3 pages, Big data represent a new productive factor (the "new oil" for advocates) that generates new realities in agriculture. By adding an extra "cyber" dimension to current farming systems, big data lead to the emergence of new, complex cyber-physical-social systems. However, our understanding of the sustainability of such systems is still at a rudimental stage. In this critical review we attempt to shed some light on this topic, by identifying and presenting some issues that put in doubt the sustainability of big data agriculture. By using a punctuated equilibria lens, we argue that despite their contribution to the economic and environmental performance of farming, big data act as a speciation mechanism. Hence, they lead to new forms of intraspecific, interspecific and intergeneric competition, thus putting at risk the most vulnerable players of the game. We conclude by pointing out that to holistically address the interrelation between big data and agricultural sustainability we need a hybrid research line, which will combine the qualities of both technology-oriented research and critical social science.
Subair, Stephen K. (author / University of Botswana Library)
Format:
Proceedings
Publication Date:
2001-04-04
Published:
Africa: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 138 Document Number: C20943
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, pages 357-363, from "Emerging trends in agricultural and extension education", AIAEE 2001, Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference, April 4-7, 2001, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 182 Document Number: C36962
Notes:
9 pages., Describes outcomes of two workshops aimed at documenting and analyzing the experiences gained in building multi-stakeholder partnership in implementing 12 DURAS-funded projects.
Cernea, Michael M. (author), Coulter, John K. (author), Russell, J.F.A. (author), and The World Bank; The World Bank; The World Bank
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1985
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 62 Document Number: C02056
Notes:
INTERPAKS, In: Cernea, M.M., Coulter, J.K., and Russell, J.F., eds. Research-extension-farmer : a two-way continuum for agricultural development, proceedings of a World Bank and UNDP Symposium held in Denpasar, Indonesia, March 1984. Washington, D.C. : The World Bank, 1985. p. 3-10, A recurrent theme of most discussions on agricultural research and extension is that the linkages between these two vital parts of the agricultural support services are often weak or nonexistent. This paper briefly discusses the main causes of the weak links between extension and research, the choices confronting policy makers in deciding on investments for research and extension, the overriding need for responding to the production problems of the farmers, and the neglect and importance of the social science perspective in developing the research-extension-farm continuum.
search through journal, CGIAR - the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, established in 1971 - is a consortium of international, national and private agencies, through which 13 international agricultural research centres and related institutions are funded. The emphasis, clearly, is on the word "international", and the centres specialise in work which needs the facilities that can best be provided by large, well equipped, international institutions - although the results of their work reach farmers through national sources. At the time of the groups' tenth anniversary, Professor Bunting considers its history and structure and assesses its achievements, its problems and its prospects.
14 pages., Edutainment, the combination of education with entertainment through various media such as television, radio, mobile phone applications and games, is increasingly being used as an approach to stimulate innovation and increase agricultural productivity amongst smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Shamba Shape Up, a widely publicised makeover reality TV programme, is an example of edutainment that has received considerable attention, and airs in three countries in East Africa where it is estimated to be watched by millions of viewers.
There is no published academic research on the influence of makeover television formats on innovation systems and processes in smallholder agriculture. Using an Agricultural Innovation Systems approach, this paper explores how makeover edutainment is influencing smallholder farmer innovation systems together with the effect this is having on smallholder farms. In the absence of previous research, it articulates a Theory of Change which draws on research traditions from mass communication, agricultural extension and innovation systems.
Data came from two large scale quantitative (n = 9885 and n = 1572) surveys and in-depth participatory qualitative research comprising focus group discussions, participatory budgets, agricultural timelines, case studies and key information interviews in Kenya. An estimated 430,000 farmers in the study area were benefiting from their interaction with the programme through increased income and / or a range of related social benefits including food security, improving household health, diversification of livelihood choices, paying school fees for children and increasing their community standing / social capital.
Participatory research showed SSU enhanced an already rich communication environment and strengthened existing processes of innovation. It helped set the agenda for discussions within farming communities about opportunities for improving smallholder farms, while also giving specific ideas, information and knowledge, all in the context of featured farm families carefully selected so that a wide range of viewers would identify with them and their challenges.
