers’ literacy level and the use of MCTs, which influenced access to MCT. The study, recommended re-tooling agricultural information dissemination agents and farmers on the existing MCT to enhance effective communication, promoting tea production yields and accessing market information.

Information Communication Technology Devices for Agricultural Information Dissemination among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda (Rubanda, Mayuge Districts, and Mbarara City)

Agriculture continues to be the main source of livelihood in developing countries and smallholder farming is the most common type of agriculture practice supporting more than 70% of the population. On the other hand, information and communication technology (ICT) is quickly growing as its helping to connect easier and faster; thus, a dire need to harness it in promoting the agricultural sector. This study investigated the Information Communication Technology Devices for Agricultural Information Dissemination among Smallholder Farmers in Uganda (Rubanda, Mayuge Districts, And Mbarara City). The study adopted a cross-sectional research design that comprised a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative. The instrument for this study consisted of structured questionnaires and interviews. More so, available reports and records were explored. The questionnaire was subjected to face and content validity and reliability test. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages. Findings show that the leading types of ICT devices for agricultural information dissemination in Rubanda District, Mayuge District, and Mbarara City were mobile phones and radios. The study recommends that the most important information to farmers should always be disseminated via phone conversation, texting, and radio for broadcast agricultural-related programs in respective local languages

Content Analysis of Agricultural Information Dissemination by the Indigenous Language and National Print Media in Nigeria: Implications for Effective Communication

The study conducted content analysis of indigenous and national newspapers (NP) published between 2014 and 2015 with respect to agricultural information disseminated to stakeholders in agriculture. Both purposive and stratified sampling technique was used to select Akede and Alaroye as the indigenous and the Nation and Punch as NPs because of their popularity and coverage in Nigeria. A total of 384 newspapers were used for this study. Results showed that the newspapers featured less of agricultural related information despite the fact that the available agricultural information was carried in form of hard news (5.7% and 81.7%), features (7.3% and 91.7%), photography (4.7% and 50.0%), opinion issues (2.1% and 64.1%), and advertisement (1.6% and 56.2%) for indigenous language and national newspapers respectively. Also, information such as employment in agriculture-related (4.7% and 52.6%), health issues related to agriculture (6.2% and 53.1%), crop production (5.7% and 52.1%), animal husbandry (4.7% and 51.6%)for indigenous language and national newspapers respectively among others were the commonly featured news. Only 6.8% and 80.2% of the indigenous and National newspapers allotted column inches ranging from 0.00-7.0 to agriculture. About 6,8% and 60.4% and 4.7% and 58.9% of indigenous language and national NPs targeted the general audience and Male farmer for disseminating agricultural information. Significant difference existed in the agriculture information featured between the indigenous and national newspapers with an F-test value of 44.882 at p= 0.01; indicating that national newspapers featured agricultural news more than the indigenous ones. It was recorded that limited space was allocated to the few available information on agriculture in the sampled newspapers. It was concluded that agricultural news were not adequately disseminated in the dailies especially the local dailies that farmers mostly have access to. It was recommended that agriculture-related information should be published on the platforms where the target audience can access for effective communication

English

The study sought to explore the extent to which agricultural policies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries incorporate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and its impact on the efforts to document and share agricultural IK through communication efforts. A qualitative content analysis of policy documents from seven SSA countries and eight key informant interviews with knowledge management officers from the seven countries was conducted. Purposive sampling was used to select the countries, determine documents examined, and for the selection of key informants for the interviews. The results revealed that IK was not included in several SSA countries’ governmental agricultural policies. Activities aimed at capturing, documentation and sharing IK in SSA countries were not found despite the presence of evidence of its importance to agricultural research and development. These results provide insights on the need for researchers, communicators, educators, and decision makers to consider incorporating IK into policy associated with agricultural information dissemination to improve technology generation and adoption. Key words: Indigenous knowledge, agriculture, adoption, policy, research, development.

