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2. The impact of agricultural knowledge transfer resources on farm level profitability during the economic recession - a quantitative study
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Cawley, A. (author), O'Donoghue, C. (author), Heanue, K. (author), Hilliard, R. (author), and Sheehan, M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Ireland
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10411
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Notes:
- Purpose: The impact of agricultural knowledge transfer (KT) is related to the access to and the quality of services available. Within this context, the allocation of resources in terms of KT offices and the number of advisers are important considerations for understanding KT impact. This quantitative study evaluates the impact of KT resources on farm profitability for clients in Ireland during the recessionary period 2008–2014. Design/Methodology: Teagasc, the public KT service provider in Ireland, experienced significant office closures (43%) and a reduction in advisers (38%) during the economic crisis, yet client numbers declined only slightly (4.5%). Administrative data are merged with a panel data set on farm-level performance to evaluate the impact through Random Effects estimation. Findings: The results show that clients gained a 12.3% benefit to their margin per hectare over the period. However, there was a negative effect of 0.2% for each additional client assigned to the adviser which averaged at 9.6%. Practical Implications: The quantitative findings provide a measure of impact that represents the value for money for the KT service. The key implication is that the client ratio for advisers should be considered when allocating resources and lower ratios would positively impact client margins. Theoretical Implications: This article outlines the value of quantitative studies to estimate impact in a clear translatable manner which can aid the policy discussion around resource deployment. Originality/Value: This study evaluates the impact of KT during a recessionary period when resources were constrained, and uses client ratios to examine the spatial effects.
3. Cooperative Extension competencies for the community engagement professional
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Atiles, Jorge Horacio (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- USA: University of Georgia
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 25 Document Number: D10552
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement
- Journal Title Details:
- 23(1) : 107-127
- Notes:
- 22 pages., via online journal., The community engagement professional (CEP) plays a critical role in engaging faculty, staff, and students with communities. In order to do this in the most effective way, this essay advocates for CEPs to become familiar with the Cooperative Extension system and develop competency for engaging Extension personnel, even when those personnel are not a part of the CEP’s home institution. The essay extends the work of Dostilio et al. (2017) on preliminary competencies for the community engagement professional by identifying additional competencies, organized as knowledge, skill, and dispositions, that can help CEPs work with the Cooperative Extension system to maximize engagement opportunities for faculty, staff, and students. This essay also includes ideas for implementing competency training for CEPs. Conclusions include thoughts on preparing the community engagement professional to learn and collaborate with Cooperative Extension to enrich the academic experience and benefit the communities they serve.
4. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation strategies for smallholder farmers in Yangi Qala District, Takhar, Afghanistan
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Omerkhil, Najibullah (author), Chand, Tara (author), Valente, Donatella (author), Alatalo, Juha M (author), and Pandey, Rajiv (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-03
- Published:
- Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11091
- Journal Title:
- Ecological Indicators
- Notes:
- 10 pages., Smallholder farmers in Afghanistan are already facing various risks in agricultural production due to past continuous insurgencies. Climate change is likely to amplify the risk and make them even more vulnerable. The present study attempted to evaluate the vulnerability profiles of smallholder farmers due to climate change using the IPCC Framework. Primary data on relevant parameters for assessing climate change-led social vulnerability in the region were collected by classifying study region into two zones: the plain and the hills of Yangi Qala District in Takhar province, Afghanistan. Thirteen villages from each zone were selected at random, and face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten randomly selected households in each of the selected villages in both zones based on a pre-tested questionnaire. The questionnaire contained indicators for all three dimensions of vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. The collected data were subjected to a proposed vulnerability index, after estimating the indices of the three dimensions of vulnerability. The Iyenger and Sudershan weighting method was used to assess the contribution of each vulnerability dimension. Vulnerability was classified according to different categories based on beta distribution to evaluate the villages’ vulnerability status. The results showed that about 23% of all 26 sampled villages in both zones had low exposure, 26% moderate exposure and 51% high exposure to climate-change hazards and extreme weather events. High sensitivity was observed in 51%, moderate sensitivity in 7%, and low sensitivity in 42% of villages. High adaptive capacity to climate change was observed in 38% of villages, 19% were moderately adaptive and 42% showed a low adaptive capacity. High vulnerability was observed in 50% of villages, 4% were moderately vulnerable, and 46% had low vulnerability. A high proportion of smallholder farmers in the hilly zone in the sampled district were highly vulnerable, exposed and sensitive with a low adaptive capacity to climate change compared to the plain zone. The high vulnerability in the hilly zone was attributed to limited resources with a low adjustment capability to counter the disturbances, especially in crop cultivation, in response to climate change. A handful of low-cost and local approaches such as improving farmer extension services, introducing small-scale local infrastructure projects, reinforcing informal safety nets and protecting natural ecosystems could be viable cost-effective options that would also be sustainable given their low recurring costs and the limited maintenance required.
5. Nasir Yammama: A technological approach to enhancing the impact of agricultural extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Oluwagbemi, Inioluwa (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Nigeria: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation, ACP-EU Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 153 Document Number: D11610
- Journal Title:
- Spore
- Journal Title Details:
- 194 : 23
- Notes:
- 1 page., September-November issue via online., Digitalisation is improving the agricultural extension system by providing services at the right time, and facilitating adoption of new agronomic practices, resulting in yield improvements and higher incomes for farming households.
6. Factors affecting Trinidad farmers predisposition to pay for agricultural extension services
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Patterson, Asisha (author) and Ganpat, Wayne G. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Trinidad
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D11656
- Journal Title:
- Rural Extension and Innovation Systems Journal
- Journal Title Details:
- 15(1) : 1-9
- Notes:
- 9 pages., Financial challenges facing the public extension system in Trinidad prompted researchers to assess the attitude of vegetable farmers about paying for extension services. Findings of a survey among farmers indicated there is an opportunity to introduce payment.
7. Burger King ditches TV ad, asks leading extension scientist for help
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Brooks, Rhonda (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-07-22
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11910
- Journal Title:
- Drovers
- Notes:
- Online from publication 2 pages., Report about removal of Burger King TV advertisements inaccurately touting the use of lemongrass in cows' diets to reduce methane emissions by "up to 33%."
8. Review on gendered perspective of household's participation in agricultural activities in Ethiopia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Belay, Fenet (author) and Oljira, Alemayehu (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-01
- Published:
- Ethiopia
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 201 Document Number: D11999
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- 11(1) : 1-10
- Notes:
- 10 pages, Online via UI Library electronic subscription. Open access., "This paper re-affirms that women make essential contributions to agriculture and rural enterprises across the developing world. But there is much diversity in women's roles and over-generalization undermines policy relevance and planning."
9. The use and abuse of the ‘model farmer’ approach in agricultural extension in Ethiopia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hailemichael, Salem (author) and Haug, Ruth (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-05-06
- Published:
- United States: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12054
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol 26, 2020 Issue 5
- Notes:
- 21 Pages, Purpose: The article examines the implementation and effects of the model farmer-based approach of farmer-to-farmer extension delivery that is in use in Ethiopia. Methodology: The study used mixed methods, combining focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and a household survey. Findings: The model farmer approach has increased extension coverage, improved the possibility for information and technology dissemination, and enabled the inclusion of virtually all farming households in extension and advisory networks. Simultaneously, the approach has become a mechanism for the top-down control of farmers, for the identification and favouritism of better-off farmers, and those with political commitments. Practical implications: The findings show that there is a need to critically reflect on who model farmers are, how they are selected, what their historical and current roles and impact have been, as well as follower farmers’ feedback on the approach in order to avoid perpetuating the misuse of the approach. Theoretical implications: The article argues that the Ethiopian context that rewards rapid increase in production and productivity, modernisation of agriculture, competitive commercialisation, and a context that allows the continued entanglement of extension delivery with politics have enabled such misuse of the approach to proliferate. The article questions the extent of applicability of the core farmer-to-farmer extension principles that relate to social ties, reciprocity, collaboration, and minimal social hierarchies in such a context. Originality/value: The study generates important insights about the effects of model farmer-based extension approach, its political dimensions, and the importance of context for successful farmer-to-farmer extension.
