THE CHANGING INFORMATION NEEDS OF FARMERS IN THE U.S. AND EUROPE

Both policy and market forces are causing unprecedented changes in agricultural structure and management in both the United States and in Europe. These changes will have profound impacts on the role of universities and extension services who provide information and education to farmers. This paper discusses some of the emerging and anticipated changes in information content and delivery in both the US and the EU. Some of the primary issues US agricultural producers will need to address as a result of the changes in the agricultural industry and policy include: strategic positioning, transferring management capabilities, frequent performance monitoring, evaluating new technology, monitoring external factors, managing information, and accountability. The information needs of farmers in Europe are closely linked to the evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union. The general agricultural policy framework is briefly presented in the paper. Price reduction, agri-environmental measures enhancement, and rural development policy are the most important elements of CAP reform. European agriculture is in the midst of major changes, mostly started in 1992, but destined to continue and increase in the near future. Different approaches to manage the agricultural sector involve the need for a different information system for farmers. It means not only new content in information, but also new ways to inform and do technical assistance. The primary information needs out are: farm management, risk management, EU programs and measures, quality production, low input and organic farming, marketing and advertising management, new technology introduction, structural adjustment funds management, investment decisions, rural tourism and recreational activities management. European agriculture is on the path to large and challenging changes. There is no way for farmers alone to manage these changes, and remain competitive in the market. Providing information has become the most important part of the extension activity. Information must include training sessions, demonstrations in the field, and assessment, together with the farmers, of the activities and the results obtained. There are many similarities in the farm management information needs of farmers in the US and EU. A critical factor for the Extension Services in the future is to adjust rapidly to the changes, and quickly develop new content and delivery plans for farmers' training. The challenge for universities and extension services to respond to the information needs will strain their resources. Collaborative efforts between our institutions may prove more valuable as faculty attempt to develop research and educational programs relevant to the emerging information needs. In addition, cooperation with the growing private sector agricultural education programs will probably be essential if public education and information delivery systems are to remain relevant.Farm Management,

Then and now: across ten years of Arkansas women in agriculture

The United States Agricultural Census show that between 2002 and 2012, the number of women farm operators in Arkansas grew 14% (from 19,856 to 22,637). These women operators have made up an increasingly larger percentage of all farm operators in the state (from almost 29% to nearly 33%). There is little published information regarding changes over time in the role of women in agriculture, their challenges, and factors important to their success. While some surveys of farm women have been conducted, these surveys are generally insufficient because data exist only for one point in time. This research uses the first, middle and last years of survey data collected across ten years (2005-2014) at Arkansas Women in Agriculture (ARWIA) conferences to compare women’s perceptions regarding: 1) factors important to their choice of business activity, 2) challenges women face in their agriculture-related business, and 3) the decision-making roles they hold in that business. Results suggest that women in Arkansas agriculture engage in important decision-making on the farm. These women consistently identified across all three years, three attributes—applying talents and skills directly, being involved in the community and being excited about the work—as important factors in their decision to choose an agricultural career. They also identified two problems—keeping good employees and finding/affording a good lawyer—within the top five of the largest challenges faced. It is hoped that this set of baseline information can be useful not only to researchers and educators interested in addressing needs of local women but also in illustrating the continuing changes in women’s roles and their needs, and thus the need for extended research over time to address these changes

Agriculture in Alaska

An original version of this bulletin was first issued by the Alaska Experiment Station in 1917. Authored by C. C. Georgeson, it was revised many times to meet changing needs. A 1945 edition titled "Information for Prospective Settlers" by G. W. Gasser, Territorial commissioner of Agriculture, was revised in 1948. This was followed by Bulletin 15 of the Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station compiled by Hugh A. Johnson. The present information was gathered by many agencies It was put together and edited by Mrs. Lenora Hedla and published by the University of Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension Service, and the Alaska Department of Agriculture. Assisting in this publication were the U. S. Department of Land Management; the U. S. Forest Service, the Soil Conservation Service, the Farmers Home Administration, the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Committee, and the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation.Alaska's agriculture is a growing industry. In 1957 some $4 Y2 million worth of food and feed grown by 200 full-time and 350 part-time farmers brought nearly$9 million in the market place. Crop volume doubled between 1950 and 1955. While Alaskan agriculture has been rapidly expanding, growers have been also keeping abreast of Stateside grading and packaging practices. They now offer homegrown products of the highest quality. A few farms are as modern as any in the States. Some farmers net $10,000 year or more, although the average is closer to$4,000 because many farms are small and others are in early stages of development

