This study aimed at identifying innovative ways to reach farmers through testing the effectiveness of integrating TV and mobile phone technology in enhancing feedback mechanisms among smallholder farmers. The hypothesis was that the use of TV shows in providing agricultural information to farmers can trigger a high level of interest and feedback through mobile phone technology and hence can change attitudes, increase knowledge and change behavior leading to increased adoption of agricultural technologies.
Tag: mass media
Agroforestry and Forestry in Sulawesi series: Information channels for disseminating innovative agroforestry practices to villages in Southern Sulawesi, Indonesia
This study was conducted to identify potential information channels for disseminating agroforestry innovations at village level in South and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, Indonesia. An information channel is a method of transmitting information in a specific, oneway flow. In this study, an investigation of information channels from sources to users was conducted to understand the dissemination of innovative agroforestry practices. A better understanding of how farmers obtain information will enhance the impacts of any agricultural extension program. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 144 farmers (40% female) from 12 villages in two districts in South Sulawesi Province and two districts in Southeast Sulawesi Province. In each village, 12 respondents from various ethnicities were interviewed. Data collected during the study covered sources of information, type of information channel in disseminating agricultural/agroforestry information, and important disseminators. Results from the study identified four types of information channels, that is, 1) mass media; 2) personal contacts (interpersonal communication) through opinion leaders, extension agents and other reliable contacts, such as family and friends; 3) formal extension services or government programs; and 4) social gatherings, such as weddings and village meetings. Personal contacts (interpersonal communication) were considered the most accessible for farmers. We also found that opinion leaders (who were also expert farmers) and government extension agents were the two major actors for disseminating agroforestry innovations. Interpersonal discussion with the agroforestry disseminators was the most preferred information channel. Formal extension services were considered as the most reliable channel for disseminating agroforestry innovations, however, the services were limited and mostly occurred only in areas with better infrastructure. Providing agroforestry extension services in villages will also enhance women’s access to agricultural information. In areas where language is a barrier, involving farmers as extension agents is recommended.
Correlation of publication frequency of newspaper articles with environment and public health issues in fire-prone peatland regions of Riau in Sumatra, Indonesia
Forest fires in peatlands emit pollutants to the atmosphere, affecting public health. Though air quality data and epidemiology information are helpful in the management of the environment and public health, they are not always available. We aimed to reveal the utility of newspaper articles for estimating the public health concerns posed by air pollution. Using the database of a local newspaper, Riau Pos, in Riau Province of Sumatra, Indonesia, we have studied spatiotemporal correlations between publication frequency of newspaper articles mentioning search terms relevant to health issues and Fire Radiation Power (FRP) of peatland fires. FRP from one of the NASA satellite databases has been used as an index of air pollution caused by peatland fires. Visibility data for airport operation were also used as an index of particulate matter concentrations. The study regions are primarily the fire-prone Riau Province and nearby areas in the central area of Sumatra, Indonesia, from 2009 to 2018. Newspaper articles related to public health are found to be associated with FRP and visibility, or regional air pollution.
Impact of a Media Campaign on Consumers’ Purchasing Intentions of Legal Timber in Cameroon
Illegal logging is a key driver of deforestation in tropical countries and benefits a large number of stakeholders, including urban domestic buyers. Changing the latter’s purchasing behavior could produce significant shifts in the illegal trade market. Based on survey data (n= 463), this paper assesses the impact of a media campaign on consumers’ purchase intentions for legal timber and wooden furniture in Yaoundé and analyses the underlying psychological mechanisms. Combining covariate matching and mediation analysis, we found a significant positive effect of the media campaign on the declared intention to purchase legally-sourced timber and the mediation effect of two out of three precursors of the theory of planned behaviors, namely attitude and subjective norms. This study provides critical inputs to frame future media campaign messages and, by demonstrating some consumers’ interest in legal timber, to strengthen the domestic legitimacy of policies such as the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade.