7 pages., via online journal., The study was aimed at determining women farmers' agricultural information needs and accessibility, using Apa local government area of Benue State as a case study. A sample size of 70 women farmers was initially taken for the study but only data for 65 respondents were analyzed. Simple random sampling technique was used for the sample selection and questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The result showed highest information needs in the areas of pesticides and fertilizer applications and improved farm implements. Husbands, fellow women and mass media were the main sources of agricultural information to women farmers and accessibility of information from these sources was relatively high. Age, educational level and income of women farmers showed significant relationships with their accessibility to agricultural information at 5% level of significance. It is recommended that enough information should be provided in the needed areas and women adult literacy and economic empowerment programmes should be given serious attention to enhance their access to needed agricultural information.
13 pages., via online journal., Communication plays a vital role in a developing society as it could be used for developing of perspectives. This study aimed to analyze the communication and perspectives on climate change among layer farmers in San Jose, Batangas, Philippines. Descriptive research design in a quantitative approach, along with distributed survey questionnaires to the respondents in the said municipality were utilized to answer the research objectives. Systematic random sampling was used to get the sample size of the layer farmers. Statistical tools such as frequency/percentage, weighted mean and Pearson’s correlation were also used. The layer farmers were greatly exposed in interpersonal communication platforms. Demonstration, meetings, seminars and trainings were of less extent. Radio, television and cellphones were widely used by the layer farmers, while very few had access on the internet. Furthermore, they agreed on food security, water sufficiency, ecological and environmental stability, human security and knowledge and capacity development. However, they moderately agreed on climate-smart industries and services, and sustainable energy. Findings also showed that there is a significant relationship between the layer farmers’ perspectives to the communication platforms they were exposed to.
16 pages., via online journal., The goal of this study was to evaluate a radio program as a source of agricultural information and examine the relationship between specific socioeconomic characteristics and listenership. The findings revealed that half of the farmers listen to the radio program, while older farmers are more likely to be listeners. Moreover, there are no significant differences between listeners and nonlisteners with respect to education level. More focus should be given to mountainous and less favored areas where more traditional information sources prevail. It is strongly recommended that the broadcast be sustained and improved based on farmers' suggestions and be regularly assessed.
5 pages., via online journal., In India sustaining dairy farming as a rural livelihood and to meet the growing demand of milk, necessitates development and dissemination of technology for improving the farm’s output. There is also a need to understand how far existing innovations are adopted by farmers and factors influencing adoption and/or rejection. Hence, the factors that influence adoption and the extent of adoption were consolidated from past research using meta analysis and other techniques. It was found that at large-level farmer’s knowledge (true effect size r value +0.64) and at medium-level (true effect size r value ranging from +0.32 to +0.47) attitude, risk-taking behaviour and economic motivation, milk production and sales, education, extension agency contacts and mass media exposure influenced adoption of dairy innovation. Further, along with the above factors poor innovation attributes were limiting adoption to 55%.
6 pages., via online journal., The role of media in agricultural sector in Pakistan is considerably high and in case of Punjab its role becomes manifold. In such a backdrop, this study was carried out to explore the relevance and effectiveness of media (TV and Radio) for farmers in providing agricultural information. The effectiveness of media was assessed by investigating the access to and availability of the sources used, frequency, preferred medium (language) of the source and the coverage of factors affecting agricultural productivity by the source. For this purpose, District Nankana Sahib of Punjab was selected. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select two tehsils (Shahkot and Sangla Hill) of Nankana Sahib randomly. Further, five villages from these two tehsils were selected conveniently and 90 farmers were approached employing convenient sampling technique. The findings imply that TV and Radio subscribers are considerably high but the usage of media for agriculture information is not as effective as it should be. The study revealed that most of the participants had access to TV and radio but preferred brochures, pamphlets, newspapers, agents of pesticide companies and fellow farmers for acquiring relevant information. Most of the agricultural information delivered through TV and radio was in Urdu while the participants showed their preference for Punjabi or local language as a medium of such information. As for coverage of factors affecting agricultural productivity, weather forecast, plant protection measures, livestock and sowing methods were given extensive coverage while machinery and crop variety were slightly covered.