Managing Risk in Agriculture under Drought Situation in Uttar Pradesh: A Case Study

From a case study under the village level study (VLS), it has been found that in the drought agriculture year 2002-03, the farmers of Uttar Pradesh followed their best choice and own outlook for risk aversion and invariably preferred those crops and techniques which involved damage control and low investment and provided insurance against loss. The water harvesting for irrigation, intercropping, growing of low-value crops, high concentration for fodder and grain rather than grain alone, and preferential low-use of monetary inputs are some of the means commonly used by the farmers during droughts. It has been concluded that rainfall probability analyses would be a component of agricultural managing/ reducing risk while large area of the Indo-Gagetic plains is falling in the state. The major weakness in generating this type of information and analysis is that it provides no specific information about the upcoming season with which the farmer must deal. Some suggestions have been given to mitigate risk in agriculture. Need has been pointed out for preparing a draught vulnerability index for different districts. It has been realized that the IMD’s monsoon forecast methodology needs some serious re-thinking. The intensive climate information /farmer interface intensification of watershed programme; tighter agriculture risk management, and sustained crop diversification will have to be considered. It has been suggested that the preparedness measures can be taken by two different agencies: the assisting agency, and the drought-prone areas themselves. Drawing on field information assembled from drought relief performance, state government may develop a way of drawing inference from experience. A particular activity in drought situation should be analyzed and assessed by degree of success, with the region given for the results. These judgments may be recorded and filed in a retrieval system called ‘lessons learnt’; which could be used as a useful reference source in deciding such question as what quantities are required to care for a particular number of people under a particular kind of environment or situation. The contingency plan for drinking water, irrigation water, food security, cropping system, drought warning system and research on drought- resistant varieties of crops may be updated.Agricultural and Food Policy,

Perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers in the North Central Region of the U.S. regarding sustainable agriculture: implications to curriculum development in agricultural education

The major purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of secondary school agriculture teachers in the North Central Region of the US regarding sustainable agriculture, the extent to which they teach the subject in their curriculum, and the use, credibility, and benefits of selected information sources. A secondary purpose was to develop a model to guide the integration of sustainable agriculture subject matter into the curriculum. Overall, the teachers had positive perceptions and a basic understanding of sustainable agriculture practices. Teachers in this study expressed the desire to incorporate more of the subject into their curriculum if their needs regarding provision of adequate information, instructional aids and materials, and training were met. The respondents indicated that sustainable agriculture was economically viable.;The findings in this study indicated that teachers included sustainable agriculture subject matter in their instructional programs to a moderate extent. Some of the topics that were taught included soil testing, soil erosion, and crop rotations. The following topics were not being taught to any great extent reduced use of chemicals, reduced use of fertilizers, and herbicide-resistant crops. Teachers perceived that farmers used the following sources to gain information about sustainable agriculture: magazines, neighbors. friends, family members, local chemical and fertilizer dealers. However, university specialists were rated as the most credible sources of information. Other credible sources of information included tours, magazines and friends.;The sources given the least ratings on credibility were television and radio programs, commodity promotion boards, newspapers, machinery dealers, and local seed and chemical dealers. Beneficial sources were similar to those observed for credibility. A curriculum development model was designed to assist educators to integrate sustainable agriculture subject matter into the teaching of agriculture courses. It was concluded that teachers need more training, experience, and instructional materials to enable them to help secondary school students to learn more about sustainable agricultural practices

Review of agricultural extension in India: Are farmers' information needs being met?

Despite a wide range of reform initiatives in agricultural extension in India in the past decades, the coverage of, access to, and quality of information provided to marginalized and poor farmers is uneven. This paper aims to ascertain why farmers are not accessing information and where information gaps exist, despite the variety of extension approaches in India. Using information provision and access as the basis for analysis, the paper reviews some of the major agricultural extension programs in India by considering their ability to provide information and facilitate information sharing and use in farming communities. The review gives a broad overview of the current extension scene in India while providing a synthesis of recent debates and the observations of various authors as well as working groups in the Ministry of Agriculture and the Planning Commission. The paper examines the challenges and constraints of each agricultural extension approach as it attempts to provide farmers with access to information that is relevant to their farm enterprises. As a result of this analysis, opportunities are identified for increasing extension services' effectiveness and efficiency in reaching smallholder farmers. Research gaps are also identified. The review concludes that there is an increasing need to work in partnership and to share knowledge and skills in order to provide locally relevant services that meet the information needs of marginal and smallholder farmers in India.agricultural extension, Knowledge, information, Innovation, Public-private partnership, Gender, Education,

