INFLUENCE OF OPINION LEADERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARABLE FARMING

INFLUENCE OF OPINION LEADERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARABLE FARMING

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background of the study

In the post-second World War years, development co-operation was based on transfer of technologies to developing countries. According to the model of social labour division in western cultures, technical knowledge transferred by extension services and utilized by farms (Roth, 2001). The introduction of western technology to non-western farmers was intended to increase production capacity and improve the market position of agriculture.

According to Israel and Wilson (2006), developing an understanding of extension sources and channels used by clients to obtain information is a pre-requisite for efficient educational programming because messages that go unheard or unseen cannot lead to change. Though early extension effort based on direct communication with clients, changes in society and technology have resulted in programmes using diverse array of communication channels to reach clients, both directly and through surrogates.

Many clients, especially other people continue to rely on more traditional channels for agricultural information while using newer technologies as a complement (Howell and Hebron, 2004, Vergot et al, 2005, Boz and Ozca, 2010). In a very concise way, development communication is application of the process. In other words, development communication is the use of the principle and practice to exchange ideas in order to fulfill development objectives.