11 pages., via online journal., This study compared researchers, extension agents, and farmers’ perceptions of the effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on agricultural information access. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 88 researchers, 115 extension agents, and 271 farmers. Data collected through a structured questionnaire were analyzed using means, standard deviation, and one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that, of the 29 statements on the rating scale, researchers, extension agents, and farmers agreed with and were positively disposed to 25, 23, and 19, respectively. A significant difference in the effect of ICT on agricultural information access among researchers, extension agents, and farmers (F = 6.49, p < .05) was observed. Access to agricultural information through ICT will continue to improve, since perceptions are overtly positive among researchers, extension agents, and farmers.
7 pages., Agricultural information sources play a pragmatic role in knowledge building among the farming community. Farmers use various traditional and modern information sources such as extension field staff, fellow farmers, private sector, electronic media, print media, and information communication technologies (ICTs) gadgets to get the latest information necessary for agricultural productivity. This study aimed to explore the patterns of farmers to access and receive information from different sources. A well-structured and expert reviewed interview schedule was used to collect data from farmers from Huailai county. A total of 122 interviews were conducted for the collection of data. Data were recorded using EpiData software program and a logistic regression model was applied using the computer-based statistical program “STATA”. The findings indicate that media (electronic media and print media) was the key information source for the farmers and 40.16% of farmers accessed media particularly for agricultural information whereas 34.43% used agricultural extension field staff (government) to acquire agricultural information. The government of China should start some educational interventions for farmers to improve their educational level so that the farming community could utilize multiple information sources for crop productivity.
23 pages., via online journal., Unequal reach and access to information is an issue that affects women involved in agricultural activities around the world. Recent initiatives to address gender unequal access to agricultural information have been clumsy, overlooking participatory approaches that focus on transformative change. This study uses Pakistani rural advisory services to compare farmers' and extension workers’ perceptions of access to agricultural information, to identify culturally acceptable gender-responsive schemes.
8 pages., via online journal., ow internet usage by extension agent, impact on the inhibition of the flow of information to the farmers and lead to the income received by farmers. In the digital era today, if the extension agent is not encouraged to use the internet then they will be left behind and will be left out by the farmers. This study aimed to (1) analyze the internet availability in Lampung Province (2) to analyze the level of internet usage for extension agent in Lampung and (3) to analyze factors influencing internet usage of extension agent. This research was conducted in Lampung Province with analysis unit of extension agent in the office of BP3K (Extension Agency of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry) which has been facilitated by computer and internet network. Respondents consisted of 355 extension agent served in BP3K. Multiple Linear Regression Analysis was used to determine the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. The availability of facilities and internet network in Extension Offices is not sufficient even extension agent used their private facilities. The Internet network had reached the remote areas very well in spreading and transmitting information. Almost all extension agent have internet-connected devices and internet-based applications. Extension agents facilitated by computer and internet network communicating using social media, however capabilities in using the internet to search information related agricultural technology remained low. The use of the internet by extension agent was influenced by the nature of internet innovation, the number of Internet-based applications and the amount of existed hardware.
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.
10 pages., Via online resource., Many smallholder farmers in developing countries grow multiple crop species on their farms, maintaining de facto crop diversity. Rarely do agricultural development strategies consider this crop diversity as an entry point for fostering agricultural innovation. This paper presents a case study, from an agricultural research-for-development project in northern Ghana, which examines the relationship between crop diversity and self-consumption of food crops, and cash income from crops sold by smallholder farmers in the target areas. By testing the presence and direction of these relationships, it is possible to assess whether smallholder farmers may benefit more from a diversification or a specialization agricultural development strategy for improving their livelihoods. Based on a household survey of 637 randomly selected households, we calculated crop diversity as well as its contribution to self-consumption (measured as imputed monetary value) and to cash income for each household. With these data we estimated a system of three simultaneous equations. Results show that households maintained high levels of crop diversity: up to eight crops grown, with an-average of 3.2 per household, and with less than 5% having a null or very low level of crop diversity. The value of crop species used for self-consumption was on average 55% higher than that of crop sales. Regression results show that crop diversity is positively associated with self-consumption of food crops, and cash income from crops sold. This finding suggests that increasing crop diversity opens market opportunities for households, while still contributing to self-consumption. Given these findings, crop diversification seems to be more beneficial to these farmers than specialization. For these diversified farmers, or others in similar contexts, interventions that assess and build on their de facto crop diversity are probably more likely to be successful.
