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Effect of Agricultural Extension Services on Farmers’ Use of Agricultural Call-In Programmes

Abstract

Agricultural call-in programmes provide farmers with opportunities to communicate directly with agricultural experts, extension personnel, and other knowledgeable participants to obtain information and clarification on farming-related issues. These programmes may be delivered through radio, telephone-based platforms, and other communication channels that allow farmers to ask questions and receive immediate or scheduled responses. Agricultural extension services can play an important role in promoting farmers’ awareness and effective use of call-in programmes as sources of agricultural information and advisory support. This study will examine the effect of agricultural extension services on farmers’ use of agricultural call-in programmes. Specifically, the study will assess farmers’ access to extension services, determine their level of awareness of agricultural call-in programmes, examine their frequency of participation, and assess the extent to which extension services influence their use of call-in programmes for obtaining agricultural information and resolving farming-related problems. The study will focus on agricultural extension contact, extension advisory support, farmers’ awareness of call-in programmes, accessibility of call-in services, frequency of participation, types of agricultural questions raised, and farmers’ use of information obtained through call-in programmes. It will also examine the role of call-in programmes in providing information on crop production, livestock management, pest control, input use, weather conditions, farm management, agricultural marketing, and other farming activities. A quantitative research approach will be adopted for the study. Data will be collected from selected farmers using structured questionnaires designed to obtain information on their access to agricultural extension services and their use of agricultural call-in programmes. The data will be analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean, and standard deviation, as well as appropriate inferential statistical techniques to determine the effect of agricultural extension services on farmers’ use of call-in programmes. The study is expected to reveal that farmers with greater access to agricultural extension services may be more likely to use agricultural call-in programmes for obtaining technical information and seeking solutions to farming problems. The findings may also show that awareness of call-in programmes, frequency of extension contact, accessibility of communication channels, and the relevance of information provided may influence farmers’ participation in these programmes. The study will be useful to agricultural extension agents, farmers, radio stations, agricultural development agencies, government institutions, non-governmental organisations, and agricultural communication practitioners. It may provide useful information for improving the integration of telephone-based and radio call-in platforms into agricultural extension delivery. The findings may also assist extension providers in identifying effective communication channels for reaching farmers and responding to their information needs. The study concludes that agricultural extension services can contribute to farmers’ use of agricultural call-in programmes by creating awareness, encouraging participation, and linking farmers with sources of technical agricultural information. It is therefore recommended that agricultural extension organisations promote accessible call-in platforms, provide timely and reliable responses to farmers’ questions, strengthen collaboration with agricultural broadcasters, and integrate call-in programmes into broader agricultural advisory services.

Keywords: Agricultural extension services, agricultural call-in programmes, farmers’ participation, agricultural information, extension communication, advisory services, farmers’ awareness, telephone-based extension, radio programmes, agricultural knowledge, information access, farmer communication, technical advice, agricultural development, extension delivery.