Sources and knowledge of smallholder farmers in agricultural information in Mvomero district, Tanzania: where does misinformation originate?
Loading...
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
his study examined the access to sources and knowledge of smallholder farmers
in agricultural information in Mvomero District, Tanzania, and identified the origin of
misinformation among these farmers. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including
a survey of 192 smallholder farmers and interviews with agricultural extension officers and key
informants. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design involving both qualitative and
quantitative research methods through key informant interviews and questionnaires respectively.
Descriptive statistics results indicated that more than half of the respondents (70%) were poorly
accessing the reliable agricultural information. Furthermore, more than three quarters of the
respondents (96%) had high level of knowledge on agricultural misinformation but still, they
could not well access reliable agricultural information. Likewise, more than half of respondents
(74.5%) accessed agricultural information through farmers – farmers while half of respondents
(50%) accessed agricultural information through other sources such as radio, television, mobile
phones, smartphones, and extension officers, and this may be a problem in accessing the reliable
agricultural information. Additionally, the study revealed that misinformation among smallholder
farmers originates from various sources, including fellow farmers, traditional beliefs, and
inadequate agricultural extension services. The study recommends interventions to improve
smallholder farmers' access to agricultural information, including expanding communication
channels and improving agricultural extension services, to mitigate the spread of misinformation.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Information Sources, Smallholder Farmers, Knowledge, Agricultural Misinformation