| Livestock Research for Rural Development 21 (1) 2009 | Guide for preparation of papers | LRRD News | Citation of this paper |
This study analyses communication linkage between livestock research specialists and livestock owners in Iran. The study employed survey method as a research approach. Population under study were all research staff (203 people) who were dealing with research activities in the livestock husbandry and veterinary areas under Agriculture and livestock research Centers under Ministry of Jihad-Keshavarsi. To study, a sample of 70 livestock and veterinary research specialists were selected using “Proportional Random Sampling” method. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The criteria like frequency, percentage, mean, mode and standard deviation were calculated. Factor analysis model was used to reduce and classify communication methods and media used for dissemination of information, knowledge and skills regarding to livestock and veterinary technologies
According to factor analysis methods and media for communication from livestock research specialists to livestock owners consisting visiting in the office, visits in the field, radio broadcasting, seminars and workshops, training courses, television broadcasting, exhibition, field demonstration and extensional and educational bulletins are ranked less to high importance and priority, respectively.
Keywords: communication linkage, livestock research, livestock owner, communication methods and media
En este estudio se analiza el enlace en la comunicación entre los especialistas en investigación pecuaria y los propietarios de ganado en Irán. Para llevar a cabo este estudio se utilizaron encuestas. La población bajo estudio fueron investigadores (203 personas) que trabajaban en las áreas de veterinaria y cría de ganado vinculados a centros de investigación agropecuarios del Ministero de Jihad-Keshavarsi. Para el estudio, una muestra de 70 investigadores fueron seleccionados usando el método de "Muestreo Proporcional al Azar". Los datos se obtuvieron mediante un cuestionario estructurado. Se calcularon criterios como frecuencia, porcentaje, promedio, moda y desviación estándard. Se empleó un modelo de análisis de factores para reducir y clasificar los métodos de comunicación y medios usados para la divulgación de la información, conocimiento y habilidades respecto a la producción animal y tecnologías veterinarias.
Respecto al analisis de factores, métodos y medio para la comunicación con los propietarios del ganado comprendian (ordenados de menor a mayor importancia y prioridad): visitas en la oficina, visitas en el campo, emisiones de radio, seminarios y talleres, cursos de entrenamiento, emisiones televisadas, exhibiciones, demostraciones en campo y boletines de extensión y educativos.
Palabras clave: enlace de comunicación, investigación pecuaria, propietarios de ganado, métodos y medios de comunicación
Livestock production is the backbone of Iran’s agricultural economy. More than 36% of value added of agricultural sector comes from the livestock production sector which also employs about 70% of the labor force in agriculture (Management and Programming Organization 2002). The application of livestock farming technologies remains important for any livestock farmer, as disease, high mortality, low income and low capacity are major constraints on livestock production in Iran (Management and Programming Organization 2003). This leads to the major problem that livestock farmers produce below capacity in compare with livestock farmers who live in developed countries. This happens while established public technology generation and dissemination organizations in national/state levels are generating and transferring information, knowledge and skills among livestock farmers.
The usage of veterinary services and other dairy farming technologies remains important for any livestock farmer, as disease, high mortality and low capacity are major constraints on livestock production in Iran (Management and Programming Organization 2003). For instance beef and veal output per head of cattle in North America is 280-300 kg whereas yields in Asia and Iran are about half at 120-150 kg, respectively (USDA 1999). This leads to the major problem that livestock farmers produce below capacity in Iran and Asia.
Extension and education provides an important linkage between farmers and researchers, and farmers have come to value the services they receive from Extension (Ekanem et al 2001). The livestock extension services have been traditionally funded, managed and delivered by the public sector in Iran. The Ministry of Jihad-e-Keshavarsy through its veterinary and livestock extension departments carries out most of the veterinary and livestock extension program (Rezvanfar and Mandape 2000). The role of the veterinary and livestock extension service is to advise livestock farmers on various aspects of veterinary and livestock production, supply inputs such as chemicals, forage and concentrates, and provide services like livestock and stable sprays against ticks and diseases (Ministry of Jihad-e-keshavarsy 2002).
Based on the traditional linear approach for veterinary and livestock extension in Iran, these programs have met with limited success and were abandoned one after another. Indeed, to attain sustainable agricultural and livestock production while conserving the resource base, the Government of Iran developed the capacity of the national agriculture and livestock research system (Taeb and Keshavarz 1999; Gharehyazi et al 2003). In other words, integrating science and appropriate technologies in the livestock sector based on a knowledge management approach and requirements of a knowledge economy. This is a considerable strategy for dairy farming development.
