Shrimp Farmers’ Usage and Preference of Extension Communication Media in Selected Areas of Bagherhat District of Bangladesh

Abstract

Information, now a day, is considered equally valuable as monetary resources. Extension communication media disseminate precious information that can change the life of many rural poor farmers. This study was progressed with the purpose determining shrimp farmers usage and preference of extension communication media (ECM) in some selected villages of Bangladesh. This study was conducted in a selected union of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila in Bangladesh. Data were collected in the first quarter of June, 2015. This research was predominantly based on primary data. However, secondary sources were also consulted to reveal the present status farming, production and marketing of shrimp in Bangladesh. Data were collected using structured interview schedule from 72 purposively selected shrimp farmers. Usage of ECM was determined based on weighted mean; whereas preference of media was determined considering the frequency and percentage. The association between predictor and criterion viable was measured employing chi-square analysis. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, median, range, etc. were also used to describe the characteristics of respondents. The findings of the study represent that 72.2% of the farmers had moderate to low usage of extension communication sources. According to the choice of the respondents, the most preferred extension communication media were television followed by government and NGO extension agent. Chi-square analysis revealed that among eight selected variables education level, economic status, and availability of extension communication sources had a positive relationship with the usage of extension communication media. This study further revealed that farmers had different types of information need, of which the important aspects were disease management, scientific culture procedure of shrimp, salinity management, credit sources, and market related information. Despite monumental prospects of earning foreign currency, shrimp sector in Bangladesh is still suffering from a number of impediments like chronic viral diseases, increasing salinity, lack of adoption of scientific practices, absence of secured market facilities, availability of credits, etc. Farmer’s usage of ECM appears satisfactory. However, their usages did not cohere their preference. Lamentably, their usage of rich and trustworthy ECM is still very limited.