Broadcasts motivated and inspired farmers to improve their own farms through a range of influences including entertainment, strong empathy with the featured host farm families, the way ideas emerged through interaction with credible experts, and importantly through stimulating widespread discussion and interaction amongst and between farmers and communities of experts on agricultural problems, solutions and opportunities. The fact that local extension workers also watched the programmes further enhanced the influence on local innovation systems.
The findings indicate that well designed makeover edutainment can strongly influence agricultural innovation processes and systems resulting in impact on the agricultural production and behaviours of large numbers of smallholder farmers.
22 pages., The disconnect between the public and agricultural production is a growing concern for the Canadian agriculture industry. A lack of knowledge regarding food production can lead to distrust in the industry and in the safe, nutritious food grown on Canadian farms. To assess consumers’ level of agricultural knowledge, we surveyed consumers about agricultural production. Results reveal a lack of basic knowledge in most areas, and a particular deficit in the areas of crop protection, organic production, and advanced plant breeding technologies. Based on these results, we recommend that the agriculture industry focus education and communication efforts on these topics.
9 pages, via online journal article, Internet is a key for globalization and a tool for communication around the world. E-commerce has been introduced as a global phenomenon in the twenty-first century by internet development. The main goal of this research is to investigate the challenges and solutions of e-commerce in Iran’s agriculture. The paper is based on a descriptive-analytical type of field research, therefore a questionnaire was prepared as our data collection tool. The population of this research was a panel of agriculture faculty members in Iran. The overall results showed that the use of e-commerce in Iran’s agriculture has many obstacles ahead in infrastructural, cultural, social and educational fields. The research findings showed that e-commerce can provide many advantages like profitability, elimination of intermediaries, agricultural production market development, farmers' awareness of market prices, and access to national and international markets, increasing competition and improving the quality of agricultural products. According to the results it seems
that infrastructure development, culture and security and confidence production, and internet training to all classes of people are the most important strategies for e-business development in agriculture. Further research in this area and using other countries’ experiences are some other proposed solutions for e-commerce development in Iranian agriculture.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C29779
Notes:
Pages 30-38 in Ian Scoones and John Thompson (eds.), Farmer First revisited: innovation for agricultural research and development. Practical Action Publishing, Warwickshire, U.K. 357 pages.
2pgs, For farmers, filling out the USDA’s Census of Agriculture before the February 6 deadline is more than a legal obligation. It’s a way to keep watch over our farmlands and help bring about necessary changes.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C29866
Notes:
Pages 168-169 in Ian Scoones and John Thompson (eds.), Farmer First revisited: innovation for agricultural research and development. Practical Action Publishing, Warwickshire, U.K. 357 pages.
Sachs, Carolyn (author) and Caye, Virginia (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
1982
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C21263
Notes:
Pages 1135-1150 in Richard Haynes and Ray Lanier (eds.), Agriculture, change and human values. Conference proceedings, October 18-21, 1982. University of Florida, Gainesville. 1176 pages., Focuses in particular upon problems in linkages between research and extension.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 141 Document Number: D06191
Notes:
Locate in file folder for Document No. D06187, Pages 56-59 in L. Johnson, Alhassan WS Anthony V. and P. Rudelsheim (eds.), 2011. Agricultural biotechnology in Africa: stewardship case studies. Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, Accra,Ghana. 60 pages., Authors emphasize the importance of having integrated communication and awareness training programmes for all players in the product life cycle.
20 pgs., Twelve U.S. states were tasked with developing nutrient reduction strategies to help address hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. To better understand the kinds of messages different stakeholders in these states are likely to encounter about such strategies, we conducted a content analysis focused on the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS). We examined 483 articles in two agricultural and two non-agricultural news outlets. We found that agricultural news outlets more often led with agricultural themes and more often used agricultural representatives as sources. The non-agricultural news outlets more often quoted representatives of environmental groups. News articles infrequently led with science or health themes. The volume of coverage over time in three of the four news outlets appeared followed similar issue attention cycles. Differences among the outlets may lead to differences in stakeholders’ knowledge or views about the INRS and conservation, posing challenges to consensus-building.
