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2. Challenges experienced by aquaponic hobbyists, producers, and educators
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Pattillo, D Allen (author), Cline, David J. (author), Hager, Janelle V. (author), Roy, Luke A. (author), and Hanson, Terrill R. (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-12-19
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 206 Document Number: D12794
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 60, N. 4
- Notes:
- 14pgs, We used an online survey to document challenges experienced by aquaponic hobbyists (n = 81), producers (n = 117), and educators (n = 75). Responses were distilled into the following categories: 1) operations and management; 2) facilities, location, and system design; 3) knowledge and educational resources; 4) funding; 5) economic viability; 6) plant culture; 7) marketing and distribution; 8) fish culture; 9) human factors; 10) regulations and certifications. Training and research in these areas are needed to advance the aquaponics industry.
3. Facilitators and barriers to farmers’ market use in a rural area
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Jarvandi, Soghra (author), Johnson, Kristen (author), and Franck, Karen (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-06-16
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12614
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 60 Iss. 2
- Notes:
- 7 pgs, Farmers’ markets may improve access to healthful foods in rural areas. Our objective was to identify facilitators and barriers to farmers’ market use in a rural county. We collected data via surveys, focus group sessions, and key informant interviews. Study participants identified the two existing farmers’ markets as community assets. Barriers to use farmers’ markets included inconvenient market hours, not accepting nutrition assistance program benefits, limited transportation, and limited variety. Interventions to improve food access should include ways to meet the needs of specific populations such as low-income residents and residents living in outlying areas without farmers’ markets.
4. Extension and tourism: previous efforts, current trends, and the future
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Arbogast, Doug (author), Eades, Daniel (author), Goetz, Stephan (author), and Pan, Yuxuan (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-05-09
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12595
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 60, Iss. 2
- Notes:
- 12pgs, This study highlights the results of a national survey of Extension land-grant and sea grant professionals designed to better understand their involvement in state/regional tourism programming and their perceptions of tourism related opportunities and challenges. This study demonstrates the breadth and importance of Extension’s tourism programing and continued challenges including limited investment and commitment by state institutions and the larger CES for core tourism program offerings. Investments in tourism programing are recommended as a way for Extension to maintain its relevancy, and better engage and address the community and economic development needs of traditional and emerging audiences.
5. Delivering too much, too little or off target—possible consequences of differences in perceptions on agricultural advisory services
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kraft, Jannica (author), Hockert, Jenny (author), Ljung, Magnus (author), Lundberg, Sara (author), and Lunner Kolstrup, Christina (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-04-01
- Published:
- United States: Springer Link
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12495
- Journal Title:
- Agriculture and Human Values
- Journal Title Details:
- 39
- Notes:
- 15 pages, Advisory services are considered to play an important role in the development of competitiveness and sustainability in agriculture. Advisory services have been studied at policy level, structural level and within case studies, but there is still restricted knowledge about advisors’ and farmers’ view on advisory services in general. This paper presents the views of Swedish advisors and farmers on advisory services. In a survey-based study, perceptions of farm advisors and full-time farmers in commercial Swedish agriculture on advisory services were identified and statistically analysed, comparing differences between and within the groups. The results are structured around three main themes; motives for a farmer using or not using advisory services, preferred approach by the advisor and future demands on advisory services and their importance today. Possible consequences of differences in perceptions for on-farm service delivery were assessed. Similarities in perceptions on advisory services among advisors and farmers, were found in areas characterised by well-defined questions or production-related issues. Significant differences in perceptions of advisors and farmers emerged in less concrete areas and on topics connected to change, management and strategy. Consequences of discrepancies in perceptions are that advisors may deliver too much, too little or off target, especially when expectations on advisory services are not clearly expressed. A strong and proactive back-office supporting the advisors is needed to prevent these possible consequences.
6. Science communication challenges about antimicrobial resistance in animal agriculture: insights from stakeholders
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- King, Andy J (author), Wald, Dara M (author), Coberley, Denise D (author), Dahlstrom, Michael F (author), and Plummer, Paul J (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-04
- Published:
- England: British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12710
- Journal Title:
- JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 4 Iss. 2
- Notes:
- 4pgs, Background Communicating about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) requires technical knowledge, consideration of audience values and appropriate identification of communication strategies for multiple audiences. Within the context of animal agriculture, communicating about AMR represents an important and complex endeavour for veterinarians, governmental agencies, producers and the industry to convey policy and practice information regarding the use of antimicrobials in food animals. Objectives To assess the science communication challenges related to AMR by identifying the motivations, goals and struggles of animal agriculture stakeholders when communicating about AMR and AMS. Methods Participants attending a meeting on AMR communication in animal agriculture (N = 80) completed a workshop on science communication, including small group meetings with oral/written comments collected. Participants included veterinarians, government agency representatives, industry stakeholders and producers. Results Results indicated participants believed providing more accurate information would resolve misunderstanding and concern about AMR to other stakeholders, counter to recommendations of science communicators. Other participants noted beliefs about the utility of stories in trying to explain how AMS is normative and consistent with the values of all parties interested in animal agriculture. Participants noted the importance of public engagement, even if the participants’ perceived target audiences did not include the public. Conclusions Communicating about AMR and AMS in animal agriculture contexts provide unique challenges. Few evidence-based recommendations are available for science communicators in these contexts and more research is needed to improve the quality of communication about AMR and AMS in animal agriculture.
7. Extension employee health behaviors, needs, and interests: a utah-based survey
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Ciciurkaite, Gabriele (author), Sulzer, Sandra H. (author), and Parkhurst, Emma (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-28
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12532
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 60, Iss. 1
- Notes:
- 9 pgs, The goal of our study was to better understand the health and wellness practices, needs, and interests within Cooperative Extension. We used a Qualtrics web-based survey to collect data from Extension employees at Utah State University. Extension employees demonstrated interest in making healthier lifestyles a priority through Extension-specific wellness programs focused on exercise and physical activity, promotion of optimal mental health, and opportunities for personal development. Extension leaders and administrators are encouraged to offer targeted programming to enhance health and wellness within Cooperative Extension.
8. Using community food assessments to improve local food systems
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Maille, Robin L. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-28
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12479
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 60, N. 1
- Notes:
- 7pgs, Community Food Assessments (CFAs) can be used to identify resources and gaps in how food is grown and distributed in a community, and develop action plans for improvement. This article shares the process for conducting these assessments and draws lessons from CFAs conducted across Oregon. Key themes and innovative projects are highlighted to share potential programming ideas. Extension can play a role in partnership development and networking that helps create sustainable projects that improve local food systems.
