Crider, Margaux S. (author), Vick, K.C. (author), Young, Jeffery A. (author), Breazeale, Nicole D. (author), Jones, Kenneth R. (author), and Zimmerman, Julie N. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2025-02-15
Published:
USA: Extension Journal, Inc.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 209 Document Number: D13542
20 pages, Extension’s evolving role in urban food production will require intensive reflexivity and ongoing collaboration. Extension educators around the country have already made progress in engaging with both the social and horticultural sides of urban agriculture. Designed appropriately, urban food systems hold the potential for healthy food access, community and environmental resilience, and economic prosperity (Rangarajan & Riordan 2019). Moving forward, we offer recommendations for Extension staff to apply within their institutions and beyond. Specifically, we urge Extension to prioritize the following: 1) mediate the rural/urban dichotomy, 2) tackle structural and institutional power dynamics, and 3) intensify strategies for community resilience.
10 pages, This paper aims to analyze the level of welfare of palm oil farmers and the factors that influence it. The research design employs a survey method. Indonesia smallholder palm oil farmers face complex welfare issues. The study employed a survey-based research design. Farmer’s sampling involved 594 palm oil farmers. Quantitative methodology with an ordinal logit regression model is applied to determine the welfare factors. The welfare analysis is carried out by household expenditure approach. The findings reveal the fact that the majority of smallholder palm oil farmers, whether with independent or partnership patterns, are prosperous. The independent pattern has a higher chance of improving welfare. The household prosperity is determined by the variables age, education, number of family members, land cultivated, palm oil income, household income, and cultivation patterns. The direct connection between farmers and the palm oil industry supply chain in the form of cooperation patterns and factory supply guarantees is a basic prerequisite in ensuring improvements in the level of farmers’ income. The practical implication recommends that strengthening farmers in the upstream production line is a precondition in developing the Indonesian sustainable palm oil industry. The synergy among stakeholders in the fair business value chain framework should start from strengthening farmers in the upstream production line.
27 pages, Despite farmers’ knowledge and awareness of soil health practices and the growing body of evidence indicating their effective use, many farmers continue to reject such practices. To further explore the role of information source credibility in the adoption of soil health practices, we sought to measure wheat farmers’ perceived source credibility of research scientists, Extension scientists, industry scientists, and general scientists and the likelihood they would adopt information about reduced and no-till practices and cover crop practices from these sources. Using an experimental survey instrument, we collected data from 127 U.S. wheat farmers. We found most wheat farmers considered themselves, Extension professionals, researchers, and other producers as scientists when seeking information about soil health practices. Participants perceived other producers, Extension professionals, and themselves as having the most trust with Extension professionals, other producers, and themselves as having the most goodwill. The means and standard deviations of perceived source credibility suggest that participants perceived each information source—general scientists, research scientists, Extension scientists, and industry scientists—as similarly credible information sources about soil health practices with a statistically significant relationship between farmers’ perceived course credibility of the four scientists and likelihood of adopting information about soil health practices from them. Our results did not indicate differences between participants’ perceived credibility of the four types of scientists or their likelihood to adopt information about soil health practices from the scientists. Effective communication has potential to impact wheat production positively, but achieving communication
5 pages, Farmers face unique occupational and interpersonal stressors that increase risk for poor physical and mental health outcomes. To educate farmers and their families about these risks, one state’s Family and Consumer Sciences faculty partnered with Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty with input from county agents to develop a series of online educational programs that were delivered as part of the state Agricultural Enhancement Program. Twenty-eight participants completed the pilot project and feedback surveys. Lessons learned include the need to have speakers from farming backgrounds, incorporate health topics that emphasize the connection with farming, and to include engaging visuals.
8 pages, The study examined the impact of climate change and extension service on rice farmers' yield in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A total of 402 rice farmers were sampled through multi-stage sampling for questionnaire administration. Primary data collected were analyzed using mean, frequency, percentage, ordinary least square multiple regression techniques, the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) model, and the probit model. Socio-economic characteristics show that a greater proportion of the farmers were male (51.7%), married (84.1%), and attended secondary education (47.8%). Sources of climate change information were farmer-to-farmer (100%), telephone/mobile phone (98.5%), radio (92.5%), workshop/seminars (73.4%), and television (46.8%). Temperature (P<-0.01), rainfall (P<-0.01), evaporation rate (P<-0.01), and severe windstorm (P<-0.01) influenced rice yield negatively, while relative humidity (P<0.05) and atmospheric pressure (P<0.01) had a positive influence on rice yield. The results from the LATE model, which measures the average effect of a treatment on the treated, show a decrease in rice yields of 84.1% and 96.5%. Production constraints felt by rice farmers include high cost of input materials (100%), inadequate capital (100%), high cost of labor (99.8%), poor extension access and service (99.5%), and Fulani-herdsmen conflict (76.9%). The study recommends rice farmers implement climate-smart agriculture to mitigate climate change and access farm information and/or services from experienced farmers.
Levinson, Jeremy (author), Lamie, Dave (author), Vassalos, Michael (author), Eck, Chris (author), Chong, Juang (author), and Reay-Jones, Francis P. F. (author)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2024-05-15
Published:
USA: Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D13277
9 pages, The Train-the-Trainer approach is widely used in Cooperative Extension education to efficiently disseminate research-based information to many clientele groups, including farmers. This paper compares the traditional Train-the-Trainer model to a comprehensive Collaborative Train-the-Trainer model and discusses weaknesses of the traditional model that are addressed in the Collaborative model. Sources of information used by farmers (growers) and overall effectiveness were measured through a survey instrument created and distributed to farmers in South and North Carolina. The Collaborative Train-the-Trainer model, which emphasizes peer-to-peer interaction and feedback loops, represents an enhanced approach for conceptualizing and implementing Extension educational programs.
6 pages, Using an intercept method at two local farmers’ markets (n= 192), this study found the notion that local foods taste better and are more nutritious (i.e., lionization) and the notion that buying locally supports and contributes to the local economy and community (i.e., communization), positively influences consumers’ attitude towards shopping at their local farmers’ market. This positive attitude subsequently influences consumer purchase behavior. Extension professionals can utilize these data-driven results to aid in effective farmers’ market promotion by communicating micro-benefits (e.g., nutrition, taste) and macro-benefits (e.g., economic impact) to potential and current farmers’ market consumers.
24 pages, Farmer-led research (FLR) is a process of inquiry wherein farmers use scientific methods to address their own on-farm curiosities and challenges in ways that are compatible with the scale and management style of their operations. With its flexible, adaptable, participatory, grassroots-oriented nature, FLR has typically been employed by farmers interested in ecological farming techniques and technologies, and evidence shows that it contributes to the adoption and improvement of ecological management practices across a range of contexts. Engagement in FLR initiatives has also been linked to positive social outcomes, including community-building, farmer empowerment, and enhanced capacity for leadership and collective action. In this paper, we present a case study of the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario’s (EFAO) Farmer-Led Research Program (FLRP), which is currently one of relatively few FLR initiatives in North America. We draw on data from a participatory, mixed-methods research project. Our results highlight how the FLRP is enabling farmers to feel more knowledgeable, confident, motivated, and inspired to adopt and/or improve ecological practices on their farms, in part by supporting them in building robust social networks that align with their farming values and priorities.
