Abstract

Local radio has played a significant role in keeping local cocoa farmers informed about their farming activities. However, the experiences of these local farmers who should be the real owners of community radio have not been captured. It would be possible to increase cocoa production if the experiences of local cocoa farmers were given the attention needed. Using a quantitative research approach, the multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 385 respondents. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. Results show that farmers were undecided about their reliance on community radio and the role it plays in disseminating agricultural information. However, they understood the agricultural-related information disseminated on community radio. They agreed that the content and presentation of community radio programs were suitable for them but were undecided on the transmission quality and community involvement. Interference from local leaders was the most severe challenge facing farmers’ use of community radio. In order to improve extension delivery there is a need for policymakers and agricultural extension stakeholders to implement programs that will encourage farmers to set up and rely on community radio as a great alternative source of information for their farming activities. This is also necessary to improve the currently low contact of extension agents with farmers, thus, reducing the extension farmer ratio.

Full Text:

PDF

References

Nazari R, Hasbullah A. H. 2008. Investigation The Farmers’ Degree Of Access Their Attitudes Towards Information And Communication Technology In The Efficient Use Of Modern Ways Of Irrigation In Kohgiloye And Boyer Ahmad Province. Research Paper Presented At World Conference On Agriculutural Information And It.

Chapman R, Blench R, Kranjac-Berisavljevic G, Zakariah A. 2003. Rural Radio In Agricultural Extension: The Example Of Vernacular Radio Programs On Soil And Water Conservation In N. Ghana. Agren Network Paper, 127.

Nirmala Y. 2015. The Role Of Community Radio In Empowering Women In India. Media Asia, 42, 41-46.

Sharma A. 2012. Radio and Television Broadcasting. New Delhi: India.

Narro A J. Hornsby E R. 2020. Good Day, Southeastern – We are Live: Livestreaming as an Opportunity for College Radio Stations to Expand Programming, Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 29(2), 274-285

Olorunnisola A A. Mohammed W F. Moore S. 2020. Community Radio in Contemporary South Africa – Deconstructing Complexities in Demarginalization, Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 29(2), 286-303

Mhagama P. 2016. The importance of participation in development through community radio: A case study of Nkhotakota community radio station in Malawi. Critical Arts, 30(1), 45-61.

Milan S. 2009. Four steps to community media as a development tool. Development in Practice 19(4/5): 598–609.

Wadia A. 2007. Broadcast Management In India: Major Guidelines And Policy Frameworks, Kanishka Publishers.

Fleming C. 2009. The Radio Handbook, Routledge.

Wabwire J. 2013. The Role Of Community Radio In Development Of The Rural Poor. New Media And Mass Communication, 10, 40-47.

Al-Hassan S, Andani A, Abdul-Malik A. 2011. The Role of Community Radio In Livelihood Improvement: The Case Of Simli Radio. Field Actions Science Reports. The Journal Of Field Actions, 5.

Kimaro W H, Mukandiwa L, Mario E Z J. (Eds.). 2010. Towards improving agricultural extension service delivery in the SADC region. Proceedings of the Workshop on Information Sharing among Extension Players in the SADC Region, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Muswede T. 2015. Approaches to" Xenophobia" interventions in Africa: common narratives through community radio in South Africa. TD: The Journal for Transdisciplinary Research in Southern Africa, 11(4), 220-231.

Masuki K, Kamugisha R, Mowo J, Tanui J, Tukahirwa J, Mogoi J, Adera E. 2009. Role Of Mobile Phones In Improving Communication And Information Delivery For Agricultural Development: Lessons From South Western Uganda. Workshop At Makerere University, Uganda, 2010. 22-23.

Salau S. 2007. A comparative study of Audience perception of FRCN Kaduna and Enugu Hausaand Igbo programs on Agriculture for Development: Nigeria. ACCE Biannua l journal, Vol. 5 No. 1

Mu-azu I A, Shivram G P. 2017. The Impact of FM Radio Broadcast in Local Dialect on Rural Community Development in Ghana, Journal of Applied and Advanced Research 2017, 2(3): 114–121

Anyadike O D, Olemadi N C, Odoemelam C C. 2015. Local Dialect Radio Programs, rural development and Social Integration: The Case of Nsukka Alua, Radio Nigeria, Enugu Programme. Mediterranean J. Social Sciences,6 (4, S2): MCSER Publishing, Rome, Italy.

Cochran W G. 1997. Sampling Techniques, 2nd Ed., New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Mugenda OM, Mugenda AG. 2003. Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. Acts Press Nairobi.

Omoare A M, Oyediran W O, Fakoya E O. 2016. Comparative assessment of cocoa farmers’ knowledge and attitude to trainings on good cultural management practices (CMP) in Ogun and Ondo States, Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development Studies, 3(3), pp.36-51.

Denkyirah E K, Okoffo E D, Adu D T, Bosompem O.A. 2017. What are the drivers of cocoa farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies in Ghana? Cogent Food & Agriculture, 3(1), 1334296.

