Agricultural Information Service Research Articles

Reliability of the Agricultural Extension and Technological Services among Rice Farmers in the Rural Areas of Tanzania

This study provided insights into the availability and use of agricultural information by small scale farmers in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. The research used structured questionnaires to interview 240 rice farmers in the Mbeya region. The findings revealed that farmers accessed agricultural information from various agents including local government extension staff, neighbors and friends, advertisements, electronic media including the internet, television, radio, and other channels. The identified technological information application methods included by lectures, field demonstrations, exposure visits to various places, and printed production. The majority of farmers perceived to have dissatisfied (43%), strongly dissatisfied (25%), strongly satisfied (20%), satisfied (8%), and no opinions (4%) concerning accessibility to agricultural information and technological services. The majority of farmers claimed that both agricultural information and technological communication are strongly needed for agricultural performance. The study suggests that government and non-government organizations should collaborate to bridge the existing information-sharing gap between farmers and information providers.
 Keywords: extension communication, technological information, rural areas, rice farmers, Tanzania.

Library services and resources on agriculture: With reference to Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University

Library has been Chief conserve of Knowledge and Ideas of Man. It is a vital link in the chain of the man’s communication. But, above all Library is a Human Enterprise. This article discusses the agricultural resources available in ANGRAU libraries and e-Resources. Services provided by the library of automation, digitization, resource sharing, LMS software, Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture (CeRA) and institutional repositories Krishikosh. The role library to updating the information in the field of agricultural society wants to be update for latest agricultural research, move forward to key role in increasing productivity and self sufficiency in agriculture information service.

Prototyping of Agricultural Education Website Using the Design Sprint Approach

Agricultural technology is developing in line with discoveries in soil science and plant nutrition. This technology enables increased tonnage of yields at lower costs. But unfortunately, this useful technological development cannot be directly applied by farmers due to the slow transformation of information to farmers. One thing that can be done is to create an appropriate agricultural technology information service website. For the information presented to suit the farmers' needs and easy for them to understand, a user interface design process is needed that involves the farmer directly. So this study uses Design Sprint as an approach to design and validate the user interface. This research succeeded in making a website template design and has been validated with a grade of 3.6 from a scale of 5. The grade is included in the category of very good and suitable for use as an educational medium.

English

In developing countries such as Nigeria, agriculture is the main source of livelihood with over 70% of the population engaged in farming. They are mostly smallholders and subsistence farmers with minimal use of technology and low productivity. The use of mobile applications in agriculture can potentially help smallholders access agricultural information and financial services, improve access to markets and enhance visibility for supply chain efficiency. Unfortunately, due to a lack of uptake of these applications many farmers have not realized the benefits of this technology. This study seeks to explore and examine the factors that affect the uptake of this technology. A conceptual model which builds on the extended Technology Adoption Model (TAM2) was empirically estimated using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to examine the factors that influence the adoption of mobile applications. Primary data were collected from a sample of 261 farmers. Data were analyzed using SEM with the help of IBM SPSS and IBM AMOS software. The structural model showed that seven of the hypothesized relationships in the research model were supported. Social influence (SI), Perceived usefulness (PU), Information/awareness (IA) and Intention to use (ITU) affected the Actual Use (AU) of mobile applications positively, while Perceived risk (PR) and Perceived cost had a negative impact on their adoption. This study contributes to the literature on farmers’ technology adoption. It provides evidence that the extended TAM is a suitable model to explain the factors that influence mobile application adoption behavior.  Key words: Mobile applications, smartphone, Information Communication Technologies (ICT) adoption, structural equation modelling, extended technology adoption model. 