10. New program addresses issues of health access, understanding for Illinois residents
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Koon, Samantha (author / University of Illinois Extension)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-03
- Published:
- USA: College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12159
- Journal Title:
- ACES@Illinois
- Notes:
- Online issue. 3 pages., Announces a new core program area, Integrated Health Disparities, in Illinois Extension. Purpose: "To provide leadership and resources in the crusade to address health inequities." Priority issues will include health promotion and education, healthcare access, behavioral health, and community well-being.
11. Assessment of socio-economic characteristics that determine farmers’ access to agricultural extension services in Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Loki, O. (author), Aliber, A. (author), and Sikweli, M.M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-04-26
- Published:
- South Africa: Academy of Science of South Africa
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12352
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Issue 49(1)
- Notes:
- 12 pages., The study reported on in this paper investigated smallholder farmers’ access to extension services. The study sought to distinguish the varying degrees of access to services of smallholder farmers engaged in different production systems, that is, home gardening, field cropping, and livestock production. The study was conducted in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, specifically in two communities, namely Ngcabasa and Phathikhala villages. Research activities included a survey of 100 farmers as well as focus group discussions. Employing logistic regression analysis, the study aimed to understand what influences whether or not a smallholder farmer accesses extension. The study also used various types of comparative statistics (T-test) to assess the implications of access to extension support, for instance for production and farm income. The main findings of the study were that 68% of the farming households interviewed in Ngcabasa and 71% of those in Phathikhala had access to extension services. Farmers who had access to extension had more farm income in both enterprises compared to those who had no access to extension services. From the regression analysis, farmers who were more likely to receive extension support appeared to be those who were older, those with less education, and those farming with livestock.
12. Extension support for cassava (Manihot esculenta) production and processing in Nigeria: Effects on farm practice adoption
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Otubo, Oluchi L. (author) and Molnar, Joseph J. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-31
- Published:
- International: Academic Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12372
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 13 (4)
- Notes:
- 9 pages., Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is an important regional food source, providing food and income to over 30 million farmers, processors, and traders in Nigeria. Extension programs support awareness and interest in new technologies; they facilitate the adoption and adaptation of new approaches to crop production, post-harvest processing, and marketing. Extension can be understood as an intermediary or catalyst in the dissemination of information to rural farmers. This study analyzed the effect of cassava farmers’ exposure to extension on a broad measure of cassava technology adoption, while considering the influence of some individual and farm characteristics as control variables. Data were obtained from personal interviews with sample of 952 households conducted in southern Nigeria. Results show a relationship between extension exposure and technology adoption. Farmer-to-farmer interaction played the greatest role in diffusion of the technologies. Interactions with extension agents were low, suggesting that adoption of improved technologies could be enhanced by improved regular contact with extension information. The results underscore the importance of farmer-to-farmer interaction processes that often overshadow extension assistance in supporting and guiding the use of production technology. The conclusions consider some implications for 21st century extension.
13. Farmers' Perception Analysis about the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Agriculture Extension services of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Salam, Abdus (author) and Khan, Muhammad Zafarullah (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-07-25
- Published:
- Pakistan: Smith and Franklin Publishers
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12381
- Journal Title:
- Sarhad Journal of Agriculture
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 36 Issue 3
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Agricultural extension as a mean of dissemination of agricultural latest technologies to the farming communities and motivating them for its adoption can be achieved through better use of communication among relevant stakeholders. The existing extension and communication strategies used in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have many limitations. The present study was thus conducted to compare and analyze the farmers’ perceptions regarding use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in agriculture extension at three selected districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Based on the multi-stage sampling technique, population for the current study, 3 zones from 5 were purposively selected on the basis of their different agricultural condition. Selection of sample size was made using Yamane formula. The number of respondents as per formula was confined to 188 respondents in district Mansehra, 153 respondents in district Swabi and 59 respondents from district Karak, where data were collected randomly. Five point Likert scale was used to record responses of the respondents. The results of the study clearly showed that majority of the farmers in the study area were literate (73%) and comparatively was greater in district Mansehra (77%), while least in district Swabi (64%) using ICT for agricultural purposes and observed a significant correlation between the literacy and ICT i.e. 0.77. The results also showed that 39% respondents from District Mansehra, and 33% from district Swabi were fulltime farmers, used ICT. The results also showed that regarding the effectiveness of ICT tools in crop production, printed material; TV and Mobile Phone were used in districts Mansehra, Karak and Swabi respectively. Similarly, it was also inferred that ICT is very effective tool for communication between farmers and with extension workers. Hence, ICT is the most effective and useful tool for the improvement of the overall extension delivery system, so agriculture extension department may establish a formal structure to initiate free SMS and voice message service in the easiest and understandable languages for increasing overall coverage of the extension delivery.
14. An analysis of the policies of Information and Communication Technologies for Agriculture in Mali
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kante, Macire (author) and Ndayizigamiye, Patrick (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Language:
- English, French
- Publication Date:
- 2020-12-22
- Published:
- United States: University of Waterloo
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12387
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Community Informatics
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 16 (2020)
- Notes:
- 19 pages., To harness the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), developing countries need to develop national ICT policies that will serve as a framework for integrating ICTs at all levels of society. In the absence of that, different actors often engage in various actions for the same beneficiaries and in pursuit of the same objectives. That raises the need to define a national framework for the promotion and application of ICTs in the various production areas, particularly agricultural ones. It is for that reason that this study examined through qualitative methods (policy documents and semi-structured interviews) the national policy of Mali on the use of ICTs in agriculture. Data was analysed using the Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) method with the aid of NVIVO 12 software. The results showed that the country has two policy documents that articulate the country’s strategy towards the use of ICTs in the agricultural sector, that is, the Agricultural Orientation Law and the National Strategy for the Development of the Digital Economy. Further examination revealed that that these two policy documents are neither appropriate nor coherent in today's Malian landscape. This has resulted in an underutilisation of digital tools by agricultural extension officers which led to the low agricultural productivity in the country. This study recommended therefore the recasting of both documents to take into account the reported observations
15. What shapes farmers’ perception of climate change? A case study of southern Brazil
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Foguesatto, Cristian Rogério (author) and Machado, João Armando Dessimon (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-01-19
- Published:
- United States: Springer Link
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12475
- Journal Title:
- Environment, Development and Sustainability
- Journal Title Details:
- 23
- Notes:
- 15 pages, Climate change poses several challenges worldwide, including the increase in severity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts. As a result, there are projected environmental, economic and social impacts in several sectors, including agriculture. However, the extent of climatic impacts depends on farmers’ awareness and their capacity for adaptation in response to changes in the climate. This study analyzes the factors that influence farmers’ perception of climate change. Data were collected from a farm-household survey in the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Using a logistic regression model, we identified that farm size, support of extension workers, number of conservation practices adopted, and ecocentrism value influenced positively the perception. Moreover, we found that farm size relied on government actions, subsidies, and anthropocentric value was affected negatively. These findings showed that socioeconomic and psychological factors shape farmers’ perception of climate change. Extension workers and policymakers should increase farmers' awareness on climate change improving the communication on the nature importance for the ecosystem as a whole (ecocentrism) and/or explaining the importance of nature for human welfare (anthropocentrism).
