10 pages., via online journal., A baseline survey of ownership or access to radio and mobile phone was conducted in seven districts of eastern Uganda in 2015. The purpose of this survey was to assess the role of radio and modern communication technologies to promote push-pull technology as an integrated management approach to control striga and stemborer and improve soil fertility. The selected districts are where icipe is currently disseminating the technology. The survey was conducted from seven districts where 30 respondents from each were identified for the study. Semi structured questionnaires were administered where data including household demography, ownership and or access to radio and mobile phone was collected. The data were analyzed using STATA (version 13). The findings show that there are over eight (Ateso, Luganda, Samia, Japadhola, Lugisu, Lusoga, Kiswahili, and English) languages spoken in the surveyed districts. Most of the respondents speak more than one language. Overall, ownership of radio and mobile phone was at 82% and 87% respectively with slight differences between men and women. Moreover, those who do not own radio and mobile phones also stated that they have access to one. On average, 83% of the respondents (174 out of 210) said that they do receive text messages, whereas, only 53% of the respondents indicated that they also send text messages. A great proportion of the respondents (91%, 80%, and 77%) received agricultural, weather and market information through the radio. Over 65% of the respondents reported benefiting from the agricultural programs broadcasted via radio. 45 and 50% stated that they benefitted from market and weather information. However, the level of benefit rendered from mobile phones with regard to agricultural, market and weather information was negligible. The study showed that radio and mobile phones are best suited mass communication media to transfer technologies such as push-pull to address cross-cutting problems such as striga, cereal stem borer and low soil fertility. It will strengthen the agricultural extension service delivery at large.
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.
