Bahal, R. (author / Indian Agricultural Research Institute), Farner, Barbara J. (author / University of Illinois), and Swanson, Burton E. (author / University of Illinois)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
1990
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: Byrnes2 Document Number: C12379
Notes:
Francis C. Byrnes Collection, Pages 43-76 in Food and Agriculture Organization, Report of the global consultation on agricultural extension, FAO/United Nations, Rome, Italy. 217 p.
2 pages., "If African farmers feel disenfranchised and marginalized, the system is not working. Now's the time to try to fix it, improve communication systems, and move towards feeding hungry people."
In an issue 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., First-hand experience in a technical assistance program aimed at the transfer of the extension function from an established government base to a new university base, capitalizing on the university's competencies in instruction and capacities in technology development - and experience with the next-best alternative when the optimum could not be realized.
21 pgs., CTs (Communications technologies) have revolutionized agricultural information services at every level in the agricultural sector, thus impacting rural development and catalysing poverty alleviation strategies. This has largely been the case with small-scale farmers in rural areas in developing countries where mobile technologies have penetrated more than most other ICT tools. However, in some of the farming environments, mobile phone use is largely driven by agricultural extension workers. This paper seeks to examine the way mobile phones are used for information access in situations where agricultural extension workers are a critical intermediary in the agricultural information services. Interviews were conducted with 10 randomly selected farmers who were part of the Dzindi irrigation scheme. The findings were that from the variety of information available to the farmers the most important source was the extension officer. The extension officer and the radio were indicated to be the most reliable independent sources of information. The other sources, such as the radio, family members, and friends, suppliers of chemicals, books and magazines, were only considered reliable if the information could be verified or vouched for by the extension officer. Increasing the information handling skills of extension officers, training of farmers to use smart features of their phones and promoting the usual face-to-face communication use of conventional methods, which is what usually gives rise to the mediation of mobile phones, were recommended.