Towards An Agriculture Information Ecosystem

Stakeholders of a domain in their day today activities generate information which is a valuable resource. To obtain full value of this information it should reach right people at the right time. To investigate how this can be achieved we developed an information flow model for agriculture domain by mapping information needed by stakeholders to information generated by others using set of aggregation and disaggregation operators. We found majority of information needs of stakeholders can be fulfilled by applying these operators to information produced by some other stakeholders thus creating a direct benefit to encourage sharing information. This information flow model had many similarities to biological ecosystems where nutrient cycles and energy flows are replaced by information flows. Based on this information ecosystem model we are developing a mobile based information system for farmers in Sri Lanka. Like biological ecosystems information ecosystems will also need time to grow and become sustainable

Precision Agriculture Technologies: Analysing the Use of Advanced Technologies, Such as Drones, Sensors, and GPS, In Precision Agriculture for Optimizing Resource Management, Crop Monitoring, and Yield Prediction

Precision agriculture, or precision farming, is a type of farming method that uses technology to improve the efficiency and yield of crops. It has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way for farmers to get the most out of their land and resources. By utilizing data-driven decision-making, precision agriculture can help farmers maximize crop yields while minimizing costs by reducing water usage, fertilizer application, chemical treatments, and labor needs. In this article, we will explore precision agriculture, why it’s important, the different ways it is performed, and some key principles of this agricultural practice. Precision agriculture is a farming practice that uses advanced technology and data-driven decision-making to optimize crop yields while minimizing cost. This includes the use of sensors, aerial imagery, drones, global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing technologies, geographic information systems (GIS), robotics, and even artificial intelligence (AI) to collect and analyze data. This data can be used to develop specific plans and strategies tailored to individual fields, farms, or even small areas within a farm. By accurately monitoring and analyzing data such as soil content, temperature, humidity, water levels, and more, farmers can better understand their land’s needs and apply resources accordingly. Precision agriculture falls under the category of smart farming, where technologies are used to produce higher yields while reducing inputs, labor, and environmental impact. By utilizing technology, precision agriculture helps farmers make better decisions and ultimately increase crop production while reducing costs at the same time

RISING FOOD PRICES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE GHANAIAN ECONOMY

The recent crisis of soaring food prices has moved the world to respond.  Many factors contributed to the unprecedented rise in food prices including high energy prices, changing patterns of consumption, low investment in agriculture, low harvests in some major agricultural regions, and the use of grains for biofuel production.  The responses have been sub-optimal due to information deficit and political pressure.  Short-term and long-term strategies are yet to be developed.  Some supply surplus countries have imposed a ban on exportation of food and certain supply-deficit countries have removed tariffs to increase imports to supplement domestic food supplies. This paper discusses some of the causes of the food crisis, and its implications for the Ghanaian economy.  It concludes that Ghana needs its own tailor-made strategies that will result in sustainable food security.  Ghana needs to strengthen its own capacity in resource mobilization for increased agricultural production and research that achieve national level priorities

Developing a Cohesive Urban Agriculture Policy for Burlington, VT

A growing interest in urban food production has prompted many North American cities to revise their municipal policies regarding agricultural activities. In March 2011, the City Council of Burlington, VT, created the Urban Agriculture Task Force to investigate and recommend policies to provide city officials with tools to effectively govern urban agriculture. In coordination with the Task Force as a community partner, I used a governance framework and participatory action research (PAR) to analyze: (1) the needs of local stakeholders, including urban agriculture practitioners, the general Burlington community, and government officials; (2) the policy tools available to the City of Burlington, including the direct provision of services, regulation, public information, and partnerships with other organizations; (3) the actors and relationships present in Burlington’s urban agriculture governance network; and (4) policy approaches used in other cities. Based on this analysis, over 50 policy recommendations were developed for the City of Burlington, ranging from ordinance revisions to the development of new urban agriculture initiatives. Key findings include that (1) a balance must be struck between stakeholder needs (e.g. practitioners desire that regulations be minimal, while municipal officials need measurable standards to ease implementation); (2) a legal basis for governing some aspects of urban agriculture, such as the humane treatment of livestock, is needed, but other aspects, such as managing neighbor conflicts or connecting people to available land, are not easily regulated and require innovative programming; and (3) the City has an opportunity to partner with other organizations that are better suited to provide technical expertise to practitioners. These recommendations lay the groundwork for the City to better govern and support current and future urban agriculture activities