Relative effectiveness of different audio-visual electronic media on knowledge gain of paddy farmers: An experimental study

Introduction

Agriculture has long been recognized as both a science and an art. The philosopher Aristotle classified human knowledge into three broad disciplines: theoretical knowledge, which focuses on understanding and scientific inquiry; practical knowledge, which guides decisionmaking and action; and productive or creative knowledge, which is concerned with creating useful outputs, including fields such as agriculture (Blum, 1996) [1] . In the present era, however, agriculture extends far beyond this traditional classification. It has evolved into a multidisciplinary field that integrates scientific research, practical decision-making, technological innovation, and creative problem-solving to address the complex challenges faced by farmers. Today's agricultural sector functions in a rapidly changing environment influenced by social, economic, technological, and environmental factors. As a result, timely access to accurate and reliable information has become essential for improving farmers knowledge and enabling informed decision-making. Knowledge, which represents the cognitive domain of learning, plays a crucial role in the adoption of agricultural innovations. According to Rogers and Shoemaker (1971) [2] , knowledge is the first stage in the innovationdecision process, forming the foundation for subsequent stages of persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. The effective dissemination of agricultural knowledge is therefore a key component of agricultural development. Farmers require timely information on improved production technologies, crop management practices, pest and disease control, weather forecasts, and market opportunities. Over the years, electronic communication media have significantly contributed to agricultural extension by delivering such information efficiently and on a large scale. Traditional electronic media, such as television, continue to serve as important sources of agricultural information, while mobile-based applications, including WhatsApp, have transformed communication by enabling rapid exchange of text, images, videos, and advisory messages. More recently, digital platforms such as agricultural portals have emerged as comprehensive sources of technical information, government schemes, expert recommendations, and market intelligence. Previous studies have demonstrated that audiovisual electronic media can positively influence farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and adoption of improved agricultural practices. However, the effectiveness of different electronic media varies depending on factors such as accessibility, usability, content quality, and farmers' socio-economic characteristics. Understanding these differences is important for designing more effective extension communication strategies. Keeping these aspects in view, the present study was undertaken to examine the comparative effectiveness of different electronic media-television, mobile phone (WhatsApp), and agricultural portals-in enhancing the knowledge of farmers. The study specifically evaluates the extent of knowledge gained through each medium and compares their effectiveness in influencing the

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the study was to experimentally find out the effectiveness of different audio-visual electronic media on the knowledge gain of paddy farmers with the hope that the results would help the workers of government departments and Nongovernmental Organizations in designing a viable strategy for disseminating farm technologies. The following three objectives guided the study. 1) Assess the relative effectiveness of television, Mobile phone (WhatsApp) and agriportal. 2) Compare the effectiveness of different audiovisual electronic media.

Methodology

The present experimental study was conducted in four randomly selected villages-Arahatholalu, Attigunda, Dasarakallahalli, and Bilaki-located in Bhadravathi Block of Shivamogga District, Karnataka, India. The villages were selected from a list prepared in consultation with officials of the Department of Agriculture. Selection was based on factors such as accessibility, availability of communication facilities, concentration of paddy farmers, and the level of digital literacy among the farming community. A total of 120 paddy farmers participated in the study, with 30 respondents selected from each village. Respondents were purposively chosen to ensure homogeneity in selected socioeconomic characteristics. Farmers aged between 25 and 35 years, having at least preuniversity education and a minimum of three acres under paddy cultivation, were included in the sample. These criteria were adopted to ensure that the respondents were capable of accessing and effectively using different electronic communication media. Three electronic media-television, mobile phone (WhatsApp), and an agricultural portal-were selected as the communication channels for disseminating agricultural information. Since comparing different media requires uniformity in message content, a single instructional message on paddy cultivation practices was developed and adapted for each communication medium. As suggested by Slater (1991) [12] , the message content was kept conceptually identical across all media, while only the mode of presentation differed. The communication materials were prepared in Kannada, the local language, through a collaborative effort involving scientists from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, extension experts, communication specialists, and experienced farmers. To maintain consistency, an interview-based presentation format was used for all three media. In the present study, knowledge was defined as the extent of scientific information possessed by respondents regarding recommended paddy cultivation practices. Knowledge gain referred to the additional information acquired by farmers after exposure to the communication treatment through the selected electronic media. A multiple randomized group experimental design with a pre-testpost-test approach was adopted. Respondents' knowledge was assessed before exposure to the communication intervention and again immediately after the intervention to measure changes in their knowledge level. A structured knowledge test was developed for this purpose. Based on item analysis using difficulty and discrimination indices, 62 items were retained in the final test instrument. The experimental treatments were randomly assigned to the groups using a randomization procedure to minimize selection bias and ensure the validity of comparisons. To avoid contamination of the experimental treatments, respondents were individually interviewed during the pre-test without being informed about the subsequent post-test. During the experimental period, participants were requested not to discuss or share information related to the communication treatments until completion of the study. Interaction among respondents was kept to a minimum before and during the intervention, except for activities directly related to data collection. The collected data were coded and analysed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) Version 10.0. Appropriate statistical techniques, including percentage analysis, paired t-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), were employed to assess knowledge gain and compare the effectiveness of the different electronic communication media.

