African Communication Research
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= ISSN 1821-6544 22 African African African Communication 22 Communication Research African Communication Research (ISSN 1821 - 6544) is Communicating Innovations in Africa t o R u r a l F a r m e r s I n M b a i s e C o m m u n i t i e s published once a year, in December, as a service of the Nwachukwu Faustinus Ginikanwa University of Harcouty Nigeria Faculty of Social Sciences and Communications at St. Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza, Tanzania for Media Economics and Nigeria’s Democracy Communication Researchers of Africa. Victor Jatula University of Utah Asia Campus Resea Social media use Among Journalists in Zambia and Tanzania: Examining Prospects and Challenges r All correspondence should be directed ch Judith Wanda St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) Gregory Gondwe to: Albert Tibaijuka (Ph.D) Colorado University Coordinating Editor P.O Box 307 Mwanza, V Adolescent Girls Communicating About Their Menstrual Tanzania OL Experiences in Kabera Slums of Kenya Email: Stella Jerp Chebii [email protected] 9, University of Eldoret Kenya No Roundtable Dialogue and its Inherent Complexities: Learning from the 1 Accounts of the Less Influential Dialoguers in Geita Tanzania Albert Tibaijuka St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) Public Meetings and Citizen Participation in Rural Development Programs in Decemb Ethiopia Hagos Nigussie University of Makelle Ethiopia e To obtain a subscription and arrange a suitable form of payment or r , Cultural Elements in a Selected Reality Television Program in Nigeria establish an exchange of journals, send an email to 2020 Alex Eloho Umuerri [email protected] Benson Dahosa Nigeria VOL 9, No 1 DECEMBER 2020 African Communication Research A peer-reviewed journal published by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Communications at St. Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza, Tanzania as a service to communication research in Africa. Listed in the accrediting indices of The International Bibliography of the Social Sciences Cambridge, England Managing Editor - Prof. Costa Ricky Mahalu, Vice Chancellor, SAUT Chief Editor - Carolyn Cummings Osmond, Southampton Solent University Coordinating Editor - Albert Tibaijuka, SAUT Editorial Assistance – Emily Smith Proof Readers - Weronica Walerosca, - Sean Johnson, - Molly Ann Hopkins i International Editorial Advisory Board Prof. Robert A. White, Tangaza University, Nairobi Ayobami Ojebode, University of Ibadan Nigeria Monica Chibita, University of Makerere, Kampala, Uganda Cees Hamelink, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands and University of Aruba Audrey Gadzekpo, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana Winston Mano, Westminster University, London, United Kingdom Peter Mhagama, University of Malawi, Malawi Francis Nyamnjoh, Cape town University, Cape town, South Africa Isaac Phiri, Dept. of Mass Communication, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia Terje S. Skjerdal, Faculty of Journalism and communication, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia Kenyan Tomaselli, Professor, Culture, Communication and Media Studies, University of Johannesburg, South Africa Desmond Wilson, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria Eric Kwame Adae, University of Oregon Gregory Gondwe, University of Colorado, Boulder ii African Communication Research Table of Contents Volume 9, No. 1 December 2020 Communicating Innovations in Africa to Rural farmers in Mbaise communities Nwachukwu Faustinus Ginikanwa University of Harcouty Nigeria 1 Media Economics and Nigeria’s Democracy Victor Jatula University of Utah Asia Campus 11 Social media use Among Journalists in Zambia and Tanzania: Examining Prospects and Challenges Judith Wanda St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) Gregory Gondwe Colorado University Boulder 27 Adolescent Girls Communicating About Their Menstrual Experiences in Kabera Slums of Kenya Stella Jerp Chebii University of Eldoret Kenya 38 Roundtable Dialogue and its Inherent Complexities: Learning from the Accounts of the Less Influential Dialoguers in Geita Tanzania Albert Tibaijuka St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT) 49 iii Public Meetings and Citizen Participation in Rural Development Programs in Ethiopia Hagos Nigussie University of Makelle Ethiopia 65 Cultural Elements in a Selected Reality Television Program in Nigeria Alex Eloho Umuerri University of Benson Dahosa Nigeria 80 iv Communicating Innovations in Agriculture to Rural Farmers in Mbaise Communities Nwachukwu, Faustinus Ginikanwa Abstract The aim of this paper is to investigate the challenges of communicating the adoption and application of scientific agricultural inputs to rural farmers in Mbaise using the KingHumus organic supplement as the test case. This is in view