INTERPAKS, Reviews how the agricultural extension agent has dealt with the process of technology transfer and the categories of farmers affected by the diffusion process. Discusses CIMMYT's model of grouping rural populations into homogenous target categories to develop appropriate technologies and the influence it has had on the process of technology development. Points out that strategies intended to assist small farmers depend as much on the creation of appropriate opportunities as on the creation of appropriate technologies.
Sampong, D.D. (author), Egyir, I.S. (author), and Yaw, Osei-Asare (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2007
Published:
Ghana
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10923
Notes:
Paper presented at the African Association of Agricultural Economists second international conference, Accra, Guana, August 20-22, 2007. 4 pages., The traditional way of information dissemination has been through people; the modern way is through the electronic media – improved information and communication technologies (ICTs). For effectiveness, modern ICTs should help women to improve on their income generating capacity. Issues of level of resource capacity of women, information needed, and current sources of such information become important. This study sought to investigate the issues above with respect to rural women food producers in the Mfantsiman District of Ghana. Simple descriptive statistics and econometric models were employed in the data analysis of 91 randomly selected respondents. The results of the study showed that: In general, the women food producers were aged, subsistence food crop farmers. They depended on the natural rainfall cycle and had inadequate funds, so they use traditional inputs for production and sell surpluses in the community. The most important agricultural information needed was on inputs, specifically, low cost in-kind or cash credit. Currently, the major information sources are relatives and other farmers in the locality, agricultural extension agents, the radio and television. This suggests that the women food producers have low resource capacity and this could limit the adoption of modern ICTs as a source of and media for information dissemination. Yet, the regression results show that the few (6) mobile phone users have a higher income generating capacity. In order to improve on capacity to use modern ICTs for increased access to other resources, women farmers’ should organize themselves into formidable groups so local institutions can assist easily.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 123 Document Number: D11184
Notes:
Online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 2 pages., "A new poll reports awareness and interest in technology-driven foods but reveals the need for transparency and education to remove fears and potentially drive adoption."
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C36364
Notes:
Pages 243-262 in Benjamin M. Compaine (ed.), The digital divide: facing a crisis or creating a myth? MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 357 pages., Author suggests that the digital divide may be disappearing on its own through declining cost, natural acculturation and growing availability. Observes that the lower cost of living in rural areas may more than compensate for having to pay higher rates closer to full cost of telecommunications.
