Harnessing the use of alternative media for South Africa’s agricultural extension service delivery in the face of the covid-19 global pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2022/v50n2a11754Keywords:
Pandemic, Social distancing, Mass media, E-extension platformAbstract
Agricultural extension service delivery remains pivotal in disseminating contemporary and innovative agricultural information, and the training and capacity building of farmers; all of which are critical to increased farmer productivity. There are several agricultural extension methods used by extension field officers to engage their target farmers; some of the contact methods used, like the individual and group methods amongst others, necessitates close interactions between both parties. As such, physical contact between persons cannot be avoided. In the current spate of COVID-19 threats to global health, there is a possible risk of human-to-human transmission of the disease. Some temporary measures like social distancing and the ban of gatherings are currently utilised by many countries to mitigate the rapid spread of the virus. The findings of several research reports showed that these restrictions negatively impacted agricultural extension service deliveries. This paper, therefore, reviewed alternative media delivery mechanisms as a probable palliative measure in sustaining the continuous delivery of agricultural information to farmers. The paper recommends intensifying the use of the electronic extension (E-extension) system. The mobile and computer/web-based platforms should be significantly harnessed (where applicable), while concurrently promoting the intense use of print media, radio, television, agricultural documentaries and instructional videos.
Downloads
References
ABDULLAHI, M.B., SHEH `U, I.S. & SANI, Y.M., 2016, November. A multilingual translation system for enhancing agricultural e-Extension services delivery. In Int Conf. on Info and Com Tech and Its Applications (ICTA) (pp.62-68).
AFZAL, A., AL-SUBAIEE, F.S. & MIRZA, A.A., 2016. The attitudes of agricultural extension
workers towards the use of e-extension for ensuring sustainability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Sustainability, 8(10):980-989.
AKSHAYA KUMAR, K. S. & VIJAYAKUMAR, K.P., 2017. Role of mass media in disseminating agricultural information to farmers of Nedumangad Block in Kerala. IJIM, 2(8):44-51.
ALI, M., 2018. Role of media in agricultural development. Available from: https://agrinfobank.com.pk/role-of-media-in-agricultural-development
ARTHURS, J., DRAKOPOULOU, S. & GANDINI, A., 2018. Researching YouTube. Convergence, 24(1):3-15
AZUMAH, S.B., DONKOH, S.A. & AWUNI, J.A., 2018. The perceived effectiveness of agricultural technology transfer methods: Evidence from rice farmers in Northern Ghana. Cogent Food Agric, 4(1):1503798.
BALAMURUGAN, J., 2017. Role of mass media in agricultural development. Available from: https://www.slideshare.net/DrJBalamuruganPhD/role-of-mass-media-in-agricultural-development
BARAU, A.A. & AFRAD, S.I., 2017. An overview of social media use in agricultural extension service delivery. JAI, 8(3):50-61.
BENTLEY, J., CHOWDHURY, A. & DAVID, S., 2015. Videos for agricultural extension. . In
DAVIS, K., BOHN, A., FRANZEL, S., BLUM, M., RIECKMANN, U., RAJ, S., HUSSEIN, K. & ERNST, N. 2018. What works in rural advisory services? Global Good Practice Notes. Lausanne, Switzerland: GFRAS.
BHATTACHARYYA, T., PATIL, V.K., BHAVE, S.G. & HALDANKAR, P.M., 2018. E-extension services of SAUs in Indian agriculture: Challenges and management strategies. AARJ, 2(2):119-25.
CAI, T., ABBOTT, E. & BWAMBALE, N., 2013. The ability of video training to reduce agricultural knowledge gaps between men and women in rural Uganda. In Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Information and Communications Technologies and Development: Notes-Volume 2 (pp.13-16).
CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH (CITR), 2019. Zoom videoconferencing the basics: Engaging your learner with video in the classroom zoom best practices and tips. Available from: http://www.wiu.edu/CITR/resources/tip_sheets/zoom/using_zoom.pdf
CERVENKOVA, E., SIMEK, P., VOGELTANZOVA, T. & STOCES, M., 2011. Social networks as an integration tool in rural areas-agricultural enterprises of the Czech Republic. AGRIS on-line Pap. Econ. Inform. , 3(1):53-60.
CHAWLA, A., 2020. Coronavirus (COVID-19) ‘Zoom’application boon or bane. Available from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3606716
CHHACHHAR, A.R., QURESHI, B., KHUSHK, G.M. & AHMED, S., 2014. Impact of information and communication technologies in agriculture development. J. Basic. Appl. Sci. Res., 4(1):281-288.