Research on Contextual Recommendation System of Agricultural Science and Technology Resource Based on User Portrait

Under the new situation of rapid development of information technology and increasingly diversified demands of farmers, agricultural information service is also faced with many problems, such as the traditional information service system is difficult to quickly and accurately find the information required by users in the mass information, and the universal information service form cannot meet the growing personalized needs of users. In view of the above problems, this paper explores the application of user portrait technology in agriculture. Through in-depth analysis of the purpose of drawing portrait of agricultural users, characteristics of the agricultural industry and actual needs of agricultural information service, it builds a user portrait model in the agricultural field. At the same time, the situational recommendation system of agricultural science and technology resources based on user portraits is constructed by comprehensively considering the influence of multidimensional situational factors such as the time, geographical location, categories of agricultural production and changes in users’ interests on the demand for agricultural information resources. Through practical application, the system realizes the individualized recommendation of agricultural information resources based on situational awareness and user interest adaptation, and satisfies the individualized demand of agricultural users for agricultural information better.

Psychological perspectives of farmers on mobile based agriculture: Reuters market light (RML)

Today a new paradigm of agricultural development is emerging at a faster pace. The old ways of delivering information and services to citizens are being challenged. Farmers need dynamic information relating to agriculture and rural development. Therefore, to satisfy the need of information and knowledge, a venture promoted and supported by Thomson Reuters, Reuters Market Light (RML) offers highly customized and localized agricultural and related information service. Using a subscription economy model, RML provides information services via mobile phone-based Short Message Service (SMS) primarily aimed at farmers. The study was carried out in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu. In Erode District of Tamil Nadu Reuters Market Light (RML) utilizes Pallavan Grama Bank (Agricultural Rural Bank which is sponsored by the Indian Bank) to distribute the messages. The results revealed that majority of the respondents had a strong positive attitude towards market and a high level of willingness to sell the produce in the market. More than half of the respondents were willing to sell their produce to the traders/ wholesalers avoiding commission agents/middle men in the channel to teach the consumer and the respondents had a high level positive perception towards mobile phone with regard to farm information and technology transfer.

Mobile-based advisory services for sustainable agriculture: Assessing farmers’ information behavior

Mobile-based advisory services have significant benefits, including access to agricultural information, knowledge sharing, meteorological information, marketing-related information, and financial services for smallholder farmers. This study aimed to assess farmers’ information behavior regarding mobile-based advisory services and how farmers with different characteristics and attitudes access and adopt information. Data were collected from 382 farmers in Dakhalia governorate, Egypt. The most frequently received information was related to best agricultural practices, weather forecasts, seed varieties and treatment, and water management. Cluster analysis revealed that 47% of the farmers had low information behavior. Seventy-one of the respondents had a favorable attitude toward information retrieval from mobile agricultural services. The information behavior groups of the farmers significantly differed in education, farm size, diversity of agricultural production, and attitude regarding trust and quality of the information provided. Information behavior among farmers has useful implications for policymakers in supporting the long-term benefits of mobile-based advisory services.

AS SEMANAS RURALISTAS DO BRASIL: Igreja Católica e Desenvolvimento

Neste artigo, analisamos as semanas ruralistas como projeto de extensão rural desenvolvido no Brasil no século XX. Esses eventos ocorreram em diversos pontos do país e tinham como objetivo discutir aspectos relativos à condição de vida das populações rurais brasileiras. As primeiras semanas foram realizadas nos anos 1930 e foram promovidas por organizações privadas. Não obstante, entre 1940 e 1950, outras organizações passaram a promovê-las. Foi com a colaboração da Igreja, a partir dos anos 1950, que a realização desses eventos aumentou exponencialmente. Por meio de periódicos nacionais, relatórios do Serviço de Informação Agrícola (SIA) e revisão bibliográfica, verificamos como ocorreu o processo de consolidação das semanas no país, dando ênfase à cooperação da Igreja. As paróquias católicas foram utilizadas pelo Estado em seu projeto de modernizar e integrar as áreas rurais brasileiras, e se tornaram espaços de fomento de conhecimento técnico e científico em agricultura e saúde. Palavras-chave: Igreja Católica. Semana Ruralista. Desenvolvimento.

