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22. Assessing participatory practices in community-based natural resource management: Experiences in community engagement from southern Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Dyer, J. (author), Stringer, L.C. (author), Dougill, A.J. (author), Leventon, J. (author), Nshimbi, M. (author), Chama, F. (author), Kafwifwi, A. (author), Muledi, J.I. (author), Kaumbu, J.-M.K. (author), Falcao, M. (author), Muhorro, S. (author), Munyemba, F. (author), Kalaba, G.M. (author), and Syampungani, S. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2014-05-01
- Published:
- Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 32 Document Number: D10619
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Environmental Management
- Journal Title Details:
- 137: 137-145
- Notes:
- 9 pages., via online journal., The emphasis on participatory environmental management within international development has started to overcome critiques of traditional exclusionary environmental policy, aligning with shifts towards decentralisation and community empowerment. However, questions are raised regarding the extent to which participation in project design and implementation is meaningful and really engages communities in the process. Calls have been made for further local-level (project and community-scale) research to identify practices that can increase the likelihood of meaningful community engagement within externally initiated projects. This paper presents data from three community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) project case studies from southern Africa, which promote Joint Forest Management (JFM), tree planting for carbon and conservation agriculture. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, community-level meetings, focus groups and interviews. We find that an important first step for a meaningful community engagement process is to define ‘community’ in an open and participatory manner. Two-way communication at all stages of the community engagement process is shown to be critical, and charismatic leadership based on mutual respect and clarity of roles and responsibilities is vital to improve the likelihood of participants developing understanding of project aims and philosophy. This can lead to successful project outcomes through community ownership of the project goals and empowerment in project implementation. Specific engagement methods are found to be less important than the contextual and environmental factors associated with each project, but consideration should be given to identifying appropriate methods to ensure community representation. Our findings extend current thinking on the evaluation of participation by making explicit links between the community engagement process and project outcomes, and by identifying further criteria that can be considered in process and outcome-based evaluations. We highlight good practices for future CBNRM projects which can be used by project designers and initiators to further the likelihood of successful project outcomes.
23. Assessment of the use of facebook by farmers and agricultural extension agents in Otukpo local government area of Benue State, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Otene, Victor Akwu (author), Okwu, Jacob Oto (author), and Agene, Agada Jude (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-01
- Published:
- Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 18 Document Number: D10487
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural & Food Information
- Journal Title Details:
- 19(4): 354-361
- Notes:
- 9 pages., via online journal., This study assessed the use of Facebook by farmers and extension agents in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. One Hundred respondents (80 farmers and 20 extension agents) were selected using purposive and random sampling techniques. Research findings revealed that most farmers (56.2%) reported a low level of use of Facebook, while 50% of extension agents made high use of Facebook. Major constraints to using Facebook were poor network services for farmers and power failure for extension agents. Sex, formal education and income had significant effect on the farmers' level of Facebook use. It is therefore recommended that Internet services and electricity be improved in the study area.
24. Automated pastures and the digital divide: How agricultural technologies are shaping labour and rural communities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Rotz, Sarah (author), Gravely, Evan (author), Mosby, Ian (author), Duncan, Emily (author), Finnis, Elizabeth (author), Horgan, Mervyn (author), LeBlanc, Joseph (author), Martin, Ralph (author), Tait Neufeld, Hannah (author), Nixon, Andrew (author), Pant, Laxmi (author), Shalla, Vivian (author), and Fraser, Evan (author)
- Format:
- Online article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-02-13
- Published:
- Canada: Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10251
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Rural Studies
- Notes:
- 11 pages., Via online article, A “digital revolution” in agriculture is underway. Advanced technologies like sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics are increasingly being promoted as a means to increase food production efficiency while minimizing resource use. In the process, agricultural digitalization raises critical social questions about the implications for diverse agricultural labourers and rural spaces as digitalization evolves. In this paper, we use literature and field data to outline some key trends being observed at the nexus of agricultural production, technology, and labour in North America, with a particular focus on the Canadian context. Using the data, we highlight three key tensions observed: rising land costs and automation; the development of a high-skill/low-skilled bifurcated labour market; and issues around the control of digital data. With these tensions in mind, we use a social justice lens to consider the potential implications of digital agricultural technologies for farm labour and rural communities, which directs our attention to racial exploitation in agricultural labour specifically. In exploring these tensions, we argue that policy and research must further examine how to shift the trajectory of digitalization in ways that support food production as well as marginalized agricultural labourers, while pointing to key areas for future research—which is lacking to date. We emphasize that the current enthusiasm for digital agriculture should not blind us to the specific ways that new technologies intensify exploitation and deepen both labour and spatial marginalization.
25. Awareness and use of e-resources among public extension personnel in Anambra state, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Tochukwu Sabastine Nwabugwu (author), Cynthia Ebere Nwobodo (author), John Chukwuma Okoro (author), and University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-01
- Published:
- Nigeria
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 149 Document Number: D10114
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 23(1) : 164-170
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal, The study assessed the awareness and use of e-resources among public extension personnel in the area. Stratified sampling technique was used in selecting respondents from each cadre of the Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (ASADEP). A total of sixty-nine (69) agricultural extension staff was used for the study. Findings show the major e-resource tool that was available to the majority (94.2%) of extension staff in the area was mobile phone, while 62.3% indicated that computer was available to them. The majority (69.6%) of the respondents were each aware of Facebook, and email, while 56.5% were aware of twitter. Among those who were aware of email, the majority (59.4%) indicated they used it while 43.5% of those that were aware of Facebook indicated they used it. Results show that 15.9% of the respondents indicated they used e-journal in exchanging information on pests and diseases, 10.1% exchanged weather and climate information on e-mail, while 11.6% each indicated they used email to exchange information on farm inputs and market prices. On the other hand, 10.1% each used e-journal and e-mail to exchange information on processing methods. The study concluded by drawing attention to the very low adoption of e-resources in extension service delivery in the area. Efforts should be made by both federal and state governments to provide enabling technological environment and training opportunities for extension personnel in order to improve e-extension which is a veritable alternative towards solving the issues of dearth in extension staff that has been a persistent problem plaguing extension service in the country.