CHISENGA, J., KEDEMI, R. & SAM, J., 2014. The use of social media in agricultural research workflows in Ghana and Kenya. Agric. Inf. Worldwide, 6:48-57.
CHOWDHURY, A., ODAME, H.H., THOMPSON, S. & HAUSER, M., 2015. Enhancing farmers’ capacity for botanical pesticide innovation through video-mediated learning in Bangladesh. Int J Agr Sustain, 13(4):326-349.
DAVIS, K. & SULAIMAN, R., 2016. Overview of extension philosophies and methods. In DAVIS,
K., BOHN, A., FRANZEL, S., BLUM, M., RIECKMANN, U., RAJ, S., HUSSEIN, K. & ERNST, N. 2018. What works in rural advisory services? Global Good Practice Notes. Lausanne, Switzerland: GFRAS.
DAVIS, K., LANDINI, F., VAN NIEKERK, J., GREEN, K. & TERBLANCHE, S.E., 2019. Extension officers' perceptions of extension and innovation in South Africa. SAJAE, 47(4):152-161.
DELOITTE, 2020 - Remote collaboration: Facing the challenges of COVID-19. Available from: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/de/Documents/human-capital/Remote-Collaboration-COVID-19.pdf
EBRAHIM, S.H. & MEMISH, Z.A., 2020. COVID-19: Preparing for superspreader potential among Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. Lancet (London, England), 395(10227):e48.
EGHDAM, A., HAMIDI, U., BARTFAI, A. & KOCH, S., 2018. Facebook as communication support for persons with potential mild acquired cognitive impairment: A content and social network analysis study. PloS one, 13(1):e0191878.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO), 2020. Extension and advisory services: At the frontline of the response to COVID-19 to ensure food security. Available from: https://www.agrilinks.org/sites/default/files/resources/fao_covid_and_eas_2020.pdf
FERRIS, A.L. & HOLLENBAUGH, E.E., 2018. A Uses and Gratifications approach to exploring antecedents to Facebook dependency. J Broadcast Electron Media, 62(1):51-70.
GICHAMBA, A., WAGACHA, P.W. & OCHIENG, D.O., 2017. An assessment of e-extension platforms in Kenya. IJISSET, 3(7):36-40.
HANSCHEID, T., VALADAS, E. & GROBUSCH, M.P., 2020. Coronavirus 2019-nCoV: Is the genie already out of the bottle? Trav Med Infect Di. Available from: https://europepmc.org/backend/ptpmcrender.fcgi?accid=PMC7129349&blobtype=pdf
HUSAIN, A., SANDSTRÖM, S., GREB, F., GRODER, J. & PALLANCH, C., 2020. COVID-19: Potential impact on the world’s poorest people: A WFP analysis of the economic and food security implications of the pandemic. World Food Programme. Via Cesare Giulio Viola 68/70, 00148 Rome, Italy. Available from: https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000114040/download/
INDIAN COUNCIL OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE (ICFA), 2017. Role of media in agriculture. National round table conference. Available from: https://www.icfa.org.in/assets/doc/reports/RTC_Media.pdf
IFEJIKA, P.I., ASADU, A.N., ENIBE, D.O., IFEJIKA, L.I. & SULE, A.M., 2019. Analysis of social media mainstreaming in E-extension by agricultural development programmes in North Central Zone, Nigeria. JAERD, 11(4):78-84.
IRUNGU, K.R.G., MBUGUA, D. & MUIA, J., 2015. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) attract youth into profitable agriculture in Kenya. E Afr Agr Forestry J, 81(1):24-33.
JALLO, C., 2016. Assessment of information and communication technologies in Pakistan agricultural extension. Available from: https://www.agrilinks.org/sites/default/files/resource/files/rep-ict-pak-2016-jallo-agrilinks.pdf
KARUBANGA, G., KIBWIKA, P., OKRY, F. & SSEGUYA, H., 2016. Empowering farmers to learn and innovate through integration of video-mediated and face-to-face extension approaches: The case of rice farmers in Uganda. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 2(1):1274944.
KIPTOT, E., FRANZEL, S., NORA, C. & STEYN, A., 2016. Edutainment TV for disseminating information about agriculture. IN DAVIS, K., BOHN, A., FRANZEL, S., BLUM, M., RIECKMANN, U., RAJ, S., HUSSEIN, K. & ERNST, N. 2018. What Works in Rural Advisory Services? Global Good Practice Notes. Lausanne, Switzerland: GFRAS.
