Moyo, Rachel (author), Salawu, Abiodun (author), and Department of Communication, North West University, Private Bag X2046, Mafikeng, 2735, South Africa
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-02
Published:
South Africa: Elsevier
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 151 Document Number: D10129
7 pages., Via online journal., This study is a quantitative survey of communication media preferred by smallholder farmers resettled under the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. Data were gathered using a questionnaire and simple random sampling. Communication is integral to agricultural development, particularly so in the context of the FTLRP characterized by a dearth of information, education and training, ensued by the discriminatory command agriculture (Murisa and Chikweche, 2015). Farmers' preferences of communicationmedia in receiving agricultural innovations should be prioritised to improve agricultural communication andsubsequently, productivity, which is dire in Zimbabwe in the light of the continuing food insecurity. Thefindingsindicated that farmers prefer media that are stimulating and engaging such as television and demonstrations;convenient such as mobile phones and detailed such as books probably because the majority of them do not have training in agriculture. Demographic variables of age-group and education were found to be associated with communication preferences of some media. The study has implications for agricultural communication media policy. Beyond prioritization of farmers’preferences, a model of a multi-media approach to agricultural communication has been developed, that could widen communication reach if implemented.
Tanaji, Gaikwad Shridhar (author), Desai, Sudhir B. (author), Kolekar, A.B. (author), and Department of Technology (YCSRD), Shivaji University Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2016
Published:
India: Indian Institute of Technology; Bombay; India
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 162 Document Number: D08050
10 pages., Via online journal., The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing people's participation in the exploitation of water resources for agriculture. The population consists of experts with a B.A. and higher degree employed in various sectors of Agriculture Organization, Water Organization and Research Center of Urmia city. The sample was randomly selected, and the sample size was determined through Kerjice and Morgan table to be 196. This is an applied field study. The survey tool is a structured questionnaire with close-ended question and its validity and reliability is confirmed by experienced professors, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient which indicates the validity of the questionnaire is calculated to be 0.834. The results show that there is a significant relationship among the administrative, social, cultural, educational, economic, ecological, technical, structural and political factors and the importance of people's participation in the exploitation of water resources for agriculture. The results of multiple regression showed that the independent variables explained 66 percent of the dependent variable variance. According to finding in this research these recommendation comments: Improvement and shortening of water transfer networks in order to speed up the transfer of water and reduction of water loss. Government financial support in the agricultural-industrial sector in order to use new technologies. Preventing economic, social, environmental and political losses due to Urmia Lake drying. Maintaining the diversity of plants and crops through water management and environmental management and environmental ethics. The role of mass media such as radio and television, the use of other channels of communication in highlighting the importance of optimal water consumption. Government support for farmers to renew or launch pipeline for farms and gardens to prevent water losses, as well as supporting new irrigation methods and repairing old transmission lines. Increasing cooperation between people and society and even the state regarding participation in the optimal use of water resources.
8 pages., Via online journal, This paper examines the effect of farmers' access to communication technologies (CTs) on farmers' agricultural output at the aggregate level in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) based on panel data. The paper uses a dynamic Cobb–Douglas aggregate production function and the generalized method of moments (GMM) as estimation techniques to estimate the parameters of interests. The research findings are: the estimated effects (measured by elasticity) of teledensity on the provincial level agricultural output have been positive and statistically significant both in the short and long runs. In the long-run, the size of the effect is substantial: from 0.94 to 1.06. This implies that the agriculture sector of the P. R. China has some potentials to derive benefit from the use of CTs like telephone. Hence, the Chinese government should consider policy support to expand communication infrastructure for the farmers
