Virtual farm tours—Virtual reality glasses and tablets are suitable tools to provide insights into pig husbandry

Apart from improving husbandry conditions and animal welfare, there is a clear public demand to increase transparency in agricultural activities. Personal farm tours have shown to be appreciated by citizens but are limited in their impact because of hygiene requirements and accessibility. Virtual farm tours are a promising approach to overcome these limitations but evidence on their perceptions is missing. This study analyzes how a virtual farm tour is perceived by showing participants (n = 17) a 360-degree video of a conventional pig fattening pen on a tablet and via virtual reality (VR) glasses. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to analyze perceptions and level of immersion and to elicit differences between media devices. Participants’ perception of the pig fattening pen was rather poor and depended on the recording perspective as well as on the media device. However, housing conditions were perceived more positively compared to the image participants had in mind prior to the study, and thus the stable was considered as a rather positive example. Participants described virtual farm tours as suitable tool to improve transparency and information transfer and to gain insights into husbandry conditions. They appreciated the comfortable and entertaining character of both media devices and named various possibilities for implementation. However, VR glasses were favored regarding the higher realistic and entertaining value, while the tablet was considered beneficial in terms of usability. The presentation of video sequences without additional explanations about the farm or the housing conditions were claimed insufficient to give an adequate understanding of the seen content.

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION METHODS USED BY EXTENSION AGENTS IN DISSEMINATING HORTICULTURAL INNOVATIONS IN IKORUDO AREA, NIGERIA

This study undertook a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of various extension communication / teaching methods for the adoption of horticultural innovations by farmers. Fourteen Village Extension Agents (YEAs) and 98 fruit and vegetable farmers were randomly selected from Ikorodu area of Lagos State, Nigeria. A structured questionnaire and an interview schedule were the research instruments used for the data collection. Chi-square analysis was used to test the hypotheses of the study. The results reveal that farm visit, home visit, result demonstration, group meeting, agricultural show and exhibition, method demonstration, farm tour, field day, field trip/excursion, village instructional board and posters are the most appropriate and effective methods. Specifically positive and significant relationship exists between extension communication/teaching methods and (i) adoption of innovations and (ii) gender of farmers in relation to adoption. Significant difference also exists between the effectiveness of the various methods in relation to adoption level. Based on our findings, it is confirmed that the adoption levels depend on methods' effectiveness and some socio-economic characteristics of the farmers and the agents. Hence, prevailing circumstances of the farmers should be taken into consideration in the choice of communication methods and their combination, for increased effectiveness and adoption.

Agrotourism development in Ghana: A study of its prospects and challenges at Adjeikrom Cocoa Tour Facility

Literature depicts agrotourism as a tool for environmental conservation and rural development. Nonetheless, there is a glaring lacuna in literature concerning agrotourism research from Western Africa. This paper seeks to contribute towards filling this gap in literature. The paper investigates the current situation of agrotourism at Adjeikrom in Ghana, the challenges facing Adjeikrom Cocoa Farm Tour Facility, the opportunities Adjeikrom offers as an agrotourism destination and the role of agrotourism in the socio-economic development of the people of Adjeikrom. Fifty questionnaires were administered to purposively selected residents from Adjeikrom, alongside interviews with the management of the agrotourism facility. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that Adjeikrom Cocoa Farm Tour Facility is bereft with challenges such as inadequate skilled personnel, poor state of the Visitor Centre, incoherent marketing of the destination, inadequate Government support and low record of domestic tourists. The study maintains that the Adjeikrom Cocoa Farm Tour Facility has huge prospects for growth if the aforementioned challenges are addressed.