Sampong, D.D. (author), Egyir, I.S. (author), and Yaw, Osei-Asare (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007
Published:
Ghana
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10923
Notes:
Paper presented at the African Association of Agricultural Economists second international conference, Accra, Guana, August 20-22, 2007. 4 pages., The traditional way of information dissemination has been through people; the modern way is through the electronic media – improved information and communication technologies (ICTs). For effectiveness, modern ICTs should help women to improve on their income generating capacity. Issues of level of resource capacity of women, information needed, and current sources of such information become important. This study sought to investigate the issues above with respect to rural women food producers in the Mfantsiman District of Ghana. Simple descriptive statistics and econometric models were employed in the data analysis of 91 randomly selected respondents. The results of the study showed that: In general, the women food producers were aged, subsistence food crop farmers. They depended on the natural rainfall cycle and had inadequate funds, so they use traditional inputs for production and sell surpluses in the community. The most important agricultural information needed was on inputs, specifically, low cost in-kind or cash credit. Currently, the major information sources are relatives and other farmers in the locality, agricultural extension agents, the radio and television. This suggests that the women food producers have low resource capacity and this could limit the adoption of modern ICTs as a source of and media for information dissemination. Yet, the regression results show that the few (6) mobile phone users have a higher income generating capacity. In order to improve on capacity to use modern ICTs for increased access to other resources, women farmers’ should organize themselves into formidable groups so local institutions can assist easily.
Daku, Lefter (author), Norton, George W. (author), Taylor, Daniel B. (author), Petrela, Eivis Qenani (author), and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
California Polytechnic State University
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2007-07-30
Published:
United States: Taylor & Francis
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 109 Document Number: D10967
12 pages, via online journal, Following the economic reforms in the early 90's, most of the south-eastern European countries (SEE) made efforts to establish agricultural extension services. However, a number of factors including tight governmental budgets, lack of experience, and the existence of vested interests have constrained the development of extension services. This paper examines the rationale for public funding of extension programs and evaluates the incentive structure for private and public provision of agricultural extension service in the SEE countries. It suggests a medium and long-term approach with a primary focus on institutional design. Two groups of factors that affect the private sector supply of extension are analyzed: (i) demand and supply-side factors that affect the profitability of the service and (ii) factors arising from the public-good nature of extension output, externalities, and moral hazards that affect the appropriation of returns of the service. The main conclusion is that the SEE countries should try to achieve a public-private extension balance by following a gradual approach toward privatization of the agricultural extension service. However, the paper advocates a continued important role for the public sector to correct for potential undesirable effects of private advisory services.
Zeng, Douglas Zhihua (author / World Bank) and Wang, Shuilin (author)
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
2007
Published:
China: The World Bank
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 124 Document Number: D11231
Notes:
World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 4223. 36 pages., Analysis of some strengths, weakenesses, opportunities and challenges of China's knowledge economy in the areas of economic incentives and institutional regimes, human capital, innovation systems, and information infrastructures.
Barnard, Kathy (author) and Fedale, Scott (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007-06-16
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 159 Document Number: C25930
Notes:
Presented at the 2007 ACE/NETC conference sponsored by the International Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and the National Extension Technology Conference (NETC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 16-19, 2007. 46 pages.
Hartman, Amy (author), Subramanian,Sethu (author), and Tidrick, Chris (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007-06-16
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 159 Document Number: C26015
Notes:
PowerPoint portion of a presentation at the 2007 conference of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) and National Extension Technology Conference (NETC), Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 16-19, 2007. 5 pages.
Monroe, Martha C. (author / University of Flordia), Hermansen-Baez, L. Annie (author / USDA Forest Service and University of Georgia), Long, Alan J. (author / University of Flordia), McDonell, Lauren (author / University of Flordia), and Zipperer, Wayne (author / USDA Forest Service and University of Georgia)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2007-06
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 160 Document Number: C26176