Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 191 Document Number: D03025
Notes:
Three-part research report for a course, Agricultural Communications 300, University of Illinois, Urbana. 12 pages., Part 1 - Communication methods used by the Extension Service in Nigeria. 13 pages. Part 2 - Factors that effective effectiveness of communication. 17 pages. Part 3 - Ways to overcome problems and recommendations in use of communication in the Extension Service. 28 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 192 Document Number: D04632
Notes:
Table of Contents and Summary, James F. Evans Collection; Cited Reference. Review of Extension Research 1946/47-1956, Extension Service Circular 506, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: D05737
Notes:
"Blog Stories on Extension." Online via the website of AgroInsight, Ghent, Belgium. 2 pages., Example of negative results from a top-down approach to Extension teaching.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: D05742
Notes:
"Blog stories on Extension" Online via AgroInsight, Ghent, Belgium. 2 pages., "While extensionists may explain the broad rules of the game, it is farmers who really play it, and know the strategies."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: D05764
Notes:
Extension Methods 1. From AgroInsight, Ghent, Belgium. 1 page., Summary of research suggesting that the attitude of the extension staff when working with farmers can be as important as the extension method itself. 1 page.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 140 Document Number: D05981
Notes:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia. NIOSH Publication No. 2015-177. 3 pages.
Bates, Ronald O. (author), Ferry, Elizabeth (author), Guthrie, Thomas (author), May, Gerald (author), Rozeboom, Dale (author), and Siegford, Janice (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2012-06
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 140 Document Number: D06114
Jordan: International Program for Agricultural Knowledge Systems (INTERPAKS), College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 195 Document Number: D07935
Notes:
John L. Woods Collection, INTERPAKS country report. Prepared in association with USAID, S&T/AED CTTA Project, USAID/Amman and CID/Washington State University HADP and JVASP USAID projects. 20 pages
Johnson, Eldon L. (author), Fliegel, Frederick C. (author), and Chu, Mel C. (author)
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
1987-12
Published:
Taiwan
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 195 Document Number: D07937
Notes:
John L. Woods Collection, Report by the International Program for Agricultural Knowledge Systems (INTERPAKS), College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. December 1987. 72 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 196 Document Number: D08034
Notes:
John L. Woods Collection, Involves Rebuilding Afghanistan’s Agricultural Market Program (RAMP). Project of Chemonics International, Inc., Washington, D. C., funded by the U. S. Agency for International Development, Washington, D. C. 6 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 196 Document Number: D08058
Notes:
John L. Woods Collection, Presentation at the World Bank about experiences in privatization of the agricultural extension service in Holland. May 1995. 15 pages.
Pages 53-54 in Review of Extension Research, January through December 1957. Information Sheet 540, Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station, Mississippi State University, State College. 1956.
Page 26 in Extension Circular 521, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1958, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of a research paper for a Master of Science degree in agricultural journalism, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 1958. 66 pages.
Pages 56-57 in Extension Circular 521, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1958, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of the thesis for a Master of Science degree in agricultural extension education, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 1957. 62 pages.
Pages 77-78 in Extension Circular 521, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1958, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of a research project report, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 1958. 59 pages.
Page 78 in Extension Circular 521, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1958, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of research reported in Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 702, University of Missouri, Columbia. 1958. 16 pages.
Page 55 in Extension Circular 532, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1959, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of thesis for a master of science degree, University of Kentucky, Lexington. 1959. 42 pages.
Pages 55-56 in Extension Circular 532, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1959, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of research reported in Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Progress Report 82. 1959. 42 pages.
Page 74 in Extension Circular 532, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1959, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of research paper for a master of science degree in agricultural journalism, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 1959. 49 pages.
Page 77-78 in Extension Circular 532, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1959, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of thesis for master of science degree, Michigan State University, East Lansing. 1959. 117 pages.
Page 79 in Extension Circular 532, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1959, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of research report, College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, Urbana. 1959. 24 pages.
Pages 15-16 in Extension Circular 541, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1961, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of research for a doctor of education degree in extension education, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. 1961. 200 pages.
