Page 1 of 7
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 4
April 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 84
Use of Electronic Media as Agricultural Information Sources
Influenced by Farmers’ Demographic Characteristics: A
Present and Future Milieu
Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Sher Muhammad, Khalid Mahmood Chaudhary
Institute of Agri. Extension and Rural Development, Univ. of Agri., Faisalabad
e-mail: agrigak444@yahoo.com
Abstract
This research paper reflects the relationship
between farmers’ demographic characteristics
and the use of electronic media (specifically) as
agri. information sources by farmers in the
present and future context. To get deep insight in
this particular sphere, the study was conducted
in Faisalabad district of the Punjab, Pakistan.
The information was probed out with the help of
interview schedule from 330 randomly selected
respondents. The results of the study disclose
that various demographic characteristics such
as age, education, size of landholding and
farming experience manifest varying impact
upon use of electronic media particularly in
cases of radio, TV, and mobile phone as agri.
information sources in both present and
prospective context. Moreover, in the future
scenario, all the given demographic
characteristics depicted the most noticeable
association (highly significant) with mobile
phone. From the research findings, it seems that
the importance of farmers’ demographic
characteristics should be under consideration
while making policies pertaining to media as
agri. information sources.
Key words: agricultural information,
demographic characteristics, electronic media
INTRODUCTION
Media possess the potential to pave the way
towards a progressive change (Nosheen et al.,
2010). In agricultural sector, the use of
electronic media is very crucial to keep the
farming community updated well ahead of time
so that they may be able to produce more (Zia
and Khan, 2012). However, it is fact that
farming community is diversified with reference
to demographic characteristics. Within one
sphere (farming community) the use of various
electronic media for getting agri. information
may differ with the perspective of farmers’
demographic characteristics. Research studies
(Fawole, 2006; Chaudry et al., 2008; Saddi et al.
2008; and Jensen et al., 2009) reflected that the
demographic characteristics had impact upon
other factors like use of media.
The information pertinent to demographic
characteristics (like age, education, landholding
and farming experience) of farmers not only
manifest a portray of rural life but can also be
used to find out their association with other
dependent variables (like use of electronic media
for getting agri. information.
Page 2 of 7
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 4
April 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 85
Recipient behavioral changes in connection with
young and old age may reflect different scenario
(Okwu et al., 2007). Moreover, education has an
association with the acquisition of information
from media (Ekanem et al., 2006). Size of
landholding may have impact upon farmers’
decisions about getting the knowledge related to
agri. technology (Chaudary, 2006). With the
increase in farming experience, possibly a
farmer may rely more upon his own knowledge
steadily and may not take into consideration the
other media for getting information (Jensen et
al., 2009).
In Pakistan, the gist of electronic media has
materialized with a boom. Electronic media
have provided the farmers with the opportunities
to acquire and share latest information. The
availability of a variety of agri. information
through electronic media has paved the way
towards quick information dissemination among
the farmers. The impact and influence of
revolutionary transitions seem substantial.
However, the use of electronic media in
connection with agricultural information among
the farming community may reflect various
facets with respect to demographic
characteristics of farmers. The objective and
purpose of the study also included to probe out
the relationship between demographic
characteristics and use of electronic media
(specifically) for getting agricultural
information.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Keeping in view the feasibility in terms of time
and money, Faisalabad district (mix cropping
zone) was selected purposively. In the study
district (Faisalabad), multistage random
sampling technique was used. A pretested
validated interview schedule was the data
collection instrument for 330 randomly selected
respondents (farmers). Experts were consulted
for checking the face and content validity. For
reliability of the research instrument (interview
schedule), it was pretested on 40 farmers (other
than sample). Cronbach’s Alpha was
calculated by using Statistical Package for
Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The overall
value was 0.891. The interview schedule was
developed in English language, however, for
the convenience of the respondents (farmers),
they were interviewed in Punjabi language for
the acquisition of credible and accurate data.
The demographic information was collected in
quantitative form. The collected data were
analyzed through SPSS. For assessing the
relationship between the independent and
dependent variables Kendall's tau_b correlation
was used. The demographic characteristics (like
age, education, size of landholding and farming
experience) were regarded as independent
variables. The dependent variables were
considered in two broader spectrums in the
context of present use of the electronic media
for obtaining agri. information and future
preferences related to the use for the acquisition
of agri. Information.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Relationship between the demographic
characteristics and use of electronic media for
obtaining agri. information
Demographic characteristics
Page 3 of 7
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 02 Issue 4
April 2016
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 86
In the study, age refers to the years from birth to
the time of data collection. Another demographic
characteristic was also considered important for
probing i.e. education (formal years of
schooling). The collected data were arranged
into three categories i.e. small, medium and
large. Farming experience was considered as the
number of years passed in farming profession.
The data were collected regarding the
demographic characteristics of the respondents
which are presented in Table 1.
Table 1: Distribution of respondents according to demographic characteristics
Age (Years) No. %
Young (up to35) 116 35.15
Middle (>35-50) 124 37.58
Old (above 50) 90 27.27
Education (Years)
Illiterate (0) 133 40.30
Up to primary (1-5) 51 15.45
Primary-middle (6-8) 67 20.30
Middle-matriculation (9-10) 52 15.76
Above matriculation (11-16) 27 8.18
Landholding (Acres)
Small (up to 12.5) 268 81.21
Medium (> 12.5-25) 52 15.76
Large (above 25) 10 3.03
Farming experience (Years)
Up to 15 136 41.21
>15-30 115 34.85
Above 30 79 23.94
(N=330)
The information reflected in Table 1 indicates
the involvement of various age group in farming
profession because there was a representation of
the three age categories with a little variation in
percentage. The data given in Table 1 further
show that a relatively prominent figure pertinent
to literacy (59.70%) with various levels of
education. However, a notable number (40.30%)
