Monica K. Kansiime|Abdillahi Alawy|Catherine Allen|Manish Subharwal|Arun Jadhav|Martin Parr
Effectiveness of mobile agri-advisory service extension model: Evidence from Direct2Farm program in India
CABI Kenya|CABI Kenya|Shropshire Council|Social Change and Development|CAB International
study examines effectiveness mobile novel approach providing targeted equitable agriadvisory services farmers scale crosssectional survey farmers registered cabis direct2farm d2f user database undertaken using combination telephone interviews household survey focus group discussions covering six states india results indicate majority farmers receive information various sources notably fellow farmers 73 government extension 58 mobile service ranked 5th source information seven identified nonetheless evidence cabid2f mobile services reached large number farmers short time compared could achieved traditional extension approaches services significantly influenced farmers take new agricultural practices p 001 least 40 initial 400000 registered farmers became active users service regarding valuable credible source agricultural information smallscale farmers women elderly people less likely use mobile service preference traditional extension approaches digital divide may attributed low literacy levels andor ownership control mobile phones results raise two issues firstly mobile services designed best fit differences gender social realities secondly mobile services effectively monitored ensure messages received targeted users