16. How have smallholder farmers used digital extension tools? Developer and user voices from Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Coggins, Sam (author), McCampbell, Mariette (author), Sharma, Akriti (author), Sharma, Rama (author), Haefele, Stephen (author), Karki, Emma (author), Hetherington, Jack (author), Smith, Jeremy (author), and Brown, Brendan (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-03-01
- Published:
- United States: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12486
- Journal Title:
- Global Food Security
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 32
- Notes:
- 10 pages, Digital extension tools (DETs) include phone calls, WhatsApp groups and specialised smartphone applications used for agricultural knowledge brokering. We researched processes through which DETs have (and have not) been used by farmers and other extension actors in low- and middle-income countries. We interviewed 40 DET developers across 21 countries and 101 DET users in Bihar, India. We found DET use is commonly constrained by fifteen pitfalls (unawareness of DET, inaccessible device, inaccessible electricity, inaccessible mobile network, insensitive to digital illiteracy, insensitive to illiteracy, unfamiliar language, slow to access, hard to interpret, unengaging, insensitive to user's knowledge, insensitive to priorities, insensitive to socio-economic constraints, irrelevant to farm, distrust). These pitfalls partially explain why women, less educated and less wealthy farmers often use DETs less, as well as why user-driven DETs (e.g. phone calls and chat apps) are often used more than externally-driven DETs (e.g. specialised smartphone apps). Our second key finding was that users often made - not just found - DETs useful for themselves and others. This suggests the word ‘appropriation’ conceptualises DET use more accurately and helpfully than the word ‘adoption’. Our final key finding was that developers and users advocated almost ubiquitously for involving desired users in DET provision. We synthesise these findings in a one-page framework to help funders and developers facilitate more useable, useful and positively impactful DETs. Overall, we conclude developers increase DET use by recognizing users as fellow developers – either through collaborative design or by designing adaptable DETs that create room for user innovation.
17. Realizing the potential of digital development: The case of agricultural advice
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Schilbach, Frani (author), Kremer, Michael (author), and Fabregas, Raissa (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-12-13
- Published:
- United States: American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12491
- Journal Title:
- Science
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol 366, Issue 6471
- Notes:
- 12 pages, Mobile phones are almost universally available, and the costs of information transmission are low. They are used by smallholder farmers in low-income countries, largely successfully, to optimize markets for their produce. Fabregas et al. review the potential for boosting mobile phone use with smartphones to deliver not only market information but also more sophisticated agricultural extension advice. GPS-linked smartphones could provide locally relevant weather and pest information and video-based farming advice. But how to support the financial requirements of such extension services is less obvious, given the unwieldiness of government agencies and the vested interests of commercial suppliers.
18. Quality of climate-smart agricultural advice offered by private and public sectors extensionists in Mbeere North Sub-County, Kenya
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Glkunda, Raphael (author), Jepkurul, Mary (author), Kiptoo, Simion (author), and Baker, Matthew (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-19
- Published:
- United States: OJS / PKP
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12500
- Journal Title:
- Advancements in Agricultural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- 3 (1)
- Notes:
- 18 pages, This research adds to the knowledge of extension education by revealing the quality of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) advice offered by private and public extension sectors. The study was aimed at addressing the paucity of empirical data that exists relating to the quality of CSA advice. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, the descriptive and correlational study gathered data from a systematic sample of 115 farmers. There was a moderate positive correlation between extension effectiveness and adoption of CSA. There were significant differences between public, private, and both sectors in relation to the quality of information disseminated. The quality of private sector’s advice was significantly lower than that of public sector and both sectors. There was no significant difference in quality of advice between public sector and both sectors. The quality of CSA advice was generally fair, however, heightened dissemination of CSA practices by both sectors of extension would yield better quality advice thus improve the adoption of the practices among farmers.
19. Does it matter who advises farmers? Pest management choices with public and private extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Wuepper, David (author), Roleff, Nikolaus (author), and Finger, Robert (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-01-01
- Published:
- Switzerland: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12514
- Journal Title:
- Food Policy
- Journal Title Details:
- 99
- Notes:
- 8 pages, Does it matter whether farmers receive advice on pest management strategies from public or from private (pesticide company affiliated) extension services? We use survey data from 733 Swiss fruit growers who are currently contending with an infestation by an invasive pest, the fruit fly Drosophila Suzukii. We find that farmers who are advised by public extension services are more likely (+9–10%) to use preventive measures (e.g. nets) while farmers who are advised by private extension services are more likely (+8–9%) to use synthetic insecticides. These results are robust to the inclusion of various covariates, ways to cluster standard errors, and inverse probability weighting. We also show that our results are unlikely to be driven by omitted variable bias. Our findings have implications for the current debates on both the ongoing privatization of agricultural extension and concerns regarding negative environmental and health externalities of pesticide use.
20. Agricultural Extension Services amidst COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria: Policy Options
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Olayiwola Issa, Fadlullah (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-24
- Published:
- International: AJOL
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12515
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 26 (1)
- Notes:
- 9 pages., The paper explored the policy options targeted at preventing extreme hunger after surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 15 key informants across five purposively selected Local Government Areas in Kaduna and Ogun States for this study. Checklist (administered through recorded telephone calls) was used to elicit responses (qualitative data) on the impacts of COVID-19 on the food system. This paper concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted on the food system thus challenging the AES to employ more innovative and pragmatic approaches to reach the farmers. Major impacts of COVID-19 on food system were disruptions in agricultural production, limitation of field visit by extension personnel and distortion of technology delivery system. Major recommendations include: in response to the stay-at-home order in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Agricultural extension services (AES) should explore virtual means to reach the clientele. To this end, farm operations and new techniques should be packaged into short clips and shared via various platforms. Also, legislative means to consider AEAS as essential services should be sought; and extensionists should be trained and provided with personal protection equipment (PPE) to enable them reach farmers. Such field officers should be insured and provided with adequate tangible mobility.
21. Perception of organic farmers towards organic agriculture and role of extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Alhafi Alotaibi, Bader (author), Yoder, Edgar (author), Brennan, Mark (author), and Kassem, Hazem S. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- unknown
- Published:
- International: Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12520
- Journal Title:
- Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
- Journal Title Details:
- 28 (5)
- Notes:
- six pages, The sustainability of organic agriculture is associated with the farmers’ experience, quality of information provided, management of risks, and compliance with legislation. The objectives of this study were to identify the sources used by the organic farmers to gain information related to organic production, and to assess organic farmers’ perceived attitudes towards extension services. To address the research objectives, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 organic farmers in central Pennsylvania. The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, categorized and coded, then thematically analyzed using an interpretive description methodology. The results showed that the extension services were not identified as a primary source of information that was frequently used by the organic farmers. Other organic farmers and organizationa for organic agriculture were the two primary sources of informaiton. The organic farmers were very adept at building social capital in seeking informaiton to address their issues and problems. The primary challenges faced by the organic farmers were the control of insects and weeds, and weather-related issues. The results highlighted that in addition to identifying viable information sources, factors such as adaptive capacities to climate change and certification were key to successful production in organic systems. The present study provides rich and deep information on how farmers perceive organic agriculture and extension services. The outcome of the research undertaken will enable planners, policy makers and the related Cooperative Extension personnel to better understand perceptions of the farmers to devise viable and workable policies and plans that address the concerns and challenges of the farmers.
