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62. Adoption Determinants of Agricultural Extension Communication Channels in Emergency and Non-emergency Situations in Ghana
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Bawa, Kambersua (author), Abukari, Abdul-Basit Tampuli (author), Awuni, Joseph Agebase (author), and Yildiz, Fatih (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-01-21
- Published:
- International: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12426
- Journal Title:
- Cogent Food & Agriculture
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 7 Issue 1
- Notes:
- 15 pages., The determinants of agricultural extension communication channel usage depend on several factors but have not been explored in the context of emergency (Fall Armyworm outbreak) and non-emergency situations. A multistage purposive sampling technique was used to select 318 farmers, focusing on the districts and the communities with the highest reported cases of fall armyworm infestation. Descriptive statistics and a multivariate probit analysis were used in the analysis of the data. The results showed an increase in the intensity of channels’ usage in the emergency situation. It was also found that fertilizer and improved seeds were the most common extension need. Channels are found to be more complementary in the emergency case. In both situations, some factors explaining the choices of these channels varied, while others agreed. The study recommends multiple channels are made available and that time-consuming channels irrespective of their effectiveness should be avoided by extensionists in emergency situations.
63. Adoption and intensity of use of mobile money among smallholder farmers in rural Ghana
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kofi Asravor, Richard (author), Boakye, Afia Nyarko (author), and Essuman, John (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-04-21
- Published:
- International: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12310
- Journal Title:
- Information Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Online First
- Notes:
- 10 pages., he impact of mobile money services in sub-Saharan Africa have been largely recognised. However, empirical studies are principally lacking on the factors influencing the decision to own a mobile phone (first hurdle), register with mobile money (second hurdle) and the intensity of use of mobile money services (third hurdle). This study examined the determinants of the mobile phone ownership, drivers of registration (participation) of mobile money services, and the intensity of use of mobile money services in rural Ghana by employing the triple hurdle approach. The first and second hurdle were analysed using the logit model while quasi-poisson regression was used to analyse the third hurdle. The analysis from the cross-sectional data showed that the decision to own a mobile phone was driven by household size, marital status, the farm size, access to electricity, income status and the type of occupation engaged, whereas the decision to register with mobile money was influenced by the age, educational status, marital status, household size, farm size and the type of occupation engaged in by the household head. The intensity of usage of mobile money services was influenced by the age of the household head, higher educational level, marital status of the household head, household and farm size as well as the distance of the household heads from the mobile money agent which directly influences the intensity of use of mobile money services by household heads. The study recommends that strategies that promote access to electricity and occupation in the formal sector or both farming and trading in the rural communities should be promoted. Furthermore, policy attention should focus on location, farmers and farm characteristics.
64. Adoption and perception of farm management information systems by future Swiss farm managers – An online study
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ammamm, Jeanine (author), Walter, Achim (author), and Benni, Nadja (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-10
- Published:
- United States: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12567
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Rural Studies
- Journal Title Details:
- 70
- Notes:
- 8 pages, The use of digital technologies in agriculture offers various benefits, such as site-specific application, better monitoring, and physical relief. The handling of these technologies requires a specific skill set. Therefore, the question arises of when and how farm managers learn about digital technologies. Aiming to analyse the current situation, the present research investigated the role that digital technologies play in vocational training for future farm managers. Taking the example of farm management information systems (FMIS), the present study also analysed various predictors of adoption, including the effect of training. To investigate these research questions, an online survey among teachers and students of the farm management vocational programme across Switzerland was conducted in the spring of 2021. In total, 150 individuals participated, 41 of whom were teachers. Participants answered questions about the learning content in the farm management programme and their perception of digital technologies in general. Students further reported whether they already had a farm they would be managing in the future and how they perceived FMIS. The results indicate that both teachers and students are convinced that digital technologies play an important role in agriculture and will gain more importance in the future. A substantial part of 43% of the students who participated indicated that they had learned neither about digital technologies during their basic agricultural training nor the subsequent farm management programme. In terms of FMIS, 51% of the student sample indicated that they had never heard about FMIS during their agricultural training. While having learned about FMIS was not a significant predictor for adoption, gender, perceived ease of use, and intention to use more digital technologies in the future significantly predicted the adoption of FMIS. The paper concludes that, to support the adoption of digital technologies and FMIS specifically, training for future farm managers should focus on how to operate an FMIS to increase the perceived ease of use of this technology.
