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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. Assessing rural women food producers capacity to adopt modern ICTs - a case study of the Mfantsiman District of Ghana
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- 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.
24. Assessment of extension agents' perception of mobile phone usage for communication with farmers in Edo South of Edo State, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Alakpa, S. O. E. (author), Afolabi, S. O. (author), and Ighalo, I. J. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 122 Document Number: D11147
- Journal Title:
- International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 4(2):430-435
- Notes:
- 6 pages., ISSN: 2456-1878, via online journal., The use of mobile phones as means of communication between the extension agents and local farmers in Edo South was examined to determine the perception of the extension agents on its effectiveness. Fifty-one (51) respondents were obtained through random sampling using questionnaires to obtain relevant information in the two local government areas; Ovia North East and Ovia South West selected for the study. The result obtained indicated that male extension agents were in majority (72.5%), 54.9% of the sampled population above 45 years of age and 58.8% possessed 16 – 20 years working experience. Phone calls and short message service (SMS) were found appropriate for agricultural information dissemination. Significant and positive relationships were established between the working experience of extension agents and their perception of mobile phone usage. The recommendation is that formal integration of mobile phone into extension activities be done to enhance wider coverage, reduce cost and risks associated with movement. Extension agents and farmers need more training on effective usage of SMS and phone calls for interaction on farm related issues. Enforcement of existing telecommunication laws could reduce network failure and also enhance effective usage.
25. At the X-roads: Twitter’s ‘devolution’ may affect response to next major storm
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Arney, Joe (author)
- Format:
- News article
- Publication Date:
- 2023-08-29
- Published:
- USA: University of Colorado: Boulder
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12945
- Notes:
- 4 pages
26. Availability and accessibility of ICT in rural communities of Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kari, Hudron K. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- unknown
- Published:
- USA: Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C27140
- Journal Title:
- Electronic Library
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 25, Issue 3, pp. 363-372
- Notes:
- Published in 2007.
27. Availability and accessibility of ICT in the rural communities of Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kari, H.K. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- unknown
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C27472
- Journal Title:
- Electronic Library
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 25, Issue 3, pp. 363-372
- Notes:
- Published in 2007.
28. 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.
29. Battle of the blogosphere: Monsanto versus the world
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Murphy, Patrick D. (author)
- Format:
- Book chapter
- Publication Date:
- 2017
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08812
- Notes:
- Pages 95-116 in Patrick D. Murphy, The media commons: globalization and environmental discourses. United States: University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Chicago, and Springfield. 192 pages.
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.