EFFECTIVENESS OF AGRICULTURE RELATED TELEVISION PROGRAMMES FOR DISSEMINATION OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION TO THE FARMERS

Abstract

The main focus of the study was to have an understanding on the perception of farmers regarding effectiveness of agriculture related TV programmes for the dissemination of agricultural information. Attempt was also made to explore the relationship between some of the selected characteristics of the farmers and their perceived effectiveness of agriculture related TV programmes for the dissemination of agricultural information. The characteristics of the farmers such as age, level of education, farm size, farming experience, annual family income, agricultural knowledge, attitude towards agriculture related TV programmes, innovativeness, personal localite behavior and time spent for TV watching of the farmers. Data were collected personally through interview schedule from one hundred randomly selected farmers of three selected villages like Uttar Nari Bari, Narayonpur and Hamlaykul of Gurudaspur upazila under Natore district. Data were collected during 1 July to 15 August, 2007. The Pearson’s product moment correlation co-efficient was used to determine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. Majority (76%) of the farmers perceived agriculture related TV programmes as medium effective while 9% high effective and 15% low effective, level of education, annual family income, agricultural knowledge, attitude towards agriculture related TV programmes, innovativeness, personal localite behavior and time spent for TV watching of the respondents had significant positive relationship with their perceived effectiveness of agriculture related TV programmes for the dissemination of agricultural information. Whereas age, farm size and farming experience of the farmers had no significant relationship with the effectiveness of agriculture related TV programmes for dissemination of agricultural information as perceived by the farmers. On the basis of Effectiveness Index (El), homestead vegetables cultivation ranked first followed by livestock raring and preparation of compost. The 4Ih and 5th information were beef fattening and poultry rearing. Preparation of nurseries and improved technologies of tree plantation were the less effective information those were ranked 10 and 11 .