The distribution of farmer learning videos: Lessons from non-conventional dissemination networks in Benin

• Published in: Cogent food & agriculture Vol. 2; no. 1
• Main Authors: Zoundji, Gérard C., Okry, Florent, Vodouhê, Simplice D., Bentley, Jeffery W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Cogent 01.12.2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: agro-input dealers; Channels; Distributing; DVD sellers; extension cost-sharing; Farmers; Learning; learning videos; Optical disks; Pesticides; Private sector; Rural populations; Sampling; self-directed learning; willingness to pay for information
• ISSN: 2331-1932; 2331-1932
• DOI: 10.1080/23311932.2016.1277838

Commercial channels can be non-conventional networks for disseminating agricultural information, especially if farmers are willing to pay for a DVD with learning videos. Using purposive sampling, we selected retailer and involved them in selling videos compiled in a DVD. Inside the jacket of DVD, we pasted a sticker listing a phone number that buyers or video viewers could call for further questions. We interviewed 341 of the buyers who called that number. After the phone interviews, snowball sampling was used to select 180 farmers for face-to-face interviews in order to validate the information collected during the telephone interviews and to understand the behavioural changes triggered by watching the videos. Within four months of first distributing DVDs to retailers, 80% of the 700 DVDs were sold. Distributing videos through commercial channels gives a fair chance to everyone to learn, since the DVDs were sold on the open market at an affordable price. About 84% of the DVDs were sold at 1 USD, suggesting that all of the respondents were willing to pay for learning DVDs; 86% of respondents said they now spent less money on pesticides after watching the videos. Private sector actors can become "new extensionists" and distribute agricultural information to rural populations.