KIM, S. & GARRISON, G., 2009. Investigating mobile wireless technology adoption: An extension of the technology acceptance model. Inform Syst Front., 11(3): 323-333.
KIPKURGAT, T., ONYIEGO, M. & CHEMWAINA, S., 2016. Impact of social media on agricultural extension in Kenya: a case of Kesses District. IJAERDS, 3(1):30-36.
LEE, J.S., SEO, H.S. & HONG, T.H., 2015. YouTube as a potential training method for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Ann Surg Treat Res., 89(2):92-97.
LEEUWIS, C., 2013. Communication for rural innovation: rethinking agricultural extension, 3rd ed.; John Wiley & Sons: New York, NY, USA.
LENZI, M., VIENO, A., ALTOÈ, G., SCACCHI, L., PERKINS, D.D., ZUKAUSKIENE, R. & SANTINELLO, M., 2015. Can Facebook informational use foster adolescent civic engagement?. Am. J. Community Psychol., 55(3-4):444-454.
LIEBENBERG, F., 2015. Agricultural advisory services in South Africa (No. 1737-2016-140369). Available from: https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/upaewp/241722.html
LIJADI, A.A. & VAN SCHALKWYK, G.J., 2015. Online Facebook focus group research of hard-to-reach participants. Int. J. Qual. Methods, 14(5):1-9.
LIU, J., LIAO, X., QIAN, S., YUAN, J., WANG, F., LIU, Y., WANG, Z., WANG, F.S., LIU, L. AND ZHANG, Z., 2020. Community transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, Shenzhen, China, 2020. Emerg Infect Dis, 26(6).
LONG, N.J., 2020. From social distancing to social containment: reimagining sociality for the coronavirus pandemic. Med. Anthropol. Theory. Available from: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/103801/1/From_Social_Distancing_to_Social_Containment_v_2.2_3.pdf
LUBELL, M. & MCROBERTS, N., 2018. Closing the extension gap: Information and communication technology in sustainable agriculture. Calif Agr., 72(4):236-242.
MADATHIL, K.C., RIVERA-RODRIGUEZ, A.J., GREENSTEIN, J.S. & GRAMOPADHYE, A.K., 2015. Healthcare information on YouTube: a systematic review. Health informatics J., 21(3):173-194.
MATHEBULA, J., MOLOKOMME, M., JONAS, S. & NHEMACHENA, C., 2017. Estimation of Household Income Diversification in South Africa: A Case Study of Three Provinces. S. Afr. J. Sci., 113(1-2):1-9.
MAVHUNDUSE, F. & HOLMNER, M., 2019. Utilisation of mobile phones in accessing agricultural information by smallholder farmers in Dzindi Irrigation Scheme in South Africa. Afr J Libr Arch Info., 29(1):93-101.
MOHANTY, M. & YAQUB, W., 2020. Towards seamless authentication for zoom-based online teaching and meeting. Available Online: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341565686_Towards_Seamless_Authentication_for_Zoom-Based_Online_Teaching_and_Meeting
MUGWISI, T., 2015. Communicating agricultural information for development: The role of the media in Zimbabwe. Libri, 65(4):.281-299.
NASLUND, J.A., GRANDE, S.W., ASCHBRENNER, K.A. & ELWYN, G., 2014. Naturally occurring peer support through social media: the experiences of individuals with severe mental illness using YouTube. PLOS one, 9(10):1-9.
NWABUGWU, T.S., NWOBODO, C.E. & OKORO, J.C., 2019. Awareness and use of e-resources among public extension personnel in Anambra State, Nigeria. J. Agric. Ext., 23(1):161-170.
OKEKE, M.N., NWALIEJI, H.U. & UZUEGBUNAM, C.O., 2015. Emerging role of information communication technologies in extension service delivery in Nigeria: A review. J. Agric. Ext., 19(1):128-141.
OLUWATAYO, I.B. & BABALOLA, M.A., 2020. Asset ownership and income as drivers of household poverty In South Africa. JDA, 54(3):118-130.
ONG, S.W.X., TAN, Y.K., CHIA, P.Y., LEE, T.H., NG, O.T., WONG, M.S.Y. & MARIMUTHU, K., 2020. Air, surface environmental, and personal protective equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from a symptomatic patient. JAMA, 323(16):1610-1612.
PRABHA, D. & ARUNACHALAM, R., Mobile phone technology: An impact of farming community. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2019 (SP2): 719-721.
