Factors Influencing Use of Video Mediated Technology by Public Extension Agents in Disseminating Agricultural Information and Skills to Farmers in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

The role of agricultural extension as a mechanism of transmitting technical information to trigger change among farming communities is central in imparting the farming skills in the wider society. Due to the rate of growth of ICT in information dissemination, the conventional methods of extension delivery in which the agricultural extension agents interact with farmers face to face only has become less effective with age. Video Mediated Technology (VMT) could be applied efficiently in enhancing farmers’ capacity to access and acquire new information and skills. This intervention has gained wider use worldwide in improving extension service delivery to farmers. However, factors influencing its uptake and use by public extension agents has not been studied and adequately documented in Homa Bay County. The purpose of the study was to determine the factors influencing use of VMT by public extension agents in Homa-Bay County. The study focused on VMT as an intervention to improve extension teaching and learning. The study used descriptive survey design. Single-stage cluster sampling was used and data was collected through census method from all the 85 public agricultural extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture in the County. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The validity of the questionnaire was ascertained through discussion with extension experts, experienced researchers at Egerton University, four peers and supervisors. The instrument produced a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient of α = 0.78 after a pilot test in Migori County on 30 extension agents. Data was cleaned, coded and analyzed at a confidence level of 0.05alpha with the aid of the computer programme, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 based on the study objectives. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics and the results were presented in form of frequency tables, pie chart, bar graphs, averages and percentages. Linear regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicate that there was low use of VMT among majority of extension agents. The study also established that there was a significant influence of extension agents’ personal characteristics, VMT characteristics, institutional characteristics and extension environment characteristics on use of VMT. The study recommends capacity building of extension agents to use VMT through exclusive in-service training programmes and refresher courses, involvement of public institutions in developing a curriculum in VMT for agricultural development and establishment of strong agricultural communication networks. This is significant for policy on learning, dissemination and adoption of agricultural productivity enhancing technologies.