Number of results to display per page
Search Results
12. 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
13. An evaluation of small groups serving as an engine room for innovation in the Northern Territory mango industry
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Hunt, Warren (author), McConchie, Cameron (author), Healy, Matthew (author), and Corriveau, Amelie (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Australia
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D11652
- Journal Title:
- Rural Extension and Innovation Systems Journal
- Journal Title Details:
- 15(1) : 73-80
- Notes:
- 8 pages., Case study of an extension project based around small groups associated with the mango industry from 2012-2015.
14. Analysis of Village Extension Agents' Access and Use of Information and Communication Technology in Delivery of Extension Services in the Central Agricultural Zone of Plateau State, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Vihi, S.K. (author), Tor, L.G. (author), Jesse, B. (author), Dalla, AA.. (author), Onuwa, G.C. (author), and Haroun, M. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-21
- Published:
- Russia: iVolga Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12427
- Journal Title:
- Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol.118(10
- Notes:
- 11 pages, This study examined village extension agent’s access and use of information and communication technology in extension services delivery to farmers in Plateau State, Nigeria. The population for the study consisted of all the village extension agents (VEAs) of the Plateau Agricultural Development Program (PADP) in the central agricultural zone of the state. Multistage sampling technique was employed in selecting the respondents for the study. Primary data were collected through the administration of questionnaires and interview techniques and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from the study shows that majority (77%) of the sampled village extension agents (VEAs) were males with a mean age of 43 years, Majority (87%) of the respondents were married with a mean household size of 4 persons. The study also showed that majority (80%) of the VEAs had tertiary education with a mean working experience of 13 years and average monthly income of ₦64875. The result also shows that four (4) out of the seven (7) listed ICT facilities were adjudged the ICT facilities accessible to VEAs in the study area having had mean values above the discriminating index (x̅ =2.50). They included; GSM (phone) (x̅ =3.94), radio (x̅ = 2.83), television (x̅ = 2.73) and computer (x̅ = 2.68). Based on 2.50 discriminating index, only two out of seven listed conventional ICT facilities had mean values above the discriminating index (x̅ 2.50) and thus were adjudged the ICT facilities used by VEAs. The GSM (phone) had the highest mean value of 3.62 followed by radio with mean value of 2.54. The logit regression result shows that coefficients of years of working experience and monthly income were significant and positively related to ICT use, while age and complexity in use of ICT were significant and negatively related to ICT use. Major constraints to use of ICT by VEAs includes; lack of administrative support in provision of ICT (87%), lack of in-service training on ICT use (66%), Poor salary/remuneration (64%), lack of awareness of ICT importance in extension (56%) among others. The study recommends intervention, serious synergy, and proactive response on the part of the government, non-governmental organization,s and extension organizations in ICT provision and training of VEAs on ICT use as well as stepping up campaigns on the importance of ICT use in agricultural extension delivery.
15. Are farmers empowered? The role of empowerment in farmer decision making about weed and invertebrate management
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Major, Jason (author), Grant, Will (author), and Stocklmayer, Sue (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019
- Published:
- Australia
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 163 Document Number: D11649
- Journal Title:
- Rural Extension and Information Systems Journal
- Journal Title Details:
- 14(1) : 1-10
- Notes:
- 10 pages., Researchers investigated empowerment in the context of two strategies, Integrated Weed Management and Integrated Pest Management. Findings suggested: "With the rise of chemical resistance, the agricultural industry has placed considerable emphasis on the need to accelerate and achieve farmer adoption if IWM and IPM, but our evidence suggests that greater emphasis should be given to understanding the socio-cultural factors that affect farmer decision making. Farmer empowerment emerged as a core concept from the data."
16. Assessing master gardeners' priorities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Relf, D. (author) and McDaniel, A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 1994-04
- Published:
- USA
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 113 Document Number: C11147
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- <4 (2): 181-184>
- Notes:
- Includes references
17. Barriers to acceptance of information and communication technology in agricultural extension in Indonesia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Purnomo, Sutrisno Hadi (author) and Kusnandar (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-03-15
- Published:
- Indonesia: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12169
- Journal Title:
- Information Development
- Journal Title Details:
- vol: 35, issue 4, 2019
- Notes:
- 12 pages, The use of information and communication technology (ICT) has become progressively widespread in various sectors including agriculture. This study investigated the barriers to the diffusion of ICT in agricultural extension. Further, the study examined the effect of barriers toward ICT acceptance in agricultural extension. A paper and pencil survey by mail was conducted to collect data from 355 respondents in the Greater Surakarta Region, Indonesia. The study discovered that individual barriers, cultural barriers, government policy barriers, support and technological barriers significantly influenced the acceptance of ICT. In line with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), these variables influenced perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and perceived intention to use of ICT. The findings suggested the methods that could be adopted by governments and non-government bodies to overcome the barriers in ICT implementation.
