Sources of information for urban vegetable farmers in Accra, Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon K. Osei ◽  
Benjamin Y. Folitse ◽  
Lucy P. Dzandu ◽  
Grace Obeng-Koranteng
Keyword(s):  
Public Relations ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Vegetable Farming ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Local Languages ◽  
Roll Out

This study assesses sources of information for vegetable farmers in urban part of Accra, Ghana. One hundred vegetable farmers in the study area were sampled and interviewed using structured questionnaires. Findings revealed that urban vegetable farming is regarded as the business of men. Most of the urban vegetable farmers use radio as a source of agricultural information. Farmers use information on agrochemicals acquired in applying fertilizer, weedicides and pest control. A challenge to the urban vegetable farmers in Accra is poor public relations on the part of agricultural extension agents. The study recommends that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture roll out a programme to educate urban vegetable farmers on the various sources of agricultural information and sponsor adult education programmes in the local languages on national radio and television for farmers to help them make use of different sources of agricultural information effectively.

Information Technology and Government Decentralization: Experimental Evidence From Paraguay

Econometrica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 677-701
Author(s):  
Ernesto Dal Bó ◽  
Frederico Finan ◽  
Nicholas Y. Li ◽  
Laura Schechter
Keyword(s):  
Value Of Information ◽  
Middle Managers ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Treatment Allocation ◽  
Ministerial Leadership ◽  
Treatment Priority ◽  
Standard Models ◽  
Monitoring Treatment ◽  
Roll Out

Standard models of hierarchy assume that agents and middle managers are better informed than principals. We estimate the value of the informational advantage held by supervisors—middle managers—when ministerial leadership—the principal—introduced a new monitoring technology aimed at improving the performance of agricultural extension agents (AEAs) in rural Paraguay. Our approach employs a novel experimental design that elicited treatment‐priority rankings from supervisors before randomization of treatment. We find that supervisors have valuable information—they prioritize AEAs who would be more responsive to the monitoring treatment. We develop a model of monitoring under different scales of treatment roll‐out and different treatment allocation rules. We semiparametrically estimate marginal treatment effects (MTEs) to demonstrate that the value of information and the benefits to decentralizing treatment decisions depend crucially on the sophistication of the principal and on the scale of roll‐out.

scholarly journals Information seeking by Pakistani farmers: A review of published research

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 12-19
Author(s):  
Muhammad Asif Naveed ◽  
Mumtaz Ali Anwar ◽  
Surraya Bano
Keyword(s):  
Mass Media ◽  
Research Methods ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Related Research ◽  
Published Research

The purpose of this article is to provide a critical review of published research on information seeking by Pakistani farmers, with a view to inform the relevant departments and individuals of the existing situation. The results from the related research are summarized by noting major methodological features and reviewing practical and theoretical implications of major findings. Although the findings from related studies were not directly comparable due to variations in research methods and geographical contexts, it was nevertheless possible to draw some common conclusions regarding the farmers' information seeking. The results from these studies overwhelmingly show that Pakistani farmers rely very much on interpersonal relationships with friends, relatives, fellow or progressive farmers, and neighbors for obtaining agricultural information. The use of mass-media, both print and electronic, and agricultural extension agents as sources of information was lower than expected. The results indicate the necessity for a need-based information infrastructure for farmers in Pakistan.

scholarly journals Cassava and Vegetable Farming on Wet Land among Farmers in Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-61
Author(s):  
A.H. Paul ◽  
K.M. Tikwe ◽  
S.H.G. Nakwe
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
The People ◽  
Vegetable Farming ◽  
Land Farming ◽  
Major Occupation ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

The study reviewed cassava and vegetable farming activities on wetland among farmers in Ibaji LGA Kogi State. Wetland can be defined as lands subject to excessive wetness, to the extent that the wet conditions influence the possible land uses. The wet soils in Kogi State exhibit similar physical, chemical and biological characteristics as do most or all soils in wetland ecologies. The textural  composition of the wet soils in the study area varies widely from sand to clay loam with good physical properties. Data collected included information on farming season, social/infrastructures available in the area, major occupation of the people, major crop grown and others. Potentials of wetland soils include wetlands are seasonally or perennially wet and have ample water supply occur in level to gently sloping landscapes, are immune to the hazards of soil erosion. The soils are saturated 6 to 8 months of the year. Sources of information available to the farmers are through neighbours, friends and extension agents. Constraints to wetland land use are climatic (mainly rainfall), hydrological, soil, biological, and socio-economic factors. However, the major constraints to the cropping systems in the wet lowlands are abundance of water and its management, disease, pest and weed control. Wet land farming should be encouraged by all to reduce food insecurity in the study area. Stakeholders should encourage farmers by providing farming inputs all year round Key Words: Cassava, vegetable farming, wetland, farmers

