6 pages., via online journal., ICT has been initiated and implemented effectively by the
public private partnership, government, researchers and various
Institutions. Availability of wireless service, Internet and mobile
communication have forced ICT to find foothold in daily routine
of the Indian farmers. ICT has huge impact in agricultural
development but still in natal stage. Many farmers are not availing
the actual potential of ICT due to poverty, social constraint,
illiteracy, language barriers and unwillingness to adopt new
technology. Many Indian farmers have reported positive change
in income, quality of produce and timely access to the market
information by using latest mobile application. WhatsApp is the
most popular and easy to use Mobile Instant Messaging service
amongst the Indian farmer. It supports sharing of localized
information and utilizing these services as query redressal
public platform. This paper is an attempt to gather meaningful
agricultural data for analysis and filtering of relevant need based
information assessment. The main focus of the present work is to
develop an automatic information handling and redressal of the
need based agricultural information system using WhatsApp as
social media platform.
Ochilo, Willis N. (author), Ruffhead, Holly (author), Rumsey, Abigail (author), Chege, Florence (author), Lusweti, Charles (author), Oronje, Mary Lucy (author), and Otieno, Washington (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019
Published:
Taylor & Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 77 Document Number: D10807
18 pages., via online journal., Mobile apps are increasingly being used to answer development challenges around the world. The development opportunities that apps offer is wide-reaching but uptake of the technology varies. This article examines the ease of use and factors impacting user acceptance and behavior when interacting with an app for agricultural extension in Kenya. Results show factors including gender and age play a role in the adoption of technology by agricultural extension agents. The findings have useful lessons for apps’ development in the agricultural sector and suggest that including intended users of an app in the design process significantly increases usability.
6 pages., Article #:v58-1tt2, via online journal., Research supports Extension educators' use of social media as an engagement, outreach, and marketing tool beyond posts shared by staff and faculty. This article highlights the practical use of Snapchat geofilters at county and statewide Extension events to support the creation of user-generated content and increase Extension's visibility with the public. The development and implementation of an innovative statewide marketing project resulted in data and recommendations that can help Extension educators make meaningful marketing decisions.
9 pages., via online journal., Mobile apps such as social media have friendly attributes and unbiased usage across gender and age; and have become one of the most promising channels for dissemination of agricultural information. The current sources of agricultural information available to farmers do not allow a two-way flow of information and instant feedback. The information disseminated using such channels are generally not customized to specific farmers’ needs. Despite the availability of various mobile apps providing agricultural information, the adoption rate is too minimal. The aim of this study was to determine the usability attributes of social media influencing its adoption and use. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 149 respondents. The respondents were selected through purposive sampling technique from a population comprising of farmers, extension staff, lecturers and students enrolled in agricultural courses participating in the Farm Attachment Program of Egerton University. Data collected was analysed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) and probit regression was used to analyse expected probability of social media adoption. The findings indicate that the main usability attributes of social media are Ease of use, usefulness, credibility, flexibility and Internet availability. Mobile apps being used to disseminate agricultural information should incorporate some of the usability attributes that have significantly influenced the adoption and use of social media to enhance its uptake and use.
