Buchner, Richard P. (author), Grieshop, James I. (author), Connell, Joseph H. (author), Krueger, William H. (author), Olson, William H. (author), Hasey, Janine K. (author), Pickel, Carolyn (author), Edstrom, John (author), and Yoshikawa, Frank T. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1996
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11713
Results of a study examining the regional reach of information for tree crop farmers in a six-county area questioned the traditional emphasis on pest control advisors and private consultants as an effective way to distribute information widely. Farmer responses to this survey identified farm advisors as more useful information sources. Authors also encouraged agricultural educators to learn more about how farmers gather information and what influences their adoption of new practices.
19 pages, Agricultural extension service delivery remains pivotal in disseminating contemporary and innovative agricultural information, and the training and capacity building of farmers; all of which are critical to increased farmer productivity. There are several agricultural extension methods used by extension field officers to engage their target farmers; some of the contact methods used, like the individual and group methods amongst others, necessitates close interactions between both parties. As such, physical contact between persons cannot be avoided. In the current spate of COVID-19 threats to global health, there is a possible risk of human-to-human transmission of the disease. Some temporary measures like social distancing and the ban of gatherings are currently utilised by many countries to mitigate the rapid spread of the virus. The findings of several research reports showed that these restrictions negatively impacted agricultural extension service deliveries. This paper, therefore, reviewed alternative media delivery mechanisms as a probable palliative measure in sustaining the continuous delivery of agricultural information to farmers. The paper recommends intensifying the use of the electronic extension (E-extension) system. The mobile and computer/web-based platforms should be significantly harnessed (where applicable), while concurrently promoting the intense use of print media, radio, television, agricultural documentaries and instructional videos.
Located in a chronological file entitled "INTERPAKS - Newsletter" from the International Programs records of the Agricultural Communications Program, University of Illinois., From the International Programs records of the Agricultural Communications Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign., An invited reassessment by the author of a book, Hard Tomatoes and Hard Times, in which he faulted U.S. land grant universities for abandoning the original intended focus on serving small, low-resource farmers. Emphasized farmers' need for neutral, unbiased assessment of new, often very specialized, technologies. "...and at the same time they will need generalists who can assist in developing comprehensive, integrated farming systems that can depend on lessons learned decades ago as well as new knowledge."