65. Adoption as adaptation: Household decision making and changing rural livelihoods in Lombok, Indonesia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Williams, Liana J. (author), van Wensveen, Monica (author), Grunbuhel, Clemens (author), and Pupsadi, Ketut (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01
- Published:
- United States: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12575
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Rural Studies
- Journal Title Details:
- 89
- Notes:
- 9 pages, In agricultural research for development adoption of new technology tends to be cast in categories: adoption, partial adoption, dis-adoption or non-adoption. While these may serve for pragmatic classification and measures for project success or impact they fail to properly acknowledge the ongoing and independent efforts of farmers (and others) in experimentation and integration of knowledge across a range of sources. This paper explores responses to practices for cattle management introduced during a research project, at project close, and five years after the project has finished. We consider the perceptions and application of new knowledge by farmers, extension staff, and policy makers. By taking a longer-term view, we demonstrate how farming households adapt and integrate knowledge from different sources into their daily practice, influenced by local institutions and changing cultural expectations, as well as external researchers. We also consider the influence of changing government priorities and incentives in steering farm-management decisions. Results suggest that a focus on measures to build capacity and empower farmers with information to adapt and respond to change, regardless of project activities, is a much more important goal and indicator of impact than measuring adoption.
66. Adoption challenges, needs for extension programming, and program delivery formats for organic grain producers in the U.S. Corn Belt
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Han, Guang (author), Grudens-Shuck, Nancy (author), Arbuckle, J. Gordon (author), and Martin, Robert (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-19
- Published:
- United States: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12518
- Journal Title:
- Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
- Journal Title Details:
- 46
- Notes:
- 33 pages, This study surveyed 258 organic grain farmers in Iowa in the U.S. Midwest. We identified seven areas of challenges related to organic grain farming adoption: organic farming operations, marketing, policy, finance, inputs and information, social pressures, and land tenure. Respondents reported three key areas where extension programs were needed: education, research, and technical services. Regarding outreach formats, organic farmers preferred events where peers were featured or provided leadership, such as field days, one-on-one mentor programs, and farmer-to-farmer workshops. Results provided empirical evidence to support theoretical discussions and policy implications on issues related to adoption of organic grain farming.
67. Adoption of ICT-based information sources and market participation among smallholder livestock farmers in South Africa
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Nwafor, Christopher Ugochukwu (author), Ogundeji, Abiodun Akintunde (author), and van der Westhuizen, Calu (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-02-17
- Published:
- Switzerland: MDPI
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D13067
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture
- Journal Title Details:
- V.10, Iss.2
- Notes:
- 13 pages, The study explored the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT)-based information sources to market participation among smallholder livestock farmers. Use of ICTs is considered paramount for providing smallholder farmers with required market information, and also to reduce market asymmetries. A double hurdle regression was utilized to analyze data collected from 150 smallholder livestock farmers in the study area. The results show that while use of ICT-based market information sources significantly influenced market participation, the effect of using ICT-based information sources on the intensity of market participation was not significant. Other variables shown to influence both market participation and the intensity of market participation were age, additional income and membership of farmer cooperatives. This suggests the need to consider other associated factors in the application and design of interventions that utilize ICT-based information sources to achieve market engagement among smallholders.
68. Adoption of e-commerce by the agri-food sector in China: the case of Minyu e-commerce company
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Yang, Xiaoshan (author), Chen, Xiaowei (author), and Jia,Fu (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- China
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 131 Document Number: D11322
- Journal Title:
- International Food and Agribusiness Management Review
- Journal Title Details:
- 23(1) : 157-171
- Notes:
- "This teaching case provides an example of adopting e-commerce in the interaction and trading activities between participants in the food sector through a typical agricultural products e-commerce company in China." It can be used to teach graduate/postgraduate students in agricultural business, MBA and executive programmes about the agri-food e-commerce business model.
69. 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.
70. Advisory services and farm-level sustainability profiles: an exploration in nine European countries
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Herrera, Beatriz (author), Gerster-Bentaya, Maria (author), Tzouramani, Irene (author), Knierim, Andrea (author), and University of Hohenheim Agricultural Economics Research Institute Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Germany: Taylor & Francis
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10258
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 25(2) : 117-137
- Notes:
- 22 pages., Via online journal., Purpose: This study explores the use of advisory services by farm managers and its linkages with the economic, environmental and social performance of farms. Design/methodology/approach: Using cluster analysis we determined groups of farms according to their sustainability performance and explored the correlations between contacts with advisory services and a set of farm-level sustainability indicators. Findings: There exist significant differences in the number of farmers’ contacts with advisory services across countries, type of farms, farmers’ degree of agricultural education, utilized agricultural area, legal type of farm ownership and economic size of the farms. We identified three groups of farms that have different sustainability performance, are different in farm characteristics and relate differently to advisory services. The number of contacts with advisory services is positively related to the adoption of innovations, the number of information sources utilized and the adoption of farm risk management measures. We find no clear linear relationship between advisory services and environmental sustainability. Theoretical implications: This study derives hypotheses to analyze causalities between indicators of farm-level sustainability and advisory services. Practical implications: Results suggest the importance of taking into account the heterogeneity of farming systems for the design, targeting and evaluation of advisory services. In addition, results confirm the importance of selection of indicators that can be used in multiple sites. Originality/value: We used a harmonized indicator of advisory services and a harmonized set of farm-level sustainability indicators in nine different EU countries that could be used to evaluate the role of advisory services in the achievement of multiple objectives in different groups of farms in multiple sites.