Utilization Of Agricultural Information Research Articles

A Study on the Effectiveness of Utilization of the Union Digital Center Agricultural Information by the Farmers in Bangladesh

Aims: The aims of the study were to determine the effectiveness of Union Digital Center (UDC) in the utilization of agricultural information by the farmers, also to investigate the contribution of the selected characteristics of the farmers to the effectiveness of UDC in the utilization of agricultural information and to resolve the problems faced by the farmers in receiving agricultural information from the UDC. Study Design: It is a Field Survey Research. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a union named Alokjhari under Khanshama Upazila of Dinajpur district of Bangladesh There are eight villages in this union. The study was conducted in these eight villages from January 2020 to February 2022. Methodology: The farmers of Alokjhari Union who were members of the Common Interest Group (CIG) under the National Agricultural Technology Project (NATP) of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) constitute the population of the study. According to Yamane’s (1967) formula, the sample size was determined as 154 from 200 respondents. A simple random sampling method was used in order to select the sample. Data were collected using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression were used for analysis. Results: The highest proportion 49.4 percent of the farmers had low effectiveness of UDC in utilizing agricultural information compared to 30.5 percent with medium effectiveness and 20.1 percent with high effectiveness. And the highest effective information that the farmers asked for was found on ‘compost preparation’ followed by ‘tree plantation’, ‘recommended seed rate’, and so on. Among the influential variables level of education, family income, innovativeness, agricultural knowledge and aspiration provided a 53.1 percent contribution to the effectiveness of UDC. Conclusion: The findings indicate that UDC plays a moderate role in the utilization of agricultural information. Agricultural knowledge was the main contributor to the improvement of the effectiveness of UDC while agricultural knowledge should be increased to both farmers and UDC staff levels.

A Utilization of Agricultural Information by Small Holder Farmers in Kano North Senatorial Zone

A Utilization of Agricultural Information by Small Holder Farmers in Kano North Senatorial Zone

Utilization of Agricultural Information by Poultry Farmers in Enhancing Productivity: The Case of Menengai West, Nakuru County, Kenya

Agriculture in Kenya has been one of the backbones of economic development in the country. Poultry farmers play a bigger role in contributing to this development. Poultry farmers utilize information for various reasons including; poultry disease management, protection, shelter, production, feeding and nutrition, hatching, marketing, breeds and breeding, and competition with crops. In Menengai West Location, Rongai Sub County, Nakuru, underutilization of agricultural information is seen as the possible cause of low productivity in poultry farming. The aim of this research was to evaluate the utilization of agricultural information by poultry farmers with a view of establishing challenges faced and proposing ways of improving production. The specific objectives of the study were; to find out the uses of agricultural information by poultry farmers; to identify factors influencing the use of certain agricultural information; to find out the awareness level of existing agricultural information by poultry farmers; to determine the effectiveness of agricultural information on poultry production and to establish the challenges faced by farmers in utilizing agricultural information. The study will benefit poultry farmers in Menengai West by enhancing utilization of agricultural information hence increasing productivity. The target population was 517 poultry farmers and the sample size for this research was 217 poultry farmers derived from the Saunder’s table of sampling. Two extension officers were also targeted. A pilot study was conducted in Njoro Sub County. The study was based on Eugene’s information society theory of 1979. Questionnaires and structured interviews were used for data collection. Television, radio and mobile phones were the commonly used sources of agricultural information in provision of poultry information. Inadequate agricultural extension officers and inadequate funds were major challenges faced by poultry farmers in utilization of agricultural information. The study concludes that there are gaps that exist in utilization of agricultural information. The researcher therefore recommended that the county government should employ more extension officers within Menengai West in order to reach out to poultry farmers, Agricultural resource centers should be set up by Nakuru County Government in rural areas to enable farmers in the location access agricultural information easily and within reach, establish partnership with agricultural institutions and county government to disseminate agricultural information and access veterinary services and the government need to improve mobile network connectivity in the area.

