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2. Biden's infrastructure plan includes $100 billion for rural broadband
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Format:
- Article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-04-05
- Published:
- USA: Hoosier Ag Today Radio Network
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D13044
- Notes:
- 1 page, Accessed online via AgriMarketing update.
3. Development and validation of the international extension network advocacy capacity scale
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lamm, Kevan W. (author), Lamm, Alexa (author), Davis, Kristin E. (author), Dobbins, Catherine (author), and Powell, Alyssa (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-12-29
- Published:
- USA: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12684
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 28, Iss. 5
- Notes:
- 24 pages, Extension is sometimes viewed globally as less important than academic research and innovation, even though these networks are crucial to agricultural development. Using Lewin’s (1947) organizational change theory as a conceptual background, an instrument to measure advocacy capacity within international extension networks was developed. The resulting scale was analyzed for content validity, response process validity, internal structure validity, and consequential validity. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on the proposed scale. The underlying structure of the scale was found to load onto five factors. The five extracted factors were labelled: 1) network support of advocacy, 2) network integration of advocacy, 3) network influence in advocacy, 4) network visibility in advocacy, and 5) network advocacy performance. The overall International Extension Network Advocacy Capacity (IENAC) scale, and associated subscales were all found to have acceptable levels of validity.
4. Exploring the feasibility of rural broadband cooperatives in the United States: the new new deal?
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Schmit, Todd M. (author) and Severson, Roberta M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-02-13
- Published:
- Netherlands: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12778
- Journal Title:
- Telecommunications Policy
- Journal Title Details:
- Volume 45, Issue 4
- Notes:
- 13pgs, Sufficient access to and utilization of broadband is an ongoing concern for rural economic development. Using a rural region in Northern New York (USA), we consider the investment and operational costs of a broadband cooperative and determine service prices for which it is financially viable. Service prices need to increase 75%–131%, depending on grant restrictions, relative to existing market prices for a new broadband cooperative to become financially feasible. Put differently, the cooperative would not cash flow at market prices unless there was at least 14 potential subscribers per mile at a 62% take rate. For a cooperative, the grant restriction that providers offer a minimum level of speed at a maximum price results in a high level of subsidization by high-speed to low-speed members to support the business. Given grant funding and member equity investments, financial infeasibility has little to do with construction costs, than with annual operational and maintenance costs required to sustain the system long term. More reasonable feasibility scenarios occur for existing utility cooperatives expanding services into broadband, particularly areas with a high proportion of high-speed, year-round users and strong take rates. Consideration of public benefits of broadband arguably needs to be added to the equation, particularly surrounding access to healthcare and educational purposes, and as a prerequisite to supporting taxpayer-funded public-private partnerships to expand broadband services. Policy levers to eliminate or subsidize property taxes and pole rental costs reduce cash flow prices considerably; however, feasibility is highly sensitive to assumed take rates.
5. Household socio-economic factors influencing choice of agro-advisory dissemination pathways for climate change in semi-arid areas of Kenya
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Akeyo Onyango, Debrah (author), Rasugu Mogaka, Hezron (author), Njiri Ndirangu, Samuel (author), and Kwena, Kizito (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-07-21
- Published:
- International: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12309
- Journal Title:
- Information Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Online First
- Notes:
- 12 pages, Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is adversely affected by climate variability and change due to the dependence of its economies and livelihoods primarily on rain-fed agriculture. Agro-advisories boost informed decision-making as well as planning of farm activities. The purpose of this study was to characterize the pathways through which farmers receive usable location-specific agro-advisories as well as to evaluate the effect of the socio-economic environment in the access to such information. Data was collected from 400 randomly selected households in lower eastern Kenya in a cross-sectional survey. Multivariate probit regression was used to determine the factors influencing the choice of pathways used in accessing climate change adaptation information. Household socio-economic characteristics that were found to be significant in explaining access to disseminated agro-advisories include phone and radio ownership, level of education, marital status, and farm size among others. Based on these findings a conclusion is made that the socio-economic environment within which information is disseminated is vital in determining those who access information and probably act on it. Additionally, pathways found to be complementary or substitutable give information providers new insights on the channels to use in information dissemination. The study recommends that these factors be considered in efforts geared towards promoting agro-advisory preparation and dissemination to improve adaptation to climate variability and change in dryland areas.
