Video As a Tool for Agricultural Extension in Africa: A Case study from Ghana

This 14-page paper explores the effectiveness of video viewing clubs (VVCs) as a training method based on a formal survey of 32 Ghanaian women farmers who were trained on cocoa integrated crop and pest management (ICPM) using this method. Results suggest that the video viewing club is effective as a relatively low cost, interactive training method for providing low literacy populations with skills, information, and knowledge on complex technical topics. Video, which combines both visual and verbal communication methods, appears to be an appropriate extension tool for less developed countries as this medium is suited for the transmission of skills, information, and knowledge; allows for the standardisation of information for accurate transmission from a technical source in situations where high quality trainers may not be available; and is suitable for low literacy populations.

A video viewing club consists of a group of 20-25 farmers who meet weekly or biweekly for several months led by a trained facilitator. Three elements form the core of the methodology: watching the videos several times in a session, facilitator-led discussions on production practices with the aid of an illustrated guidebook, and field demonstrations of production practices covered in the videos. Five pilot VVCs were carried out between July and November 2006 exclusively with women cocoa farmers in three communities in the Amansie West and Efigya-Sekyere Districts of Ashanti region. A study of the five pilot VVCs was carried out in May 2008 using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the effectiveness of the method in terms of the adoption of ICPM practices, productivity gains, and knowledge improvement. The study also investigated knowledge diffusion behaviour among VVC participants and post-training activities.

The report identifies the following findings:

• Adoption of ICPM Practices:The survey investigated whether there was a difference between VVC participants and control group farmers in the following ICPM practices in 2007: cocoa tree pruning, shade tree removal, phytosanitary harvesting, disposal of diseased pods and pesticide application frequency. While there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the proportion of farms pruned, the number of shade trees removed and frequency of phytosanitary harvesting, VVC participants were significantly more likely to dispose of diseased pods correctly and apply fungicide and insecticide more frequently. A change in how farmers dispose of diseased pods can be attributed to VVC training but establishing a linkage between frequency of pesticide application is more difficult as this practice depends on other factors such as the availability of funds for purchasing pesticides, and in the case of women farmers, funds for hiring labour to spray. VVC participants had higher cocoa yields both before and after the training compared to the control group, but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant in either year. Unexplainably, average yields among VVC participants were lower in 2007-08 compared with the previous year but remained the same among the control group. Fifty nine percent of VVC participants compared to 47% of control farmers experienced a yield increase in 2006/07 over the previous year, with the former showing a higher yield differential. Notably, all VVC participants attributed increased yield to the adoption of ICPM practices learned during the training. On the other hand, it is significant that the main reasons for yield decline among 41% of VVC participants and 53% of control group farmers were related to socioeconomic factors and natural calamities.
• Farmer Knowledge of ICPM Practices: On average, VVC participants had higher knowledge test scores compared with non-participants for all topics except weeding, an indication that the videos provided information that the majority of Ghanaian cocoa farmers did not have access to. These results show that participants had a better understanding of what causes black pod disease, the effects of chupons on tree health, how mistletoe affects cocoa trees, the recommended fermentation period, and the causes of drying and moulding during fermentation. Non-participants had low scores (less than 50%) on black pod management, weeding, and fermentation, while VVC participants performed poorly on questions related to weeding. It was hypothesised that knowledge test scores would be positively influenced by VVC training, farmers’ educational level, how long ago previous training on cocoa production practices took place, years of experience with growing cocoa, yields per hectare and whether or not the farmer planted a cocoa farm herself. While VVC participants were better resourced, the difference between groups for most variables in the model was not significant. A noteworthy result is the expected significant and positive effect of VVC participation on knowledge test scores. The coefficient of this dummy variable being the single largest among the predictive variables, makes VVC training the major predictor of test scores. Farmers' age was negatively and strongly correlated with knowledge test score, although the relationship was not significant. The very low magnitude in coefficient and the negative effect of the yield variable is likely caused by the characteristic cyclical yield pattern of cocoa and the inadequacy of using yield data from a single year.
• Perception of VVC's: Participants provided feedback on the VVC methodology during an independent evaluation of the project. The majority preferred the VVC methodology to other cocoa related trained events they had taken part in. The quality of the videos, as measured by farmers’ satisfaction, no doubt had a positive effect on the learning process, but without a control and in the absence of content analysis of the videos, it is difficult to ascertain whether and how the participatory nature of the videos affected the learning process. Farmers were clearly encouraged by the testimonies given by farmers in the videos and by seeing other farmers carrying out the practices on their farms.
• Knowledge Diffusion and Social Capital All thirty two VVC participants shared some aspect of knowledge acquired from the training with others, reaching an average of 7.5 other farmers and a total of 240 farmers. The key topics shared were chupon, diseased pod and mistletoe removal. Participants were more likely to share knowledge with hired labourers (78%) and with men (5.3 on average) rather than women (2.2). Some VVC participants showed their eagerness to expose their hired labourers to new knowledge by bringing them to VVC sessions. As a result of these efforts, most participants seemed confident that knowledge sharing with hired labourers was an effective strategy for increasing productivity on their farms. Eighty four percent confirmed that their labourers always applied the techniques acquired from the VVC training, 12% mentioned that they did so sometimes, while 4% were not aware of how frequently improved techniques were applied to their farms.

The paper explains that The VVC method met several challenges in the pilot. These included equipment break-down, and finding a quiet, dark venue that can be closed off from the public and improving sound quality. Research shows that using video as a stand alone can be effective when scientific principles presented in the videos are close to what farmers already know and do, but a structured approach such as the VVC method may be more effective for training farmers on new topics and concepts or on broad range of topics such as ICPM.

The paper concludes that the Ghanaian case study shows that the video viewing club is an effective relatively low cost interactive training method for providing low literacy populations with skills, information, and knowledge on complex technical topics. While there was no significant difference in farmers’ reported implementation of selected ICPM practices or significant yield difference between VVC participants and the control group in the single year observed one year after the training largely due to methodological limitations, the study demonstrated that VVC training significantly improved farmers’ knowledge of most topics covered. Farmers’ perception of changes in their practices provided further evidence of the positive impact of the training, as did their high rate of knowledge diffusion.

A key element of farmers' appreciation of the methodology relates to the use of local facilitators which created a sense of ownership and added to the credibility of the technical messages. While the study did not explore this aspect in detail, there was evidence that the participatory nature of the videos improved their effectiveness as a communication tool as farmers identified with the characters which caused them to consider changing their behaviour. An added spin-off effect of VVC in the Ghana case was stronger social capital, with farmers continuing to meet to exchange and share information and knowledge on their own many months after the training ended.