Dissemination of Indigenous Knowledge through Modern Agricultural Information Sources and Channels in Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Information plays a critical role in agriculture where information sources and channels are important for decision making. Agriculture Extension Service (AES) of theDepartment of Agriculture, Sri Lanka facilitates farmer decision making by providing knowledge, relevant and reliable information so as to promote agricultural development. Regrettably, in a position which inapt use of modern expertise caused severe ecological and health issues, approaches allied to Indigenous Knowledge (IGK) receive great attention where there is a need of assessing the existing information dissemination system to promote IGK. Therefore, the study explores the AES,information channels (IC) and information sources (IS) to achieve the objectives of (1) assessing and classifying IC and IS, (2) assessing the current use and usefulness of IC and IS, (3) assessing factors that are vital to disseminate IGK via IS and IC, and (4) assessing and recommending possible methods to propagate IGK. Questionnaire-based interviews (n=500) were held with farmers in Ten DS-divisions in Anuradhapura District. The IC and IS were classified into four groups; Personal localite sources, Personal cosmopolite sources, Personal cosmopolite channels, and Impersonal cosmopolite channels, where both qualitative and quantitative methods were used for the analysis. Progressive farmers, Surrounding folks, extension officers, agro-input dealers, printed and digital media were found important to farmers, while library and scholarly resources whereas wireless technologies such as internet were underused. Despite of the preference, farmers’ use of IC and IS relied on clarity, simplicity, availability, cost-effectiveness whereas on certain socio-economic, cultural and psychological aspects. Constraints allied to assistance, infrastructure, understanding on IGK, resources, whereas complexity of methods, monetary limitations, negative perceptions were faced by both extension offices and farmers that demands well-planned collective programs, supplement of simple resources, computer literacy, assistance and IGK related training to both parties.