6. Information Needs and Seeking Behavior of Agricultural Community of Attabira area of Bargarh District, Odisha: A Survey
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Panda, Abinash (author), Rani Dash, Lipsa (author), and Panda, Debasmita (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-03
- Published:
- United States: University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12355
- Journal Title:
- Library Philosophy and Practice
- Notes:
- 27 pages., The study on the information-seeking behavior of the agricultural community was undertaken in the attabira area of bargarh district of Odisha with objectives to study the different areas in which they require information frequently and determine the sources through which they rely on. It was found that most of the people are dependent upon agriculture in the attabira area. They started working at the age of 18. Most of the farmers (85.6%) of farmers opted for pooja seeds for cultivation. The study shows 7.36% of the respondents are facing difficulties in irrigation facilities. About 78.9% of the people are talking about MSP (Minimum support price). About 7.3% of farmers gathered information from social media, TV, Call centers, etc. It is observed that the highest numbers of people are talking from a nationalized bank. The farmers were getting information from various sources like TV media, print media, etc. The library plays a crucial role in the dissemination of knowledge. The farmer knowledge center was established where they could get their query solved. The knowledge centers need to provide the right information at the right time in a personal way. The result reveals that a large number of people of the attabira district are influenced by socio-economic variables.
7. Review of agricultural extension and advisory services in sub-saharan African countries. progress with private sector involvement
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Nwafor, Christopher Ugochukwu (author), Ogundeji, Abiodun Akintunde (author), and Nwafor, Ifeoma Chinyelu (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-02
- Published:
- Poland: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Poznaniu
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12675
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agribusiness and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 61, N. 3
- Notes:
- 12 pages, Agricultural extension and advisory services in Africa have significant impact on food security as well as economic and social development. Recent moves towards a pluralistic delivery system, facilitated by the emergence of private-sector led initiatives in many countries are the subject of policy and academic discourse. This study used an adapted, fit-for-purpose market systems development framework to review available research in extension and advisory services in selected sub-Sahara Africa countries. Using a literature survey methodology, we report evidence of multiple actors in extension delivery, findings that point towards evolution towards mixed delivery as well as objectives. While there are significant uptake of cost-recovery approaches among commercially-oriented farmers, many smallholder farmers still depended on donor-funded services. Our review adds to existing knowledge through incorporating a market systems development framework, which extends the often-used willingness to pay approach, and highlights the need for merger of both public and private-sector objectives to achieve developmental outcomes.
8. Soy dairy performance metrics
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Krause, Julia (author), Cornelius M. (author), Goldsmith, P. (author), and Mzungu, M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-11-01
- Published:
- Kenya: Africa Scholarly Science Communications Trust (ASSCAT)
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D12993
- Journal Title:
- African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
- Journal Title Details:
- V.21, N.10
- Notes:
- 24 pages, Soybean (Glycine max (L. Merr.) has been a crop of interest to address both poverty and malnutrition in the developing world because of its high levels of both protein and oil, and its adaptability to grow in tropical environments. Development practitioners and policymakers have long sought value added opportunities for local crops to move communities out of poverty by introducing processing or manufacturing technologies. Soy dairy production technologies sit within this development conceptual model. To the researchers’ knowledge, no research to date measures soy dairy performance, though donors and NGOs have launched hundreds of enterprises over the last 18 years. The lack of firm-level data on operations limits the ability of donors and practitioners to fund and site sustainable dairy businesses. Therefore, the research team developed and implemented a recordkeeping system and training program first, as a 14-month beta test with a network of five dairies in Ghana and Mozambique in 2016-2017. Learning from the initial research then supported a formal research rollout over 18 months with a network of six different dairies in Malawi and key collaboration from USAID’s Agricultural Diversification activity. None of the beta or rollout dairies kept records prior to the intervention. The formal rollout resulted in a unique primary dataset to address the soy dairy performance knowledge gap. The results of analysis show that the dairies, on average, achieve positive operating margins of 61%, yet cannot cover the fixed costs associated with depreciation, amortization of equipment and infrastructure, working capital, marketing and promotion, and regulatory compliance. The enterprises in our sample operate only at 9% of capacity, which limits their ability to cover the normal fixed costs associated with the business. The challenge is not the technology itself, as when operated, it produces a high-quality dairy product. The challenges involve a business that requires too much capital for normal operations relative to a nascent and small addressable market.
