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The Effectiveness of Farm Programmes on Bangladesh Betar in Educating Farmers

Md. Mahedi Hasan
Institute of Bangladesh Studies, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Md. Nazrul Islam Mondal
Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Md. Nurul Islam
Department of Statistics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh;

Md. Aminul Hoque
Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Farm programmes (FPs) of varied categories have been developed and aired over several decades by Bangladesh Betar, the national radio of Bangladesh for the diffusion of farm technologies. The study aimed to produce an in-depth academic evaluation of their effectiveness in educating farmers in Bangladesh. A sample of 465 respondents from the Khulna and Rajshahi divisions in Bangladesh was randomly selected for a questionnaire survey. To analyse the data, relevant documents were collected from the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of Bangladesh. Frequency distribution, z-test, and binary logistic regression analysis were used as statistical tools. The farm knowledge levels of the farmers were considered the predictors for evaluating the effectiveness of FPs. The results revealed that 93.33% of the sample did not listen to the FPs, while only very few of the listeners listened regularly. Despite this, at the ‘weak’ and ‘average’ levels of knowledge significant differences were noted between listener and non-listener farmers of FPs. The binary logistic regression analysis (Model 1) identified that the farmers who listened to the FPs were likely to acquire farm knowledge 6.62 times more than the farmers who did not listen to the FPs. The farmers who listened to the FPs were likely to have farm knowledge 2.64 times more than the farmers who did not listen to the FPs but consulted with other sources of farming information (Model 2). Similarly, a listener of FPs with farm training was likely to acquire farm knowledge 5.76 times more than a nonlistener with farm training (Model 3). The FPs were found to be very effective and could be used to better complement other mechanisms for educating farmers. Regular access to the FPs ought to be ensured through appropriate stimulants for the diffusion of farm technologies.

Keywords: Bangladesh Betar; Farm programmes; Effectiveness of farm programmes; Farmers of Bangladesh; Distance learning

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Non-commodity: Effectiveness

Objectives:

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of FPs of BB in educating farmers about farm technologies.

Methodology:

Sources of data: The data and necessary information were collected from both primary and secondary sources. Data were collected by means of document analysis and sample survey. As part of content analysis, programme-related official documents of the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock of the Bangladesh Government were analysed. A questionnaire survey technique was used to collect primary data. Sampling This study is confined to the analysis of the impact of listening to the FPs of BB on the farm knowledge of the farmers. Therefore, in selecting the study field two criteria were considered: (i) the presence of farmers cultivating staple crops of Bangladesh in that area and (ii) the coverage of both MW (Medium Wave) and FM (Frequency Modulation) transmission of Bangladesh Betar. The farmers of all eight administrative divisions are almost similar in terms of their income, size of land holdings and types of farms. So, the farmers of any division can represent the whole of Bangladesh. Nevertheless, the Varendra (ancient Gauda) area belongs to the Rajshahi Division and a larger portion of the coastal area of Bangladesh belongs to Khulna Division. The Gauda area experiences extreme temperatures and the coastal area is a disaster prone area, therefore, both areas receive special care for the development of agriculture which resulted in some unique characteristics of the farmers of these areas. These characteristics might have shaped the radio listening habits of the farmers. Both radio stations (Bangladesh Betar, Rajshahi and Bangladesh Betar, Khulna) are established within the divisional and district towns of Rajshahi and Khulna, and both districts are within the FM and MW transmission coverage of Bangladesh Betar. That is, both areas satisfy the criteria identified above for the selection of study areas. This is why, out of eight divisions only Khulna and Rajshahi were purposively selected as the study field. The BB has twelve regional radio stations located in different parts of Bangladesh. The agricultural programmes broadcast from BB, Dhaka are relayed by the regional stations and consequently the FPs of all the regional radio stations are all the same. A few programmes are developed and broadcast by the regional stations based on the needs of the particular regions, but the formats and contents of the programmes which are prescribed and approved by the head office (BB, Dhaka) are almost the same for all the stations. So, a single regional station can represent the whole of BB. This study purposively selected BB, Khulna; and BB, Rajshahi. The BB, Khulna is one of the biggest radio stations covering the entire south-west of Bangladesh and the BB, Rajshahi is also one of the biggest radio stations covering almost all of the northern part of Bangladesh. There are eighteen Upazillas (sub-districts) in Khulna and Rajshahi districts (nine for each). A multistage stratified sampling technique was used. At the 1st stage, eight Upazillas were selected out of eighteen (four from each district) of the Khulna and Rajshahi districts. At the 2nd stage, eight Unions (the smallest local government unit) were selected from eight Upazillas (one from each Upazilla) and at the 3rd stage, sixteen villages (two from each union) were selected. At the 4th stage, the farmers (respondents) were selected by means of a random sampling technique from each village (Figure 1). The total sample size was determined using the following formula:

Source of Information: Open Learning, 2017

Article Link (Online Journal): https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2017.1345679

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The study intended to evaluate the performance of the FPs of BB in disseminating the information about farm technologies to farmers and thereby meeting their farming educational needs. Having completed the above analysis and following the discussion of the results, it could be concluded that the FPs of BB were very much effective in educating farmers about the modern farming technologies. The FPs were designed in collaboration with the experts of all agricultural departments of the government of Bangladesh in such a way that when a farmer regularly listens to all the FPs broadcast daily from a single radio station and to their full extent, he/she will be equipped with all his/her required farming information. However, the study revealed that most of the farmers did not listen to the FPs of BB. Even, those who listened to the FPs did not listen to the programmes regularly. Even so, the impact of listening to the FPs was quite apparent. There was a clear difference between the listener and non-listener groups of the FPs. At almost every level of agricultural knowledge the listeners of the FPs were at a better position than the non-listeners of the FPs of BB. It was also demonstrated that the FPs could better complement other mechanisms for educating farmers about farm technologies. So, all the farmers should listen to the FPs of BB and the authorities concerned should adopt the necessary means to encourage the farmers to listen to the FPs regularly so that they can become aware of modern farm technologies and the benefits of using these technologies. For that reason interdepartmental collaboration should be enhanced.

Knowledge Management: Journal