Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia
Abstract The study aimed to explore how participatory communication can be used as an instrument for interventions enhancing agricultural production to improve the livelihoods of rural people. Specifically, it was designed to explore the nature of participatory approaches in the Ethiopian agricultur...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer Nature
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02286-6 |
| _version_ | 1797630408461910016 |
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| author | Hailemesekel Zewedie Gebeyehu Yohannes Shiferaw Jira |
| author_facet | Hailemesekel Zewedie Gebeyehu Yohannes Shiferaw Jira |
| author_sort | Hailemesekel Zewedie Gebeyehu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The study aimed to explore how participatory communication can be used as an instrument for interventions enhancing agricultural production to improve the livelihoods of rural people. Specifically, it was designed to explore the nature of participatory approaches in the Ethiopian agricultural sector. The top-down approach that prevailed in the past lost its faith, and consequently, stakeholders practiced a participatory communication approach. Thus, explorative qualitative research was applied through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to collect data. Data were transcribed, documented, coded, and thematically analyzed based on recurring themes. The findings show that if properly implemented, development agents and agricultural experts believe that participatory communication is instrumental in mobilizing the community. However, the routine does not allow development agents and experts to use the participatory approach. Besides, farmers are not given sufficient time due to insufficient interaction and communication on agricultural issues. Farmers and development agents have no ongoing, programmed, and frequent contact. The communication between development agents and higher-level agricultural experts is mainly top-down. Provincial and regional experts do not regularly visit and observe farm sites; they depend on the monthly paper report to execute modifications to the annual plan. There is no practical obligation with the consensus that demands farmers, development agents, and experts accomplish their tasks and duties on time with maximum effort. No dialogical session is available for the community to discuss their matters. Therefore, we suggest stakeholders use a multilevel and inclusive intervention in rural agriculture. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:06:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4c2769846224351a728909b28f09838 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:06:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4c2769846224351a728909b28f098382023-11-12T12:10:23ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922023-11-011011910.1057/s41599-023-02286-6Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural EthiopiaHailemesekel Zewedie Gebeyehu0Yohannes Shiferaw Jira1Hawassa University, Department of Journalism and Communication, Hawassa UniversityAddis Ababa University, School of Journalism and Communication, Addis Ababa UniversityAbstract The study aimed to explore how participatory communication can be used as an instrument for interventions enhancing agricultural production to improve the livelihoods of rural people. Specifically, it was designed to explore the nature of participatory approaches in the Ethiopian agricultural sector. The top-down approach that prevailed in the past lost its faith, and consequently, stakeholders practiced a participatory communication approach. Thus, explorative qualitative research was applied through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to collect data. Data were transcribed, documented, coded, and thematically analyzed based on recurring themes. The findings show that if properly implemented, development agents and agricultural experts believe that participatory communication is instrumental in mobilizing the community. However, the routine does not allow development agents and experts to use the participatory approach. Besides, farmers are not given sufficient time due to insufficient interaction and communication on agricultural issues. Farmers and development agents have no ongoing, programmed, and frequent contact. The communication between development agents and higher-level agricultural experts is mainly top-down. Provincial and regional experts do not regularly visit and observe farm sites; they depend on the monthly paper report to execute modifications to the annual plan. There is no practical obligation with the consensus that demands farmers, development agents, and experts accomplish their tasks and duties on time with maximum effort. No dialogical session is available for the community to discuss their matters. Therefore, we suggest stakeholders use a multilevel and inclusive intervention in rural agriculture.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02286-6 |
| spellingShingle | Hailemesekel Zewedie Gebeyehu Yohannes Shiferaw Jira Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia |
| title_full | Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia |
| title_short | Exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural Ethiopia |
| title_sort | exploring participatory communication implemented to improve the livelihood of rural ethiopia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02286-6 |
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