REINO, D. & HAY, B., 2016. The use of YouTube as a tourism marketing tool. Travel and Tourism Research Association: Advancing Tourism Research Globally. Available from: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/ttra/2011/Visual/69
SALEH, R. A., BURABE, I. B., MUSTAPHA, S. B. & NUHU, H. S., 2018. Utilization of mass media in agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria: A review. IJSS, 6(1):43-52.
SANI, Y.M., ETUK, S.O., ANDA, I. & ADAMU, M., 2018. Agricultural E-extension services: A hybrid of multilingual translation text-to-speech- A framework. i-manager's Journal on Pattern Recognition, 5(3):29-36.
SARAVANAN, R. & SUCHIRADIPTA B., 2013. Mobile phone and social media for agricultural extension: Getting closer to hype & hope?. In International Conference on Extension Educational Strategies for Sustainable Agricultural Development A Global Perspective: December (pp. 5-8).
SARAVANAN, R. & SUCHIRADIPTA B. 2015. mExtension – mobile phones for agricultural advisory services. In DAVIS, K., BOHN, A., FRANZEL, S., BLUM, M., RIECKMANN, U., RAJ, S., HUSSEIN, K. & ERNST, N. 2018. What works in rural advisory services? Global Good Practice Notes. Lausanne, Switzerland: GFRAS.
SARAVANAN, R., RASHEED SULAIMAN, V., DAVIS, K. & SUCHIRADIPTA, B., 2015. Navigating ICTs for extension and advisory services. In DAVIS, K., BOHN, A., FRANZEL, S., BLUM, M., RIECKMANN, U., RAJ, S., HUSSEIN, K. & ERNST, N. 2018. What works in rural advisory services? Global Good Practice Notes. Lausanne, Switzerland: GFRAS.
SARAVANAN, R. & SUCHIRADIPTA B., 2017. Social media for agricultural extension. Bulletin No. 1. National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE). Available from: https://www.manage.gov.in/publications/extnnext/March2017.pdf
SIPUNGU, T., 2016. A brief review of the performance of the Eastern Cape in terms of the statistics South Africa community survey. Public Service Accountability Monitor [PSAM]. Available online: http://psam.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Brief-24-11-2016-17.pdf.
SOUSA, F., GIAN, N. & HOME, R., 2016. Information technologies as a tool for agricultural extension and farmer-to-farmer exchange: Mobile-phone video use in Mali. IJEDICT, 12(3):19-36.
STANLEY, S., 2013. Harnessing social media in agriculture. A Report for the New Zealand Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust NZ Nuffield Scholar.
TATA, J.S. & MCNAMARA, P.E., 2018. Impact of ICT on agricultural extension services delivery: Evidence from the Catholic Relief Services SMART skills and Farmbook project in Kenya. J Agr Educ Ext, 24(1):89-110.
THAKUR, D. & CHANDER, M., 2018. Use of social media in agricultural extension: Some evidences from India. IJSET, 7(4):1334-1346.
THE GLOBAL FUND, 2020. COVID-19 guidance note: Virtual inclusive dialogue. Available online:https://www.theglobalfund.org/media/9536/covid19_virtualinclusivedialogue_guidancenote_en.pdf?u=637250529610000000
THELWALL, M. & VIS, F., 2017. Gender and image sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and WhatsApp in the UK: Hobbying alone or filtering for friends? Aslib J. Inf. Manag., 69:702–720.
VAN CAMPENHOUT, B., VANDEVELDE, S., WALUKANO, W. & VAN ASTEN, P., 2017. Agricultural extension messages using video on portable devices increased knowledge about seed selection, storage and handling among smallholder potato farmers in South Western Uganda. PloS one, 12(1):e0169557.
VIGNARE, K., 2013. Options and strategies for information and communication technologies within agricultural extension and advisory services. Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (MEAS) Discussion Paper, USAID. Available from: https://meas.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Vignare-K-2013-ICT-and-Extension-MEAS-Discussion-Paper.pdf
WAGNER, G. 2020. Compound growth could kill us-or make us stronger. Project Syndicate. The world’s opinion page. https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/covid19-is-climate-change-on-steroids-by-gernot-wagner-2020-03?barrier=accesspaylog
WU, Z. & MCGOOGAN, J.M., 2020. Characteristics of and important lessons from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China: summary of a report of 72 314 cases from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA, 323(13):1239-1242.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 S.F.G. Yusuf, O.O. Popoola, F.T.O. Yusuf
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
.png){kind=spacer}