22. Myths about the feminization of agriculture: Implications for global food security
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kawarazuka, Nozomi (author), Doss, Cheryl (author), Rozel Farnworth, Cathy (author), and Pyburn, Rhiannon (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-06-01
- Published:
- lobal Food Security: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12540
- Journal Title Details:
- 33
- Notes:
- 8 pages, The term “feminization of agriculture” is used to describe changing labor markets that pull men out of agriculture, increasing women's roles. However, simplified understandings of this feminization persist as myths in the literature, limiting our understanding of the broader changes that affect food security. Through a review of literature, this paper analyses four myths: 1) feminization of agriculture is the predominant global trend in global agriculture; 2) women left behind are passive victims and not farmers; 3) feminization is bad for agriculture; and 4) women farmers all face similar challenges. The paper unravels each myth, reveals the complexity of gendered power dynamics in feminization trends, and discusses the implications of these for global food security.
23. Liberation extension: building capacities for civilizational transition
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Copeland, Nicholas (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-27
- Published:
- International: Springer Link
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12541
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture and Human Values
- Journal Title Details:
- 2022
- Notes:
- 12pgs, COVID 19 has exacerbated and underscored structural inequalities and endemic vulnerabilities in food, economic, and social systems, compounding concerns about environmental sustainability and racial and economic justice. Convergent crises have amplified a growing chorus of voices and movements calling for new thinking and new practices to adapt to these shifts, mitigate their impact, and address their root causes through far reaching changes in social and economic life and values, including breaking with the free market paradigm. In the face of a historic choice between transition or multiple systems collapse that deepen injustice and threaten planetary survival, I make the case for expanding on liberatory tendencies in Extension programs to build capacities for response-ability to transition toward more just and sustainable futures.
24. Good farm practices and improved processing technology of enset for sustainable hunger solution in Ethiopia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kudama, G. (author), Tolera, T. (author), and Gebeyehu, L. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-01
- Published:
- International: Springer Link
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12574
- Journal Title:
- Innovation and Entrepeneurship
- Journal Title Details:
- 11
- Notes:
- 20 pages., Given the multi-benefits, enset cultivation has been continuously underutilized in Ethiopia. We assess best practices, processing technologies, environmental maintenance, multi-benefits of enset and its potency in hunger reduction in Ethiopia by reviewing evidence on good farm practices, improved technologies, sustainability, hunger reduction, inputs cost, and yields advantage of enset. The review results identify those best practices that optimize enset yield, technologies that facilitate extension services, processing and food qualities of enset. Moreover, we find that enset is a first-rated climate-smart crop, superior hunger solution because of its apparent capability to endure long periods (more than 5 years) of drought, highest yield, energy food supply, and costs advantages. In contrast, its long-period maturity, cultural perceptions, and little development policy attention given to enset limit its expansion. Therefore, exploring and creating universal access mechanism of early maturing and high-yielding varieties, processing technologies and mobile-based advices, involving best practices of enset in regular agricultural extension services, changing social perceptions optimize enset yield and production thereby it contributes environmental sustainability and cuts hunger challenges.
25. Small farm resource centers as informal extension hubs in underserved areas: case studies from southeast asia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Bicksler ,Abram (author), Trail, Patrick (author), Bates, Ricky M. (author), Burnette, Richard R. (author), and Thansrithong, Boonsong (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-05
- Published:
- USA: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12626
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 29, Iss. 2
- Notes:
- 19 pages, A Small Farm Resource Center (SFRC) is an informal in-situ extension model used for testing promising agricultural and rural livelihoods options on a physical central site, with some measure of extension methodology. There is a need to evaluate SFRCs as research-extension models operating outside of formal government extension and advisory services. Seven SFRCs located in Southeast Asia were studied to classify extension methodologies adopted by those centers, evaluate extension efficacy, and to provide recommendations for amplifying their services. On average in 2013, SFRCs were 21.1 years old, covered 24.2 ha, cost 242,000 USD to establish and had a yearly operating cost of 28,500 USD. The work of the seven SFRCs could be classified into five predominant extension methodologies: on-site and off-site demonstrations, on-site and off-site trainings, and off-site extension outreach. Most of the SFRCs utilized combinations of these and tailored their methods to the particular context. Besides agricultural production, SFRCs also offered socio-cultural and socio-economic assistance, owing to a cycle of extension knowledge refinement. SFRCS were re-engaged in 2021 and all 7 were still operational, and the majority provided the same number or more services (57%) as in 2013, utilized the same amount of space (71%), and were perceived to have the same or more efficacy (71%) even in the face of decreasing or stagnating funding (71%) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, SFRCs continue to be used successfully throughout Southeast Asia and provide cost-effective and needs-based extension and advisory services to underserved populations outside of formal extension services.
26. The adoption problem is a matter of ft: tracing the travel of pruning practices from research to farm in Ghana’s cocoa sector
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Adomaa, Faustina Obeng (author), Vellema, Sietze (author), Slingerland, Maja (author), and Asare, Richard (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-11
- Published:
- USA: Springer
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12650
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture and Human Values
- Journal Title Details:
- Iss. 39
- Notes:
- 15 pages, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are central to sustainability standards and certifcation programmes in the global cocoa chain. Pruning is one of the practices promoted in extension services associated with these sustainability efforts. Yet concerns exist about the low adoption rate of these GAPs by smallholder cocoa farmers in Ghana. A common approach to addressing this challenge is based on creating enabling conditions and offering appropriate incentives. We use the concepts of inscription and afordance to trace the vertically coordinated travel of recommended pruning from research to extension and farming sites, and to describe how pruning is carried out diferently at each site. Our analysis suggests that enactments of pruning at the extension site reduce the number of options and space for interactions, and this constrains making the practice meaningful to farmers’ repertoires. The conventions guiding and legitimising actions at this site, reinforced by sustainability standards, certifcation schemes and associated inspections and audits, favour standardised recommendations and consequently narrow room for context-specifc diagnostics and adaptions. Therefore, we reframe the adoption problem as a matter of fitbetween different sites in the ‘agricultural research value chain’ embedded in the operational cocoa chain. Our contribution problematises the dominant framing of low adoption and highlights that the movement of pruning and the sequential enactment at different sites constrain the affordances available for rendering the practice meaningful to farmers’ repertoires. Consequently, addressing the low uptake of GAPs requires institutional work towards conventions that can construct a fit between sites along the agricultural research value chain
27. Describing North Dakota small farmers and their connection with extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Berg, Lindy (author), Marx, Adam A. (author), and Hoffman, Travis W. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022
- Published:
- USA: American Association for Agricultural Education
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12670
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 63, N. 3
- Notes:
- 17 pages, Small farms and small farmers are a growing sector of the agricultural economy nationwide. Notably, small farms are influenced by similar antagonists to the success of their business as large, concentrated operations, but they experience it differently. The purpose of this study was to describe small farms and farmers in North Dakota to assist North Dakota State University Extension in defining their needs for programming development. We found that nearly 45% of small farmer respondents are women. Small farmers prefer to access information for their operations in a variety of ways but like to engage with Extension through more direct and personal means. Recommendations include developing programming targeted at female farmers and organizing Extension information resources targeted at small farm needs, specifically.
