INTERPAKS, Offers an analysis of the conventional literature on adoption practices and adoptive categories. Examines the theoretical basis, and the empirical validity of adoption categories, as well as the extension worker's reliance on adoption categories for the dissemination of information in development activities and in research. Observation has led to the conclusion that adopter categories which can be empirically identified have been erroneously used in practice while the theory on which they are based is questionable. Draws attention to some of the dysfunctional effects of this largest grouping and the trickle down strategy used in extension for rural development. The analysis calls for a different approach to the categorization of the farming community. The main aim is to start with the people and then categorize the social system according to some important variables which will result in a homogeneous target group being isolated for specific extension activities.
12 pages., In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), declining soil fertility is among the factors affecting optimal food production. Although a number of interventions have been implemented to improve soil fertility management (SFM) in SSA, their adoption especially among small scale farmers has been low. Although the literature provides considerable evidence of socio-economic factors which influence adoption, the subject of how communication influences adoption of SFM remains under-explored. This paper therefore reviewed studies on SFM communication in SSA. The objectives were to identify the current focus of studies on SFM communication, the current definitions of communication which informed such studies, and the type of SFM practices being communicated in the SSA region. Using specific search terms, articles were collected from various databases and content analysed. The review revealed five main themes as the focus of current studies on SFM. The study also revealed two main interpretations of communication which in turn influence the use of either diffusion or participatory communication strategies for SFM communication. The review also showed a focus on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) messages in the SSA area. The study concludes that while each of the two communication strategies has their individual strengths, farmers prefer participatory strategies. This is because participatory strategies foster interaction and greater understanding; thereby, increasing the likelihood of farmer adoption of SFM practices in SSA. The review concludes by calling for further research on the use of participatory communication to engage farmers about various SFM practices in SSA.