9. Are religious farmers more risk taking? empirical evidence from ethiopia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Abraha Kahsay, Goytom (author), Asmare Kassie, Workineh (author), Medhin, Haileselassie (author), and Gårn Hansen, Lars (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-08
- Published:
- United States: Wiley Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12441
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Notes:
- 16 pages, There is growing evidence that religiosity affects important socio-economic outcomes. A potential channel through which religiosity affects these outcomes is by shaping individuals’ risk preferences. We combine a lab-in-the-field experiment, survey, and focus-group discussions to investigate the effect of religiosity on risk-taking among rural people in Ethiopia. We find evidence that religious farmers are more risk-taking. The effect is likely driven by the trust/belief in God as the omniscient and just power in determining outcomes under uncertainty. This is further corroborated by results from follow-up focus-group discussions.
10. Does neighborhood matter? spatial proximity and farmers’ technical efficiency
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Tirkaso, Wondmagegn (author) and Hailu, Atakelty (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-02
- Published:
- United States: Wiley Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12443
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Notes:
- 13pgs, This article examines the effects of neighborhood on the farmer's technical efficiency (TE) level, adopting a stochastic frontier and spatial Durbin regression models. Our study exploits a three-wave household-level panel data from the Ethiopian Rural Socioeconomic Survey (ERSS) collected between 2011 and 2015. We find that farmers have an average TE score of 53%, implying a substantial potential for improvement in the production level. We further find that there is a positive and statistically significant spatial interdependence in TE levels between farms in neighboring communities. Input use, education, and other demographic characteristics are found to have significant positive direct and indirect effects. The findings suggest that policies and programs targeting productivity improvements in agriculture need to consider spatial spillover effects.
11. Sheep meat consumers in Mexico: Understanding their perceptions, habits, preferences and market segments
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Alanís, P.J. (author), Miranda-de la Lama, G.C. (author), Mariezcurrena-Berasain, M.A. (author), Barbabosa-Pliego, A. (author), Rayas-Amor, A.A. (author), and Estévez-Moreno, L.X. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-02-02
- Published:
- United States: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12570
- Journal Title:
- Meat Science
- Journal Title Details:
- 184
- Notes:
- 9 pages, Sheep meat is an essential element within the multicultural mosaic of Mexican agri-food traditions. A total of 332 consumers were surveyed face-to-face in restaurants specializing in selling traditional sheep meat products. Our results showed that consumers could be segmented based on their perceptions, habits, and preferences towards sheep meat. For consumers, sheep meat is perceived as food with unique sensory attributes, coming from healthier animals than other species and traditional characters. Their willingness to pay extra is subject to the guarantee that the meat is safe, free of hormones and antibiotics, and to a lesser extent, certified organic. The multivariate analysis suggested three clusters or consumer profiles named passive, wholehearted, and deep-rooted, which explained the associations among attitudes, some demographic variables, and consumption frequency. The nascent national sheep meat industry needs to consider these concerns in developing marketing and trust strategies to attract, maintain, and build loyalty among Mexican consumers.
12. Development of Instrument to Assess Influence of Extension Conference on Intended Outcomes
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Denny, Marina D. (author) and Ellard, Martha A. (author)
- Format:
- journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-24
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12261
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 60, N. 1
- Notes:
- 5 pages., The Annual Conference for Mississippi State University Extension is the sole event at which the majority of Extension personnel gather for networking, organizational updates, recognition of efforts, and professional development. Extension leaders plan this conference with intended outcomes but without ever evaluating those outcomes beyond attendee satisfaction. We developed an evaluation instrument to determine how certain conference events influence participants’ critical psychological states and ultimately, their perceived motivation, professional enrichment, opportunities for networking, professional accountability, and organizational awareness. Rather than simply assessing attendee satisfaction, this instrument may help inform planning for successive Extension conferences and other professional development events.
13. Effects of information on smallholder irrigation farmers’ willingness to pay for groundwater protection
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Alhassan, Mustapha (author), Gustafson, Christopher R. (author), and Schoengold, Karina (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-14
- Published:
- United States: Wiley Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12445
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Notes:
- 13 pages, In Ghana, groundwater, accessed through wells and boreholes, is generally unregulated and may be contaminated with pollutants including excess nitrates from agricultural chemical fertilizers. Yet, studies estimating how clean groundwater is valued are not available in Ghana. In addition, some research suggests that the pre-experiment information provided to survey respondents affects their valuation of an identical outcome. This paper estimates smallholder farmers’ preferences for groundwater protection using pre-experiment information focused on one of two outcomes: environment or health. The double-bounded contingent valuation (DBCV) approach is used to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) to protect groundwater quality. The estimation accounts for shift and anchoring effects, which are common issues with the DBCV method. The mean WTP from the health (environmental) information subsample is about US$19 (US$17) per acre, and the values are significantly different between the information conditions. The findings shed light on the importance of using precise information in eliciting WTP in a developing country setting.
14. Agricultural value chain development in nepal: understanding mechanisms for poverty reduction
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kafle, Kashi (author), Songsermsawas, Tisorn (author), and Winters, Paul (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2022-01-12
- Published:
- United States: Wiley Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12452
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Notes:
- 18pgs, This analysis investigates the potential mechanisms and the practical significance of agricultural value chain development in a geographically challenging rural area of a developing country. Using data from a carefully designed primary survey administered in a hill and mountainous region in Western Nepal, we show that linking small-scale producers to regional and local traders can help increase income. Analysis of impact pathways shows that the positive impact on household income emerges through higher agricultural income, driven by higher sale volume at lower prices. Focusing on high value commodities in rural areas, where arable land is not always fully exploited or utilized, appears to lead to acreage expansion and some crop switching, contributing to higher supply albeit at lower prices. The positive impact on household income is practically significant; it helps improve household food security and asset accumulation. These findings are robust to alternative specifications. Targeted value chain interventions that strengthen and stabilize small-scale producers’ access to markets can contribute to rural poverty reduction via increase in agricultural income.
15. A nationwide chinese consumer study of public interest on agriculture
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Liao, Danfeng (author), Cui, Kai (author), and Ke, Lijing (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2022
- Published:
- United States: Nature
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12711
- Journal Title:
- npj Science of Food
- Journal Title Details:
- Volume 6, Issue 1
- Notes:
- 6pgs, A nationwide study was undertaken in China to understand why public interest has shifted away from agriculture and to discuss approaches that may help restore interest and support for agriculture. The study collected 2586 questionnaires from 242 cities in 31 provinces in mainland China. The results suggest that agriculture is still of public interest, but interest has shifted from traditional farming to the consumer perspective in food safety, nutrition and health, food security and agricultural history. Two groups in this study, the younger generation and those with college degrees, show less interest in production agriculture. The accelerating shift in population from rural China to urban areas explains why these two groups are less connected with agricultural issues. The authors contend that it is critically important to keep the urban population knowledgeable of the importance of agriculture and suggest ways to improve communication and support from this educated, city-dweller point of view in order to ensure a stable and secure future. The approach of science appreciation (ways to effectively communicate science to general publics) is proposed to effectively gain renewed interest and engagement with the public in the science of agriculture in order to optimize the needs and benefits from agriculture to society.