Antwi E, Tham-Agyekum E A, Colecraft A D, Laryea O E, Bakang J E A, Boansi D, Owusu A B. 2022. Communicating with Radio: Examining the Experiences and Perceptions of Farmers in Ghana.

McMahon D. 2021. In Tune with the Listener: How Local Radio in Ireland has Maintained Audience Attention and Loyalty. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 11(3), e202112. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/11085

Frimpong-Manso J, Tham-Agyekum E K, Aidoo D C, Boansi D, Jones E O, Bakang J E A. 2022. Cooperative Membership Status and Adoption of Good Agronomic Practices: Empirical Evidence from Cocoa Farmers in Atwima Mponua District, Ghana. The Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics, 43(1), pp.1-17.

Aidoo R, Fromm I. 2015. Willingness to Adopt Certifications and Sustainable Production Methods among Small-Scale Cocoa Farmers in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

Hailu G, Khan Z R, Pittchar J O, Ochatum N. 2017. Assessing The Radio Programming And Potential Role Of Preferred By Farmers Radio Stations To Disseminate Agricultural Technologies In Eastern Uganda. International Journal Of Agricultural Extension, 5, 29-42.

Mhlaba P, Yusuf S F G. 2020. Prospects Of Community Radio Broadcast As Agricultural Extension Service Delivery Tool To Smallholder Farmers In South Africa

Ajani E N, Nwubuya E A. 2013. Constraints to effective communication among extension agents in Anambra State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 14(1): 18-25.

Gorman M, Keogh O, Clarke P. (2018). The Use and Potential of Local Radio for Agricultural Extension in the West of Ireland. International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 51-59.

Melkote S R, Steeves H L. 2015. Communication For Development: Theory And Practice For Empowerment And Social Justice, Sage Publications India.

Bessette G. 2006. Facilitating Dialogue, Learning And Participation In Natural Resource Management. People, Land & Water: Participatory Development Communication For Natural Resource Management, 3-31.

Haruna A, Salau S, Baba D. 2013. Farmers’ Perception of NAERLS Agricultural Radio Programs in Northern Nigeria, Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Extension, 17 (1)

Mody B. 1991. Designing Messages for Development Communication: An AudienceParticipation-Based Approach, Newbury Park, CA; Sage.

Mckee N. 1999. Social Mobilization and SocialMarketing in Developing Communities: Lessons for Communicators. Southbound.

Wagg H. 2004. Empowering youth with radio power:" Anything goes" on CKUT campus-community radio. Journal of Radio Studies, 11(2): 268-276.

Freeman B C. 2020. How’d They Do? Exploring Experts’ past Opinions of College Radio’s Future, Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 29(2), 342-356

Mwaniki F N, Gichuki C, Mwangi M, Mburia P, Wandago B. 2017. Addressing Challenges In Communicating Adaptation Practices To Smallholder Farmers In Kenya Through A Radio Intervention.

Djankov S, McLeish C, Nenova T A, Shleifer 2001. Who Owns the Media? Journal of Law and Economics, 46, 341-358.

Fraser C, Estrada S R. 2001. Community Radio Handbook, Unesco Paris.

Türkoglu N. 2011. Mediated public voices need theory to be heard. CM Komunikacija i mediji, 6(21), 141-158.

Bresnahan R. 2007. Community radio and social activism in Chile 1990–2007: Challenges for grassroots voices during the transition to democracy. Journal of Radio Studies, 14(2), 212-233.

Familusi E B, Owoeye P O. 2014. An assessment of the use of radio and other means of information dissemination by the residents of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti-State, Nigeria. Library philosophy and practice.

Adikwu D A B. 2022. Effectiveness of Farm Radio Broadcast in the Promotion of Yam Minisett Technology among Farmers in Benue State, Nigeria

CIMA (Centre for International Media Assistance) .2007. Community Radio Its Impact and Challenges to Development. Working Group Report. Available at: http: http://www.cima.ned.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ CIMA-Community_Radio-Working_Group_Report_0.pdf (accessed 15 July 2022).

Sewlal R. 2014. The Role And Rise Of Community Radio In The Development Of Democracy In South Africa: 20 Years Of Democracy. Rhodes Journalism Review, 2014, 24-26.

Megwa E R. 2007. Bridging The Digital Divide: Community Radio's Potential For Extending Information And Communication Technology Benefits To Poor Rural Commuinities In South Africa. The Howard Journal Of Communications, 18, 335-352.

Hermansky J. 2022. Impact of Community Radio on Community Development in the United States. Capstone Collection. 3248. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/3248

Dahal S. 2013. Power, empowerment and community radio: Media by and for women in Nepal, Women's Studies International Forum, Volume 40, 44-55

Andani M A I, Antwi-Boateng O. 2021. FM stations' role in rural development: The case of northern Ghana. Perspectives on Global Development and Technology, 20(4), 336-357. https://doi.org/10.1163/15691497-12341599

Keefer P. Khemani S. 2014. Mass media and public education: The effects of access to community radio in Benin, Journal of Development Economics, 109, 57-72

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46676/ij-fanres.v4i1.126

Refbacks

• There are currently no refbacks.

E-ISSN : 2722-4066

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.