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Effectiveness of Group Approach in Disseminating Farm Information to the Farmers

R.A. Khan
PhD Student, Department of Agril. Extension and Rural Develiopment, BAU, Mymensingh.

M.E. Haque
Professor,Department of Agril. Extension and Rural Develiopment, BAU, Mymensingh.

G.K.M.M. Rahman
Professor Department of Soil Science BSMAU, Gazipur.

M.S.I. Afrad
Assistant Professor,Department of Agril. Extension and Rural Develiopment, BAU, Mymensingh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The study was conducted to identify effectiveness of group approach in disseminating farm information. The study also attempted to explore the relationship between nine selected characteristics of the farmers and their opinion on effectiveness of Agricultural Diversification and Intensification Project (ADIP) under the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Ghatail upazila of Tangail district. One hundred respondents, fifty from Group Farmers (GF) and fifty from Non-Group Farmers (NGF) were selected following random sampling procedure. Most of the GF received farm information from their weekly meeting or group-led extension activities whereas 52% NGF did not receive any information from GF and 30% farmers considered the information as ‘supply-led rather than demand-led. A highly significant number of GF (90%) attended in weekly meeting and shared information with absent members. Although 66% farmers made satisfactory opinions on effectiveness of group approach, a large proportion (42%) of the NGF did not consider group approach as an effective method of extension. The findings further showed that education, income, agricultural knowledge, innovativeness, group participation and communication exposure were correlated with the opinion of farmers on effectiveness of group approach in the dissemination of farm information. The GF members were able to take advantages from group meetings efficiently. Commitment of SAAO’s work, need-based information and management aspects of group were provided as major suggestions to improve the existing performance of GF in transferring farm information.

Keywords: Group approach, Effectiveness, Dissemination, ADIP

Location: Deulabari and Digar unions of Ghatail upazila of Tangail district

Start Date: 25-04-2006

End Date: 30-05-2006

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Non-commodity: Adoption of technology

Objectives:

1. To measure the effectiveness of group approach in disseminating farm information to the farmers

2. To determine some selected characteristics of the farmers

3. To explore relationship between these characteristics and their opinion on effectiveness of group approach.

Methodology:

The locale of the study was Deulabari and Digar unions of Ghatail upazila of Tangail district. Considering the intensity of the project activities, two villages were selected from two unions. The selected villages were Pakutia under Deulabari union and Garatra under Digar union. Total number of farm families of these villages was 518 and 450 and total number of groups were 10 and 07 respectively. All the farmers of the selected villages were considered as the target population of this study. Using the updated list of the groups ten groups were selected, 05 from each village following random sampling procedure. Five members from each of the ten groups were again selected randomly as a sample size. Out of group, Non-Group Farmers (NGF) 50 farmers were selected as sample following random sampling procedure. A reserve list (10 GF+5 NGF) was prepared so that the farmers of this list could be used for interview if any respondent included in the original sample was not available during collection of data. Finally, for this study the sample size was 100 (50 GF+50 NGF). The respondents were selected based on some major criteria i.e. the respondents were actively participated members of the Group Farmers (GF) formed by the DAE at the concerned area and the NGF were more or less equivalent to GF except the involvement of any group or group-led extension activities. Data were collected by the researcher through face-to-face interview during April 25 to May 30, 2006. Data obtained from the respondents were compiled, coded, tabulated and analyzed in accordance with the objectives of the study. Statistical measures such as number, frequency, distribution, range, mean, percentage, standard deviation, and correlation of co-efficient (r) were used in describing the data. Nine selected characteristics of the respondents were age, education, farm size, family size, annual income, agricultural knowledge, innovativeness, group participation, communication exposure were the dependent variables and these were measured employing prevailing standard methods. In this study, it is expected that the GF supposed to receive agricultural information from the extension agent to practice and disseminate them to the NGF effectively. To assess the extent of effectiveness of group approach several logical steps like access to information by the farmers, sharing of information among GF members and opinion on effectiveness of group approach were interpreted. In measuring farmers’ opinion on effectiveness of group approach, a 4-point rating scale was used. The scale contained 15 types of agricultural information in terms of disseminating those by the GF members. The respondents were asked to mention how much the GF meeting was effective in disseminating the information. Appropriate scores were assigned for each of the responses of the farmers to measure the extent of effectiveness of GF meetings.

Source of Information: Bangladesh Journal of Extension Education ISSN 1011-3916 Volume 20, No. 1&2, 2008:1-8

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The findings showed that education, income, agricultural knowledge, innovative ness, group participation and communication exposure were correlated with the opinion of farmers on effectiveness of group approach in the dissemination of farm information. The GF members were able to take advantages from group meetings efficiently. Commitment of SAAO’s work, need-based information and management aspects of group were provided as major suggestions to improve the existing performance of GF in transferring farm information.

Knowledge Management: Journal