26. Awareness and use of information communication technologies by farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Fawole, O. P. (author) and Olajide, B. R. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2012-01-01
- Published:
- Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 18 Document Number: D10484
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural & Food Information
- Journal Title Details:
- 13(4): 326-337
- Notes:
- 13 pages., via online joural., Due to inadequate personnel, information communication technologies (ICTs) have become an attractive option for delivery of extension information. This study examined awareness and use of ICTs by farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 192 farmers were interviewed. Results indicate that most farmers had no formal education and small farm holdings. Awareness of older ICTs like radio and television was more prevalent among farmers as compared with newer ICTs such as Internet and cable television. However, use of modern ICTs like mobile phones and cable television was greater than that for older technologies such as fax machines. Farmers were constrained in ICT use by prohibitive cost and service failure. The Nigerian government should encourage a liberal policy for affordable prices for modern ICT products, especially mobile telephones.
27. Beyond Participation – Building Farmer Confidence: Experience from Sub-Saharan Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ward, Andrew (author), Minja, Eliaineny (author), Blackie, Malcolm (author), Edward-Jones, Gareth (author), and NR International University of Bangor
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2007-12-01
- Published:
- United Kingdom: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 109 Document Number: D10966
- Journal Title:
- Outlook on Agriculture
- Journal Title Details:
- 36(4) : 259-266
- Notes:
- 7 pages, via online journal, Despite large investments in research to modernize African agriculture, enabling it to fulfil its potential, traditional agriculture still predominates. To many, the lack of adoption of knowledge generated through agricultural research is due either to the inexplicable functioning of the farmer's decision-making process or to a set of issues so complex that it is not clear how they could ever be overcome. This paper reviews a project in Sub-Saharan Africa in which bean pest management became a tool through which communities were empowered to address a wide range of development issues. This paper suggests that what needs to be altered substantially is the way scientists view and interact with the poor.
28. Biased or balanced? Assessing BBC news and current affairs performance in covering the badger cull in England
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Stanyer, James (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- unknown
- Published:
- United States: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D11986
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Rural Studies
- Journal Title Details:
- Volume 80
- Notes:
- 9 pages, This article represents the first systematic examination of BBC coverage of one of the most controversial rural issues in a generation, namely the culling of badgers (a protected species) to stop the spread of bovine TB in England. While the BBC has certain regulatory responsibilities set out in its guidelines to provide duly impartial coverage it has been regularly criticised for being biased. Little is known about the BBC's performance other than what is suggested by critics, previous research having focused on press coverage. Based on an original content analysis of news, current affairs and factual output this article assesses the BBC's coverage. It shows that while competing voices and perspectives were balanced its coverage was not that distinct from its commercial rivals, with both framing the issue as a conflict over badgers rather than about the spread of a disease affecting livestock and livelihoods, and both focusing on a narrow set of voices involved in the conflict.
29. Birdsong and anthropogenic noise: implications and applications for conservation
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Slabbekoorn, Hans (author) and Ripmeester, Erwin A. P. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2007-07-04
- Published:
- Netherlands
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 160 Document Number: C26271
- Journal Title:
- Molecular Ecology
- Notes:
- Online early article., How interactions among birds are affected by increases in ambient noise.
30. Building engagement in Facebook: A case study with Utah State University Extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kesler, Kenna R. (author), Hall, Kelsey (author), and Spielmaker, Debra (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-02
- Published:
- United States: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12104
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Applied Communications
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 105, Issue 1
- Notes:
- 24 pgs., In order to stay relevant in an online world, Extension must properly use social networking platforms to effectively reach diverse audiences regarding agricultural and natural resource issues. However, few studies have focused on how Extension uses Facebook to effectively accomplish its goal. This study’s purpose was to explore how Utah State University Extension Sustainability uses Facebook to engage followers. The researchers conducted a quantitative content analysis of 504 messages posted to the USU Extension Sustainability Facebook page. Graphics and links were the most common post characteristics used by the organization. Text-only posts and posts containing videos were utilized the least. Food was the most common area of sustainability discussed on the page. Posts containing videos, shared content, or that tagged other Facebook pages in messages experienced statistically significantly higher user engagement than posts without those characteristics. Posts containing hashtags experienced statistically significantly lower engagement. Neutral sentiment appeared in the majority of posts. Additionally, information seeking was the most dominant communicative function among the posts. Neither the type of sentiment nor communicative functions were significantly connected to engagement. Future research should determine changes in knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior as a result of exposure to, and engagement with, the Facebook page. Additionally, a qualitative study determining consumers’ attitudes toward Facebook content can provide a deeper understanding of the audience’s thought processes and content preferences. Page administrators should craft engaging content that builds community among followers.