DeRosier, Christopher (author), Sulemana, Iddisah (author), James, Harvey S. Jr. (author), Valdivia, Corinne (author), Folk, William (author), and Smith, Randall D. (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2015
Published:
SAGE Journals
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 32 Document Number: D10599
19 pages., via online journal., We empirically examine the reporting on biotechnology in Kenyan and international newspapers between 2010 and early 2014. We identify news articles that reported on biotechnology and analyze their use of words to determine whether there is a balance in the reporting of perceived risks and benefits. We also consider how the sources used in news articles and how the publication of the Séralini study of rats fed genetically modified maize affect the balance of reporting of perceived risks and benefits. We find that in Kenyan news reporting, more articles mention perceived benefits than risks, but when risks are mentioned, new articles contain more references to risks than to benefits. We also find that sources affect the reporting of perceived risks and benefits and that the Séralini study increased the likelihood that perceived risks are reported in Kenyan news reporting, but not in international newspapers.
13 pages., Via online journal., Blogs are a type of social media that present a unique opportunity to provide information to a large audience without the constraints of traditional media’s gatekeeping barriers. Within agriculture, several studies have examined agricultural blogs but not from the perspective of blog readers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the uses and gratifications of agricultural blog readers. This study used a descriptive survey research design and online questionnaire to assess agricultural blog readers’ demographics, Internet and blog use, attitudes toward agriculture, and motivations for reading blogs. Findings indicated most respondents had direct experience in agriculture and were supportive of the industry. The strongest motivations for accessing agricultural blogs were to find out what other people think about important issues or events and to find alternatives not covered by traditional news sources. Blogs proved to be a useful source of information, but more should be done to expand reach beyond those in the industry. Additional research is needed to more fully describe agricultural blog readers’ uses and gratifications.
14 pages., Article #:3FEA9, via online journal., This article reports on a study to determine which information sources organic growers use to inform farming practices by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 organic farmers across 17 North Carolina counties. Effective information sources included: networking, agricultural organizations, universities, conferences, Extension, Web resources, personal experience, books, organic buyers/certifiers, and consultants. Results suggest that grower-to-grower networking is a highly effective information-seeking behavior for organic growers. Recommendations for Extension personnel include reshaping educational programing for organic growers to include peer-to-peer information sharing, as well as increased investment to graduate and undergraduate programs that train future Extension agents in organic production approaches.
11 pages., via online journal., Youth cherish technology, efficiency and innovations and accommodate entrepreneurial risks. The objectives of this study were to show the beneficial use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agriculture among the youth in Kenya, assessed ICT application and commonly used tools, experienced challenges, impacts and suggested future ICT use. Beneficial ICT applications were exemplified by ‘Mkulima Young Champions’ who led digital initiatives, drew youth into farming, helped them learn among themselves, and traded and overcame agricultural challenges. Using radio, short message services (SMS) and social media, they discussed agricultural topics and shared successes. Mkulima Young's Facebook was vibrant. The youth posted photographs and videos, asked questions, discussed issues and interacted. Most of the youth obtained information from the internet, hence the internet was the best platform to market and promote agriculture to the youth. They used internet and social media to obtain production technologies, market information and for information sharing. Most commonly used tools were MS Office and spreadsheets for record keeping. Voice messages and SMS assisted timely accessing of market prices, reaching clients, sharing production information and money transactions. The ICT content should be relevant to targeted youth, valuable, localized and dependable. The ICT-savvy youth operated intensive, efficient and profitable farms, producing diverse and branded products for niche markets. The youth transformed the community use and access to ICTs and influenced community economic status. Smart phone technology will revolutionize access to and use of ICTs. YouTube, Twitter and WhatsApp should be expanded and widely popularized among the youth.
10 pages., via online journal., The main purpose of this study was to categories and describes the profile characteristics of the women beneficiaries, to determine the use of communication sources by the women beneficiaries, and to explore the relationship between the profile characteristics of the women beneficiaries of RDRS with their use of communication sources. Data were collected using interview schedule from a sample of 112 women beneficiaries selected from the population of 280 by multistage random sampling procedure from five villages of Rajendrapur union under sadar upazila of Rangpur district. Use of communication sources by the RDRS women beneficiaries was determined on three dimensions viz. attitude, contact and application, and finally the use of communication sources index (UCSI) was computed. The UCSI ranged from 45.24 to 277.68 with a possible range of 0 to 300. Based on UCSI, among the 10 communication sources the first five communication sources were husband (277.68), neighbours (219.05), RDRS-worker (205.95), RDRS group meeting (193.45) and relatives (160.42). However, the last five communication sources were RDRS officer (134.82), mobile phone (112.80), television (68.75), inputs dealer (63.99) and SAAOs (45.24). The findings revealed that the highest proportion (38.39%) of the women beneficiaries had medium use of communication sources compared to 33.93% low use and 27.68% high use. Among the ten selected characteristics of the women beneficiaries’ education, farm size, annual income, daily time use, credit received and participation in IGAs showed positive significant relationship while fatalism showed negative significant relationship with their use of communication sources. Age, family size and dependency had no significant relationships. The women beneficiaries of RDRS had moderate exposure with various communication sources so, the concerned Government Organizations and Non-government Organizations engaged in extension activities should make necessary arrangements for improving the use of communication sources by them in income generating activities.
