Communication Strategy For Agricultural Programmes In Developing Countries

Abstract

The popular literature in development communication is found in innovation  diffusion studies. Most diffusion programmes are supported with media plan.  This study attempted objective evaluation of the communication strategies for  the campaign on agricultural improvement practices in five developing countries  namely: Pakistan, India, Philipine, Senegal and Mexico. The literature  on the agricultural information systems addressed the organized mobilization of  the peasant farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices. The multi  step- flow theory of information diffusion in large clientele systems was used to  evaluate the communication strategy that supported the campaign program in  the five countries. This approach paved the way for the understanding of  innovation diffusion process in complex target populations. It was  recommended that the traditional mass media of communications alone did not  effectively support the diffusion process. Rather, the use of a combination of the  mass media and some variations in the use of interpersonal network led to  effective diffusion process.