Agricultural informational flow in informal communication networks of farmers in Ghana

Despite the rapid growth in the use of modern communication media to improve  access to agricultural information, local information networks remain an important means of communication among rural folk. This study examined informal  communication networks of rural farmers in the Ahafo Ano south district of Ghana to determine how they can be harnessed to improve the provision of agricultural information. The objectives were two-fold, to: (i) identify local information networks and characteristics of the key communicators and (ii) determine how the structural properties of the networks affect the flow of agricultural information. Snowball sampling was used to select respondents from three purposively-selected communities in the district. Sociograms were used to reveal the ties between network actors. Key communicators of agricultural information were found to be significantly older and had higher farm output than the rest of the population and tended to occupy leadership positions in their community. Thus, extension service providers should target such key communicators when introducing new information and technology as they can serve as essential channels of information to other farmers in the community. It was also observed that network density values were generally low indicating that the networks are open to diverse sources of  information. Low degree centrality measures indicated frequent sharing of  information among several central actors rather than through one central person.Agricultural extension service providers should identify such farmers who can serve as intermediaries between actors to help disseminate information in rural communities.Keywords: key communicators, farmers, rural communities, social networks,  extension agent

Entropy mapping of the outer electron radiation belt between the magnetotail and geosynchronous orbit

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94614/1/jgra21264.pd

Lewis Cass and the Indian treaties; a monograph on the Indian relations of the Northwest Territory from 1813 to 1831,

Mode of access: Internet

Household welfare outcomes of access to and use of agricultural radio broadcast by women cocoa farmers in Tepa district, Ghana

Ghanaian women play a significant part in the country's agricultural marketing, processing and production, yet the gender information gap is severe. This survey aimed to evaluate women's access to and use of agriculture radio broadcasts in the Ashanti Region's Tepa district, Ghana. A descriptive research design and quantitative research method were employed, with a sample size of 300 determined using Cochran's formula. The results indicate that women cocoa farmers have high access to and use cocoa-related information through radio broadcasts. Socio-economic factors such as age, ownership of radio sets, cooperative membership, farm size, and land tenure system significantly affect women's level of access and use of cocoa-related information from radio broadcasts. Women cocoa farmers who utilize the information received from radio broadcasts have improved their household welfare; income, productivity, and livelihood assets. Poor radio signals, lack of finance, and inconvenient broadcast times for women farmers were found to be the most severe constraints. To improve women's household welfare, government agencies should pay more attention to women's information needs