Pages 69-70 in Extension Circular 541, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1961, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of thesis for the master of science degree in agricultural extension education, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. 1961. 77 pages.
Pages 67-68 in Extension Service Circular 544, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1961, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of thesis for the master of science degree in journalism, University of Illinois, Urbana. 1962. 74 pages.
Pages 77-78 in Extension Service Circular 544, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1961, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of thesis for the master of science, Michigan State University, East Lansing. 1962. 205 pages.
Page 85 in Extension Service Circular 544, Review of Extension Research, January through December 1961, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Summary of Special Report 6, Office of Extension Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. 1962. 45 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08593
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of a research study, Louisiana Agriculture College Extension, Baton Rouge. 3 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08599
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of a research study involving the Young Farmer and Homemaker Service Letter. New York Agricultural College Extension, Ithaca. 2 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08603
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of a thesis for the master of education degree, Colorado Agricultural and Mechanical College, Fort Collins. 55 pages.
Jaccard, C.R. (author) and Sabrosky, L.K. (author)
Format:
Research summary
Publication Date:
1949
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08604
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of a research report. Kansas State College Agricultural Extension, Manhattan. 20 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08616
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of an essay for the master of science in education, Cornell University, Ithaca. 43 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08617
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of a research report. College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, Urbana. 5 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08618
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of a research report. College of Agriculture, Extension Service, Iowa State College, Ames. 27 pages., Examined farmer viewing and views of a television series, "One hundred bushels of corn a reality."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08625
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of thesis for a doctor of philosophy degree, Iowa State College, Ames. 100 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08626
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of research report. Department of Poultry, New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca, New York. 19 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08627
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Hal R. Taylor Collection., Summary of research report (Bulletin 22). Department of Agricultural Journalism, University of Wisconsin, Madison. 48 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08628
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of research report. Department of Agricultural Journalism, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Bulletin 21, 34 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08629
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of thesis research for the master of arts degree, University of Maryland, College Park. 78 pages., Comparison of farmers who attend and do not attend extension meetings.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08634
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of research report. Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, Columbia. Bulletin 668. 20 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08640
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of research report. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station, Lexington. Prog. Rpt. 40. 18 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08643
Notes:
Located in Review of Extension Studies, volumes for 1946-1956, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., Summary of thesis research for the master of science degree, Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, College Station. 45 pages.
Hewat, Charlene (author) and Banda, Barbara (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2010
Published:
Zimbabwe
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08704
Notes:
Pages 232-239 in Gordon Wilson, Pamela Furniss and Richard Kimbowa (eds.), Environment, development and sustainability: perspectives and cases from around the world. Oxford University Press, Oxford, England. 290 pages.
USA: Federal Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08932
Notes:
Page 8 in Grace Gallup and Lucinda Crile, Bibliography on Extension Research, November 1943-1948. Library List No. 48. USDA Library, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. July 1949. Brief description of findings in a PhD dissertation, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago. 1946.
USA: Federal Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08940
Notes:
Page 9 in Grace Gallup and Lucinda Crile, Bibliography on Extension Research, November 1943-1948. Library List No. 48. USDA Library, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. U.S. Brief description of a research study by the U.S. Extension Service in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Agricultural Economics. 1947. 109 pages.
USA: Federal Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08941
Notes:
Page 9 in Grace Gallup and Lucinda Crile, Bibliography on Extension Research, November 1943-1948. Library List No. 48. USDA Library, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. U.S. Brief description of Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station Special Bulletin 331, Michigan State College, East Lansing. 1944. 39 pages.
USA: Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08943
Notes:
Page 1 in Lucinda Crile, Findings from studies of bulletins, news stories, and circular letters. Extension Service Circular 488. Revision of Extension Service Circular 461, which it supersedes. May 1953. 24 pages. Brief description of a study reported in Iowa Farm Econ. 9:23, 25. January-February 1943.
USA: Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08951
Notes:
Page 7 in Lucinda Crile, Findings from studies of bulletins, news stories, and circular letters. Extension Service Circular 488. Revision of Extension Service Circular 461, which it supersedes. May 1953. 24 pages. Brief summary of U.S. Extension Service Circular 78. 1928. 17 pages.
USA: Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08964
Notes:
Page 24 in Lucinda Crile, Findings from studies of bulletins, news stories, and circular letters. Extension Service Circular 488. Revision of Extension Service Circular 461, which it supersedes. May 1953. 24 pages. Summary of Agriculture Technical Bulletin 106, contribution from Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington. 1929. 48 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: Byrnes9 Document Number: D09071
Notes:
Includes Documents B00239, B01341, B02044, B02311, C08798, C12642, C12643, C12644, C12645, C12646. In four folders in the box., Francis C. Byrnes Collection
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 199 Document Number: D09926
Notes:
NCR-90 Collection, From Document D09924, "Department of agricultural journalism University of Wisconsin-Madison: Faculty and graduate student research, 1990". Page 5.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D09980
Notes:
From Agricultural Communications Program files, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign., Report of a 10-day workshop for JVASP extension agents - conducted by a team of extension communicators and educators from Washington State University, University of Illinois, and the University of Jordan. Purpose: help Jordan extension agents strengthen their competencies to work with farmers in the knowledge transfer process.
This article is maintained in the office of the Agricultural Communications Program, University of Illinois > "International" section > "Philippines CARD Group" file folder., Author's graduate research identifies factors limiting effectiveness of farmers' exposure to various information sources they use.
Simumba, Davy (author) and Koopman, Martine (author)
Format:
Brief
Publication Date:
2011-01
Published:
The Netherlands: International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 149 Document Number: D10109
Notes:
5 pages., Via website., This project learning brief describes the lessons learned from the INFORNET (Development of an Effective Information Flow Network) project carried out by the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) with support from IICD. ICT was used to improve access to the knowledge generated by agricultural researchers and transmitted to farmers by extension workers. Improved research-extension linkages, as well as enhanced communication among researchers in different regions, were central to ZARI's INFORNET project.
7 pages., As the information revolution sweeps through the agricultural sector, extension professionals may be lagging behind their clients in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) such as social media, which could be a valuable tool for outreach and education. We surveyed sustainable agriculture stakeholders in California - extension professionals, county agricultural commissioners, and members of farm bureaus and producer groups - to measure their ICT behavior and attitudes. Drawing on diffusion of innovation theory, we characterized the innovation attributes of ICT that may influence the adoption and use of new technology among extension professionals. We also studied their demographic characteristics to establish whether there was a connection with ICT use. The main perceived benefit of ICT was that it can quickly reach larger, more diverse and more distant audiences. The perceived challenges included lack of professional support, the potential for misinformation on social media platforms, and the time requirements and technical complexity of technology use. Extension professionals experienced these challenges more than other sustainable agriculture stakeholders, creating a technology gap between extension professionals and their clientele. An ICT community of practice and clear organizational guidelines for measuring and reporting performance relating to ICT might help extension professionals dose the gap.
Via journal online., Agriculture is inherently a risky enterprise because of its dependence on rainfall. To mitigate
risks, farmers diversify crops and enterprises, maintain stabilization account or resort to the sale of assets. Crop insurance is a complementary institutional mechanism that aids farmers to cope with risks better.Considering the importance of crop insurance in risk mitigation, this paper using data from a large-scale farmers’ survey we identify the factors that influence farmers’ decision to buy crop insurance and subsequently assess its impact on farm income, production expenses and productive investments in agriculture. Farmers’ adoption of crop insurance is low— 4.80% kharif season and 3.17% in the rabi season mainly on account of lack of awareness about insurance products. Nevertheless, the probability of adoption of insurance is higher for those who experience higher crop loss and have some formal training in agriculture. The subsidy on premium also positively influences crop insurance uptake decisions. On the other hand, the factors like the lower social status, tenant farming and exposure to deficit-rainfall in the previous year are negatively associated with the decision to insure. The results on the impact of insurance are not conclusive to prove that insured farmer subsumes higher risks compared to the uninsured.