16. Can information drive demand for safer food? impact of brand-specific recommendations and test results on product choice
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Wairimu Kariuki, Sarah (author) and Hoffmann, Vivian (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-11-17
- Published:
- United States: Wiley Online
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12455
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Notes:
- 14pgs, As an unobservable attribute, food safety is likely to be under-provided by markets where regulatory enforcement is weak. In such settings, stimulating consumer demand for safer food can potentially encourage market actors to invest in food safety. Through a randomized trial in Kenya, we test the impact of informing consumers about which maize flour brands are most likely to comply with the regulatory standard for aflatoxin, a carcinogenic fungal byproduct. Providing information on safer brands alone does not significantly affect consumption behavior. However, when the same information is combined with a test performed on the maize flour stocked by the household, the likelihood that a safer brand is consumed 2 months later is 76% higher than in the comparison group. Our findings suggest that providing information on the relative riskiness of substitute foods could encourage consumers to make safer choices.
17. Insights into barriers and educational needs for farm succession programming
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Schlesser, Heather (author), Stuttgen, Sandra (author), Binversie, Liz (author), and Kirkpatrick, Joy (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-28
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12406
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 59, Iss. 4
- Notes:
- 11 pages, Planning for farm succession is vital to the longevity of the farm business. To understand the challenges with succession planning, the University of Wisconsin - Division of Extension facilitated focus group meetings across the state. These authors classified the information from the focus groups into eight codes, and each code was further subdivided into themes. The codes included Financial, Communication, Control, Change, Fair vs. Equal, Delivery, and Support, Strategies, and Educational Needs. University of Wisconsin Division of Extension Agriculture Educators utilized the information obtained from the focus groups to create a workbook that provides practical assistance when working with families planning a farm succession.
18. Measuring farmers' well- being: influence of farm- level factors on satisfaction with work and quality of life
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Herrera Sabillón, Beatriz (author), Gerster- Bentaya, Maria (author), and Keshwani, Jenny (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10-13
- Published:
- United States: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12347
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Economics
- Notes:
- 20 pages, To achieve social sustainability, there is a need to incorporate social metrics of farmers’ well- being into agricultural monitoring systems. We contribute to the operationalisation of the measurement of farmers’ well- being by determining how farm- level factors influence farmers’ satisfaction with their work and quality of life. Using a data sample of 1099 farms that are part of the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) in nine European countries, we tested a set of hypotheses related to work satisfaction and life quality perception based on a structural equation model. Satisfaction with on- farm work has a significant and substantial influence on satisfaction with quality of life. Farm- level aspects, such as working time, age of assets, financial situation of the farm and community engagement, significantly influenced farmers’ satisfaction with farming, but their joint effect explained less than one- fifth of the satisfaction. The results suggest that agricultural information systems intended to monitor and compare sustainability progress on farms would benefit from the integration of a metric measuring social concerns from the farmers’ point of view
19. Factors influencing smallholder farmers to participate in farmer-led research of agro-ecological practices in selected areas, tanzania
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Kihoma, Luambano (author), Churi, Ayubu J. (author), Sanga, Camilius A. (author), and Tisselli, Eugenio (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10
- Published:
- Academic Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12341
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13 N. 4
- Notes:
- 11 pages, Declining crop productivity is a great challenge facing smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Agro-ecological practices can improve crop productivity in a sustainable way and produce healthy food among smallholder farmers. Initiation of “Farmer-Led Research of Agro-Ecological Practices” (FLRAG) may enhance farmers’ capacities for innovation and co-develop suitable agro-ecological practices. This study aimed at identifying factors influencing smallholder farmers to participate in FLRAG. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 90 smallholder farmers in Mvomero, Bagamoyo and Masasi districts in Tanzania. Data were also collected from key informants who were extension officers. The study identified that experience in farming, easiness in accessing agro-ecological inputs, interest in doing experiments and farm size ownership are the factors that substantially influence smallholder farmers to participate in FLRAG. Therefore, researchers are advised to select participants of FLRAG by considering the mentioned factors. Furthermore, farmers selected to participate in FLRAG are advised to the use of ugunduzi app” that was developed purposefully to enhance agro-ecological research in order to test and understand its potential on smoothing agro-ecological research activities.
20. Responses of smallholder farmers on sorghum production preferences and constraints in the upper east region of ghana
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Azu, Elaine (author), Elegba, Wilfred (author), Asare, Abigail Tweneboah (author), Blege, Precious Kwaku (author), Amoatey, Harry Mensah (author), and Danquah, Eric Yirenkyi (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-10
- Published:
- Academic Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12342
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N. 3
- Notes:
- 15 pages, In spite of several strategies implemented to improve sorghum production in Ghana, average grain yield in farmers’ fields remains low and far below the estimated potential. The development of effective strategies requires continuous, in-depth understanding of production constraints as well as farmer preferences for crop traits. To this end, a participatory rural appraisal using focus group discussions, interviews with semi-structured questionnaires and preference ranking was carried out among 122 smallholder sorghum farmers in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Majority (91%) of respondents were engaged in farming with more than half of their farm sizes allocated to sorghum cultivation. Drought, high cost of farm inputs and declining soil fertility were the top three constraints. Almost 42% of farmers described their soils as low in fertility. The most preferred traits by farmers were drought tolerance, high grain yield, earliness, grain quality as well as low fertilizer requirement. A better understanding of the perceptions of farmers and factors that limit the adoption of improved technology is important to guide policy towards the design of effective crop improvement and extension programmes. The study highlights the importance of breeding sorghum varieties with traits preferred by smallholder farmers that will lead to increased adoption of improved technology.
21. Forest farming: Who wants in
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Trozzo, Katie E. (author), Munsell, John F. (author), Chamberlain, James L. (author), Gold, Michael A. (author), and Niewolny, Kim L. (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-09
- Published:
- England: Society of American Foresters
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12767
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Forestry
- Journal Title Details:
- Volume 119, Issue 5, Pages 478 - 492
- Notes:
- 15pgs, ative NTFPs species are found. We surveyed Appalachian family forest owners in 14 Southwest Virginia counties about their interest in forest farming and likelihood of leasing land for this purpose. We also asked about the owner's residency and historical connection to the region as well as contemporary land uses, and identified the following types of uses: Absentee and vacationers, newcomers, longtime farming residents, and longtime nonfarming residents. We mailed 1,040 surveys and 293 were returned (28.9%). Forty-five percent were interested or extremely interested in forest farming and 36% were likely or extremely likely to lease land. Rates of interest in forest farming and leasing were similar across owner types, suggesting broad appeal among family forest owners.