28. Agricultural extension: criteria to determine its visibility and accountability in resource poor communities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hlatshwayo, P. P. K. (author) and Worth, S.H. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-08-08
- Published:
- South Africa: African Journals Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12673
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 47, N. 2
- Notes:
- 8 pages, Agricultural extension can be defined as the entire set of organisations that support and facilitate people engaged in agricultural production to solve problems and to obtain information, skills and technologies to improve their livelihoods and well-being. Extension officials should ensure that farmers are engaged and capacitated so that they can make production decisions that are not in conflict with nature, yet such decisions ensure that their well-being is improved. With 75% of the world’s poor living in rural areas, the topic of improved agriculture through agricultural extension is viewed as central to poverty reduction. There have been questions posed by stakeholders (communities, policy-makers and politicians) about the non-visibility and accountability of agricultural extension in the communities that it is supposed to help. There are however a number of factors (perceived or real) that make agricultural extension less or not visible nor accountable. Therefore, this paper investigates and proposes a theoretical framework or model to ensure that agricultural extension is visible and accountable to all stakeholders. This will in turn ensure that there are noticeable increases or improvement of the lives of the resource poor farmers and communities.
29. Review of agricultural extension and advisory services in sub-saharan African countries. progress with private sector involvement
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Nwafor, Christopher Ugochukwu (author), Ogundeji, Abiodun Akintunde (author), and Nwafor, Ifeoma Chinyelu (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-02
- Published:
- Poland: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Poznaniu
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12675
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agribusiness and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 61, N. 3
- Notes:
- 12 pages, Agricultural extension and advisory services in Africa have significant impact on food security as well as economic and social development. Recent moves towards a pluralistic delivery system, facilitated by the emergence of private-sector led initiatives in many countries are the subject of policy and academic discourse. This study used an adapted, fit-for-purpose market systems development framework to review available research in extension and advisory services in selected sub-Sahara Africa countries. Using a literature survey methodology, we report evidence of multiple actors in extension delivery, findings that point towards evolution towards mixed delivery as well as objectives. While there are significant uptake of cost-recovery approaches among commercially-oriented farmers, many smallholder farmers still depended on donor-funded services. Our review adds to existing knowledge through incorporating a market systems development framework, which extends the often-used willingness to pay approach, and highlights the need for merger of both public and private-sector objectives to achieve developmental outcomes.
30. Exploring the impacts of lead farmer selection on community social learning: the case of farmer-to-farmer model: a review of literature
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ochieng, Willis (author), Silvert, Colby J. (author), and Diaz,John (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-09
- Published:
- USA: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12681
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 29, N. 3
- Notes:
- 27 pages, Agricultural extension has shifted towards community-centric, farmer-centered, and participatory approaches that enhance rural change through a social learning lens, resulting in the emergence of the farmer-to-farmer extension model. The purpose of the study was to understand lead farmer selection criteria within the farmer-to-farmer model and their impacts on community social learning. We applied Torraco’s (2005) integrative literature review method to guide our discussion around lead farmer selection processes, types of lead farmers selected and their impacts on social learning. The study indicated farmer-to-farmer extension model has the potential of re-invigorating the provision of agriculture extension services owing to its low cost, reliability, and the potential to be sustainable. However, farmer-to-farmer faces numerous challenges such as a lack of funding, limited community adoption, and acceptance of the system. This study’s findings suggest the farmer-to-farmer approach can be more effective when stakeholders, especially the community is actively involved in designing, implementing, and evaluating the model. The study recommends that practitioners work closely with the community to develop long-term relationships based on trust through intentionality and inviting attitude that respects and values community knowledge.
31. Adoption of improved agricultural practices: Learning from off-season vegetable production in Nepal
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ghimire, Raju (author), Suvedi, Marari (author), and Kaplowitz, Michael (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-09-01
- Published:
- USA: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12682
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 29, Iss. 3
- Notes:
- 18 pages, This study examines factors that appear to contribute to farmers’ adoption and discontinuation of poly house technology for off-season vegetable production. We collected cross-sectional survey data from a sample of 151 households in Kaski district, Nepal during October 2018. The data are analyzed using Heckman’s two stage sample selection model. The study reveals that the family members report being engaged in nonfarm sector that there is an increased probability of discontinuation of poly house technology. Farmers may be diverting their labor towards nonfarm activities that result in higher returns to labor and different risks. At the same time, the results indicate that farmers who did not receive training on vegetable production were more likely to discontinue poly house technology. It was also found that increasing farmers’ engagement with marketing activities increased the likelihood of farmers to continue poly house technology and increase household income. The provision of continued technical support (e.g., training), input supply (e.g., seeds, fertilizers) and market information are essential to sustain the adopted technologies. The study sheds light on the sustainability of technology adoption by underpinning the importance of extension services for longer-term adoption. We believe that the combined effect of various technologies would be associated with sustained adoption of the improved off-season technologies. This provides a new direction to operationalize farmer-oriented policies in agricultural extension and helps in devising programs for sustained adoption of technology.
32. Identifying respondent group representation in extension capacity assessments: a meta-synthesis of the literature and a primary study
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lamm, Kevan W. (author), Powell, Alyssa (author), Lamm, Alexa (author), and Davis, Kristin E. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-12-29
- Published:
- USA: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12685
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 28, Iss. 5
- Notes:
- 33 pages, A key factor in determining the future of agricultural extension efforts is ensuring that the voices of those who need to be heard are represented at all stages of the decision-making process. As agricultural extension becomes increasingly globalized, it is critical that the diversity of voices represented within capacity assessments likewise increases. Using two distinct approaches, the present study attempts to address a current gap within the extension literature specifically related to extension assessment respondent groups. First, 97 extension related assessment manuscripts were identified during a literature review and analyzed for respondent group. The results indicated most studies included only one respondent group. Among these assessments clientele and Beneficiaries and Formal Power Roles were the respondent group categories most frequently examined. Next, a primary study was conducted to identify which respondent groups should be represented in capacity assessment according to agricultural extension experts. The panelists had the highest level of agreement regarding the inclusion of extension clientele and beneficiaries within capacity assessments. However, panelists agreed that representation from outside influences and formal power roles were also important to include in the capacity assessment process. The results indicate extension networks should purposively include a diverse set of respondents when conducting assessments to ensure a comprehensive perspective is represented.
33. Analysis of factors affecting dissemination of agricultural information among farmers through ict in punjab,Pakistan
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ahmad, Waqar (author), Ali, Tanvir (author), Shahbaz, Babar (author), and Siddiqui, Muhammad Tahir (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-06-10
- Published:
- Pakistan: Directorate of Agricultural Information Lahore
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12690
- Journal Title:
- journal of agricultural research
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 59, N.2
- Notes:
- 7 pages, Present study was carried out in 2018-19, in the three districts of Punjab i.e., Faisalabad, Sargodha and Muzaffargarh to analyse the factors affecting dissemination of agricultural information to farmers through ICT tools. One hundred and twenty respondents were selected randomly from each district, making a total sample of 360 respondents. Concerning the general use of ICT tools in the dissemination of agricultural information, the findings indicated a change in trend from the radio (11.1%) towards TV (85.6%) and mobile phone SMS (75.8%). The relevance of information and ICT tools’ cost appeared as common determinant factors for technology transfer effectiveness by ICT tools. Furthermore, farmers also indicated that the most effective tool to disseminate agricultural information was television, followed by the mobile phone and social media. Moreover, most of the farmers (81.7 % and 73.1%, respectively) indicated that the lack of innovative information and difficulties in using ICT tools were significant barriers while communicating via these tools. The use of television and mobile phones in extension should be improved because they were relatively more popular among farmers. It was recommended that the Punjab government should also design a system of periodic monitoring and evaluation of the use of information and communication technologies in the extension with agricultural universities’ participation and relevant non-governmental organizations in Punjab. A dynamic feedback system should be designed, based on the local advisory committees’ recommendations, to determine the local farmers’ needs/problems, which should be sent immediately to the Directorate of Agricultural Information to suggest some suitable solution and disseminate through ICTs.
