This paper examines factors influencing the adoption of improved maize seeds and the use of inorganic fertilizer for maize production by farmers in the intermediate and lowland zones of Tanzania. The results indicate that availability of extention services, on -farm field trials, variety characteristics and rainfall were the most important factors that influcented the extent of adopting improved maize seeds and the use of inorganic fertilizer for maize production. Farmers preferred those varieties which minimize field loss rather than maximizing yields. Future research and extension policies should empahsize farmer participation in the research process and on-farm field trials for varietal evaluation and demonstration purposes.
15 pages., This study discusses about information needs and information-seeking behavior of farmers in Cengkong Village, Karawang, West Java, Indonesia. The purposes of this study are to identify information needs and information-seeking behavior of farmers in Cengkong Village. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study method. The results show that the farmers in Cengkong Village able to identify and to express their information needs regarding to their activity. There are two kind of information needs: agricultural and non agricultural information needs. The result also shows that there are four type of information-seeking behaviors of farmers, including passive attention, passive search, active search, and ongoing search.