Brown, Brendan (author), Nuberg, Ian (author), Llewellyn, Rick (author), and School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide
CSIRO Agriculture
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2018
Published:
Elsevier
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 16 Document Number: D10460
10 pages., Via online journal., Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a knowledge-intensive set of practices which requires substantial access to functional agricultural extension services to enable utilisation. Despite this importance, the perspectives of those providing extension services to smallholder farmers have not been fully investigated. To address this, we qualitatively explore the perspectives of agricultural extension providers across six African countries to understand why uptake of CA has been limited, as well as the institutional changes that may be required to facilitate greater utilisation. Across the diversity of geographical, political and institutional contexts between countries, we find multiple commonalities in the constrained utilisation of CA by smallholder farmers, highlighting the difficulties non-mechanised subsistence farmers face in transitioning to market-oriented farming systems such as CA. The primary constraint relates to the economic viability of market-oriented farming where farmers remain in low input and low output systems with limited exit points. The assumed exit point used by CA programs appears to have led to a culture of financial expectancy and reflects a continuation of top-down extension approaches with inadequate modification of CA to the contextual realities of subsistence farmers. If African agricultural systems are to be sustainably intensified, we find a need for greater flexibility within extension systems in the pursuit of sustainable intensification. If extension systems are to persist with CA, it will need to be promoted through more transitional pathways that disaggregate the CA package, and with that there is a need for the provision of a mandate to, and necessary funding for, more participatory extension services.
Hansen, Michael (author / Consumer Union, Consumers Policy Institute, Yonkers, NY)
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1991
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 89 Document Number: C06115
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection; see c06599 for book; Paper presented at the Third Annual National Agricultural Biotechnology Council Meeting, In: MacDonald, June Fessenden, ed. Agricultural biotechnology at the crossroads : biological social & institutional concerns. Ithaca, NY : National Agricultural Biotechnology Council, 1991. p. 169-176
Beavogui, Sekou (author), Camara, Baba Galle (author), Morant, Philippe (author), Stoop, Willem A. (author), and Agricultural Research and Extension Network
Format:
Newsletter article
Publication Date:
2000-07
Published:
Africa: Overseas Development Institute
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 129 Document Number: C19300
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Arlington, Virginia.
Format:
Article
Publication Date:
2002-11-20
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 157 Document Number: C25551
Notes:
Retrieved December 28, 2006, 2 pages., Involves access to records about biotechnology research including safety protocols, compliance documents and corporate contracts.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C25308
Notes:
Pages 209-229 in Stephen B. Brush and Doreen Stabinsky (eds.), Valuing local knowledge: indigenous people and intellectual property rights. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 337 pages.
Cai, Jianfeng (author), O'Keefe, Garrett (author), and Cai: Information Institute, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences; O'Keefe: Agricultural Journalism, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1993
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 96 Document Number: C07568
search through journal, A study on information dissemination by journal publishing at agricultural research institutes in China focused on the following research areas: goals of publications programs, editing and publishing processes, dissemination, feedback gathering, evaluation, and corrective actions. Data were collected by surveying 75 agricultural journals published from 29 agricultural academies or provinces, municipalities or autonomous regions, and 28 research institute under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). Findings were that agricultural research institutes produced these journals mainly for disseminating their research information to other researchers, extensionists and educators. It was found that these journals published articles mostly from unsolicited manuscripts with the emphasis on the academic merit and that little interaction existed between editors and authors during the manuscript processing. Older typesetting and printing technologies seriously delayed publication and most journals were subscribed to and distributed through post offices. Promotion and marketing have not been given due attention. Journal offices at times obtained feedback from readers and evaluated the utility of publication and that the impact of publication programs was mainly evaluated on social benefits. Feedback and evaluation findings were sometimes used to improve future publications but not for the institute program planning. Recommendations are made to improve communication functions of journals programs at agricultural research institutes in China. (author).
