Bridging gender gaps in provision of agricultural extension service using ICT: experiences from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) Farmer Voice Radio (FVR) project in Tanzania
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Date
2014-06
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IGI Global Publishing
Abstract
This article was designed to present the assessment of the effectiveness of radio - based,
impact driven smallholder farmer extension service system provided by FVR to enhance
accessibility of extension services to women and men in the project areas of Tanzania.
Specifically, this paper assessed women and men farmers’ access to ICT and factors in-
fluencing the utilization of ICT to deliver agricultural information and knowledge. The
paper used data from impact assessment survey of the project conducted between April
2012 and June 2012. These data were complemented by focus group discussion involving
members of gender advisory panel that had been established in the selected project sites.
Quantitative data were analyzed to yield frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data
were analyzed by content analysis. Even though ownership of mobile phones and radio
was higher among women in all study areas both men and women farmers’ had almost the
same percentage in accessibility to agricultural extension information. The factors that
affected women and men farmers to get quality agricultural information via these ICT
tools were namely: poor radio signal reception, power outrage and poor timing of radio
programs among others. This is important evidence that careful use of ICT can reduce
gender imbalance in agricultural extension services and information delivery.
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Keywords
Agriculture Extension Service, Farmer Voice Radio, ICT, SUA, Gender