Results of a joint research project : shortcomings of communication with small scale farmers on agricultural knowledge transfer in Kenya – and ways to improve it

Spurk, Christoph

Publication type:	Conference paper
Type of review:	Not specified
Title:	Results of a joint research project : shortcomings of communication with small scale farmers on agricultural knowledge transfer in Kenya – and ways to improve it
Authors:	Spurk, Christoph
Conference details:	7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014
Issue Date:	2014
Language:	English
Subjects:	Listener survey; Quality; Farmer communication
Subject (DDC):	630: Agriculture
Abstract:	This research project addressed specifically the information-seeking behaviour of small scale farming households in Kenya. It focused on how farmers are informed about innovation on new methods of increasing agricultural productivity, which is one of the main challenges for Africa’s agriculture and its rural population. Shortcomings in Information are presumed to be one essential element that might hinder the up-take of new methods that are made available by agricultural research. For this purpose a survey with 600 small-scale farming households was conducted, investigating the information needs and patterns. The main results of the survey point to (a) the dominating role of radio as the main media channel used by almost all farmers for receiving agricultural information – and much less the mobile phone that is thought by Western donors and NGOs to be the new information tool (b) the high credibility of Government extension services as the most trustworthy source regarding agricultural information although farmers bemoan the fact that extension officers are difficult to reach and less available than expected, and (c) the apparent gap between what farmers need and what they get in two respects: They mainly get technical information, for example on new varieties, planting methods or new crops, but they also want more information on markets, gaining more income and more basic knowledge. They prefer to receive information as a comprehensive package and not isolated bits. Secondly, they prefer another mode of getting information, not the usual top down approach with little explanation, but a comprehensive mode which provides them with various options accompanied by a lot of explanation. Surprisingly, many farmers say that they lack even basic knowledge of good agricultural practice.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/7609
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Applied Linguistics
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Angewandte Linguistik

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Spurk, C. (2014). Results of a joint research project : shortcomings of communication with small scale farmers on agricultural knowledge transfer in Kenya – and ways to improve it. 7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014.

Spurk, C. (2014) ‘Results of a joint research project : shortcomings of communication with small scale farmers on agricultural knowledge transfer in Kenya – and ways to improve it’, in 7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014.

C. Spurk, “Results of a joint research project : shortcomings of communication with small scale farmers on agricultural knowledge transfer in Kenya – and ways to improve it,” in 7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014, 2014.

SPURK, Christoph, 2014. Results of a joint research project : shortcomings of communication with small scale farmers on agricultural knowledge transfer in Kenya – and ways to improve it. In: 7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014. Conference paper. 2014

Spurk, Christoph. 2014. “Results of a Joint Research Project : Shortcomings of Communication with Small Scale Farmers on Agricultural Knowledge Transfer in Kenya – and Ways to Improve It.” Conference paper. In 7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014.

Spurk, Christoph. “Results of a Joint Research Project : Shortcomings of Communication with Small Scale Farmers on Agricultural Knowledge Transfer in Kenya – and Ways to Improve It.” 7th Meeting of the Swiss Forum on Rural Advisory Services (SFRAS), Luzern, 16. April 2014, 2014.