Attitude of Farmers and Scientists Towards Dissemination of Technologies Through Mobile Message Service (MMS)

Abstract

Mobile phone used for two way communications, helps to disseminate information, improve farmers’ knowledge, increase participation and share knowledge with others. The objectives of the study are to know the attitude of farmers and scientists, profile and constraints of farmers and type of agricultural technologies disseminated through MMS network. Research was conducted at Doddaballapur of Bangalore Rural District, Karnataka, India during 2010-11. The respondents were 40 farmers and 40 scientists selected using simple random technique and collected information using questionnaire and schedules. Key findings of the study reported that forty per cent of farmers and forty five per cent of Scientists had favourable attitude towards MMS network. Further, revealed that education, farm size, material possession, economic motivation, innovative proneness, achievement motivation, cosmopoliteness, mass media participation and extension participation had positive and significant relationship with attitude of farmers. Whereas, cropping intensity, irrigation intensity, decision making ability and social participation had positive and significant relationship with attitude of farmers towards MMS network. Agriculture, horticulture, veterinary, weather information were more relevant technologies disseminated through MMS network. The major constraints faced by farmers are lack of practical exposure, difficulty of clarification if any doubt arises; while among the scientists, lack of practical exposure, and lack of locally relevant information. The implication is to find new mechanism to solve this problem. To conclude the concept of MMS network is a new approach. Hence, there is need to motivate farmers for adoption.Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 24(1): 31-41(2012)DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/tar.v24i1.7987

Keywords

• attitude
• constraints
• mms network
• mobile phone