scholarly journals MODEL PENINGKATAN KAPASITAS PENYULUH DALAM PEMANFAATAN INFORMASI IKLIM DI KABUPATEN INDRAMAYU DENGAN PENDEKATAN ANALISIS KEBERLANJUTAN

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Ume Humaedah ◽  
Astrina Yulianti ◽  
Enti Sirnawati ◽  
Lukman Efendi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Information Management ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Climate Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽  
Forestry Services

Capacity of extension agents in understanding climate forecasting and climate change is allegedly limited. Therefore, it is necessary to improve their capacity on this issue. Research was conducted between May to December 2014. Indramayu in West Java was choosen purposively, representing irrigated-land agroecosystem. Respondents were extension agents selected from Agricultural Extension of Fisheries and Forestry Services (BP3K) or Agricultural Extension Services (BPP)with their working area being considered high vulnerability to climate change. Total respondents were 59 extension agents randomly selected. There were three phases of dynamic hypothesis resulting in : 1) problem identification, 2) ideal capacity determination; and 3) model design. Methods of data collection were survey, interview, and focus group discussion (FGD). A RAP-FISH ordination technique through Multi Dimensional Scaling (MDS) was used to assess the existing extension capacity and identify sensitive attributes influencing the ability of the extension agents in the use of climate information through analysis of leverage in each variable. Results showed that accessibility to resources, information management and election of extension dimension methods were the dimensions to be considered for improving the extension agents capacity building in climate utilization. Therefore, a structural approach should be done through increased synergy between institutions involved in capacity building of extension agents and its resources. Moreover, synergy amongst sources of information should be conducted to encourage the roles of BP4K and BP3K in managing climate information. While the functional approach is done through re-designing capacity development activities on utilizing climate information, with the focus on improving the accessibility, information management, and selection of extension methods.

scholarly journals KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXTENSION AGENTS IN THE SOUTH GREEN BELT IN KARBALA GOVERNORATE WITH RECOMMENDATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CONNECT TO SOURCES OF INFORMATION

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A.H.M. AL-Bahar
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Green Belt ◽  
Intensive Training ◽  
Agricultural Knowledge ◽  
Colleges Of Agriculture ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Scale ◽  
Green Belts

The research aims to determine the level of knowledge of agricultural extension workers in the southern green belt project in the holy city of kerbala in terms of scientific recommendations and its relationship with information resources and to determine the level of their knowledge of the following fields: The basic concepts of project objective trees varieties and their economic viability, the stage of cultivation and services provided which includes plantation irrigation and pests control etc., the technical aspects of their project beside the identification of agricultural knowledge of the workers with the relearnt sources of information red event. To achieve the objective of this research based on the scientific research and the produced extension leaflet in regard to soil and desertification in general and green belt in particular. A knowledge scale was adopted which includes 46 paragraphs distributed on five areas two degrees for each paragraphs were determined so that the scale degree ranged between 0-92 degree. The research included 45 agricultural extension members working in this project which represent 100% from the research community. The data collected through a questionnaire forms distributed through October 2014 results showed that 62.22% of the respondents fall within the category of concentric medium as the result showed 0 positive correlation between the level of knowledge of agricultural extension  workers and communication sources of informations  which were worth 0.28% the researcher recommits the need to arise the efficiency of agricultural extension workers through intensive training by the ministry of agriculture and its institutes in all Iraqi Provinces in general and the governorate of kerbala in particular with the need to develop the department of desertification in the colleges of Agriculture similar to that of Baghdad university to provide specialist in desertification and green belts projects as well as the importance of such projects in solving serious problems of desertification on the environment society and national economy . 

scholarly journals Model Pengembangan Kompetensi Penyuluh Berbasis Pemanfaatan Media (Kasus Di Kabupaten Karawang dan Garut, Provinsi Jawa Barat)

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Oos M. Anwas ◽  
Sumardjo Sumardjo ◽  
Pang S Asngari ◽  
Prabowo Tjitropranoto
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Agricultural Extension ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Environmental Media ◽  
Vegetable Farmers ◽  
Paddy Farmers