22. Farming methods and the livelihood outcomes of women in eastern uganda
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Amayo, Flavia (author), Akidi, Irene L. (author), Esuruku, Robert Senath (author), and Kaptui, Phyllis Brenda (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-08
- Published:
- Academic Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D12343
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- V. 13, N. 3
- Notes:
- 10 pages, Farming methods are closely linked to the livelihood outcomes of women. The techniques of farming and the manner in which they are applied affects realization of livelihood outcomes. Even though rural women aim at attaining positive outcomes, their efforts are jeopardized by poor farming practices. This situation is exacerbated by gender disparities in knowledge and skills, inadequate access to productive resources and power relations. The current study aims to understand what kinds of farming methods women use and their contribution to livelihood outcomes. Using qualitative interview and survey as an auxiliary method, it was discovered that women predominantly use traditional farming techniques such as intercropping, crop rotation, cover cropping and integrated animal-crop farming. The major hindrances to the gainful use of these methods are knowledge gaps and resource disparities. Most women still grapple with low incomes, starvation, diet deficiencies, inability to access medical care and clothing. They are also vulnerable to climate shocks and stresses. The study concludes that the farming methods have inadequately enhanced income, food security, wellbeing and resilience to shocks and stresses. It recommends that agricultural extension services such as training programmes should consciously target equipping women with knowledge and skills on how to use the traditional and modern methods of farming and support them to access productive resources.
23. Kentucky equestrians: defining socioeconomic contexts for extension programming
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Tumlin, Kimberly I. (author), Pekarchik, Karin (author), and Claas, Steven (author)
- Format:
- Journal Article
- Publication Date:
- 2021-07-23
- Published:
- United States: Clemson University Press
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12283
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- Volume 59, Issue 3
- Notes:
- 6 pages, Understanding relationships between demographic and economic factors and equestrian participation could improve horse program design. We implemented an online survey that characterized associations of participation in equine activities, socioeconomic factors, and economic factors with age. Seventy-five percent of respondents ride, and 34% are recreational, non-competitive participants. Respondents were mostly female, and many participate in the sport throughout life. Many respondents indicated they overspent on equestrian activities. Horse programs should incorporate information and activities that address issues unique to females, should develop skills required by amateur or recreational riders, and should incorporate information on financial wellness.
24. Appalachian region: a data overview from the 2015-2019 american community survey
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Pollard, Kelvin (author), Jacobsen, Linda A. (author), and Population Reference Bureau (author)
- Format:
- Book chapter
- Publication Date:
- 2021-06
- Published:
- United States: Appalachian Regional Commission
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 205 Document Number: D12620
- Journal Title Details:
- Online
- Notes:
- Includes a series of charts and tables detailing personal computer and cellular ownership statistics for each county in Appalachia., 26 pgs, The data contained in this Chartbook describe how residents in the Appalachian Region were faring before the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020. As such, these numbers do not measure the social and economic impact of the outbreak. The Chartbook data do, however, provide a benchmark: As data from the pandemic and post pandemic period are released in the coming years, these figures can serve as a point of comparison that ultimately can enable data users to better measure the pandemic’s effect on Appalachia’s social and economic dynamics.
25. Survey of farmers market managers in california: food safety perspectives
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Pires, Alda F. A. (author), Kukielka, Esther A. (author), Haghani, Viktoria (author), Stover, James K. (author), de Melo Ramos, Thais (author), Van Soelen Kim, Julia (author), and Jay-Russell, Michelle T. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-10
- Published:
- United States: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12287
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- v. 58, n. 5
- Notes:
- 14 pages, We conducted a survey to characterize certified California farmers markets (FMs) regarding location, seasonality, size, product, product labeling, advertising methods, postharvest practices, regulations governing vendors, training offered, and training interests. Data obtained from the survey highlight the need for improvement regarding food safety and can serve as a basis for development of collaborative education by Extension educators, regulatory agencies, and FMs. Extension professionals can play a proactive role in such training opportunities, focusing outreach efforts for training according to applicable findings and including online training venues to maximize reach to stakeholders.
26. Evaluating extension program impacts through comparison of knowledge and behavior of extension clientele versus others
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Wang, Tong (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-08
- Published:
- United States: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12333
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- v. 57, n. 4
- Notes:
- 9 pages, A new method for evaluating the influence of Extension programming involves exploring whether Extension clientele differ from others in knowledge and behavior related to a particular topic. Analysis of South Dakota farm survey data allowed for the assessment of potential impacts of Extension through comparison of knowledge and adoption regarding soil conservation practices among farmers who did and did not use Extension. Results suggest that, controlling for some farmer and farm characteristics, use of Extension is associated with higher levels of knowledge and greater adoption rates. The new evaluation methodology can be used for assessing broad-scale impacts across Extension program areas.
27. Pennsylvania agricultural producers' observations of changing environmental conditions: implications for research and extension
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Thorn, Kaila (author), Radhakrishna, Rama (author), and Tobin, Daniel (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-08
- Published:
- United States: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12331
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- v. 57, n. 4
- Notes:
- 9 pages, To understand environmental conditions Pennsylvania agricultural producers had observed in the past and what their environmental concerns were for the future, we conducted a statewide survey. We used Spearman rank order correlations to show differences between past observations and future concerns regarding environmental conditions and found a disconnect between what respondents previously had observed and their anticipations for the future. Additionally, we used chi-square analysis to determine whether perspectives on environmental conditions were related to producer demographic characteristics. Two demographic variables were significant: generation of farmer and political affiliation. Our findings can assist Extension professionals in developing programs tailored to target audiences' environmental perceptions and demographics.
28. Climate change and farmer’s perception for the sustainability of farming in khyber pakhtunkhwa-pakistan
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Israr, Muhammad (author), Faraz, Muhammad (author), and Jay-Russell, Michelle T. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-05-31
- Published:
- International: Science and Education Publishing
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 204 Document Number: D12459
- Journal Title:
- American Journal of Rural Development
- Journal Title Details:
- Vol. 8, No. 1
- Notes:
- 9pgs, This research was conducted in Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the aims to study the knowledge of farmers and to evaluate the perceptions of the farmers about Climate Change (CC). To accomplish these objectives primary data was collected from 98 randomly selected farmers by structure questionnaire through face to face interview method and was analysed by using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that majority (93%) of farmers were aware of CC phenomena and perceived changes in temperature (89%) and precipitation (86%) during the last decade. Crop diversification, soil and water management practices and application of necessary farm inputs were the farmer’s preferred adaptive strategies to CC. Barriers to adaptive strategies were the ineffective government support, lack of capital, information and extension services, traditional beliefs and high cost of farm inputs. The study concludes that climate is changing and the farmers are practicing different adaptive strategies to overcome this problem, but still there is a space for more scientifically verified strategies which can boost the farmer’s productivity and increased the overall wellbeing for the future sustainability of farming.