Research on the Construction of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform in the Field of Agricultural Finance Based on Computer System Development

Agricultural information technology promotes the upgrading of agriculture. The optimization of industrial structure tells us that agricultural informatization is the stage that agricultural progress in the future must go through. The concept of agricultural entrepreneurship marks the progress of our society. Social progress will certainly drive the development of social financial field. This paper combines agriculture with finance. This paper puts forward the establishment of the entrepreneurial platform in the field of agricultural finance under the computer technology. It is expected that the concept of this paper can make some contributions to the construction of agricultural information service system in China and put forward new development ideas for the concept of agricultural entrepreneurship[1].

Context, design and conveyance of information: ICT-enabled agricultural information services for rural women in Bangladesh

ICT for development projects often focus on integrating social factors in information systems design. A well-designed ICT4D solution must be tailored to the needs of the people who will use them and subsequently, requires an extensive understanding of the context and constraints in people’s lives. With an objective to explore how context-specific issues influence the conveyance of appropriate agricultural information to women, this paper uses PROTIC (participatory research and ownership with technology, information and change), a 5-year collaborative project between Monash University and Oxfam, as a case. PROTIC was implemented in three climate vulnerable ecological zones of Bangladesh with an aim to overcome the agricultural information gap for rural women. Based on a study in mixed research method and triangulation, this paper brings evidence on the significance of considering context-specific attributes in designing effective and sustainable information services for marginalized women farmers in developing countries. The paper upfolds some significant recommendations which is expected to contribute to the domain of context-specific information system design in resolving socio-economic problems to pave the way of sustainable development.

ICT Application in Transforming Agricultural Extension Information Service Delivery in Tana River County, Kenya

Agricultural Extension includes dissemination of information on farming to farmers in order to help them improve agricultural productivity. A premise exists that if extension programmes are well planned and delivered, they will enhance farming efficiency and output by providing farmers with agricultural information that will help them to utilize their limited production resources. This paper examines how ICT application could help transform public extension service delivery and improve the skills of public agricultural extension service providers and in so doing increase small farmers’ access to agricultural information. This study is set in the Tana River County in Kenya, considered agricultural sector growth and development as vital to the County’s economic stability and community progress. However, while determined efforts in uplifting extension, and firming up their linkage with other actors in agricultural value chains were recognized as important to the future of agricultural development in the county, there is still a lack of evidence of a clear relationship between agricultural productivity and extension services. There was also no clear evidence that small farmers in the county were receiving sufficient extension services to sustainably undertake farming for improved productivity and food safety. While the application of ICTs in agricultural extension was found to be limited, the research acknowledged its important role in facilitating access to agricultural information by providing farmers with timely and relevant agricultural information. The study considered the necessary requirements for setting up an effective agricultural extension information system and it is assumed that this will add credibility to the policy agenda for agricultural extension and communication for rural development.

Tapping the full potential of the digital revolution for agricultural extension: an emerging innovation agenda

ABSTRACT Agricultural extension in the Global South can benefit greatly from the use of modern information and communication technologies (ICT). Yet, despite two decades of promising experiences, this potential is not fully realized. Here, we review the relevant research literature to inform future investments into agricultural information services that harness the full potential of digital media. We describe a recently emerging innovation agenda that is, in part, a response to the eventual failure of many new agro-advisory initiatives. One important cause of failure has been a focus on pushing certain technologies, rather than responding to the particular communication challenges of potential users. To avoid such bias in designing new services, the new innovation agenda rests on two major foundations: strong user-centredness and problem-orientation. In our review, we first describe how user-centred design methods help in specifying both problems and (digital) solutions in agricultural extension. To inform responses to the communication challenges defined by that analysis, we then describe eight emerging aspects of using ICT for development, and how they can address common deficiencies of agricultural extension. Practical examples from the literature highlight the possibilities and limitations of these innovation directions. Beyond digital design, however, technological innovation requires enabling institutions.