<p>The present study was to the degree of agricultural extension agents’ competency, the dominant factors influence their competency, and also to formulate the model for developing the competency of agricultural extension agents. The study used explanatory research method on 170 agricultural extension agents who work within paddy farmers area (Karawang) and within vegetable farmers area (Garut). Samples from paddy farmers area were taken by using random sampling technique, while those from vegetable farmers area were taken by using census method. Then a data verification was conducted toward 206 farmers who were the clients of the agricultural extension agents. Data collection was conducted during February to April 2009. Data were analyzed using descriptive technique and path analysis. The result of the study showed that the extent of media utilization and the agricultural extension agents’ competency tended to be at a low level. Several dominant factors influenced their their competences.<br />Keyword: agricultural extension agents, mass media, programmed media, environmental media, competencies</p>

Determinants Considered by Consumers for Brand Selection - with Reference to Laptops in Albania

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margret Plloçi ◽  
Macit Koc
Keyword(s):  
Primary Data ◽  
Battery Life ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Light Weight ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Technical Features ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Core Features

Abstract Purpose of the article There is relatively a big number of brands in the market of laptops nowadays in Albania. It appears that the number of brands offered in this market could easily be compared to the number of brands in Europe and even broader. The purpose of this study is to help Albanian vendors understand the criteria that consumers take into consideration when they make the decision to purchase a laptop. Methodology/methods The research is based on the collection and the analyses of the primary data collected through interviews to people like managers or employees who work in the sector of trading laptops or in businesses like education where laptops are broadly used recently; then a survey is done through a questionnaire delivered to customers who already own and use a laptop and customers who are potential buyers of laptops. Scientific aim The aim of the research is to identify if there are any relationships between the demographics of the consumers and the criteria of buying a laptop; on the other hand, to find out how is the relationship between the demographics and the features of different brands. Findings The study found out that Albanian consumers have good knowledge of laptops and their brands, and they use different sources of information for making their decisions in buying a laptop; it is found that there are relationships between some demographics like age or gender and the appraisal for some attributes of the laptops like price, design and high graphics card; it is also found that some technical features and other attributes of using laptops are some of the determinants that influence the laptops’ purchases. Conclusions It is realized that one of the most important demographics of the consumers is their age. Some core features like RAM, ROM, battery life, processor quality, light weight or attributes that are connected to the purposes of using the laptop computers like practicality and mobility in using them, work and studying processes, quick access to the internet are determinant factors which influence the decision making process of purchasing a laptop. I would recommend that future researches be focused also on the relationship between the customers’ income and their preferred brand or ranking brands according to the customers’ preferences. Such studies should also extend outside the city of Tirana.

Feature-based multi-criteria recommendation system using a weighted approach with ranking correlation

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1013-1029
Author(s):  
Zeeshan Zeeshan ◽  
Qurat ul Ain ◽  
Uzair Aslam Bhatti ◽  
Waqar Hussain Memon ◽  
Sajid Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recommendation System ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Multiple Features ◽  
Recommendation Algorithms ◽  
Label Correlations ◽  
Feature Based ◽  
Multicriteria Model ◽  
Implicit And Explicit ◽  
Hybrid Recommendation ◽  
Different Sources

With the increase of online businesses, recommendation algorithms are being researched a lot to facilitate the process of using the existing information. Such multi-criteria recommendation (MCRS) helps a lot the end-users to attain the required results of interest having different selective criteria – such as combinations of implicit and explicit interest indicators in the form of ranking or rankings on different matched dimensions. Current approaches typically use label correlation, by assuming that the label correlations are shared by all objects. In real-world tasks, however, different sources of information have different features. Recommendation systems are more effective if being used for making a recommendation using multiple criteria of decisions by using the correlation between the features and items content (content-based approach) or finding a similar user rating to get targeted results (Collaborative filtering). To combine these two filterings in the multicriteria model, we proposed a features-based fb-knn multi-criteria hybrid recommendation algorithm approach for getting the recommendation of the items by using multicriteria features of items and integrating those with the correlated items found in similar datasets. Ranks were assigned to each decision and then weights were computed for each decision by using the standard deviation of items to get the nearest result. For evaluation, we tested the proposed algorithm on different datasets having multiple features of information. The results demonstrate that proposed fb-knn is efficient in different types of datasets.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document