29. Developing herd health education for and assessing risky practices of cow-calf producer
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Allen, Andrew J. (author), Llewellyn, Donald A. (author), Kerr, Susan R. (author), Hudson, Tipton D. (author), Neibergs, J. Shannon (author), Smith, Sarah M. (author), and Moore, Dale A. (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-10
- Published:
- United States: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12327
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- v. 57, n. 5
- Notes:
- 11 pages, Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an often unrecognized problem in cow-calf herds. We describe a program we used to help producers identify and avoid practices that could increase their herds' risk for BRD. The greatest knowledge gains occurred for the topics of costs associated with BRD, BRD risks at the feedlot, and biosecurity measures. Through producer self-assessments, we found that the number of risky practices conducted by producers ranged from none to 22 per operation, averaging 10 per operation. Extension professionals should consider combining producer self-assessment with education on management as an effective strategy for informing producers of risks in their operations.
30. Leveraging utilization-focused evaluations to engage elected officials and county personnel
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lane, Trevor C. (author) and Sanders, Christina (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-10
- Published:
- Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 108 Document Number: D10951
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 57(4)
- Notes:
- 8 pages., Article # 4FEA2, via online journal., Elected officials, an audience essential to the relevance and funding of Extension, may lack knowledge of Extension's capacity to engage with them in solving local problems, building consensus, and improving strategic planning or governance. They may not consider that by collaborating with locally knowledgeable Extension professionals, they also gain access to broader university resources that can assist them in understanding community needs and obtaining relevant evidence-based recommendations. We describe how Extension and county officials and personnel implemented utilization-focused evaluation to inform county strategic planning, budgeting, and governance, leading to continuous process improvement for the county and increased support for and understanding of Extension.
31. Using hybrid learning to improve educational programs for small-acreage farmers
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- DePhelps, Colette (author), Newman, Soren (author), Golden, Lauren (author), and Mayes, Iris (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-08
- Published:
- United States: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 203 Document Number: D12328
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- v. 57, n. 4
- Notes:
- 8 pages, A whole-farm planning course in Idaho has evolved from an in-person course offered by a single instructor in one location to an online course to a hybrid learning course that combines online learning with in-person and webinar components offered simultaneously at multiple sites across the state. Evaluation data suggest that all three approaches have been effective at increasing knowledge and skills. The hybrid learning model allows for using technology to leverage faculty and farmer expertise and increase participant numbers while maintaining in-person interaction and experiential learning. Findings support the concept of the hybrid learning model as a tool for Extension audiences in rural states.
32. Effective communication of 4-H program essentials to 4-H families
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Lewis, Kendra M. (author), Borba, John (author), Hill, Russell D. (author), and Miller, JoLynn C. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-06
- Published:
- Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 32 Document Number: D10613
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 57(3)
- Notes:
- 4 pages., Article #: 3TOT5, via online journal., Youths and parents in the California 4-H program have reported issues with communication and challenges in understanding the program. As a result, we developed a family handbook and other supporting documents to help youths and parents navigate the California 4-H program. This article addresses the development, dissemination, and reach of the handbook. Additionally, the article discusses future directions and implications for other Extension programs.
33. Farmers’ perceptions regarding the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northern Pakistan
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Aldosari, Fahad (author), Al Shunaifi, Mohamed Saleh (author), Ullah, Muhammad Amjad (author), Muddassir, Muhammad (author), and Noor, Mehmood Ali (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-04
- Published:
- Saudi Arabia: Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 8 Document Number: D10318
- Journal Title:
- Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences
- Journal Title Details:
- 18(2) : 211-217
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., Like many developing countries, agriculture is seen as the vehicle for development also in Pakistan. Our study was aimed to identify the perceptions of farmer community towards the electronic media and relationship between different demographic characteristics of respondents with the use of electronic communication of TV and radio, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), a province of Pakistan. Random sampling technique was used for selecting 183 respondents. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Chi-square. Results revealed that maximum respondents were agreed that mobile and internet can be a useful source of agricultural information and only 1.6 and 5.5% of the respondents were strongly disagreed about information means, respectively. A maximum number of the respondents were undecided about “agricultural helpline can be a useful source of agricultural information”, only 14.2% of the respondents were strongly agreed with this statement. A highly significant relationship was found between age of respondents and application of information received through radio and TV. On the other side, education of the respondents had a highly significant relationship with the application of information received through radio only. Farming experience of the respondents had no significant relationship with the application of information received through TV and radio. Results suggested that extension personnel should motivate and educate the farming community about the use of electronic media (TV, radio, helpline, internet, mobile) for advanced information about agriculture production techniques.
34. Seeing is not always believing: crop loss and climate change perceptions among farm advisors
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Niles, Meredith T. (author), Wiener, Sarah (author), Schattman, Rachel E. (author), Roesch-McNally, Gabrielle (author), and Reyes, Julian (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-03-26
- Published:
- USA: IOP Publishing Ltd.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10345
- Journal Title:
- Environmental Research Letters
- Journal Title Details:
- 14(4)
- Notes:
- 11 pages., Via online journal article., As climate change is expected to significantly affect agricultural systems globally, agricultural farm advisors have been increasingly recognized as an important resource in helping farmers address these challenges. While there have been many studies exploring the climate change belief and risk perceptions as well as behaviors of both farmers and agricultural farm advisors, there are very few studies that have explored how these perceptions relate to actual climate impacts in agriculture. Here we couple survey data from United States Department of Agriculture farm service employees (n = 6, 514) with historical crop loss data across the United States to explore the relationship of actual climate-related crop losses on farm to farm advisor perceptions of climate change and future farmer needs. Using structural equation modelling we find that among farm advisors that work directly with farms on disaster and crop loss issues, there is a significant positive relationship between crop loss and perceived weather variability changes, while across all farm advisors crop loss is associated with reduced likelihood to believe in anthropogenic climate change. Further, we find that weather variability perceptions are the most consistently and highly correlated with farm advisors' perceptions about the need for farm adaptation and future farmer needs. These results suggest that seeing crop loss may not lead to climate change belief, but may drive weather variability perceptions, which in turn affect farm adaptation perceptions. This lends further evidence to the debate over terminology in climate change communication and outreach, suggesting that weather variability may be the most salient among agricultural advisors.