18. Building engagement in Facebook: A case study with Utah State University Extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kesler, Kenna R. (author), Hall, Kelsey (author), and Spielmaker, Debra (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-02
- Published:
- United States: New Prairie Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 202 Document Number: D12104
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Applied Communications
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 105, Issue 1
- Notes:
- 24 pgs., In order to stay relevant in an online world, Extension must properly use social networking platforms to effectively reach diverse audiences regarding agricultural and natural resource issues. However, few studies have focused on how Extension uses Facebook to effectively accomplish its goal. This study’s purpose was to explore how Utah State University Extension Sustainability uses Facebook to engage followers. The researchers conducted a quantitative content analysis of 504 messages posted to the USU Extension Sustainability Facebook page. Graphics and links were the most common post characteristics used by the organization. Text-only posts and posts containing videos were utilized the least. Food was the most common area of sustainability discussed on the page. Posts containing videos, shared content, or that tagged other Facebook pages in messages experienced statistically significantly higher user engagement than posts without those characteristics. Posts containing hashtags experienced statistically significantly lower engagement. Neutral sentiment appeared in the majority of posts. Additionally, information seeking was the most dominant communicative function among the posts. Neither the type of sentiment nor communicative functions were significantly connected to engagement. Future research should determine changes in knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behavior as a result of exposure to, and engagement with, the Facebook page. Additionally, a qualitative study determining consumers’ attitudes toward Facebook content can provide a deeper understanding of the audience’s thought processes and content preferences. Page administrators should craft engaging content that builds community among followers.
19. Building global leaders through field research and extension experiences in Belize
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Gill, Tom (author) and Willcox, Adam S. (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: D12683
- Journal Title:
- Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 29, Iss.2
- Notes:
- 21 pages, One of the most complex agricultural and natural resources challenges of our time is reconciling sustainable global food security and biodiversity conservation. Providing undergraduate students effective, learning experiences to develop technical and cultural competency prepares them to address this challenge and become global leaders in their disciplines. A three-year experiential research and extension project brought together 14 students and 10 faculty mentors to investigate smallholder farmers practicing conservation-compatible adjacent to the Vaca Forest Reserve in Belize. We used an agroecological approach to foster systems-level thinking and develop transdisciplinary skills of undergraduate students. Students completed applied individual research projects that explored the challenge of food security and biodiversity conservation in the tropics, and worked collaboratively with local stakeholders, design and implement extension projects based on research results. Student and faculty teams assessed cropping and soil management practices; social and economic systems; and wildlife, forestry, and ecosystem services. We assessed student learning outcomes with a tool commonly used for evaluating undergraduate research. Students reported learning gains in attitudes and behaviors toward research, mindset towards research, ability to think and work like a scientist, and research skills. Students also reported positive working relationships with mentors and peers, and a high level of publication and presentation outputs. Students reported that their Belize experience helped develop their agroecological and cross-cultural knowledge and skills, and prepared them for their next career steps. We conclude with recommendations for higher education institutions wishing to develop meaningful global undergraduate research experiences that can build the next generation of leaders.
20. COVID-19 and the Sustainability of Agricultural Extension Models
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Siankwilimba, E. (author), Hiddlestone-Mumford, J. (author), Hang’ombe Mudenda, B.M. (author), Mumba, C. (author), and Hoque, Md. E (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-05
- Published:
- United Kingdom: Visnav
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12485
- Journal Title:
- International Journal of Applied Chemical and Biological Sciences
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 3 (1)
- Notes:
- 20 pages., Agricultural extension and advisory services in information and technology dissemination and delivery are critical in a developing country’s food security and sustainability. Without extension service provision, the productivity and production smallholder farmers are experiencing would have been much lower, and current global hunger and malnutrition worse. This paper assesses the effects of COVID-19 on the sustainability of agricultural extension models/approaches for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Over 60 papers were reviewed covering 2019-2021, commencing with the disease outbreak in China. Based on characteristics and usage, the findings indicate most reviewed extension models were disrupted. No single model was entirely disbanded as the impact of COVID-19 was being felt. However, each model incorporated a digital means of communication to keep farmers and service providers in touch. There is considerable criticism around the inadequacy of these extension techniques in advancing the agenda for smallholder farming’s long-term viability that needs to be addressed