9pgs, This study was conducted to identify the agricultural extension needs of women farmers and to assess the impact of their participation in agricultural extension programs on vegetable production in the area. A sample of 145 women farmers from five Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions of the DS division was randomly selected for the study. Data were collected from a researcher administered survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a regression analysis. As per the results, a significant number of the women farmers have
participated in most of the extension and training programs. However, some of them haven’t registered in the farmer organization present in the area. Agricultural extension agents of the area have focused on dissemination of more information regarding modern farming technologies, organic farming, application of agrochemicals and fertilizers, and improving market systems. The majority of women farmers have
used the knowledge received from the extension programs in vegetable farming activities. Furthermore, there is a significant and positive relationship between participation in extension programs by women farmers and an increase in vegetable production. Therefore, encouragement of women farmers to register in the farmer organization, provision of timely important extension service to them, organizing training programs, and workshops to disseminate agricultural information are crucial to further enhancement of vegetable production in this area.
13 pages., via online joural., Due to inadequate personnel, information communication technologies (ICTs) have become an attractive option for delivery of extension information. This study examined awareness and use of ICTs by farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 192 farmers were interviewed. Results indicate that most farmers had no formal education and small farm holdings. Awareness of older ICTs like radio and television was more prevalent among farmers as compared with newer ICTs such as Internet and cable television. However, use of modern ICTs like mobile phones and cable television was greater than that for older technologies such as fax machines. Farmers were constrained in ICT use by prohibitive cost and service failure. The Nigerian government should encourage a liberal policy for affordable prices for modern ICT products, especially mobile telephones.
16 pages., via online journal., The goal of this study was to evaluate a radio program as a source of agricultural information and examine the relationship between specific socioeconomic characteristics and listenership. The findings revealed that half of the farmers listen to the radio program, while older farmers are more likely to be listeners. Moreover, there are no significant differences between listeners and nonlisteners with respect to education level. More focus should be given to mountainous and less favored areas where more traditional information sources prevail. It is strongly recommended that the broadcast be sustained and improved based on farmers' suggestions and be regularly assessed.
15 pages., Via online journal., Plant pests cause crop losses of 30–40%, contributing significantly to global food insecurity. The Plantwise program works alongside national agricultural extension services, who advise smallholder farmers on plant health issues and collect data on problems they face. In a 1-year pilot, Plantwise tested the use of information and communication technologies (ICT)—tablets and short message service (SMS)—with 60 Kenyan extension workers. They were able to assist more farmers with better advice, had significantly improved access to plant health information, valued being able to ask their peers for advice, and dramatically improved the quality and speed of the data they collected.