Farmers Perception about Print Media in Agricultural Information Dissemination: A Review

This paper aims to evaluate the role and importance of print media in agricultural information dissemination among the farmers community. The mass media can be a powerful tool for the dissemination of information in rural areas. Print media can be used well if they are relevant to the targeted audience and provide the information they seek. For this study, data were collected using structured questionnaire, distributed randomly among the farmers in three selected villages of Gandhinagar district in Gujarat. The data was analyzed using the Microsoft Excel and bar charts were prepared for better understanding and interpretation. The finding shows that fellow farmers and print media are the important sources of agricultural information among the farmers community. However, based on the rating of various sources of information by respondents, the print media got first, fellow farmers got second and internet got third position. Among the different form of print media, the most used form of print media for dissemination of agricultural information was pamphlets followed by magazines, newspapers, posters, books / booklets, leaflets and journals.

Access to Credit and Its Relationship with Information and Communication Technology Tools’ Adoption in Agricultural Extension among Peasants in Rangwe Sub-County, Kenya

Access to agricultural credit is one of the key factors that boost the adoption of technologies to improve agricultural production. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have been referred to as essential channels in the dissemination of agricultural extension information. However, it has been observed that the majority of peasants were not using them to access the information. The aim of this study was to delineate the level of agricultural credit access, sources of the credit, amount of the credit accessed, and the correlation between access to the credit and the use of ICT tools in the extension services among peasants. A correlation research design was utilized in this study at Rangwe Sub-County, Kenya. Data were collected with the help of pretested structured questionnaire from 106 peasants who grow cassava in the Sub-County. The data obtained were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation and descriptive statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 25. Descriptive results revealed that 68% of the peasants interviewed had no access to the credit, while 32% had access. The majority (70%) of those who had the access received it from Saving and Credit Co-Operative (SACCOs). The majority (68%) received the lowest amount of credit. Spearman’s correlation revealed that there was a moderate, positive correlation between access to credit and the use of the ICT tools. The correlation was statistically significant at 1% level of significance (R = +.646**, P = .000, R2 =0.417). Access to credit appears to provide a positive and moderate correlation with the use of the ICT tools as it predicts 42% of the use of the tools in cassava production. The positive correlation coefficient indicates that an increase in access to agricultural credits among the peasants translates to an increase in the adoption of ICT tools in agricultural extension.

Is consumers' willingness to pay premium for agricultural brand labels sustainable?: evidence from Chinese consumers' random n-price auction experiment

PurposeConsumers' willingness to pay premium (WTPP) for two different types of agricultural brand labels (enterprise and regional), are evaluated through a non-hypothetical Random n-price auction experiment during the online purchase of fresh agricultural products. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the two WTPP, compare their differences, and explore their sustainability.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in July–August 2020 from a sample of 310 consumers in Liaoning Province, China. A nonhypothetical random n-price auction experiment was implemented in a simulated online shopping environment.FindingsThe results show that WTPP exists, and WTPP level of regional brand labels is higher than that of enterprise brand labels. Consumers' WTPP is sustainable. Consumers with low WTPP for enterprise brand labels and consumers with high WTPP for regional brand labels have stronger willingness to repurchase.Practical implicationsThe results have direct practical implications for developing brand agriculture and encouraging “brand consumption”. The results can provide theoretical reference for policymakers, enlightenment for the development and effective dissemination of agricultural brand labels and important information to e-retailers on how to sale agricultural products with agricultural brand labels.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous study has related WTPP and its sustainability for agricultural brand labels in China. We try to fill a gap in literature on consumers' WTPP for agricultural brand labels. And the authors explore the sustainability of WTPP by analyzing the impact of WTPP on repurchase intention and recommendation intention respectively.

Impact of Training on Adoption of Information and Communication Technology Tools in Agricultural Extension among Smallholder Cassava Farmers in Rangwe Sub-County, Kenya

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in Agricultural extension in Kenya is key to providing farm families with appropriate technical information and helping them develop skills for improved resource use in their agricultural activities to improve the efficiency of their value chains. The latent perk of ICT tools in the dissemination of agricultural information is not well exploited. Studies to assess the determinants of ICT tools adoption among smallholder cassava farmers in Kenya are limited. The aim of this study was to describe the level of access to training on ICT tools, the level of ICT tools’ adoption, and to determine the correlation between access to training and the use of ICT tools among the Small Holder Farmers (SHFs). A correlation research design was employed in this study at Rangwe Sub-County. The study used pretested structured questionnaire to collect data from 106 SHFs who grow cassava in the Sub-County. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science Version 25 to run Spearman’s correlation and descriptive statistics. From the results 36% of the respondents had used ICT tools in agricultural extension; only 37% had access to ICT training and a majority had received training once from a private extension system. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed that a correlation between access to training and the use of ICT tools among the SHFs was statistically significant at a 1% level of significance (R = +.776**, P = .000, R2 =0.602). Training on ICT tools explained about 60% of the use of the tools among the SHFs. An increase in access to the training enhances the use of ICT tools in agricultural extension. The availability of training centers was recommended to increase the use of ICT tools.

