7 pages., Article # 2RIB2, Via online journal., To assess small rural retailers' use of social media and the role of social media in their business sustainability, we conducted focus group interviews with small business owners/managers from rural communities in a midwestern state. Participants revealed strong interest in social media, especially for use in sales and marketing. However, their engagement in social media was limited due to lack of knowledge and resources (i.e., time, human resources, financial resources, effectiveness measurement) related to developing and updating content. On the basis of these findings, we examine implications for Extension professionals and outreach educators regarding social media needs and programming for small rural businesses.
8 pages., via online journal., Social media provides huge opportunities and incentives that could ease promotion of agricultural extension, facilitate real-time service delivery and enable wider farmer coverage. Ineffective dissemination approaches, expanding farmer population, low staffing, and aging agricultural extension agents continue to negatively affect the provision of agricultural extension services in Kenya. Despite the social media potential in agricultural communication, lack of awareness and low usage in the rural areas of developing countries have been documented. This study sought to establish the level of social media familiarity among smallholder rural farmers with the aim of exploring the possibility of usage in agricultural extension. The study was undertaken in Thika Sub-County of Kiambu County on 140 farmers through a researcher administered semi-structured questionnaire. Probability-proportional-to-size sampling method was employed to derive the sample size from existing extension farmer groups. Simple random sampling technique was further used to identify the actual respondents from each group. A low level of social media familiarity was established among the farmers with education, age and gender having significant influence. The study recommends awareness creation initiatives to promote social media familiarity with a particular focus on women who form the bulk of the farmers but with the lowest level of social media knowledge.
Francis, Paul (author) and Amuyunzu-Nyamongo, Mary (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2006
Published:
Kenya
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C37119
Notes:
See C37118 for original, Pages 219-244 in Ian Bannon and Maria C.Correia (eds.), The other half of gender: men's issues in development. World Bank, Washington, D.C. 311 pages.
Seshagiri, Sarita (author), Sagar, Aman (author), and Joshi, Dhaval (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007-05-08
Published:
India
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 174 Document Number: C29704
Notes:
Pages 855-862 in proceedings of the International World Wide Web Conference, Banff, Alberta, Canada, May 8-12, 2007. Track: Technology for Developing Regions.
12 pages., via online journal., This study explored the factors influencing the application of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) among farmers in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
The Punjab province is divided into three agro-ecological zones viz Northern, Central and
Southern. In this study, one district from each zone was randomly selected. Total sample
size comprises of 150 farmers. Farmers were interviewed using a self-administered
interview schedule comprising of open and close-ended questions. Respondents’ access to
ICTs was low level. Chi-square test revealed a significant association between the age of
respondents and adoption of ICTs. Young respondents were leading users of ICTs in the
study area. Size of landholding and income level of the respondents had a significant
association with the frequency of use of ICTs in agriculture. Among various ICTs tools,
mobile/cell phone attracted 47.3% of respondents to access agricultural information. Factors
militating use of ICTs include; electricity/power issues (x̄=2.95/3.00), language barriers
(x̄=2.93/3.00), limited knowledge and skills about ICTs (x̄=2.89/3.00), high cost
(x̄=2.87/3.00) and limited availability of ICTs (x̄=2.85/3.00). Extent of ICTs use to access
agricultural information can surge with t
16 pages., Online via UI e-subscription, Using fieldwork and in-depth-interviews with key informants, researchers examined how two groups (landowner group and citizen group) framed their arguments involving proposed sale of water from this aquifer. The citizen group was found more articulate in opposing the sale of water to the broader public. Findings also suggested that the framing strategies used by both groups served to escalate community dissension and therefore limit opportunities for resolution.