Agriculture and livestock research systems and associate actors as enabling institutions in agricultural development framework (Pretty 1995), are main sources of generation and development of technologies and knowledge in agricultural sector, as the linchpins of agricultural development (Dalrymple 2000). The Ministry of Jihadi-e-keshavarzi in Iran has responded to the challenge by initiating capabilities to introduce training courses and transfer of technology in the regional agriculture and livestock research centers.
According to theory of “communication for development”, the role of communication methods and media and information sources are very important in diffusion of innovation, but methods, media and sources needed to be effective to ensure impact (Melkot 1998).
If information is to be used and empowering, it must be disseminated in a manner that best facilitates its reception. However, information is delivered in a multitude of manners and the challenge is to determine which method is most appropriate to the audience attempting to be reached. Studies clearly show that clientele preferences exist and may be quite different depending upon the audience being served. Considering the great variability among groups and indicated personal preferences, it is likely that no single delivery method is suitable for everyone (Richardson 1995). Previous studies have noted that farmers’ preferences for informational delivery methods depend on a variety of demographic characteristics such as age, income, formal training courses, and farm size (Iddings and Apps 1992).
Landowners living in the urban/rural interface have diverse interests and unique concerns (Creighton et al 2002). The abundance of methods and media for disseminating information creates a need for extension and education to know the types of technology its audience owns and/or regularly uses (Orr 2003). Knowing the audience will assist the source in disseminating information in a method that is both well received and used.
The challenge arises in how best to disseminate information to target populations. Information dissemination is a core principle of the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service and they must therefore determine who its audience is and how to most effectively target and disseminate information to that audience (Orr 2003). Not only does the Cooperative Extension Service strive to meet the needs of large production farms, but also it seeks to fulfill the needs of small-farm landowners, non-traditional producers, and homeowners (Polson and Gastier 2001). Subsequently, because of a much broader audience today, extension must seek the most effective means of reaching individuals based on their preferences for receiving information.
Livestock owners take decisions in their day-to-day lives that may affect the productivity of their livestock system. In talking decisions, however, livestock owners are greatly aided by the amount of information, knowledge and technologies available to them about their felt needs. So that, extension, training and dissemination of information to livestock owners will be a critical input for the modernizing of farm production and home management in rural areas (World Bank 1992).
Rapid growth of communications in agriculture in the 1950s led to increasingly competitive media environment and created strong demand for marketing and demographic research to target farm and consumer audiences (Evans and Salcedo 1974). Agricultural communication research has made contributions to many disciplines and offers a variety of practical applications. According to Ford and Babb (1989) information about farmers’ communication has proved to be of critical importance to agribusiness and other organizations to reach client audiences in a highly competitive market office.
Agriculture and Livestock Research Centers in Iran involved in introducing and transferring new practices and technologies amongst livestock owners. However, various communication methods and media like extensional and educational bulletins, field demonstration, field and office visits, radio, television, training courses, and trip visits employed for dissemination of knowledge and information regarding to dairy farming technologies and practices among livestock owners (Ministry of Jihad-e Keshavarsi 2002).
Information in an enterprise is important for the production process, the economy of products, technical quality, production capacity, and the market and market related needs, such as competitive intelligence. Mudukuti and Miller (2002) suggested that in the information age, dissemination of information and applying this information in the process of agricultural and livestock production will play a significant role in development of farm families. Similarly Sligo and Jameson (2000) in their experiences have also stressed that livestock owners must be given training on latest technological skills and maximize production. The application of diffusion theory to the current study suggests that researchers are active information disseminators across a variety of communication methods and media according to that accessibility.
According to the importance of communication methods and media in the process of information dissemination and transfer of technology in the livestock production this paper will attempt to investigate communication linkage from livestock research specialists to livestock owners in Iran. The specific objectives of this study were:
1- Methods and media used by livestock research specialists for dissemination of information and skills about livestock and veterinary managerial technologies.
2- Analysis of communication level between livestock research specialists and livestock owners.
3- Comparing of the two groups of livestock research specialists related to level of communication linkage with livestock owners.
4- Measuring and explaining importance and priority of various communication methods and media were used by livestock research specialists for dissemination of information.
This study analyses communication linkage from livestock research specialists to livestock owners in Iran. The study was carried out in 2005 through a survey research design for data collection. The statistical population includes all 203 livestock research specialists who dealing with research activities about livestock affairs in the governmental Agriculture and Livestock Research Centers. A sample of 70 livestock research specialists (25 veterinary science specialists and 45 livestock science specialists) with at least 3 years of experience in research activities was selected by using of “proportional random sampling” method. The sample size was determined by using Cochran's formula (Kerlinger 1996). Data were collected by filling out the questionnaires that had been tested previously. In order to determine the validity of the questionnaire, the content was tested. This was done by using a panel of specialists and a multi-step correction and review process.
