12 pages, Mobile phones are almost universally available, and the costs of information transmission are low. They are used by smallholder farmers in low-income countries, largely successfully, to optimize markets for their produce. Fabregas et al. review the potential for boosting mobile phone use with smartphones to deliver not only market information but also more sophisticated agricultural extension advice. GPS-linked smartphones could provide locally relevant weather and pest information and video-based farming advice. But how to support the financial requirements of such extension services is less obvious, given the unwieldiness of government agencies and the vested interests of commercial suppliers.
Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 133 Document Number: C20240
Notes:
Burton Swanson Collection, In section F of the "2000 conference proceedings: Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education", 16th Annual Conference, March 29th-April 1st, 2000, Arlington, Virginia, USA
12 pages, Agricultural extension and advisory services in Africa have significant impact on food security as well as economic and social development. Recent moves towards a pluralistic delivery system, facilitated by the emergence of private-sector led initiatives in many countries are the subject of policy and academic discourse. This study used an adapted, fit-for-purpose market systems development framework to review available research in extension and advisory services in selected sub-Sahara Africa countries. Using a literature survey methodology, we report evidence of multiple actors in extension delivery, findings that point towards evolution towards mixed delivery as well as objectives. While there are significant uptake of cost-recovery approaches among commercially-oriented farmers, many smallholder farmers still depended on donor-funded services. Our review adds to existing knowledge through incorporating a market systems development framework, which extends the often-used willingness to pay approach, and highlights the need for merger of both public and private-sector objectives to achieve developmental outcomes.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: C21121
Notes:
Pages 39-73 in Innovation and development: policies, concepts and cases for agriculture and forestry in international cooperation. Wissenschaftsverlag Vauk Kiel KG. 212 pages.
Knight, A. John (author), Somasundaram, D. (author), and Professor and Head, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India; Extension Education Centre, Cashew Research Station, Vridhachalam, India
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1980-12
Published:
India
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 98 Document Number: C08059
