Kenya: The World Bank Regional Mission in Eastern Africa Preferential Trade Area for Eastern & Southern African States
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 130 Document Number: C19743
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, pp. 41-48 From "Proceedings of regional workshop on agricultural research and extension and their interaction" In Cooperation with the Republic of Kenya Minitries of: Agriculture Livestock Development & Kenya Agricultural Research Institute Kenya December 2-9, 1990
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C17250
Notes:
Pages 93-107 in Carine Alders, Bertus Haverkort and Laurens van Veldhuizen (eds.), Linking with farmers: networking for low-external-input and sustainable agriculture. Intermediate Technology Publications, London, UK. 298 pages.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C19736
Notes:
Pages 221-234 in Pilar Riano (ed.), Women in grassroots communication: furthering social change. Sage Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks, California USA. 315 pages.
10 pages., via online journal., This paper investigates the impact of broadband access on agribusiness in rural Wales and the resulting implications on entrepreneurial activity. Despite attempts by Government and telecommunications providers to develop widespread broadband coverage in Wales, concerns remain in relation to an increasing digital divide between urban and rural locations. Broadband is a key enabling technology therefore connectivity is significant, not only in communication, but also in the ability for businesses to innovate and grow. Wales is a predominantly rural country with 84% of the total land area in Wales being used for agriculture (Welsh Government, 2013). The food and farming sector represents a significant part of the Welsh economy, and is dominated by small businesses. Connectivity and increased use of technology are vital for these businesses to overcome location constraints and various industrial challenges, notably Brexit. The research uses survey data from 738 farmers and 107 food SMEs in Wales, with 19 follow-up semi-structured interviews. The survey results highlight issues of technology adoption, with 19% of farmers in the survey having no access to broadband internet, with others reporting the speed of connection being a limiting factor. The consequences of poor connectivity point to limited computer skills and low levels of soft technology adoption, a lack of engagement with social media, limited scope for innovation and restricted business growth, with 55.1% of food respondents identifying poor broadband access as a barrier to internationalisation. This has led to agrifood businesses adopting a passive approach to growth opportunities. The findings suggest that rural areas remain at a disadvantage due to poor connectivity, an issue that must be tackled by the Welsh Government to readdress the balance in the economy and limit a brain drain of skilled people moving to urban areas, often outside Wales. Support for such businesses is vital, particularly given the pressures and uncertainty in the industry, as broadband access represents an important enabler for future innovation and entrepreneurial activity
19 pages., via online journal., Agricultural e‐commerce clusters are new phenomena that have emerged in rural China. In examining the case of Shuyang County in Jiangsu Province, this paper puts forward an integrated model revealing the formation mechanism of agricultural e‐commerce clusters. The paper shows that the formation of agricultural e‐commerce clusters involves four processes of technology introduction, technology diffusion, quality crisis, and industrial agglomeration based on elements such as industry bases, e‐commerce platforms, network facilities, logistics services, entrepreneurial talent, local government, and market demand. Rural social networks and imitation behaviors promote technology diffusion by reducing the cost of technology introduction, and industrial agglomeration is found in the economies showing a deepening of labor divisions and geographic agglomeration. Throughout the formation process, a quality crisis may occur due to a race to the bottom and the opportunistic behaviors of local farmers. This work suggests that regional e‐commerce development is a systematic project. Governments of developing countries should not only realize the positive impacts of e‐commerce for the development of the agricultural industry but also recognize the premise and logic of how e‐commerce can play a prominent role.
Adeniji-Soji, Jumoke (author / Steering Committee of the Media Forum for Agriculture)
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1990
Published:
Nigeria
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 93 Document Number: C06879
Notes:
see C06875 for complete proceedings, In: Lawani, S.M. and Odemwingie, T., eds. Media forum for agriculture : proceedings of the inauguration ceremony, IITA, Ibadan, April 9, 1990. Ibadan, Nigeria : International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, 1990. p. 18-19
