Jäckering, Lisa (author), Gödecke, Theda (author), Wollni, Meike (author), and Department of Agricultural Economics and
Rural Development, University of Goettingen,
Goettingen, Germany
Format:
Online journal article
Publication Date:
2019-07-10
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 114 Document Number: D10997
16 pages., Wiley Online Library, To date, little is known about how information flows within farmer groups and how extension interventions could be designed to deliver combined information on agriculture and nutrition. This study uses unique network data from 815 farm households in Kenya to investigate the structure and characteristics of agricultural and nutrition information networks within farmer groups. Dyadic regressions are used to analyze the factors influencing link formation for the exchange of agricultural and nutrition information. In addition, we apply fixed-effects models to identify the characteristics of central persons driving information exchange in the two networks, as well as potentially isolated persons, who are excluded from information networks within their farmer groups. Our results show that nutrition information is exchanged within farmer groups, although to a limited extent, and mostly flows through the existing agricultural information links. Thus, diffusing nutrition information through agricultural extension systems may be a viable approach. Our findings further suggest that group leaders and persons living in central locations are important drivers in the diffusion of information in both networks and may thus serve as suitable entry points for nutritionsensitive extension programs. However, we also identify important heterogeneities in network characteristics. In particular, nutrition information is less often exchanged between men and women, and some group members are completely isolated from nutrition information exchange within their farmer groups. We derive recommendations on taking these differences in network structure and characteristics into account when designing nutrition-sensitive extension programs.
15 pages, In the development process, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), which also commonly referred to as electronic media or cyber media have been acknowledged as a new instrument that could facilitate the need of new information and innovation for rural people or farmers. However, several studies reported that extension and communication based electronic media in developing countries encounter more problems rather than in developed countries. This research aims to investigate the ownership, access, utilization or functions of ICTs for obtaining information supporting the daily life of farmers and for promoting various farming activities in the coastal area of Kulon Progo Regency Yogyakarta. The research method of the study was a descriptive method that has been conducted by a mixed method. The study found that in line with modernization in agriculture, farmers have been using conventional and new electronic media including television, radio and mobile phone with function for getting new information. Conventional electronic media are still dominant while the use of new electronic media has been gradually increasing. Information gathered from ICTs includes social, cultural, economic, health and environmental issues. The use of new electronic media particularly the internet via smartphone has newly started to be utilized among farmers in the coastal farming area who intensively engaged in horticulture crops cultivation mainly for getting and exchange the market information. Information on technological innovation is still dominant among farmers. Better infrastructure and mobility access, improvement of telecommunication network and development of content and format of information provided by new media will be prospective in the future.