Agricultural Information Gathering and Use among Smallholders’ Sugarcane Farmers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Tanzania: A Case of Kilosa District

Aims: The agricultural sector is considered the backbone of Tanzania's economy. Information accessibility to farmers depends on the situation and the available sources. This article aims at attempting to understand the agricultural information gathering and use among smallholders’ sugarcane farmers during the covid-19 pandemic in Tanzania: a case of Kilosa district.
 Research Methods: In this study, we conducted field surveys among farmers, and of the out in Ruaha, Kidodi, and Kidogobasi villages in Kilosa district, in Morogoro region, Tanzania. A total number of 4776 key informants were engaged in the study to examine information accessibility to farmers depending on the situation and the available sources.
 Results: The study found out that agricultural information smallholder farmers needed for sugarcane farming was information on markets 84%, sugarcane payment per ton 74%, and information on the harvest and fertilizers application 72%. We observed that the main source of agricultural information was fellow farmers and agricultural information officers and Radio. We discovered that, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority (89.7%) accessed agricultural information from their fellow farmers, (71.3%) of respondents said that agricultural extension officer was their preferred source. It was revealed that the majority (83.0%) of the smallholder sugarcane farmers revealed that a limited number of agricultural extension officers was the main challenge, (72.4%) of the respondents said that a limited number of seminar-workshop and agricultural training incomplete statement. The findings adds up on the insights on the utilization of agricultural information during pandemic.
 Conclusion: It can be concluded that agricultural information accessibility is important to smallholder farmers’ sugarcane production; furthermore, agricultural extension officers are a significant role in farmers’ productivity even amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deep Learning Agricultural Information Classification Combined With Internet of Things Technology in Agricultural Production and Economic Management

This study aims to explore the application of agricultural information classification combined with the Internet of Things technology in agricultural production and economic management in the context of deep learning (DL). The agricultural information classification system is built based on DL. In terms of experimental methods, qualitative and quantitative methods are used to compare the extractive forward and the generative reverse generation algorithm in the abstract generation method. Typical extraction methods that directly extract important sentences are relatively ineffective. The model parameter tuning and training of generative (regenerating new sentences) are difficult, and the effect does not reach the level of agricultural scientific research. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation practice proves that the effect is better. In the data training effect of Rice Digest, after nine days of iterative training for about 1400 steps, the loss value is 1.33, which is equal to the standard data set. In the data training effect of Wheat Digest, after nine days of iterative training for about 1400 steps, the loss value is 1.496, which is equal to the standard data set. Later, the existing original model is adjusted to fit the model of the agricultural dataset scale. Among them, the minimum learning rate is reduced from 0.01 to 0.003 to expand the learning rate drop rate. In the visual training comparison, when training to about 1400 steps, the cross-entropy loss function values are about 1.43 and 1.29, respectively. The curve smoothing factor is set to 0.97 to observe the overall change in target loss value. The results show that when the parameter settings remain unchanged, the loss value of the model starts to increase linearly at about 1400 steps, and the effect reaches the expected value. This study improves the relevance, completeness, and accuracy of information acquisition in the field of agricultural science and technology information and improves the utilization of agricultural information.

The Assessment of Access to and Utilization of Agricultural Information on Bread Wheat by Smallholder Farmers of Gedab Hasasa District, West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

This study seeks to determine access to and utilization of agricultural Information on Wheat bread by smallholder farmers of Gedab Hasasa district. The study was motivated by the fact that benefits of agricultural information communication development still need to be known among rural smallholder farmers in the district. It is also not effectively communicated to farmers especially in rural areas although access to and utilization modern information technology is largely available. This paper will examine the relevance of AIs to the rural farmers in Ethiopia. The objectives of the study are to assess the status of access and utilization of agricultural information of rural farmers in Gedab Hasasa district; to identify the constraints faced by farmers to access and utilization of agricultural information to rural farmers and to determine the relation between dependent and independent variables. The sample size was 138 respondents. Random sampling was used in identifying the respondents. A questionnaire was used to solicit responses from the respondents. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. As a descriptive statistic, frequency, percentage, minimum, maximum, and range was used. In relation to statistical tests, one-way ANOVA, F-value, Chi-square and spearman’s rho were applied. Data was analyzed using SPSS and presented in tables. From the study, except Age all explanatory variables were positively significant relation with information access and utilization categories of the farmers. One of the major challenges to access to AIs was lack of awareness, inadequacy of facilities or professional and DAs biasness in the area. The others, such as lack of credit services, lack of money (Unaffordable price of inputs) and untimely delivery of agricultural inputs was the main constraints to utilized accessed information among the farmers. It was therefore, recommended the need for government, NGOs and public intervention to provide appropriate extension services, to improve DAs capacity through training and create conducive work environment and also establish training sectors for the rural farmers to access the agricultural information as well as to strength the capacity of the existing rural financial institutions and establishing new financial institution, encouraging the farmers to participate in cooperative organization and others local organization to increase accessed information utilization of the farmers. Keywords: Agricultural information, access, utilization, bread wheat production package, smallholder farmers, Ethiopia. DOI: 10.7176/JIEA/10-4-01 Publication date: September 30 th 2020

Gender Disparities in Utilization of Agricultural Information by Small Scale Farming Households in Ambo District of West Shewa Zone