35. Mobile technology and food access
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Wantchekon, Leonard (author) and Riaz, Zara (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-02-16
- Published:
- USA: Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10352
- Journal Title:
- World Development
- Journal Title Details:
- 117 : 344-356
- Notes:
- 13 pages., Via online journal., Access to food is a basic pillar of human development. It is therefore unsurprising that it features so centrally on global development agendas and that a robust, interdisciplinary literature seeks to examine its determinants. This study focuses on the relationship between mobile technology and food access. Specifically, we ask whether mobile technology can strengthen the relationship between food access and certain social and political factors such as remittance flows and political participation. We use Afrobarometer surveys and highly disaggregated data on 2G network coverage to estimate a multilevel model testing how increased connectivity measured by mobile technology influences food access. We show that mobile phone use and higher frequency of use are significantly and positively correlated with food access, but we do not find evidence that remittances and political participation levels can explain the mechanisms linking mobile technology and food access. The study highlights that connectivity can play a powerful role in shaping food outcomes even when controlling for commonly identified impediments such as income constraints or physical isolation. These findings suggest that policies aimed at improving food access should devote attention to strengthening both communication and physical infrastructure.
36. A survey of communication media preferred by smallholder farmers in theGweru District of Zimbabwe
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Moyo, Rachel (author), Salawu, Abiodun (author), and Department of Communication, North West University, Private Bag X2046, Mafikeng, 2735, South Africa
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-02
- Published:
- South Africa: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 151 Document Number: D10129
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Rural Studies
- Journal Title Details:
- 66 : 112-118
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., This study is a quantitative survey of communication media preferred by smallholder farmers resettled under the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. Data were gathered using a questionnaire and simple random sampling. Communication is integral to agricultural development, particularly so in the context of the FTLRP characterized by a dearth of information, education and training, ensued by the discriminatory command agriculture (Murisa and Chikweche, 2015). Farmers' preferences of communicationmedia in receiving agricultural innovations should be prioritised to improve agricultural communication andsubsequently, productivity, which is dire in Zimbabwe in the light of the continuing food insecurity. Thefindingsindicated that farmers prefer media that are stimulating and engaging such as television and demonstrations;convenient such as mobile phones and detailed such as books probably because the majority of them do not have training in agriculture. Demographic variables of age-group and education were found to be associated with communication preferences of some media. The study has implications for agricultural communication media policy. Beyond prioritization of farmers’preferences, a model of a multi-media approach to agricultural communication has been developed, that could widen communication reach if implemented.
37. Building success of food hubs through understanding of the cooperative experience
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Schmit, Todd M. (author) and Severson, Roberta M. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-02
- Published:
- USA: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 4 Document Number: D10189
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 57(1) : 1-9
- Notes:
- 9 pages., Article # 1RIB4, Via online journal., Food hubs represent a business model through which farmers can collectively market product to access new supply chains and buyers can efficiently access locally sourced foods. Many farmer marketing cooperatives fit within the food hub definition and have existed for decades. Accordingly, much can be learned from them to support food hub business planning efforts. We developed and synthesized case studies of three successful cooperatives in order to match key food hub operational challenges with recommended best management practices. Such information is useful for Extension education efforts supporting the development of economically viable food hub businesses.
38. Project happy apples: assisting backyard growers in codling moth management
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Detweiler, Amy Jo (author) and Stephan, Toni (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-02
- Published:
- USA: Extension Journal, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 4 Document Number: D10188
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Extension
- Journal Title Details:
- 57(1) : 1-5
- Notes:
- 5 pages., Article # 1IAW6, vial online journal, Project Happy Apples began as an effort to assist backyard growers in managing codling moth in their fruit trees. We developed a process using emails and a web page to provide timely information related to the life cycle of codling moth and relevant integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. The content of our updates included pertinent photos, costs of tools, and suggested dates of action. Results from a survey of participants suggest that they were more confident, knowledgeable, and successful in using IPM strategies in their own backyards as a result of our project.
39. Information needs of the female farmers in agricultural activities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Huda, Saiful (author), Kabir, Md. Rayhan (author), Tabassum, Sumaiya (author), Sonet, Md. Rubayet Al Ferdous (author), and Muhammad, Noor (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-01-11
- Published:
- Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 114 Document Number: D11006
- Journal Title:
- Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology
- Journal Title Details:
- 30(2): 1-11
- Notes:
- 11 pages., via online journal., The purposes of this study was to determine the selected characteristics of the female farmers, to determine the information needs of the female farmers in practicing agriculture and to explore the relationship between information need and selected characteristics of the female farmers. Data were collected using interview schedule from a sample of 50 farmers out of 100 farmers of target group and 50 farmers out of 100 farmers of control group selected random sampling procedure from the beneficiaries of PROTIC project of Dimala upazila under Nilphamari district. Besides the usual descriptive statistical parameter, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used for the statistical analysis. The information needs were determined on 20 selected agricultural activities related information. It was revealed that the highest information needs was observed on ‘pesticides name’ in target groups. Lowest information needs was observed on ‘pond preparation’. In case of control groups the highest information needs was observed on pesticides name’ while lowest information needs was observed on ‘water quality management’ among the selected information of practicing agricultural activities. In target groups majority of the respondents (74 percent) mentioned medium information needs while 14 percent low and 12 percent high information needs. Among the control groups 62 percent farmers opined medium information needs while 16 percent mentioned about low information needs and 22 percent showed high information needs for practicing agricultural activities. In response to target groups it was observed that extension media contact and agricultural knowledge, annual income and aspiration while in response to control group farmers’ agricultural knowledge and aspiration are positively and age was negatively correlated with information needs of female farmers in practicing agriculture.
40. Factors influencing the information needs and information access channels of farmers: an empirical study in Guangdong, China
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Yongshan Chen (author) and Yonghe Lu (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-01-08
- Published:
- China: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10228
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Information Science
- Notes:
- 20 pages., Via online journal., Information plays an important role in meeting the quantitative and qualitative goals of agriculture in the 21st century. As an emerging economy in a developing continent, China has already made many interventions to use information technology to support agricultural development. However, information service in some rural areas is still severely limited. The overall impact of the changing information environment on the farmers’ information needs and access channels has not been fully studied. Thus, this study systematically investigates the characteristics of the information needs and channels of farmers in Guangdong, China. We have collected 4006 questionnaire samples and used correlation analysis to explore the relationships between farmers’ information needs and access channel preferences. The results indicate that individual characteristic factors, social factors and family factors have different degrees of influence on farmers’ information needs and access channel preferences. These findings can provide a reference for information construction in the rural areas of Guangdong Province and thus promote its economic development. This study can also provide useful insights for policymakers and researchers from other developing countries to formulate implementation plans to promote agricultural development.