Field comparisons of incentive-compatible preference elicitation techniques

Knowledge of consumer demand is important for firms, policy-makers, and economists. One common tool for incentive-compatible demand elicitation, the Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM) mechanism, has been widely used in laboratory settings but rarely evaluated for reliability at large scale in the field. In two field experiments (for a new agricultural information service and rainfall index insurance) we compare demand curves estimated from BDM implementations with demand curves estimated from choices at individually randomized fixed prices. In the test (for an agricultural information service) we obtain demand curves from BDM and fixed prices that align closely and are unable to reject equivalence of the demand curves. For the second test (of rainfall index insurance) the results are mixed, with the distributions lining up well at certain points of the demand curve and deviating at others. Overall, we find no evidence for systematic bias. Our evidence suggests that a ‘reframed’ version of BDM that uses discrete prices may minimize non-standard bidding behavior and is well suited to future experimental work in low-literacy environments.

The Revolution of Mobile Phone-Enabled Services for Agricultural Development (m-Agri Services) in Africa: The Challenges for Sustainability

The provision of information through mobile phone-enabled agricultural information services (m-Agri services) has the potential to revolutionise agriculture and significantly improve smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in Africa. Globally, the benefits of m-Agri services include facilitating farmers’ access to financial services and sourcing agricultural information about input use, practices, and market prices. There are very few published literature sources that focus on the potential benefits of m-Agri services in Africa and none of which explore their sustainability. This study, therefore, explores the evolution, provision, and sustainability of these m-Agri services in Africa. An overview of the current landscape of m-Agri services in Africa is provided and this illustrates how varied these services are in design, content, and quality. Key findings from the exploratory literature review reveal that services are highly likely to fail to achieve their intended purpose or be abandoned when implementers ignore the literacy, skills, culture, and demands of the target users. This study recommends that, to enhance the sustainability of m-Agri services, the implementers need to design the services with the users involved, carefully analyse, and understand the target environment, and design for scale and a long-term purpose. While privacy and security of users need to be ensured, the reuse or improvement of existing initiatives should be explored, and projects need to be data-driven and maintained as open source. Thus, the study concludes that policymakers can support the long-term benefit of m-Agri services by ensuring favourable policies for both users and implementers.

Rural Financial Information Service Platform Under Smart Financial Environment

The development and improvement of agricultural financial information service system is of great significance to the development of rural modernization, the improvement of rural comprehensive competitiveness and the construction of new socialist countryside. The construction of rural financial information service platform is directly related to the quality of rural financial information service, and directly affects the construction of new socialist countryside. In order to solve the problems of information collection, processing and integration of rural financial information service platform in China, the diversification, personalization, timeliness and accuracy of information demand are difficult to be met, and the organization and operation mode of the platform are not perfect. In this paper, based on the intelligent sensor, the whole digital transformation is realized through the reference of big data. Based on this, this paper establishes the research model of rural financial information service platform under the smart financial environment. From the current situation of the construction and application of rural financial information service platform in China, it studies the basic situation of the construction of rural financial information service platform in China from three aspects of functional scope, service mode and operation mode, and draws the improvement conclusion. The results show that the efficiency of rural financial information service is increased by 20% after using the improved method in this paper, which has certain use value.

Appropriateness of agricultural marketing information service in Punjab, Pakistan

ABSTRACT This article evaluates the appropriateness of the existing agricultural marketing information service (AMIS) in the Punjab province of Pakistan in terms of the accuracy of data collected, quality of the information produced, effective dissemination of information, and sustainability of the service, based on criteria developed on different indicators. Both secondary and primary data were collected through literature review, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative analysis technique was used to discuss the appropriateness of the service. The inappropriate and weak dimensions of the service are highlighted to guide the future improvement of AMIS.

