Farmers’ and Researchers’ Perceptions on Mediated Communication of Agricultural Research Results by Rwanda Agriculture Board
Keywords:
farmers, mediated communication, personal communication, agricultural research communication, agricultural extension, participatory communicationAbstract
This paper explores how mediated communication is perceived by farmers and agricultural researchers and extensionists in Rwanda, taking Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) as a Case Study. Literature revealed that studies on agricultural communication to farmers have focused on the role of mass media and new technologies in farmers’ access to agricultural information. There have not been enough opportunities for farmers to voice how they think agricultural research information can best be communicated to them. In line with interpretive paradigm, qualitative approach, narrative strategy of inquiry and purposive sampling, 50 farmers and 20 RAB staff (researchers and extensionists) participated in the study. While researchers and extensionists at RAB said that they need to increase the use of mass communication media as well as the new technologies in order to effectively communicate to farmers, farmers expressed more reliance on interpersonal, face-to-face exchanges. Farmers said that they need people they can talk to face to face; people who can listen to their questions and grievances and provide adequate answers. They said that very few of them can read and write and have little or no access to technological devices recommended by RAB staff due to their living conditions.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
- Open Access authors retain the copyrights of their papers, and all open access articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is properly cited.
- The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.
- While the advice and information in this journal are believed to be true and accurate on the date of its going to press, neither the authors, the editors, nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made.The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