Information System (Is) Models: Technology as a Service for Agricultural Information Dissemination in Developing Countries (Uganda). A Systematic Literature Review

This article summarizes the current literature by reviewing the concepts, applications, and development of technology adoption models and theories that are supported by the literature review, with the novelty technology’s prospective application being the main focus. These included but were not limited to, the concepts of Diffusion of Innovations (DIT) (Rogers, 1995), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1995), and Diffusion of Innovations (DIT) (Rogers, 1995). Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1985, 1991), Theory of Planned Behaviour, (Taylor and Todd, 1995), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, Bogozzi and Warshaw, 1989, Technology Acceptance Model two (TAM2) Venkatesh and Davis (2000), Technology Acceptance Model three (TAM3) Venkatesh and Bala (2008), Unified Theory of Acceptance Model (UTAUT) Venkatesh et al; 2012 and the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance Model (UTAUT2) Venkatesh et al; 2016. These assessments can give some information on technology adoption levels and potential applications for future researchers to consider, recognize and comprehend the underlying technology models and ideas that will have an impact on the preceding, current, and future applications of technology adoption and agricultural information dissemination by smallholder rural farmers.

Determinants of youths’ participation in agribusiness activities in Imo State, Nigeria

The study examined factors that influenced youths’ participation in agribusiness activities in Imo State, Nigeria. A sample of 300 youths, selected using a multistage sampling procedure participated in the study. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule and the variables were analyzed using percentage and mean score. The hypothesis was tested using a multiple regression model. Results showed that the majority (76.3%) of the youths were married, received an average of secondary school education and have spent an average of 11 years in agribusiness. Crop farming (X ̅ = 4.1), livestock farming (X ̅= 3.5) and sale of produce (X ̅ = 3.7) were the major agribusiness activities undertaken by the youths. The result further showed that the youths participated in an average of three agribusiness ventures. The major challenges to participation in agribusiness included access to information and knowledge (X ̅ = 3.7), access to ICT (X ̅ = 3.1) and markets availability (X ̅ = 3.1). The multiple regression results showed that at p ≤ 0.05 and an F-value of 102.8, the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers accounted for 76% of the variations in the youth’s participation in agribusiness activities. The significant variables included age (t = - 3.4), household size (t = 2.5), educational qualification (t = 4.0), access to fund (t = 3.6) and income (t = 3.1). It was recommended that extension and advisory services should be improved to improve the dissemination of agricultural information. Keywords: Determinants, youths’ participation, agribusiness activities, challenges.

Decentralized Agricultural Extension and Social Networks: The Potential for Agricultural Information and Technology Dissemination in Sri Lanka

Policymakers in Sri Lanka are seeking for cost-effective extension systems due to poor governance and limited budgets of current agricultural extension programs. Recently, there has been increasing interest in social learning as a mean of technology dissemination at a low cost. Therefore, this paper reviews the literature related to social learning and social-network-based agricultural extension (SNBAE) in developing countries to identify its possibility in information and technology dissemination in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, it looks at the present agriculture extension system of the food crop sector in Sri Lanka to clarify the potential of SNBAE for information and technology flow to the grassroot level. The review of the literature shows that SNBAE has positive effects on the effectiveness of knowledge and skill transfer to peers and neighbours. The overview of the agricultural extension systems in food crop sector in Sri Lanka shows that the decentralized agricultural extension system implemented from 1989 failed to bridge the agricultural information and technology gap, especially due to insufficiency of agricultural extension officers at the village level. However, the analysis of agricultural extension system of food crop sector shows that SNBAE has succeeded to some degree in narrowing the information and technology gap between extension officers and rural small-scale farmers.