Utilization of Mobile Cell Phone as an Effective Agricultural Extension Contact Method among Extension Agents, Khartoum State, Sudan
Abstract
Extension workers use an individual and group contact methods in addition to mass media to contact farmers in order to do better job farming. Each of these contact methods has its advantages and disadvantages. It is high time to find out a contact method that has the advantages of all these methods and rid of their disadvantages. In the rhetoric, mobile cell phone has the advantages of all these methods and free from all their disadvantages. The objective of this paper is to investigate the possibility of using mobile phone as an effective extension contact method among Khartoum state extension agents. A questionnaire is designed to collect the needed data. All the extension workers (40) in the study area were interviewed. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), frequencies, percentages, weighted mean and Chi2 are calculated. The results revealed that: all extension workers (100%) have mobile phone and (87.5%) of them have smart phone. Extension workers have a positive attitude towards using mobile phone as extension contact method at a weighted mean of (4.07) according to Likert scale results. 10% of the extension workers used video and short written message to contact farmers, while 40% of them used telephone call and 25% of them used both mentioned ways. Chi2 test results shows that there was a high association between the extension workers personal characteristics and suitability of using mobile phone at a level of significance of 0.00. It is recommended that extension and technology transfer directorate should regard mobile phone as genuine extension contact method and provide extension workers with more advanced smart phones and train them on how to use it as a contact and teaching method effectively, the extension workers should use all individual and group contact methods to inform and teach farmers the importance of using mobile and urge them to act upon, and take advantages of social media and establish whatsApp groups contacts involve all the farmers and the extension workers in Khartoum state to hang together and stick together so as to exchange ideas, skills and discuss problems that farmers face.
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