15 Pages, As the gap in agricultural experiences between farmers and consumers grow, it is important for agricultural communicators to communicate strategically with their audiences and be proactive in addressing consumers’ concerns. Communication media can present a variety of messages or pieces of information that represent multiple perspectives within one unit. The dynamic nature of communication media, such as video and audio messages, lead to the fluctuation of feelings and responses to different elements within one singular message. While agricultural communications has traditionally relied upon quantitative and qualitative survey data, there are likely gaps in complete understandings of individual perceptions in response to varying elements of the communications message. Continuous response measurement (CRM) is a method that can be used to monitor and track individual responses to media messages in real-time to reveal critical moments within a communications message. CRM holds the potential to help those in agricultural communications understand what specific elements within messages resonate most with consumers. This professional paper explores how researchers can use CRM, showcases benefits and drawbacks of CRM, and provides recommendations for contributions to agricultural communications literature.
Greene, Catherine (author), Dimitri, Carolyn (author), Lin, Biing-Hwan (author), McBride, William (author), Oberholtzer, Lydia (author), Smith, Travis (author), and United States Department of Agriculture
Format:
Research report
Publication Date:
2009-06
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C29236
Journal Title Details:
Economic Information Bulletin No. 5
Notes:
Posted online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB55/EIB55.pdf
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C29782
Notes:
Pages 82-87 in Ian Scoones and John Thompson (eds.), Farmer First revisited: innovation for agricultural research and development. Practical Action Publishing, Warwickshire, U.K. 357 pages.
optical disks; AGRISEARCH, search through journal, AGRISEARCH, produced by SilverPlatter, is a CD-ROM product which aims at coordinating current agricultural research [projects in Africa, Canada, Europe, and the United States. The database includes current project information concerning agriculture, food, and nutrition. In addition, AGRISEARCH provides contact names and addresses of research centers working on agriculture related projects. Considering that this is the first attempt to harmonize agricultural research project information, the database has much to offer towards the development, planning and coordination of agricultural research. (author)
Haight, T. (author), Buonaiuto, M. (author), Kane-Potaka, J. (author), and Ruppert, S. (author)
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
2007
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 190 Document Number: D02463
Notes:
Only the title pages and content pages filed in paper form., ICT-KM Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), Rome, Italy. 87 pages.
Hall, Kelsey (author), Meyers, Courtney (author), and Vaught, Laura (author)
Format:
Paper
Publication Date:
2011-02
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 188 Document Number: D01498
Notes:
Paper presented in the Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists annual meeting, Corpus Christi, Texas, February 6-7, 2011. 22 pages.
Describes changes since 1973 when Jim Hightower in the book Hard Tomatoes, Hard Times focused on research agendas of the public agricultural research system.
Armour, Robert (author / Senior Agriculturalist, LAC/AG3, World Bank) and Senior Agriculturalist, LAC/AG3, World Bank
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1980
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 71 Document Number: C03164
Notes:
Includes comments and discussion by participants of the conference, In: Proceedings of the Agricultural Sector Symposia; 1980 January 7-11. Washington, D.C. : World Bank, 1980. p. 352-370., A companion paper to the one presented by J. Lindt titled "Experiences with agricultural extension and field research" on the topic of agricultural research and extension. Shows how the organization of research programs is influenced by the producer and how the communication linkage through the extension agent must be strong enough to effectively accommodate the dual role of communication between the two groups if the new technology, produced by research, is to be appropriate and adaptable to farmers' needs. Looks at problems and issues related to World Bank projects in developing nations, principally Brazil. The strong general consensus suggest that both research and extension services in many nations are still very weak and that the technology now available, particularly that developed by the international agricultural research centers, cannot be disseminated on a large scale until strong national programs in research and extension are established.
