Dissemination of agricultural research information to farmers in Iringa district
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Date
2016
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study investigated the extent to which agricultural research information is disseminated by extension officers to farmers in Iringa district. A mixed method approach, which integrated both qualitative and quantitative research designs, was employed in this study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 90 farmers from Mlolo, Lupalama and Wenda villages in Iringa region. Thirty researchers were conveniently sampled from the Institute of Agriculture, University of Iringa, which provides training and agricultural research information to extension officers and farmers. Data were collected using questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. Microsoft-Excel and Statistical Product for Service Solutions (SPSS) version 18 data analysis programs were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data, on the other hand, was subjected to thematic analysis. The study findings found that the extent of disseminating agricultural research information in the study area was low. The findings show the majority of the farmers (33.3%) received agricultural research information from extension officers annually whereas very few (4.4%) received such information weekly. The results further show that the main types of agricultural research information disseminated to farmers were information on improved seed varieties, information on use of fertilisers, information on crop management and information on pest management. The study also established that the majority (90%) of the farmers often received information on improved seed varieties as compared to other types of information. The results of the study further demonstrate that radios, church leaders, village leaders and seminars are the main sources of information used by extension officers to disseminate information to farmers. It has also been established that short messaging services, village meetings, church meetings and agricultural input suppliers are the most effective methods used to disseminate agricultural research information to farmers. The study also found that inadequate number of extension officers, inadequate funding, and inadequate sources of information, as well as non¬ availability of electricity; political interference and the absence of information centres were factors affecting farmers' access to agricultural research information from extension officers. On the basis of these findings, the study concludes that extension officers have not adequately disseminated agricultural research information to farmers. Moreover, researchers from the Institute of Agriculture, University of Iringa have enhanced farmers and extension officers access to agricultural research information. The study thus recommends joint effective efforts towards increasing timely dissemination of agricultural information to the farmers. Also, there is a need to use researchers, religious leaders, and community-based organisations to disseminate such information in addition to repackaging of agricultural research information to tailor it to the farmers' needs
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Keywords
Agriculture, Research, Information services, Farmers, Iringa District, Tanzania
Citation
Mubofu., C. M. (2016) Dissemination of agricultural research information to farmers in Iringa district, Masters’ dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx)