Agriculture can serve as an important engine for economic growth in developing countries, yet yields in these countries have lagged far behind those in developed countries for decades. One potential mechanism for increasing yields is the use of improved agricultural technologies, such as fertilizers, seeds and cropping techniques. Public-sector programs have attempted to overcome information-related barriers to technological adoption by providing agricultural extension services. While such programs have been widely criticized for their limited scale, sustainability and impact, the rapid spread of mobile phone coverage in developing countries provides a unique opportunity to facilitate technological adoption via information and communication technology (ICT)-based extension programs. This article outlines the potential mechanisms through which ICT could facilitate agricultural adoption and the provision of extension services in developing countries. It then reviews existing programs using ICT for agriculture, categorized by the mechanism (voice, text, internet and mobile money transfers) and the type of services provided. Finally, we identify potential constraints to such programs in terms of design and implementation, and conclude with some recommendations for implementing field-based research on the impact of these programs on farmers’ knowledge, technological adoption and welfare.

Dial “A” for Agriculture: A Review of Information and Communication Technologies for Agricultural Extension in Developing Countries - Working Paper 269

https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/BC4F6F3129C7772B8525775100588D7F-Full_Report.pdf

Impact of Farmer Field Schools on Agricultural Productivity and Poverty in East Africa

Dial “A” for agriculture: a review of information and communication technologies for agricultural extension in developing countries

Investing in Farmers: The Impacts of Farmer Field schools in relation to Integrated Pest Management

Communication for rural innovation: rethinking agricultural extension

What should we expect from farmer field schools? A Sri Lanka case study

It is well-known that traditional methods of technology dissemination are not cost-effective; and that extension agencies are limited very much by personnel resources in approaching the clientele they need to contact. Therefore, at present, many sectors of the world economies are attracted to the use of ICT for technology dissemination. However, such interventions are not common in the agricultural sector, especially in developing countries. Realizing this, the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension at the University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka, implemented a programme ‘Lifelong Learning for Farmers’ (L3F), employing ICT as one of its components. For this programme, the University of Ruhuna collaborated with the mobile phone company Mobitel(PLC) Ltd and developed an IVR (interactive voice response) system to approach clients.

Mushroom production is essentially small-scale and remains a cottage industry. In order to raise the living standards, it is necessary to provide scientific information to scattered production units. Such efforts will turn them into commercial producers and provide an opportunity to compete in the local and foreign markets. This investigation focuses on the use ofmobile phones for technology dissemination to small-scale mushroom producers. The IVR system embedded different two-minute messages employing ODL techniques over six months. The entire series of lessons included the establishment of a mushroom shed; the preparation of the growing medium; filling bags and sterilization; inoculation and incubation of mushroom spawns; harvesting; pests and disease control; processing and preservation; seed production; and business planningand financial management. The results showed that 5,583 clients listen to the lessons; and, according to the spatial distribution, the majority of them were from wet zone districts as the climatic conditions are favourable for the enterprise. However, feedback is still limited.

Mobile phone intervention for Sri Lankan mushroom producers

The diffusion of rice varieties introduced into an area with poor production potential and problems of soil degradation was studied in a farming systems research and extension programme. Two rice varieties, BW. 272-3 and At. 85-1 were identified as appropriate for the area and efforts made to transfer the experimental results to the farmers. BW. 272-3 was widely adopted by farmers in the lower, intermediate and upper areas of the recommendation domain but adoption of At. 85-1 was confined to the intermediate and upper areas. Adoption of rice varieties was mainly governed by the characteristics that allowed a variety to perform well under adverse conditions and by the farm gate price it could command, which depended on grain pericarp colour

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0014479700021207

Dissemination of New Technology in a Farming Systems Research and Extension Programme: Diffusion of Rice Varieties in an Area with Poor Production Potential

Mahinda Wijeratne

Papers

What should we expect from farmer field schools? A Sri Lanka case study

Mobile phone intervention for Sri Lankan mushroom producers

Dissemination of New Technology in a Farming Systems Research and Extension Programme: Diffusion of Rice Varieties in an Area with Poor Production Potential

After School: The Outcome of Farmer Field Schools in Southern Sri Lanka: Robert Tripp, Mahinda Wijeratne and V. Hiroshini Piyadasa