41. Awareness, Access and Utilization of Information on Climate Change by Farmers in Zamfara State, Nigeria
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Chukwuji, Charles Nwabueze (author), Tsafe, Aliyu Gadanga (author), Sayudi, Sale (author), Yusuf, Zainab (author), and Zakariya, Ja'afar (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2019-01
- Published:
- United States: University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D12374
- Journal Title:
- Library Philosophy and Practice
- Journal Title Details:
- Winter 2019
- Notes:
- 25 pages., The study adopted survey research design. The population of the study consisted 1200 respondents comprising (staff of the Zamfara State Agricultural Development Project, FADAMA III Project, IFAD, Animal rearers and Farmers). Instruments of data collection used for the study were the questionnaire, interview and discussions. One thousand two hundred questionnaires were distributed to respondents and only 988 (82.2%) were dully returned and found usable. The results of the responses were interpreted using simple percentage and frequency tables. The findings of the study include, that 95% of Zamfara State population are farmers, Maru and Gusau Local Government Areas recorded the highest farmers’ population. It was also discovered that there was a high rate of awareness of climate change information in the State with Radio, Television, extension services as major sources of climate change information in the State. It was also discovered that farmers in the State utilize climate change information like taking decisions on what and when to plant, planting improved crop varieties among others. There is also the challenges of reduction in annual rainfall, deforestation, insect-pests attack, high temperature among others. Recommendations were made for intensified awareness campaign on climate change, increased budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector for more mitigation and adaptation capacity for the farmers.
42. How do human values influence the beef preferences of consumer segments regarding animal welfare and environmentally friendly production?
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Sonoda, Yuta (author), Oishi, Kazato (author), Chomei, Yosuke (author), and Hirooka, Hiroyuki (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-12
- Published:
- USA: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 4 Document Number: D10179
- Journal Title:
- Meat Science
- Journal Title Details:
- 146: 75-86
- Notes:
- 12 pages., via online journal, Animal welfare and environmental impacts have been emphasized in the sustainable production of livestock. Labels are useful tools for clearly providing such attribute information to consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate how human values influence consumer segments for beef with information on animal welfare and environmentally friendly production. Using a choice experiment, we examined whether animal welfare and environmentally friendly labels, country of origin and price impact consumer choice. As results, five heterogeneous consumer classes were identified using a latent class model: label conscious, domestic beef preferring, price conscious, animal welfare preferring and not interested in production method. Almost 90% of consumers were interested in and willing to pay for beef with animal welfare or environmentally friendly label. The classes with significant preferences for such labeled beef were affected by “openness to change”, “self-enhancement” and “security”. Improving consumer attitudes and strengthening consumer perception towards labeled beef by marketers and policy makers will be required.
43. Smallholder perceptions and communication gaps shape East African riparian ecosystems
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Nzau, Joslyn Muthio (author), Rogers, Rebecca (author), Shauri, Halimu Suleiman (author), Rieckmann, Marco (author), and Habel, Jan Christian (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-12
- Published:
- Springer
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10420
- Journal Title:
- Biodiversity and Conservation
- Journal Title Details:
- 27(14) : 3745–3757
- Notes:
- 13 pages., Via online journal., Human livelihood needs and nature conservation often contradict. Yet, healthy ecosystems are crucial for human livelihood quality. The semi-arid regions of East Africa suffer under demographic pressure and soil depletion. Ecosystem degradation becomes particularly visible along rivers in semiarid regions of south-east Kenya, where former pristine riparian forests have been transformed into agricultural fields and settlements with negative effects on ecosystem services. In this study, we aim to understand how local smallholders perceive the challenges for the riparian ecosystems and what factors affect their engagement in environmental conservation. We surveyed about 200 farmers and performed expert interviews with representatives from governmental institutions from the field of land- and resource management along Nzeeu River in south-east Kenya. We assessed the level of education, land use practices, environmental knowledge, attitudes and the willingness to contribute to nature conservation. We tested for spatial bias to understand smallholders’ perceptions on environmental challenges. Our data show that land division due to inheritance is not perceived as a problem by the farmers. However, owners holding < 1 ha of land property are less willing to spare some of their land for conservation, as opposed to those holding land plots above this size. Despite a high level of general willingness to conserve ecosystems, our data underline that local people hardly actively engage in conservation action. Furthermore, our data indicate a communication gap between local smallholders and regional governmental officers as well as overconfidence in mass media through the radio which can contradict successful adoption of pro-environment behavior. Sustainable land management in our study area is not a matter of education, but depends from the size of land property. There is an urgent need to bridge this communication gap, as a prerequisite to improve sustainable land management.
44. The determinants of cucumber farmers' pesticide use behavior in central Iran: implications for the pesticide use management
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Abadi, Bijan (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-12-01
- Published:
- Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10389
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Cleaner Production
- Journal Title Details:
- 205: 1069-1081
- Notes:
- 13 pages., Via online journal., The investigation of the rising use of pesticides in the Yazd City is a remarkable issue, the respective witnesses on the factors affecting the issue are lacking. For this reason, this contribution was intended to investigate the determinants of the pesticide use behavior (PUB) using the design of sequential-exploratory mixed method in central Iran. In the qualitative phase, verbal data (i.e., pesticide narratives) were collected. The heuristic units of the case study were thematically analyzed using the Atlas.ti software. The obtained results served as the data that were applied to develop the conceptual framework, including grounded concepts. By surveying 306 cucumber farmers, the proposed model was tested using the path analysis in the interface of SPSS and AMOS, indicating the model fits with the data well. The study finds that attitude towards the indigenous knowledge of the pest and disease management forecasts the PUB indirectly by the mediation of attitude, behavioral intention, and PBC. Moreover, large-scale farmers have a better understanding of the usefulness of the IPM. Furthermore, the scientific pesticide knowledge and imitation influence the PUB. Habitual behavior and avarice also have a negative impact on the PUB. In addition, trust has an indirect impact on the PUB via behavioral intention. It is necessary to take policy initiatives to enhance the efficient PUB by (1) establishing a network of indigenous knowledge relevant to the pest and disease management together with the scientific pesticide knowledge, (2) disseminating the innovations that mitigate the impact of pesticides (e.g., Biochar), (3) giving information to farmers so that they are persuaded to make money as much as they fulfill their fundamental needs, change their detrimental habits of pesticide use, and (4) raising the trust in cucumber farmers by establishing a close communication between agricultural experts and cucumber farmers and updating the technical knowledge of agricultural experts in the ground of pest and vector management as well as the use of pesticides.
