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Effect of WhatsApp Agricultural Advisory Groups on Farmers’ Knowledge of Crop Production

Abstract

WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups provide farmers with opportunities to receive, exchange, and discuss agricultural information through mobile communication networks. These groups can connect farmers with agricultural extension agents, researchers, experienced farmers, and other agricultural stakeholders, allowing information on crop production to be shared quickly and conveniently. The use of WhatsApp groups may therefore support continuous learning and improve farmers’ access to practical knowledge on modern crop production practices. This study will examine the effect of WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups on farmers’ knowledge of crop production. It will assess the extent to which farmers use WhatsApp advisory groups to obtain crop production information and determine how participation in these groups influences their knowledge of recommended farming practices. The study will also examine the relationship between farmers’ level of participation in WhatsApp advisory groups and their knowledge of crop production. The study will focus on farmers’ participation in WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups, frequency of interaction, agricultural information shared, communication with extension agents, and farmers’ knowledge of crop production practices. Areas of knowledge to be examined will include land preparation, seed selection, planting methods, fertilizer application, weed management, pest and disease control, irrigation, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and improved crop production technologies. The study will also consider challenges affecting the use of WhatsApp advisory groups, including poor network connectivity, data costs, limited digital skills, and access to smartphones. A quantitative research approach will be adopted for the study. Data will be collected from farmers using structured questionnaires designed to assess their participation in WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups and their knowledge of crop production practices. The data collected will be analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation. Correlation and regression analysis will also be used to determine the relationship between participation in WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups and farmers’ crop production knowledge. The study is expected to reveal that participation in WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups may have a positive effect on farmers’ knowledge of crop production. Farmers who actively participate in advisory groups may have greater access to timely information, practical recommendations, expert responses, and experiences shared by other farmers. However, irregular participation, poor internet connectivity, limited digital literacy, misinformation, and inadequate access to smartphones may reduce the effectiveness of WhatsApp groups as agricultural learning platforms. The study will be useful to farmers, agricultural extension agents, government agricultural agencies, agricultural researchers, non-governmental organisations, and digital agriculture practitioners. The findings may provide useful information for improving the use of WhatsApp groups as supplementary agricultural extension channels. The study may also assist extension professionals in developing relevant crop production content, responding to farmers’ questions, sharing practical recommendations, and maintaining continuous communication with farming communities. The study concludes that WhatsApp agricultural advisory groups can provide a convenient platform for strengthening farmers’ access to crop production knowledge and facilitating interaction with agricultural extension stakeholders. It is therefore recommended that agricultural extension agencies should make appropriate use of WhatsApp advisory groups to provide accurate, timely, and practical crop production information. Farmers should also be encouraged to participate actively in such groups, while extension professionals should monitor information shared on the platforms and provide reliable technical guidance.

Keywords: WhatsApp agricultural groups, agricultural advisory groups, farmers, crop production, farmers’ knowledge, agricultural extension, digital extension, mobile communication, agricultural information, crop production knowledge, extension communication, digital agriculture, farmer learning, agricultural advisory services, information dissemination.