Ranjan, Pranay (author), Wardroppe, Chloe B. (author), Eanes, Francis R. (author), Reddy, Sheila M. W. (author), Harden, Seth C. (author), Masuda, Yuta J. (author), and Prokopy, Linda S. (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-01
Published:
USA: Science Direct
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 8 Document Number: D10297
10 pages., Via online journal., Agricultural conservation programs often focus on farm operators when promoting conservation practices. However, much of U.S. farmland is owned by landowners not directly involved in farm operations. Rental arrangements on these lands can dis-incentivize the adoption of conservation practices that could improve soil health, water quality, and land values. To date, agricultural conservation policy has largely ignored the role of non-operating landowners (NOLs) and rental arrangements. We help improve the evidence-base for policy by identifying barriers to adoption of conservation practices on rented farmlands. Analysis of forty interviews with NOLs, operators, farm managers and university extension personnel in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana revealed five categories of barriers: cash rent lease terms, rental market dynamics, information deficits/asymmetries, cognitive/interpersonal, and financial motivations. Some barriers, such as risk aversion and farm aesthetics were expressed by both NOLs and operators, while other barriers, such as status quo bias and annual renewal of leases were only expressed by NOLs and operators, respectively. To overcome barriers to conservation, interviewees recommended improving communication between NOLs and operators and modifying cash rent lease terms in order to build in flexibility for equitable sharing of risks and rewards. Agricultural conservation programs could readily apply these results—possibly working with intermediaries (e.g., farm managers, lawyers)—to offer communication and lease tools and assistance to NOLS and operators. Future research should evaluate the efficacy of these conservation interventions and how intermediaries affect the balance of power between NOLs and operators.
Munthali, Nyamwaya (author), Leeuwis, Cees (author), Van Paassen, Annemarie (author), Lie, Rico (author), Asare, Richard (author), Van Lammeren, Ron (author), and Schut, Marc (author)
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2018-11
Published:
Science Direct
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10421
13 pages., Via online journal., Agricultural extension in sub-Saharan Africa has often been criticised for its focus on linear knowledge transfer, and limited attention to systemic approaches to service delivery. Currently, the region is experiencing a new-ICT revolution and there are high expectations of new-ICTs to enhance interaction and information exchange in extension service delivery. Using an innovation systems perspective, we distinguish the roles demand-articulation, matching demand and supply, and innovation process management for innovation-intermediaries. The study explores literature on how new-ICT may support these roles, with specific interest in the possibilities of environmental monitoring and new forms of organisation enabled by enhanced connectivity. In order to contribute to the understanding of this area, the paper reports on a comparative study of two new-ICT platforms embedded in Ghanaian public and private extension organisations respectively. We assess the roles that these platforms (aim to) support, and document achievements and constraints based on interviews with extension staff and farmers. The findings indicate that while both platforms aim to support innovation-intermediation roles the focus areas and level of detail differ due to diverging organisational rationales to service delivery. In addition, we see that new-ICTs' potential to support innovation-intermediation roles is far from realised. This is not due to (new) ICTs lacking the capacity to link people in new ways and make information accessible, but due to the wider social, organisational and institutional factors that define the realisation of their potential. Therefore, more conventional modes of interaction around production advice and also credit provision continue to be dominant and better adapted to the situation. However, beyond the two platforms that were developed specifically by and for the extension organisations, there were indications that more informal and self-organised new-ICT initiatives can transform and enhance interaction patterns in innovations systems to achieve collective goals through standard virtual platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.