Gender disparity in utilizing agricultural information affects the agricultural productivity of male and female households. Thus, this study was carried out to examine the gender disparities in utilizating agricultural informaation by small scale farming households in Ambo district. To achieve the objective of the study, both primary and secondary sources of data were used. Data were collected using semi-structured interview schedule, key informant interviews and focus group discussions; and analysed using descriptive satatistics and description. The study revealed that the majority of the farmers rely on informal sources of information from neighbors, friends and colleagues rather than from the extension workers. Particularily, information sources of women did not enable them to get adequate and reliable information. It cloud be attributed to less mobility of women to access information, women responsibilities for household and child-rearing activities and workload. Gender disparity made great difference in using agricultural information for farmers since mostly women are playing a reproductive role. Therefore, improving participation of women farmers in various areas of extension programmes could facilitate empowering farm women for better utilization of agricultural information.

Access and utilization of agricultural information by arable crop farmers in UYO agricultural zone, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria

Access and utilization of agricultural information by arable crop farmers in UYO agricultural zone, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria

A study of influence of mass media on the access and utilization of agricultural information

A study of influence of mass media on the access and utilization of agricultural information

Determinants of Rice Farmers’ Utilization of Agricultural Information in Central Thailand

ABSTRACTThis study investigated factors affecting the utilization of agricultural information among rice farmers in central Thailand. About 240 rice farmers in the Bang Pla Ma District of Suphanburi Province were surveyed and interviewed to describe how they utilize agricultural information. Respondents were divided into small, medium, and large rice farmers according to farm size. Small farmers had more access to information on farming practices and postharvesting activities, while large and medium farmers utilized more information on marketing, covering future market and farmgate prices. The multinomial logit model showed that length of farming experience, household labor size, distance to the Rice Research Center, and number of information sources, as well as access to the Internet, television, extension program, and relatives, significantly influence farmers’ utilization of agricultural information.

Utilization of Agricultural Information on Ere Agbe Radio Broadcasts Among Farmer-Listeners in Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACTThis study assessed farmers' utilization of agricultural information on Ere Agbe radio broadcasts in the Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State. Data were collected on appropriateness, utilization of agricultural information, and constraints to access, from 160 farmer-listeners using an interview schedule. The appropriateness of information was low (51.9%); 47.5% utilized information highly; irregular power supply (M = 1.3125) was the main constraint to information access. The perceived appropriateness (r = .89, p ≤ .05) and constraints faced (r = −0.29, p ≤ .05) were significantly related to utilization of agricultural information. Broadcasts should address farmers' needs, while cheap, alternative power sources should be explored.

Categorization of Rural Youth on Utilization of Agricultural Information on Arable Crop in Southwest Nigeria

Categorization of Rural Youth on Utilization of Agricultural Information on Arable Crop in Southwest Nigeria

Categorization of Rural Youth on Utilization of Agricultural Information on Arable Crop in Southwest Nigeria

Aims: This study was designed to categorize rural youth on utilization of agricultural information on arable crop in southwest Nigeria . Study Design:Multi-stage Sampling technique with quantitative approach was adopted. Place and Duration of Study:Rural youth planting arable crops in Oyo and Osun States, Nigeria, observed between February 2009 andJuly 2010. Methodology: Respondents sampled included 455 rural youth(389 males, 66 females; age range 18-35 years). Results: The sampled rural youth were categorized into three: low, average and high

Cassava farmers Limitations and Utilization of Agricultural Information in Delta State, Nigeria

Cassava farmers Limitations and Utilization of Agricultural Information in Delta State, Nigeria

Accessibility and Utilization Of Agricultural Information Among Women Farmers: The Case of Korogwe District, Tanzania.

This study was conducted in Korogwe district involving 100 women farmers randomly selected from four villages. Household data was collected using a structured questionnaire, and supplemented by interviews for key informants and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to analyse the data. The findings showed that education, age, extension services, and mass media determine the access and utilization of agricultural information. Furthermore, low production was due to lack of extension services, low education of the respondents, inability to access credit andunawareness of sources of information. Moreover, sources of agricultural information such as extension services, mass media, and farmers’ own efforts have a direct linkage with the accessibility to agricultural information. The study recommends that efforts to increase farmers’ access to agricultural information should be improved. There is a need of improving extension services so as to reach and benefit women farmers. Vugiri ward is located in the highlands that are vulnerable to soil erosion which contributed to poor crop production, hence efforts should be made to introduce soil management practices so as to arrest the situation and increase crop production.

Reading habit and level of utilization of agricultural information among farmers in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State

Reading habit and level of utilization of agricultural information among farmers in Saki West Local Government Area of Oyo State