9. Stakeholders’ views on sustaining honey bee health and beekeeping: the roles of ecological and social system drivers
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Fedoriak, Mariia (author), Kulmanov, Oleksandr (author), Zhuk, Alina (author), Shkrobanets, Oleksandr (author), Tymchuk, Kateryna (author), Moskalyk, Galyna (author), Olendr, Tetiana (author), Yamelynets, Taras (author), and Angelstam, Per (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-03
- Published:
- United States: Springer
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12236
- Journal Title:
- Landscape Journal
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 36 Issue 3
- Notes:
- 21 pages, Context: Honey bees provide multiple ecosystem services. Comparisons of coupled social-ecological systems (SES) can improve the understanding of the factors affecting honey bees and beekeeping. Objectives: Stressing the need for SES analyses, we explore beekeepers' perceived factors affecting bees and beekeeping, test the hypothesis that honey bee colony losses are associated to agricultural land use intensity, and discuss the role of beekeeping for rural development. Methods: We used as a case study the steep gradient in SES in Ukraine's Chernivtsi region with three strata: (i) traditional villages, (ii) intermediate and (iii) intensive agriculture. In each stratum, we analysed the social system using five open-ended focus groups. Regarding the ecological system, we analysed data about winter loss rate of honey bee colonies, number of colonies per beekeeper, the average amount of supplemental feeding, and proportion of beekeepers treating against Varroa mite. Results: Thirty-three themes were extracted, of which 73% concerned the social system at multiple levels of governance. The number of themes increased from the traditional stratum with higher winter colony losses to the intensive agriculture stratum with lower losses. This does not support the hypothesis that the intensive agriculture per se affect honey bees negatively. Conclusions: Social system factors dominate over ecological factors, and interact across scales. This requires systems analyses of honey bees and beekeeping. We see beekeeping as a social innovation enhancing stakeholders' navigation in social systems, thus supporting rural development in countries in transition like Ukraine.
10. Use of information and communication technologies by Vietnamese smallholders: Implications for extension strategies
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hoang, Hung Gia (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-02-18
- Published:
- International: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12212
- Journal Title:
- Information Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol.37(2)
- Notes:
- 9 pages., In order to facilitate the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for accessing agricultural information by smallholders, it is critical to understand their perspectives on the use of ICT. However, few empirical studies have considered how smallholders utilise ICT in Central Vietnam. This research investigates the Central Vietnamese smallholders’ views on the extent of use of ICT for accessing agricultural information. A sample size of 250 smallholders was randomly selected from a total of 687 smallholders in Trieu Phong district, Central Vietnam. A two-section questionnaire was used to gather data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The smallholders used mobile phones, TV and radio networks/broadcasts as the common ICT tools, and these were also effective ICT tools for accessing agricultural information. Lack of knowledge and skills for using applications on mobile phones were the main challenge to the smallholders’ use of ICT. A statistically significant relationship, existing between the extent of mobile phone use and the smallholders’ age (χ = 10.04, p = 0.040), gender (χ = 5.99, p = 0.014) and the type of households (χ = 6.84, p = 0.033), was found. Similarly, there was a statistically significant relationship existing between the extent of radio network/broadcast use and the smallholders’ age (χ = 9.58, p = 0.048) and gender (χ = 4.83, p = 0.028).