This article is maintained in the office of the Agricultural Communications Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign -- "International" file section -- "OCIAC" file folder.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 180 Document Number: C36212
Notes:
Section 2 in Don Richardson and Lynnita Paisley (eds.), The first mile of connectivity, Communication for Development, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. Via online. 7 pages.
21 pgs., CTs (Communications technologies) have revolutionized agricultural information services at every level in the agricultural sector, thus impacting rural development and catalysing poverty alleviation strategies. This has largely been the case with small-scale farmers in rural areas in developing countries where mobile technologies have penetrated more than most other ICT tools. However, in some of the farming environments, mobile phone use is largely driven by agricultural extension workers. This paper seeks to examine the way mobile phones are used for information access in situations where agricultural extension workers are a critical intermediary in the agricultural information services. Interviews were conducted with 10 randomly selected farmers who were part of the Dzindi irrigation scheme. The findings were that from the variety of information available to the farmers the most important source was the extension officer. The extension officer and the radio were indicated to be the most reliable independent sources of information. The other sources, such as the radio, family members, and friends, suppliers of chemicals, books and magazines, were only considered reliable if the information could be verified or vouched for by the extension officer. Increasing the information handling skills of extension officers, training of farmers to use smart features of their phones and promoting the usual face-to-face communication use of conventional methods, which is what usually gives rise to the mediation of mobile phones, were recommended.
USA: University Press of America, Lanham, Maryland.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C28672
Notes:
70 pages, "This book is intended as a critique of the field of development communication and in this, anthropology has a key role to play." Author examines the uses of radio for development, the impact on oral culture and the use of radio by indigenous people in Ecuator and miners in Bolivia.
Balit, Silvia (author) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Format:
Report
Publication Date:
1999
Published:
International
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 150 Document Number: C24244
Notes:
Retrieved May 5, 2006., 38 pages., Emphasizes the need and potentials for giving a voice to rural women in development. Presents case examples involving varied channels for communicating, from traditional media to new electronic technologies.