Earlier, a pilot study was conducted in Tehran, West Azarbayjan, East Azarbayjan and Fars provinces using 30 people. The aim was to test and improve the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha computed to measure reliability of the developed “communication linkage” index was 0.78 which showed that index has high reliability (Kerlinger 1996). Data analysis was carried out in two sections, consisting data description and data inferential analysis. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentage, cumulative percentage, mode and median were used in the first section. Compartmental analyses such as t-Test and Loan Test and factor analysis were used in the inferential analysis section.
Communication linkage between livestock research specialists was explained according to methods or media used by livestock research specialists for dissemination of information and skills about livestock and veterinary managerial technologies to livestock owners. Amount of communication about livestock and veterinary technologies from livestock research specialists to livestock owners was measured by subjecting each method or media to a four point continuum from none, low, medium and high having scores 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For determining communication level from livestock research specialists to livestock owners the scores obtained by respondents for their communication with every livestock owner were added together.
T-Test was also used for comparing two groups of livestock research specialists related to level of communication linkage with livestock owners. Also, factor analysis used for measuring and explaining the importance and priority of various communication methods and media were used by livestock research specialists for dissemination of information, knowledge and skills regarding to livestock and veterinary technologies towards livestock owners.
The frequency distribution of livestock research specialists about communication with livestock owners showed in Table 1.
|
Table 1. Frequency distribution of livestock research specialists regarding to communication with livestock owners |
|||||||||
|
Component |
not |
low |
medium |
high |
Mode |
||||
|
frequency |
percent |
frequency |
percent |
frequency |
percent |
frequency |
percent |
||
|
Visits in the field |
14 |
20 |
18 |
25.7 |
22 |
31.4 |
16 |
22.9 |
medium |
|
Visiting in the specialists office |
11 |
15.7 |
33 |
47.1 |
21 |
30 |
5 |
7.1 |
Low |
|
Extensional and educational bulletins |
32 |
45.7 |
14 |
20 |
22 |
31.4 |
2 |
2.9 |
Not |
|
Seminars and Workshops |
34 |
48.6 |
21 |
30 |
14 |
20 |
1 |
1.4 |
Not |
|
Training courses |
51 |
72.9 |
9 |
12.9 |
7 |
10 |
3 |
4.3 |
Not |
|
Exhibition |
50 |
71.4 |
15 |
21.4 |
5 |
7.1 |
0 |
0 |
Not |
|
Movie showing |
61 |
87.1 |
5 |
7.1 |
4 |
5.7 |
0 |
0 |
Not |
|
Field demonstration |
60 |
85.7 |
5 |
7.1 |
3 |
4.3 |
2 |
2.9 |
Not |
|
Television broadcasting |
50 |
71.4 |
13 |
18.6 |
6 |
18.6 |
1 |
1.4 |
Not |
|
Radio broadcasting |
51 |
72.9 |
12 |
17.1 |
5 |
7.1 |
2 |
2.9 |
Not |
It is explained according to methods or media used by livestock research specialists for dissemination of information and skills about livestock and veterinary managerial technologies towards livestock owners.
Results of field studies show that 53.4 percent of the livestock research specialists communicated with livestock owners "moderately" and "highly" and 20 percent of them have never experienced this method of communication.
Research results revealed that majority of the livestock research specialists, 47.1 percent, have communicated with livestock owners at a low level and 15.7 percent of them have never experienced this method. 37.1 percent of livestock research specialists have implemented this method moderately and highly.
Findings showed that most of livestock research specialists (45.7 percent) have not used extensional and educational bulletins for communicating with livestock owners, and only 2.9 percent of them have used it highly.
It was found that 48.6 percent of livestock research specialists have not communicated with livestock owners through seminars and workshops and just 1.4 percent of them have implemented these methods highly.
Study analysis showed that 72.9 percent of livestock research specialists have never taken advantages of educating livestock owners through training courses. While only 4.3 percent of them have used highly this method for communication with livestock owners.
Analysis of the findings showed that 71.4 percent of livestock research specialists have never communicated with livestock owners through method of exhibition. However, 28.5 percent of them have implemented this method to some extend (low to moderate) for communication with livestock owners.
Results of the study showed that 87.1 percent of livestock research specialists have never used this method and media for communication with livestock owners.
About 13 percent of them used movie showing for communication low to high, respectively.
Results of the study showed that 85.7 percent of livestock research specialists told that they have never experienced this method for communication with livestock owners. Only 2.9 percent of them have used this method highly.
Results of the study showed that 71.4 percent of livestock research specialists have never used this media for communication with livestock owners. Only 1.4 percent of them have used this media highly.
Results of the study showed that 72.9 percent of livestock research specialists have never implemented radio broadcasting for communication with livestock owners. and Only 2.9 percent of them have communicated with livestock owners through radio broadcasting for communication with livestock owners.
