Communicating agricultural information using electronic media: the case of “shamba shape up” programme on citizen television in Kenya

Abstract

Communicating agricultural information to farmers is critical in improving productivity. To ensure increase in agricultural productivity, agricultural information must be communicated to farmers in a way that is effective and affordable. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of television programmes in communicating agricultural information using ‘Shamba Shape Up’ (SSU), an agricultural programme produced by Mediae Company and aired on Citizen Television in Kenya as a case study. Although Shamba Shape Up presents a variety of agricultural topics, little is known about their effectiveness. The objectives of the study were to: establish the communicative needs that led to the development of the SSU programme; identify the programming strategies that guide the production of the SSU programme; assess the effectiveness of the SSU programme in communicating agricultural information to farmers. The study was guided by the Social Cognitive theory which argues that people learn through observation by modelling or copying what they see on television. Modelling happens in two ways: through imitation in that people replicate an observed behaviour; through identification, where observers do not copy exactly what they see but make a more generalized but related response. The study collected information from the producer and presenters of the SSU programme as well as from the farmers purposively sampled in Uasin Gishu County. The interview and observation methods were used to collect primary data, while secondary data was collected from documents and text messages received from viewers of the SSU programme. The data was analyzed and presented using text, tables and pictures. Farmers find agricultural information aired through the SSU programme to be useful and could copy or modify the same to suit their farming activities. This agrees with the tenet of the Social Cognitive theory which argues that people learn through observation by modelling or copying what they see on television. The findings are beneficial to television producers in packaging agricultural programmes for their audiences. Farmers on the other hand will benefit from well- packaged, informative and educative agricultural programmes. Study is also beneficial to the Department of Literature, Languages and linguistics of Egerton University as well as other scholars who may need to study the use of television programmes in communicating agricultural information. The study found out that the SSU programme is effective in communicating agricultural information to Kenyan farmers.