45. Occupational safety and visual communication: User-centred design of safety training material for migrant farmworkers in Italy
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Vigoroso, Lucia (author), Caffaro, Federica (author), and Cavallo, Eugenio (author)
- Format:
- Online article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-11-10
- Published:
- Italy: Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 7 Document Number: D10257
- Journal Title:
- Safety Science
- Notes:
- 11 pages., Via online journal., Visual communication allows the transmission of ideas and information more easily than written communication. Therefore, visual communication is used in different sectors (education, health, machinery, marketing, politics, environmental studies, musicology, science) to overcome language barriers and to effectively convey useful information. Nevertheless, the use of visual material to improve the comprehensibility of safety training in the workplace has been under-investigated, which is particularly true in the agricultural sector, despite its hazardousness and the high number of migrant farmworkers who might benefit from training provided by means of visual communication due to their often scarce knowledge of the local language. Combining graphic composition rules with a user-centred design (UCD) approach, this study aimed to develop visual safety training material based on migrant farmworkers’ needs to increase migrant trainees’ satisfaction in the training process. Focus groups were conducted with both trainers and migrant farmworkers to identify critical issues in existing safety training material and to discuss and evaluate different prototypes of the visual material developed by the authors. Significantly higher satisfaction was reported by migrants trained with the new material compared to a control group in a final training session (U = 152.50, z = −2.165, p = 0.030). Implications for the improvement of safety training for migrant farmworkers are discussed.
46. Communicating the 4Rs to farmers: insights and opportunities
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Moody, Lara (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-09
- Published:
- USA: Soil and Water Conservation Society
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 152 Document Number: D10144
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
- Journal Title Details:
- 73(5): 128A-131A
- Notes:
- 4 pages., Via online journal.
47. Peer pressure on the riverbank: assessing catch-and-release anglers' willingness to sanction others' (bad) behavior
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Guckian, Meaghan L. (author), Danylchuk, Andy J. (author), Cooke, Steven J. (author), and Markowitz, Ezra M. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-08-01
- Published:
- Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 32 Document Number: D10629
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Environmental Management
- Journal Title Details:
- 219: 252-259
- Notes:
- 8 pages., via online journal., Given the well-documented impacts of angler behavior on the biological fitness of angled and released fish, optimizing the conservation value of catch-and-release angling hinges on the extent to which anglers are willing to adopt recommended best practices and refrain from harmful ones. One potentially powerful mechanism underlying adoption of best practices is the social pressure anglers can apply to one another to enforce community norms and values. Past work in other domains demonstrates that forms of interpersonal communication—including social sanctioning—can foster context-appropriate social norms and increase cooperative behavior; yet to date, little research has examined these dynamics in the context of species conservation. We conducted in-person and online surveys to explore the role of social sanctioning in the context of an internationally renowned wild steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fishery in British Columbia, Canada. We investigated how diverse social-psychological and demographic factors influence anglers' past and future sanctioning propensity. Results highlight that perceived capacity to influence the angling practices of others and professed concerns about one's own reputation were strongly predictive of both past and future sanctioning. Furthermore, while anglers reported relatively low-levels of past sanctioning behavior, most anglers simultaneously expressed a strong desire to sanction others in the future. Identifying ways to increase the social desirability and visibility of sanctioning actions could assist resource managers in promoting adoption and maintenance of best practices. More broadly, our findings underscore a significant yet underappreciated role for wildlife users and enthusiasts in cultivating a shared conservation ethic to help ensure biological conservation.
48. What characteristics define participants of Michigan’s healthy food incentive program?
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Parks, Courtney A. (author), Jaskiewicz, Lara J. (author), Dombrowski, Rachael D. (author), Frick, Hollyanne E. (author), Hortman, Sarah B. (author), Trumbull, Elissa (author), Hesterman, Oran B. (author), and Yaroch, Amy L. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-04-27
- Published:
- USA: SAGE Journals
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 11 Document Number: D10342
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Planning Education and Research
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., To characterize participants of a statewide healthy food incentive program in terms of shopping behaviors, surveys were collected at farmers markets (N = 436) and grocery stores (N = 131). Farmers market and grocery store respondents were mostly forty-five to fifty-four years old (21 percent to 24 percent) and female (72 to 82 percent). Grocery store respondents were more diverse. Farmers market participants were more likely to be female (p = .011), not have children (p = .006), and traveled further compared to grocery store participants. As healthy food incentive programs expand, participant characteristics should inform tailored outreach to expand to diverse populations to have a greater public health impact.
49. Consumer interest in environmental impact, safety, health and animal welfare aspects of modern pig production: Results of a cross-national choice experiment
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Grunert, K.G. (author), Sonntag, W.I. (author), Glanz-Chanos, V. (author), and Forum, S. (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-03
- Published:
- USA: Elsevier
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 152 Document Number: D10150
- Journal Title:
- Meat Science
- Journal Title Details:
- 137 : 123-129
- Notes:
- 7 pages., Via online journal., Are consumers interested in aspects of pig production and do they take these into account in their buyingdecisions when such information is available? Samples of consumers in Germany and Poland selected the two–for them–most important out of a list of ten production characteristics, relating to animal welfare, health and safety, and environmental issues. In a subsequent choice experiment, the relative weight these characteristics had in consumers' choices was estimated. Relative importance of production characteristics varied between consumer segments, with the production interested segment being bigger in Germany than in Poland. With of one animal welfare related criterion in Germany, those production characteristics that consumers perceive as most important relate to health and safety aspects rather than to animal welfare and environmental impact.
50. Consumer acceptance of innovations in food: a survey among Polish consumers
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Sajdakowska, Marta (author), Jankowski, Paweł (author), Gutkowska, Krystyna (author), Guzek, Dominika (author), Żakowska‐Biemans, Sylwia (author), and Ozimek, Irena (author)
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018
- Published:
- Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 34 Document Number: D10686
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Consumer Behaviour
- Journal Title Details:
- 17: 253– 267
- Notes:
- 15 pages., via online journal., The aim of the study was to examine the possible factors that might contribute to consumer acceptance of food innovations. Particular attention was paid to 3 main factors: (a) relationship between socio‐demographic determinants and level of consumer innovation, (b) evaluation of consumer innovation acceptance, particularly toward animal‐derived food products, and (c) consumer preferences for health‐promoting food innovation over time. Studies were conducted using quantitative research methods in 2004 and 2011. An organic method of production, least important in 2004, was top rated in 2011, and ease of preparation dropped to the bottom of the list in 2011, whereas food origin, low fat, and sugar content were ranked in the first group of the considered factors in 2011. Since 2004, consumers have become used to products with various innovations. The new generation of Poles is relatively more open to new food products, due to the wide range of food products available on the free market. Furthermore, the group of well‐educated consumers with a higher level of income has increased in size, and this includes people interested in knowledge of a product's nutritional value and its health impact. Our study extends existing research in the area of understanding consumer expectations toward food innovations. The results not only contribute to the field of consumer behavior but also have practical potential for food market applications, especially for companies operating on or planning to enter the Polish food market, and which could be used for developing communication strategies.