34. Participation in agricultural extension and labor productivity: a case study of smallholder farmers in Ghana
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Anang, Benjamin Tetteh (author) and Ayambila, Sylvester Nsobire (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-07
- Published:
- Germany: CENTMA Research
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12697
- Journal Title:
- International Journal on Food System Dynamics
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 11, N. 3
- Notes:
- 10 pages, Low agricultural productivity remains one of the main factors influencing poverty and food insecurity among smallholder farmers in many developing countries. Among the key interventions assumed to influence agricultural productivity of smallholders is the provision of agricultural extension services to farmers. Access to agricultural extension however remains low in most developing countries thus slowing down agricultural productivity growth. This study therefore sought to determine the labor productivity effects of agricultural extension in northern Ghana using data from a cross-section of 300 smallholder farm households. The results of a binary probit model indicated that participation in agricultural extension increased with farming experience, farm size, access to irrigation and group membership but decreased with years of formal education and household size. Regression estimates of a labor productivity model revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between agricultural extension and labor productivity. Also, labor productivity increased with farming experience, household income, access to irrigation, degree of specialization in production and the level of conventional inputs used per man-day of labor but decreased with participation in off-farm work. The authors recommend an increase in agricultural extension coverage to ensure that more farmers are reached with information on modern technologies to enhance their labor productivity. Furthermore, farmers need access to inputs such as seed and fertilizer to improve the productivity of labor.
35. Nexus between the invisibility of agricultural extension services and rural livelihoods development: Assertions from rural farming communities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Qwabe, Q.N. (author), Swanepoel, J.W. (author), Zwane, E.M (author), and Van Niekerk, J.A (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-11-02
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12717
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol.50, N.2
- Notes:
- 16 pages, Agricultural extension is one of the essential services that are offered by the South African Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD), to facilitate agricultural development in rural communities. The significance of agricultural extension is that it offers new knowledge to farmers and allows space for growth through various interventions such as agrarian transformation and improving livelihoods through the promotion of agriculture as a vehicle for ‘pro-poor’ economic growth. However, there is a concern that extension services are invisible in resource-restricted and previously marginalised rural communities. The study presented in this paper examined farmer’s experiences with extension practitioners and the impact of a lack of extension services on the development of impoverished rural communities. The researchers adopted a qualitative design wherein six focus group discussions were held to gather data from the farmers. Data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti22, a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). Four themes of extension services that have a direct linkage to livelihood development, namely, the impact on rural livelihoods, production challenges, marketability, and economic impact, and the invisibility of extension services, were the central point of discussion.
36. Access to extension and advisory services by emerging livestock farmers in uThungulu district municipality of KwaZulu-Natal
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Nkosi, N.Z. (author), Antwi, M.A. (author), Masafu, M.M. (author), and Rubhara, T.T. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-11-02
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12719
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 50, N.2
- Notes:
- 16 pages, Lack of access to agricultural extension and advisory services has been identified as one of the major challenges facing emerging farmers in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of access to these services by emerging livestock farmers in uThungulu District Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal. A survey design was used with face-to-face interviews to collect data using a semi-structured questionnaire. A sample of 1 437 was randomly selected from 4 792 emerging livestock farmers in the district. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 software. The results show that more than 90% of emerging livestock farmers in the district had high access to public extension and 14% had access to private extension, in addition. About 32% of the respondents also had access to extension and advisory services from agricultural cooperatives. There was an improvement in access to these services by emerging farmers compared to the past. The involvement of the private sector and cooperatives in rendering extension and advisory services to emerging livestock farmers shows that various stakeholders are involved in improving emerging livestock farmers in the province.
37. Harnessing the use of alternative media for South Africa’s agricultural extension service delivery in the face of the covid-19 global pandemic
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Yusuf, S.F.G. (author), Popoola, O.O. (author), and Yusuf, F.T.O. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-11-02
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12721
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 50, N. 2
- Notes:
- 19 pages, Agricultural extension service delivery remains pivotal in disseminating contemporary and innovative agricultural information, and the training and capacity building of farmers; all of which are critical to increased farmer productivity. There are several agricultural extension methods used by extension field officers to engage their target farmers; some of the contact methods used, like the individual and group methods amongst others, necessitates close interactions between both parties. As such, physical contact between persons cannot be avoided. In the current spate of COVID-19 threats to global health, there is a possible risk of human-to-human transmission of the disease. Some temporary measures like social distancing and the ban of gatherings are currently utilised by many countries to mitigate the rapid spread of the virus. The findings of several research reports showed that these restrictions negatively impacted agricultural extension service deliveries. This paper, therefore, reviewed alternative media delivery mechanisms as a probable palliative measure in sustaining the continuous delivery of agricultural information to farmers. The paper recommends intensifying the use of the electronic extension (E-extension) system. The mobile and computer/web-based platforms should be significantly harnessed (where applicable), while concurrently promoting the intense use of print media, radio, television, agricultural documentaries and instructional videos.
38. Assessment of extension services on capacity building of smallholder livestock farmers in Midvaal local municipality, Gauteng province
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Manyakanyaka, B. (author), Modirwa, S. (author), Tshwene, C. (author), and Maoba, S. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-11-02
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12722
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol 50, N. 2
- Notes:
- 15 pages, The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of extension services on capacity building of smallholder livestock farmers in Midvaal Local Municipality, Gauteng Province, South Africa. A simple random sample technique was used to select the participants, so that individual farmers in the study population could have an equal chance of being selected in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 148 smallholder livestock farmers. The data gathered from participants was coded and captured in Microsoft Excel. Descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, mean, percentages, standard deviation, ranking order, and inferential statistics such as binary logistic regression were used to analyse the data. Results showed that technical farm visits (M = 3.3, SD = ±1.36) and informal training (M = 3.2, SD = ±1.31) were effective extension methods. Furthermore, they showed that extension services were less effective at enabling farmers to penetrate formal markets (M = 2,0 SD = ±1.06) and access finance (M = 1.9, SD = ±1.01). The binary logistic regression model revealed that gender and farming status were the main variables that significantly (P<0.05) influenced smallholder livestock farmers’ access to extension services. It was concluded that extension services in the study area were playing a major role in the capacity building of smallholder livestock farmers.
39. The Influence of budget allocation to implement the policy of extension and advisory services in South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lukhalo, T. (author) and Zwane, E.M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-10-20
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12723
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 50, N.1
- Notes:
- 19 pages, Extension support is viewed as an enabler of food security. However, the literature reveals that extension within the public sector in South Africa is not yet geared to satisfy the needs of resource-poor smallholder producers to break away from poverty and food insecurity. This paper is aimed at reviewing budget allocation and public expenditure on agricultural extension support services to provide evidence-based recommendations to inform the implementation of the national policy on extension and advisory services. The study was conducted using budget allocation and expenditure data collected through a survey questionnaire directed at nine provincial departments of agriculture. The problem investigated was to establish whether the budget allocated to provincial extension services would be sufficient to implement the extension policy. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics including t-tests of differences in means. The study has delivered several findings: a). The budget execution rates were high for both the extension practitioners and the farmer programmes, with budget execution for farmer programmes being better than that for extension practitioners. b). The budget trends indicate an efficient system of budget execution for the benefit of the farmers. c). There were statistically significant differences between mean budget allocation for extension practitioners and farmer programmes. d). It was further found that the differences between the mean expenditure on extension practitioners and mean expenditure on farmer programmes were statistically significant. e). Consistent with budget allocation, mean expenditure on farmer programmes was higher than mean expenditure on extension practitioners leading to the conclusion that farmer programmes spent significantly higher than extension practitioners in the five financial years. f). On the other hand, it was found that the cost of implementing the newly developed national policy on extension and advisory services was found to be greater than the current budget allocation. The paper concluded that the budget allocation was insufficient, yet farmers received value for money.