of the level of education of most rural community farmer and the fact that KingHumus is an imported organic fertilizer/farm supplement which may involve some scientific explanation process to communicate its application and benefits to farmers who may not have had practical experience of its effectiveness. The research relied on the diffusion of innovation and development communication theories. The method adopted was the descriptive survey and the outcomes were presented quantitatively. It was observed that the communication approach adopted for communicating issues concerning KingHumus to rural farmers in Mbaise is interpersonal using the traditional communication system/channels available in the communities. These channels include the opinion leaders, Aladinma (Village gatherings), churches, age grades, markets, etc. However, in view of the challenges faced in communicating and convincing rural farmer in Mbaise to adopt this organic fertilizer rather than chemical fertilizers which the farmers were used to, the study recommends among others that the government through their change agents should assist the promoters of agricultural innovations with appropriate communication apparatus that would ease and quicken the adoption of these innovations in farming since the benefits of organic fertilizers far outweigh that of using chemical fertilizers in promoting good health among the local populace. Keywords: Agricultural innovations, KingHumus fertilizers, interpersonal communication, farm inputs, rural farmers, Mbaise communities. Ginikanwa Nwachukwu Dr. Nwachukwu is a Senior Lecturer in the Communication Studies Department of Port Harcourt University Nigeria and has been teaching Communication courses both at the undergraduate and graduate levels since April 2008. His research interests include communication research, public relations, advertising and journalism. Dr. Nwachukwu has over 25 publications in both international and local journals. AFRICAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH VOL 9, (2020) 1 Introduction/Problem Developing countries of the world (including Nigeria) are suffering from hunger, malnutrition, starvation, famine and squalor, coupled with an exponential growth in population. The causes are the devastating effects of drought, desertification and the continued use of old and primitive farming methods, which result in decline in food production. This has necessitated the introduction of farming innovations aimed at turning the fortunes of these nations in food production around. The population needs to be introduced and persuaded to adopt these innovations. Communication is imperative if new ideas or developments are to be adopted by the target audience. Effective adoption of innovations in health, business, technology as well as breakthroughs in farming and Agriculture generally depend on how well the issues are communicated to the stakeholders. The effective management of the communication apparatus included the use of language, communication channels and media which are necessities for plausible achievement of objectives in change communication. Today, knowledge has increased and developments of innovations are creeping in on an alarming speed. How to use communication in propagating these new ideas, pose great challenge to change agents, individually and collectively particularly when these new developments are science oriented and the target audiences have low level of understanding of scientific issues. It is in view of this that this study seeks to qualitatively evaluate the communication approaches and challenges encountered by agricultural officers/promoters in encouraging farmers in rural Mbaise to adopt, use and apply KingHumus organic supplements imported from Philippines. KingHumus is an all-natural organic supplement containing chelated essential minerals and trace elements to enhance the health and improve performance of soil, crops, poultry and livestock. Promoters of this agricultural method have been moving from one community to the next in Mbaise trying to get farmers to adopt these new products instead of the chemical fertilizers they are used to. Objectives The objectives of the study include; 1. To find out the communication strategies and channels used in communicating issues on KingHumus fertilizer to rural farmers in Mbaise. AFRICAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH VOL 9, (2020) 2 2. To establish the communication models used in ensuring the adoption and circulation of KingHumus organic fertilizers among rural farmers in Mbaise communities. 3. To investigate the challenges faced by promoters of KingHumus organic fertilizers in ensuring the adoption and use of the products by rural farmers in Mbaise. 4. To assess the level of adoption of KingHumus products by rural farmers in Mbaise communities. Theoretical framework The study is anchored on the diffusion of innovation and development communication