Analysis of communication level between livestock research specialists and livestock owners implies that majority of livestock research specialists (80 percent) had a weak level of communication with livestock owners. None of livestock research specialists had a strong communication with livestock owners (Table 2).
|
Table 2. Frequency distribution of livestock research specialists according to level of communication with livestock owners |
|||
|
Level of communication |
Frequency |
Percent |
Cumulative percent |
|
Low |
56 |
80 |
80 |
|
Medium |
14 |
20 |
100 |
|
High |
0 |
0 |
100 |
|
Total |
70 |
100 |
|
These results are in consistence with Ford and Bob 1989, Rezvanfar and Mandape (2000), Sligo and Jameson (2000) and Mudukuti and Miller (2002).
The results of t-Test for comparing of the researchers related to level of communication linkage with livestock owners is given in table 3.
|
Table 3. The t-Test for comparing of the researchers related to level of communication linkage with livestock owners |
|||||
|
Variable |
Leven test |
t- test |
Groups |
||
|
F |
variance |
Group 1 |
Group 2 |
||
|
Communication linkage |
.25ns |
equal |
.351ns |
Livestock science researchers |
Veterinary science researchers |
|
different |
|||||
According to the results it can be cited that there was not any significant difference related to level of communication linkage with livestock owners. Loan test was also used to define variance equality of different variables in the both livestock science researchers and veterinary science researchers, and results revealed that variant distribution of variables is the same in two groups.
In this part, factor analysis used for measuring and explaining importance and priority of various communication methods and media were used by researchers for dissemination of information, knowledge and skills regarding to livestock and veterinary technologies towards livestock owners. Data in Table 4 show that relatively, extensional and educational bulletins, field demonstration and exhibition have ranked first, second and third according to importance and use for dissemination of information, knowledge and skills regarding to livestock and veterinary technologies towards livestock owners.
|
Table 4. Factor analysis for measuring importance and priority of the various communication methods and media were used by researchers |
|||
|
Row |
Method and media |
Factor loading |
Rank of factor loading |
|
1 |
Visits in the field |
-0.171 |
9 |
|
2 |
Visiting in the specialists office |
0.288 |
10 |
|
3 |
Extensional and educational bulletins |
0.644 |
1 |
|
4 |
Seminars and workshops |
0.443 |
7 |
|
5 |
Training courses |
0.472 |
6 |
|
6 |
Exhibition |
0.547 |
3 |
|
7 |
Movie showing |
0.532 |
4 |
|
8 |
Field demonstration |
0.601 |
2 |
|
9 |
Television broadcasting |
0.594 |
5 |
|
10 |
Radio broadcasting |
0.367 |
8 |
Visiting livestock owners in working office, visiting livestock owners on fields and communicating through radio broadcasting were ranked tenth, ninth and eight, respectively. These results are in consistence with findings of Richardson 1995, Rezvanfar and Mandape (2000), Sligo and Jameson (2000) and Orr (2003).
Analysis of communication level between livestock research specialists and livestock owners implies that majority of livestock research specialists (80 percent) had a weak level of communication to livestock owners. None of livestock research specialists had a strong communication with livestock owners. These results, implies that there is not an assembled accomplishing mechanism for livestock research specialists to communicate with livestock owners in respect of dissemination of livestock and veterinary managerial technologies . According to important role of communication between researchers and livestock owners regarding to dissemination and transferring the most recent research findings, it is highly recommended to establishing a mechanism for generating a formal and planned methods and media consisting field visits, visiting livestock owners in office, extensional and educational bulletins, seminars and workshops, training courses, exhibitions, movie showing, field demonstrations, television and radio broadcasting programs for enhancing communication linkages between livestock research specialists and livestock owners.
According to factor analysis methods and media for communication from livestock research specialists to livestock owners consisting visiting in the office, visits in the field, radio broadcasting, seminars and workshops, training courses, television broadcasting, exhibition, field demonstration and extensional and educational bulletins are ranked less to high importance and priority, respectively. While, livestock owners in Iran are basically illiterates and lack basic information infrastructures so, in order to improve communication from livestock research specialists to livestock owners, it is recommended that besides focusing on printed materials and mass methods, individual methods including visiting livestock owners on farm and working office should be used for communicating to livestock owners.
In the information age, basic infrastructures such as computers, access to the internet and other suitable communication technology like radio and internet together and linking rural radio to new ICTs are needed in rural communities in order to transfer the latest information relate to livestock and veterinary managerial technologies amongst livestock owners. However, issues of traditional literacy and digital literacy would need to be resolved.
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Received 9 October 2007; Accepted 19 February 2008; Published 1 January 2009