40. Analyzing the delivery of public agricultural extension services to rural households during Covid-19: A case study of Idutywa, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Mzuyanda, C. (author), Luvhengo, U. (author), Jiba, P. (author), Khobai, H. (author), and Letsoalo, S.S. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-11-02
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12724
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol, 50, N.1
- Notes:
- 16 pages, This study analysed the delivery of public agricultural extension services to the rural households of Idutywa, Eastern Cape. Primary data were collected from 75 participants. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Results revealed that there is generally a lack of access to extension services by households in the study area. Above all, the findings showed that access to agricultural extension services is influenced by limited movements, cellphone data, household size, and a limited number of farmers for training. Based on the control and treated variables, the Average Treatment Effect Treated from Kernel, Nearest Neighbours, and Radius matching methods were found to be negative which means that if farmers did not receive the program during the pandemic, the performance and yields were going to be very poor and low. The study recommends that extension officers should be empowered with modern tools to deliver need-based agricultural extension services in the future.
41. The Influence of budget allocation to implement the policy of extension and advisory services in South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lukhalo, T. (author) and Zwane, E.M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-10-20
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12725
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 50, N. 1
- Notes:
- 19 pages, Extension support is viewed as an enabler of food security. However, the literature reveals that extension within the public sector in South Africa is not yet geared to satisfy the needs of resource-poor smallholder producers to break away from poverty and food insecurity. This paper is aimed at reviewing budget allocation and public expenditure on agricultural extension support services to provide evidence-based recommendations to inform the implementation of the national policy on extension and advisory services. The study was conducted using budget allocation and expenditure data collected through a survey questionnaire directed at nine provincial departments of agriculture. The problem investigated was to establish whether the budget allocated to provincial extension services would be sufficient to implement the extension policy. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics including t-tests of differences in means. The study has delivered several findings: a). The budget execution rates were high for both the extension practitioners and the farmer programmes, with budget execution for farmer programmes being better than that for extension practitioners. b). The budget trends indicate an efficient system of budget execution for the benefit of the farmers. c). There were statistically significant differences between mean budget allocation for extension practitioners and farmer programmes. d). It was further found that the differences between the mean expenditure on extension practitioners and mean expenditure on farmer programmes were statistically significant. e). Consistent with budget allocation, mean expenditure on farmer programmes was higher than mean expenditure on extension practitioners leading to the conclusion that farmer programmes spent significantly higher than extension practitioners in the five financial years. f). On the other hand, it was found that the cost of implementing the newly developed national policy on extension and advisory services was found to be greater than the current budget allocation. The paper concluded that the budget allocation was insufficient, yet farmers received value for money.
42. A multimodal degree completion needs analysis of agricultural and extension education graduate students in Sub-Saharan Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Oyugi, Millicent A. (author), Baker T, Mathew (author), Lamm, Alexa (author), and Lamm, Kevan W. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-09-01
- Published:
- USA: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12726
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 29, N. 3
- Notes:
- 23 pages, Increasing doctoral degree holders in Sub-Saharan Africa may significantly impact the quality and quantity of undergraduate and graduate programs. Research capacity is crucial to successfully completing a thesis or dissertation and obtaining a graduate degree. Unfortunately, in Sub-Saharan Africa, many students abandon or delay their degrees at this stage due to limited research and writing skills. This study aimed to identify the most critical thesis and dissertation (TD) research needs of masters and PhD students from Sub-Saharan Africa. Thirty-eight skills were identified from the literature and presented to agricultural education and extension/leadership students. Borich (1980) and Witkin (1984) needs assessment models were used to ascertain the perceived importance and extent of students' knowledge of TD topic areas. The top identified needs were extracting a manuscript from a thesis, writing a journal article, choosing inferential statistics, deciding the descriptive statics, and what to review in the literature. A total of 15 items were identified as critical needs using the Witkin model. The findings identified challenges and opportunities for improving Sub-Saharan African graduate students' research knowledge and TD performance, implying that combining the two models to identify training needs may produce more comprehensive results than using only one methodology.
43. Building Bridges: improving extension support to organic growers in North Georgia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Marabesi, Amanda Olbrick (author), Kelsey, Kathleen D. (author), Anderson, James C. (author), and Fuhrman, Nicholas E. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-02-18
- Published:
- USA: School of Human Sciences at Mississippi State University
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12728
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Human Sciences and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 9, N. 1
- Notes:
- 20 pages, Organic agriculture has the potential to improve the environmental performance of U.S. agriculture, supporting increasing food demand and diversification of food consumption while improving the quality of ecosystems. Organic growers are challenged by a lack of Cooperative Extension agent support as agents have not served organic growers to the same extent as conventional growers nationwide. Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory guided our phenomenological inquiry to explore (a) what agents experienced while supporting organic growers, and (b) how agents experienced providing support to organic growers in north Georgia. According to participants, the essence of the support offered to organic growers was an uneven bridge. Agents were willing to provide growers with the resources to support organic production; however, they lacked theoretical and empirical knowledge regarding organic agricultural production that would enable them to establish stronger relationships with growers. Findings from the study and the uneven bridge metaphor led to an original model to assist Extension agents in better serving the organic agricultural community.
44. Towards an efficient post Covid-19 ict based extension service delivery model for the sugar industry of eSwatini
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Dlamini, M.M. (author), Worth, S.H. (author), and Ajayi, O.A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-12-09
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12730
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 49, N. 3
- Notes:
- 15 pages, This study presents a designed ICT based extension service delivery system for the sugar industry of Eswatini. The model is an improvement of the current system and it presents a delivery system that is void of many limitations. This model emanates from findings of a survey which involved all smallholder sugarcane farmers (N=172) and their extension officers (N=17). The survey investigated how information and knowledge are currently managed within the sugar industry. Basically, the model revolves around the use of mobile phones to relay information among the sugar industry stakeholders in a timely, more organised, productive and cost-effective ways, without contravention of the COVID-19 pandemic protocols. Sugarcane stakeholders can now be able to exchange information using the model without having to meet physically, which is what most of the traditional approaches required. The exchange of information can be in a form of voiced, pre-recorded information in the form of texts, audio, or audio visuals. This would go a long way in enhancing smallholder farmer’s productivity as it has the potential of empowering more rural sugarcane farmers with crucial information for improved productivity. The model has the potential to sustain itself as the participation of the stakeholders is promoted.
45. Assessment of climate change training needs of agricultural extension agents in Abia state, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ifeanyi-obi, C. C (author) and Ekere, K (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-12-09
- Published:
- South Africa: South African Society for Agricultural Extension
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12731
- Journal Title:
- South African Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 49, N. 3
- Notes:
- 14 pages, The study assessed the agricultural extension agents' climate change training needs in Abia state. Eighty-three extension agents were chosen for the study using a simple random sampling procedure. Questionnaire was used to collect data, which was then summarized using percentages, frequency counts, and the mean. The findings indicated that male agricultural extension agents comprised a majority (53%) of the state's agricultural extension agents. The average household contained between one and five members (60%). Only 10% have a master's degree, while the majority (69%) have a bachelor's degree. The average length of employment was 15 years. The study's findings indicated that there are still extension agents who are unaware of climate change (1%). Agricultural extension agents in the study area have a limited understanding of all six climate change statements. Extension agents provide significant climate change services to farmers, including technical advice on climate change ( =2.0), the establishment of Small Plot Adaptation Techniques (SPAT) to monitor the impact of climate change (=2.1), and educating farmers on appropriate agrochemicals for climate change adaptation (weed and pest control) ( =2.2). Additionally, the results indicated that understanding fundamental climate change concepts ( =3.7), utilising cultural practises to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts ( =3.4), and environmentally friendly management practises to mitigate and adapt to climate change ( =3.4) were the primary areas of need for climate change training among extension agents. Inadequate funding for training (=3.4), a lack of financial support from organizations ( =3.3), and an inability to access financial support from funders (=3.3) were the major barriers to attending climate change training for extension agents. Regular climate change seminars and training workshops for agricultural extension agents at the federal and state levels will help to improve their overall knowledge of climate change issues. The Agricultural Development Program should utilize Forth nightly training (FNT) meetings to educate extension agents about climate change issues.
