Access and use of Agricultural information by farmers of Etunda irrigation project

Abstract

This study aimed at examining the access and use of agricultural information by farmers in Etunda irrigation project. A case study design was used and data were collected using interview. The population was the farmers of Etunda project and made use of convenience sampling to select Nine (9) farmers to respond to interview questions. The data collected was analysed applying content analysis. The findings of this study revealed that the farmers have challenges of accessing latest and up to date information for farming. The respondents indicated that the availability of information in languages they did not understand or that was irrelevant to their circumstances had an impact on their information-seeking behaviour. They also mentioned that the majority of the farmers lacked the funds to own computers or pay for Internet access, and they lacked the knowledge necessary to do Internet searches. A solution on how to improve information has been proposed. The researcher recommends that Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land reform (MAWL) and Ministry of Education Arts and Culture (MEAC) work together to routinely provide the library to farmers. Farmers' information demands and information-seeking habits should be periodically evaluated. They must jointly conduct workshops to introduce farmers to information resources, promote information sharing among farmers, and give farmers access to computers and the Internet. Additionally, information needs to be repackaged into local languages and accessible formats for farmers.