13 pages., Article #: 3FEA2, via online journal., A multiple indicators, multiple causes, or MIMIC, modeling framework can be used for analyzing a variety of farmer decision-making situations where multiple outcomes are possible. Example applications include analyses of farmer use of multiple information sources, management practices, or technologies. We applied the framework to analyze use of multiple information sources by beef cattle farmers. We provide measures of how farmer demographics, farm characteristics, and risk attitudes influenced farmer use of information from Extension, producer groups, popular press, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Internet, and other farmers. Education and greater willingness to take risk positively influenced information use among the farmers we studied. Our process has implications for broader use within Extension.
"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.
15 pages., Securing the adoption of scalable agro-educational information and communication technology (ICT) solutions by farmers remains one of the international development community’s most elusive goals – in part due to two key gaps in the data: (1) limited comparisons of competing knowledge-delivery methods, and (2) few to no follow-ups on long-term knowledge retention and solution adoption. Addressing both of these gaps, this follow-up study measures farmer knowledge retention and solution adoption two years after being trained on an improved postharvest bean storage method in northern Mozambique. The results found animated-video knowledge delivery at least as effective as a traditional extension approach for knowledge retention (97.9%) and solution adoption (89%). As animated video can more cost-effectively reach the widest – even geographically isolated – populations, it readily complements extension services and international development community efforts to secure knowledge transfer and recipient buy-in for innovations. Implications and future research for adult learning are also discussed.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 123 Document Number: D11184
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Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 2 pages., "A new poll reports awareness and interest in technology-driven foods but reveals the need for transparency and education to remove fears and potentially drive adoption."
6 pages., Article is a revision of material presented at the annual conference (2017) of the Korea Association of SouthEast Asian Studies., Results show that participants of the farmer field schools (FFS) program were more likely to adopt the drought-tolerant rice varieties by 9.9% compared to the non-participants. "It also demonstrates that the FFS with the Local Farmer Technician system is effective in improving farmers' adoption of the newly introduced varieties in the survey area.
24 pages., via online journal., Biofortification of staple crops to combat micronutrient deficiencies is gaining global recognition. Projects promoting biofortified food crops use intensive agriculture-nutrition education and extension activities to increase adoption of such crops. This study examines the effect of such programs on the adoption and diffusion of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). It finds that intensive agriculture-nutrition education and extension programs adopted by some of the biofortification projects increases the adoption and diffusion of OFSP. Specifically, participation in mother-to-mother nutrition support clubs and nutrition-focused health talks affect its adoption and diffusion, but with varying degrees of importance. The paper discusses the implications of these findings.
8 pages., The present study was conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)-Pakistan. Three districts were randomly selected from zone C i.e. Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan with the objective to investigate the information sources of extension agents, views of extension agents on adoption constraints and the extension methods used by them. All agricultural officers and 40% of field assistants were interviewed making a sample of 81 extension agents; 10 agricultural officers and 71 field assistants. The study results indicate that 77% field assistants were educated up to Matric with two years diploma while 10% agricultural officers had M.Sc. (Hons) degree with the majority of extension agents having job experience of more than 20 years. The main sources of information for the majority (79%) of extension agents were extension publications and training. Extension agents viewed that poverty (49%), expensive inputs (21%) and illiteracy (16%) were the main adoption constraints faced by farmers. Majority (86%) extension agents reported that the extension services are farmer friendly. The most appropriate teaching methods were group meetings (38%) and method demonstration (24%), while the most frequently used method for farmers contact was individual contact method (63%) as identified by extension agents. Non- significant association exist between diffusion of improved practices with adoption constraints and best teaching method used, while significant association exist with frequently used contact method. It is recommended that necessary inputs on subsidised rates should be provided to extension agents to make extension services more farmers friendly.
26 pages., via online journal., This paper employs the patent data of four major genetically modified (GM) crops, soybeans, cotton, maize and rapeseed, to illustratee how the innovation of GM crop technology diffused and distributed globally over time. Data collected from the Derwent Innovation Index, were employed to construct country patent citation networks, from 1984 to 2015, and the results revealed that developed countries were early adopters, and the primary actors in the innovation of GM crop technology. Only seven developing countries appeared in the country citation network. Most developed countries were reluctant to apply GM crop technology for commercial cultivation. Private businesses stood out in the patent citation network. The early adoption and better performance of developed countries can be explained by the activities of large established private companies.
Online from UI Library subscription., Study examined interpersonal influence during the diffusion of agricultural innovation in a rural district of Pakistan. Findings revealed that interpersonal communication had a major role in agricultural activities, particularly that farmers were motivated through face-to-face discussion.