46. Alternative agricultural extension functionaries in India: Substantive role of (ICTs) - study of e-Choupal
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Cherupelly, Naveen Kumar (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-09-30
- Published:
- Nigeria: Academic Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12738
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 14, N.3
- Notes:
- 8 pages, Agricultural extension is now backing on the development agenda. The acknowledged failure of the traditional extension model in India has stimulated debate on extension reforms and the introduction of new extension models. Further, Indian agriculture has recorded an alarming ‘knowledge gap’ where ‘knowledge’ became central to agricultural production. The role of extension functionaries today is more challenging and demands structural and functional changes to meet the holistic needs of farmers and they have to equip themselves to cope with the drastic chance and dire needs. Agricultural extension is not only about imparting knowledge and securing adoption of improved practices but it also aims at changing the outlook of farmers. Moreover, Indian agriculture is undergoing a rapid transformation under globalization from a simple making a living to complex endeavour. Information revolution leads to fundamental changes in economic, political, social and cultural relations. Information technology is the lifeblood of many other technologies. It is opined that there is direct relationship between communication and development of agricultural sector. New information technology provides the opportunity for innovation. The ‘free flow of information’ will help the farmers is to overcome the knowledge gap and the availability of the new technology lead farmers to make real choice. This paper emphasizes on the role of ICTs in contemporary agricultural context and critically understands the failure of traditional extension functionaries.
47. An overview of agricultural extension in Ghana and Burkina Faso and implications for sustainable agriculture in West Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Santuah, Niagia (author), Abazaami, Joseph (author), Kaunza-nu-dem Millar, Katharine (author), and Amikuzuno, Joseph (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-07-31
- Published:
- Nigeria: Academic Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12740
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 14, N.3
- Notes:
- 7 pages, Agricultural extension is the medium through which external agricultural technologies have been transferred to and transplanted in Africa to improve agricultural performance. Over a period of close to a century, different agricultural extension models have been proposed but their structure and content has virtually been the same: top-down, linear, non-participatory transfer of technology with no feedback loops for reverse diffusion. This presumably explains the poor performance of Africa’s agriculture and the scale of food security challenges facing the continent. In this review paper, we trace the history of agricultural extension and examine various agricultural extension delivery models to identify their major strengths and weaknesses, using Ghana and Burkina Faso as case studies. We then review the most recent literature in the field about the philosophy, scope, content, delivery, and outcomes of agricultural extension. The conclusion that agricultural extension has consistently remained out of sync with the needs and aspirations of stallholder farmers was reached. Smallholder farmers are now calling for new agricultural extension delivery models that are truly farmer-led, indigenous knowledge-based, context-specific, culturally-relevant and environmentally-sustainable to guarantee efficient farming systems into the future.
48. Factors influencing adoption of irrigation technologies among smallholder farmers in Machakos County, Kenya
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Muluki, Kithome Mary (author), Rasugu, Mogaka Hezron (author), Njeri, Mugwe Jayne (author), and Nyarindo, Isaboke Hezron (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-07-20
- Published:
- Nigeria: Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12756
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 26, N.3
- Notes:
- 16 pages, The study examined the factors that drive decisions to adopt and use irrigation technologies among smallholder farmers in Machakos County, Kenya. Data were collected from a sample of 300 smallholder farmers. Cross-sectional survey design, a multistage sampling procedure and random sampling method were employed. Percentages, means and econometric analysis were used in data analysis. Results showed that, 31.7% of the respondents practiced irrigation. Sex of household head, education, farm size, off-farm income, credit accessed and access to extension services positively influenced adoption of irrigation technologies. Adoption intensity was positively influenced by gender, off-farm income, farming experience, primary occupation and extension services. As a result, it is suggested that while formulating development strategies and programs for smallholder farmers, agricultural extension organizations should give priority to these factors.
49. Capability of extension agents in disseminating climate change information in Delta State Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ozioko, Remigius Ikechukwu (author), Eze, Kelvin Chinedu (author), Emordi, Abigail Ngozichukwuka (author), Okoronkwo, David John (author), and Nwobodo, Cynthia Ebere (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-07-20
- Published:
- Nigeria: Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12757
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 26, N.3
- Notes:
- 12 pages, The study assessed the capability of extension agents in disseminating Climate Change (CC) information in Delta State, Nigeria. A multi-stage procedure was used in selecting 60 respondents. Data were collected on respondents’ capacity for outreach to farmers; existence of linkage on CC and sources of information on CC, constraints to building capacities for outreach and strategies to strengthen capacities. Mean, percentage, were used for analysis. Findings showed the existence of training on CC (23.3%) and practical learning experience on CC adaptation (20.0%). Lack of human resources (x= 3.30) and training programmes on CC (x= 3.23) were constraints to building capacities for outreach. Organization of seminars, workshops (x= 3.58), proper staffing (x= 3.57), provision of incentives (x= 3.55) were suggested as strategies to strengthen capacity for outreach. Extension agents in the state lack the requisite facilities for outreach to farmers on climate change agricultural adaptation. Also, there are inadequate human and material resources necessary for effective coverage of the farming population. Government and development organizations should hire qualified extension personnel and provide weather observatory for CC outreach in Delta State.
50. The role of conservation agriculture in bridging gender gaps in Tanzania: the case of sustainable agriculture Tanzania
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Msuya, E. (author), Mhanga, M. (author), and Massawe, F.A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-10-20
- Published:
- Nigeria: Faclty Of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12762
- Journal Title:
- Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 21, N.1
- Notes:
- 9 pages, Despite agriculture’s great potential to Tanzania agricultural development, the sector faces diverse challenges. For example, existence of gender gaps in accessing agricultural production resources and benefits obtained from the same impede the sector’s growth. Therefore, adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) has been seen as one of the measures to address the sector limited productivity. Nonetheless, there is limited knowledge on how CA has managed to reduce gender inequalities in accessing both reproductive resources and benefits accrued from agriculture. This paper examines gender gaps in conservation agriculture programme implemented by Sustainable Agriculture in Tanzania (SAT), by specifically analyzing gender participation and relations in CA in Morogoro municipality and Morogoro district. This study adopted a mixed method approach whereby both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from four sites where SAT implements its activities. Findings show that CA has significantly reduced gander gaps in accessing production resources and services as well as raising women’s participation in decision making with regards to production and use of income obtained from sales of produce. Farmers regardless of the gender can access extension services, and credit, and are involved in various initiatives collectively. Despite the economic benefits, findings show that CA is laborious and takes much of farmers’ time, women being more affected. Therefore, it is recommended that the central and local governments and various stakeholders should promote the spread of conservation agriculture technologies since it reduces the biasness in agriculture and empowering women. Ensuring access to advanced cheap technologies to farmers. Nonetheless, there is need to ensure that female farmers are not overburdened in the process.