Notes that radio played an important role in public education in two science-related areas - agriculture and public health. "These are (not uncoincidentally) areas in which government agencies and communities of experts took an early, active interest." Cites weather reports as early as 1921 (University of Wisconsin station) and regular farm market reports in 1922.
The International Association of Agricultural Information Specialists (IAALD)
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 102 Document Number: D10917
Notes:
14 pages., via IAALD website., The study determined farmers’ adoption of Organic agricultural technologies disseminated via radio
farmer agricultural Extension programme in Imo state, Nigeria. An interview schedule was used to
collect data from a sample of 200 farmers. Results show that radio farmer broadcast and co-farmers
were the major sources of information to greater proportion of the farmers. Data on relevance of the
organic agricultural technologies disseminated showed that almost all the technologies were perceived
to be relevant except the use of biological pest control farming. The radio farmer agricultural
programme enhanced the extent of adoption of organic agricultural technologies namely; crop rotation
practice, planting of indigenous varieties, application of compost, mulching of crops, intercropping,
mixed cropping, crop residues, animal manuring, planting of legumes, green manure, off farm organic
waste, minimum tillage and alley cropping. Nevertheless, the adoptions of the technologies were
generally low. Age, farming experience and social participation significantly influenced adoption of
organic agricultural technologies disseminated via radio farm agricultural Extension programme. Major
constraints identified include short duration of programme, inappropriate scheduling of programme,
inability to ask relevant questions and get feed back from the radio presenter. The study recommends
among other things the rescheduling of the radio programme to very late in the evenings when the
farmers will be opportune to listen to the programme.