19 pages., ISSN: 2168-3565 (Print)
2168-3573 (Online), Via online journal, Biodiversity conservation outside designated protected areas remains challenging in South Africa, where 80% of the biodiversity resources occur on private and communal lands. This applies to the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, which is the focus of this study. Landholders logically choose agricultural production ahead of conservation, which they often perform using non-ecological methods. Extension is well positioned to promote ecological agriculture, but its current contribution is unknown. This study examined the role of extension in ecological agriculture in KZN by investigating extension’s promotion of ecological agriculture among smallholder farmers and the factors impacting their employment of ecologically compatible practices. Data was collected through semistructured interviews with 44 respondents, comprising 5 provincial biodiversity conservation practitioners, 1 national biodiversity conservation manager, and 1 national and 4 provincial agricultural extension managers, selected by purposive sampling; as well as 25 extension officers and 8 farmers, selected by convenience sampling. The study found that extension mainly engages in technology transfer and distribution of production inputs, which poses challenges to biodiversity conservation. Extension shows little concern for biodiversity, and effectively promotes its degradation. Four sets of factors impacting extension’s capacity to promote ecological agriculture emerged: household/community-level, governmental, extension management, and ecological factors. Key among these were inadequate involvement of youth and men in agriculture; inadequate household production resources; poor collaboration and coordination between extension and biodiversity conservation institutions; top-down extension intervention; poor extension management and delivery capacities; and irregular and inadequate rainfall, as well as droughts and flooding. The study concluded that there is a need for a clearly articulated extension and biodiversity conservation policy supporting appropriate linkages and better coordination and integration of services among extension and biodiversity agencies within the National and Provincial Departments of Agriculture and with farmers; more effective agricultural education in schools; strengthening extension support systems; and creating conducive atmospheres for effective extension.
16 pages., via online journal., This study was conducted in Ethiopia to determine the use of mobile phones in agriculture. The study included 320 household heads who owned mobile phones. Data were collected using an interview schedule. The results revealed that the majority (90.6%) of household heads made phone calls for agricultural purposes. Over three quarters (85.9%) of the household heads received phone calls related to agriculture. Short message service (SMS) was poorly used. It is concluded that mobile phones are playing an important role as an informational medium. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture in Ethiopia needs to develop a mobile-based agricultural information dissemination system to enhance information delivery to rural farming households.
Abstract via online journal. 2 pages., Technological innovation is vital to economic growth and food security in sub-Saharan Africa where agricultural productivity has been stagnant for a long time. Extension services and learning from peer farmers are two common approaches to facilitate the diffusion of new technologies, but little is known about their relative effectiveness. Selection bias, whereby well-motivated training participants would perform better even without extension services, as well as knowledge spillovers, where non-participants can indirectly benefit from extension services, are among the major threats to causal inference. Using a unique sequential randomized experiment on agricultural training, this study attempts to meet the dual objectives of executing rigorous impact evaluation of extension services and subsequent spillovers on rice production in Cote d’Ivoire. Specifically, to reduce selection bias, we randomly assigned eligibility for training participation; and to satisfy the stable unit treatment value assumption, control-group farmers were initially restricted from exchanging information with treated-group farmers who had received rice management training. Once some positive impacts were confirmed, information exchange between the treated and control farmers was encouraged. We found that the initial performance gaps created by the randomized assignment disappeared over time, due presumably to social learning from peer farmers. A detailed analysis concerning the information network and peer effects provided suggestive evidence that there were information and technology spillovers from treated to control farmers after removing the information exchange restriction. Overall, our study demonstrates that information dissemination by farmers can be as effective in improving practices as the initial training provided by extension services.
The International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10917
Notes:
14 pages., via IAALD website., The study determined farmers’ adoption of Organic agricultural technologies disseminated via radio
farmer agricultural Extension programme in Imo state, Nigeria. An interview schedule was used to
collect data from a sample of 200 farmers. Results show that radio farmer broadcast and co-farmers
were the major sources of information to greater proportion of the farmers. Data on relevance of the
organic agricultural technologies disseminated showed that almost all the technologies were perceived
to be relevant except the use of biological pest control farming. The radio farmer agricultural
programme enhanced the extent of adoption of organic agricultural technologies namely; crop rotation
practice, planting of indigenous varieties, application of compost, mulching of crops, intercropping,
mixed cropping, crop residues, animal manuring, planting of legumes, green manure, off farm organic
waste, minimum tillage and alley cropping. Nevertheless, the adoptions of the technologies were
generally low. Age, farming experience and social participation significantly influenced adoption of
organic agricultural technologies disseminated via radio farm agricultural Extension programme. Major
constraints identified include short duration of programme, inappropriate scheduling of programme,
inability to ask relevant questions and get feed back from the radio presenter. The study recommends
among other things the rescheduling of the radio programme to very late in the evenings when the
farmers will be opportune to listen to the programme.