21 pages, Climate change continues to impact the livelihoods of smallholder farmers due to low adaptive capacity. In South Africa, the challenge is exacerbated by water scarcity and shortened crop-growing seasons. Climate-smart irrigation innovative technologies (CSIT) enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change. However, there is still a limited level of effective adoption and usage of these technologies in smallholder communities. This study investigated the barriers affecting the adoption of CSIT in rural areas of the Vhembe and Capricorn districts in Limpopo Province, South Africa. We explored the farmers’ socioeconomic factors extracted from farmers’ perceptions of CSIT-specific attributes. A multi-stage randomized sampling technique was used to select 100 smallholder farmers (SHF). Data analyzed by descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequency distribution are presented in graphs and tables. According to the findings, insufficient communication channels, a lack of financial availability, unstable land tenure systems, and insufficient training are the main obstacles to implementing CSIT. There is a need for policy and decision-makers to improve the communication channels for disseminating agro-meteorological information to the intended beneficiaries.
10 pages, The study sought to explore the extent to which agricultural policies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
countries incorporate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and its impact on the efforts to document and share
agricultural IK through communication efforts. A qualitative content analysis of policy documents from seven SSA countries and eight key informant interviews with knowledge management officers from the seven countries was conducted. Purposive sampling was used to select the countries, determine
documents examined, and for the selection of key informants for the interviews. The results revealed that IK was not included in several SSA countries’ governmental agricultural policies. Activities aimed at capturing, documentation and sharing IK in SSA countries were not found despite the presence of evidence of its importance to agricultural research and development. These results provide insights on the need for researchers, communicators, educators, and decision-makers to consider incorporating IK into policy associated with agricultural information dissemination to improve technology generation and adoption
Sudan: Northern Region Agricultural Rehabilitation Project, Khartoum, Sudan
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: C20498
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, pages 21-35, from "Transfer of technology for the agricultural development in the northern region of Sudan", proceedings of the in-house meeting Khartoum, Sudan, 20-22 October 1987
Reichelderfer, Katherine H. (author / Associate Director, Resources and Technology Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1989-05
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 84 Document Number: C05385
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension (author), International Fund for Agricultural Development (author), Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (author), and International Institute for Communication and Development (author)
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
2011-09
Published:
Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08112
10 pages., The smart farm, a future-oriented farm operation that integrates information and communications technologies, is an emerging trend in agriculture. This study investigates the factors affecting the adoption of the smart farm in Korea and analyzes them empirically. The research model is based on Rogers' innovation diffusion theory and existing models of adoption of information technology in organizations. The model proposes that adoption of innovative technology is influenced by relative advantages, complexity, and compatibility of the technology, the innovativeness and IT knowledge characteristics of the CEOs, financial costs, human resource vulnerability and lack of skills, competitive pressure, government support and the change to the digital environment. These factors were categorized according to TOE framework, investigated, and empirically tested using survey data to determine their influence on the adoption of smart farms. The results showed that the compatibility of technology, financial costs for the organization, and the digital environment change influence the adoption of smart farms. This study suggests practical implications for the adoption of smart farm technology based on the results.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D10090
Notes:
This proposal is maintained in records of the Agricultural Communications Program, University of Illinois . "International" section > "Philippines - IRRI" file, Office of Information Services, International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines. 6 pages., Research proposal from the author, a doctoral candidate at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos, to the International Rice Research Institute.
Farrington, John (author / Overseas Development Institute, Regent's College, London, UK) and Overseas Development Institute, Regent's College, London, UK
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1988-07
Published:
UK
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 83 Document Number: C05140
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C14396
Notes:
Chapter 2 in Gordon Prain, Sam Fujisaka and Michael D. Warren (eds.), Biological and cultural diversity: the role of indigenous agricultural experimentation in development. Intermediate Technology Publications, London. 1999. 218 pages
Miruts, GebreEgziabher (author) and Abay, Fetien (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
2001
Published:
Ethiopia
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D01208
Notes:
Pages 234-247 in Waters-Bayer (eds.), Farmer innovation in Africa: a source of inspiration for agricultural development. Earthscan Publications, Ltd., London, England. 362 pages.
Bebbington, Anthony (author) and Rhoades, Robert (author)
Format:
Book chapter
Publication Date:
1995
Published:
Peru
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C35847
Notes:
Pages 296-307 in D. Michael Warren, L. Jan Slikkerveer and David Brokensha (eds.), The cultural dimension of development: indigenous knowledge systems. Intermediate Technology Publications Ltd., London, England. 582 pages.
