USE OF MASS MEDIA BY THE FARMERS IN ADOPTION OF RICE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES IN BERA UPAZILA OF PABNA DISTRICT

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of use of mass media in adoption of rice production technologies and to explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of the farmers and their use of mass media. Bera upazila under Pabna district was purposively selected for the study. Among nine union of the Bera upazila, Haturia Nakalia union was selected purposively for this study. There were fourteen villages in the union from which four villages were purposively selected for the study. From 806 farmers of these four selected villages 121 farmers were selected as the sample by using proportionate random sampling method. Data were collected personally by using interview schedule during 10 April, 2014 to 11 May, 2014. Use of mass media by the farmers was determined by using five point scale. Pearson's product moment coefficient of correlation (r) was computed to explore the relationships between the selected characteristics of the farmers and their use of mass media. The findings revealed that 42.1% of the respondents were very low user compared to 40.5% respondents were low user while 17.4% were medium user category of mass media in adoption of rice production technology. Findings also revealed that among ten characteristics age, education, farm size, annual family income, organizational participation, innovativeness and agricultural knowledge of the farmers had positive significant relationship with their use of mass media while family size, family assets and attitude towards modern agricultural technologies had no significant relationship with their use of mass media.