Field Comparisons of Incentive-Compatible Preference Elicitation Techniques

Knowledge of consumer demand is important for firms, policy-makers, and economists. One common tool for incentive-compatible demand elicitation, the Becker-DeGroot- Marschak (BDM) mechanism, has been widely used in laboratory settings but rarely evaluated for reliability at large scale in the field. In two field experiments (for a new agricultural information service and rainfall index insurance) we compare demand curves estimated from BDM implementations with demand curves estimated from choices at individually randomized fixed prices. In the test (for an agricultural information service) we obtain demand curves from BDM and fixed prices that align closely and are unable to reject equivalence of the demand curves. For the second test (of rainfall index insurance) the results are mixed, with the distributions lining up well at certain points of the demand curve and deviating at others. Overall, we find no evidence for systematic bias. Our evidence suggests that a ‘reframed’ version of BDM that uses discrete prices may minimize non-standard bidding behavior and is well suited to future experimental work in low-literacy environments.

Identify Attitude and Perception of Farmers on Mobile Based Agriculture: Reuters’ Market Light (RML)

Farmers need dynamic information relating to agriculture and rural development. Therefore, to satisfy the need of information and knowledge, Reuters Market Light (RML) offers highly customized and localized agricultural related information service. RML provides information services via mobile phone-based Short Message Service (SMS) primarily aimed at farmers. The study was carried out in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu state. The results revealed that majority of the respondents had a strong positive attitude towards market and the respondents had a high level positive perception towards mobile phone with regard to farm information and technology transfer.

Information Provision and Farmer Welfare in Developing Economies

Problem definition: To alleviate farmer poverty, governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are developing different mechanisms for disseminating market information to farmers in developing countries. This paper examines whether a wider dissemination of information will always benefit farmers. Academic/practical relevance: The characterization of the farmers’ equilibrium production decisions and the implications of information provision provide practical guidance for governments and NGOs when developing agricultural information services. Methodology: We develop an “asymmetric” two-stage game to analyze a base model in which n ≥ 4 heterogeneous farmers need to determine their production quantities when the underlying market condition is uncertain. Our base model relies on four key modeling assumptions: (1) farmers engage in Cournot (quantity) competition, (2) the social planner cares about farmers’ total income, (3) yields are deterministic, and (4) information service is publicly funded so that information access is free. We further examine alternative market environments by relaxing or changing these modeling assumptions separately. Results: Through the analysis of our base model, we find that providing information to only one farmer is optimal but providing information to all n farmers can be detrimental. In alternative market environments, we obtain the following results. First, when the information service is self-financed, we find that the “exclusivity” result no longer holds when farmers are heterogeneous (even though it holds for the case when farmers are homogeneous). Second, when yield rates are uncertain, we find it is optimal to disseminate to more farmers when the yield rates become more uncertain (in terms of coefficient of variation). Third, when the central planner only cares about creating economic value for those farmers with information access, it is optimal for the social planner to disseminate information to more farmers. Fourth, when farmers engage in Bertrand (price) competition, it is optimal to disseminate information to all n farmers. Managerial implications: By combining different results obtained under different market environments, we conclude that the optimal information provision policy depends on the competition type (Cournot or Bertrand competition), yield uncertainty, source of funding, and the social planner’s ultimate goal.

Mobile Phone Application of Agricultural Resources and Environment Information Based on Agricultural Short Message Service Content

With the rapid development of mobile Internet, mobile application has become a new form of information service. Agricultural short-message service system has a large number of agricultural resources and environmental information, through mobile applications to display these data, to facilitate people at any time and anywhere to understand the changes in agricultural resources and environment over the years, mobile application push message is conducive to users to obtain the latest agricultural resources and environmental information. In this paper, the technical route of transferring short MMS service to mobile application is put forward, and the traditional short MMS content is presented by using mobile application. Help to improve the user experience, expand the user base. This paper describes the construction scheme and implementation method of the agricultural resources and environment information service platform based on mobile application in detail.