Results and Discussion

Relative effectiveness of different treatments on knowledge level Gain in Knowledge level of farmers on paddy cultivation practices due to television exposure.

Gain in Knowledge of Farmers on Paddy Cultivation Practices Following Television Exposure

The results presented in Table 2 indicate that television exposure significantly improved the knowledge level of farmers regarding recommended paddy cultivation practices. The effectiveness of the www.extensionjournal.com intervention was assessed using the paired t-test, which compared respondents' knowledge before and after exposure to the treatment. The analysis revealed statistically significant improvements across all major components of paddy cultivation. The results presented in Table 2 indicate that television exposure significantly improved the knowledge level of farmers regarding recommended paddy cultivation practices. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed using the paired t-test, which compared respondents' knowledge before and after exposure to the treatment. The analysis revealed statistically significant improvements across all major components of paddy cultivation. Among the different practices, the highest mean knowledge gain was observed for farm mechanization (mean difference = 2.80), followed by disease management (1.50), manures and fertilizers (1.44), and insect pest management (1.16). These findings suggest that television, with its audio-visual presentation, effectively enhanced farmers' understanding of technically complex agricultural practices. Gain in Knowledge of Farmers on Paddy Cultivation Practices Following Mobile Phone (WhatsApp) Exposure The knowledge gain of farmers following exposure to agricultural information through mobile phones (WhatsApp) is presented in Table 3. The paired t-test demonstrated a significant increase in respondents' knowledge after the intervention. The greatest improvement was recorded in farm mechanization (mean difference = 4.00), indicating that multimedia content delivered through WhatsApp was highly effective in explaining the use of modern agricultural machinery and equipment. This was followed by disease management (1.79), planting methods (1.59), and manures and fertilizers (1.52). The findings highlight the growing potential of mobile-based communication platforms in delivering timely, accessible, and practical agricultural information to farmers.

Gain in Knowledge of Farmers on Paddy Cultivation Practices Following Agricultural Portal Exposure

The results presented in Table 4 show that exposure to the agricultural portal also resulted in a significant improvement in farmers' knowledge. The paired t-test confirmed that the increase in knowledge after exposure was statistically significant. The highest mean knowledge gain was observed for farm mechanization (3.60), followed by insect pest management (1.77) and disease management (0.90). Although the agricultural portal contributed positively to knowledge enhancement, the extent of improvement varied across different components of paddy cultivation. The comparatively higher knowledge gain in farm mechanization across all communication media may be attributed to the practical importance of agricultural machinery in improving labour efficiency, reducing production costs, ensuring timely field operations, and increasing overall productivity. Mechanization also facilitates the efficient use of critical inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation water. Similarly, considerable knowledge gain in disease and insect pest management may be associated with the frequent occurrence of pests and diseases in paddy cultivation, making these topics highly relevant to farmers. Increased awareness of effective management practices enables farmers to minimize crop losses and improve productivity. Improvements in knowledge regarding planting methods may be due to the increasing shortage and rising cost of agricultural labour, encouraging farmers to explore alternative and more efficient planting techniques. Likewise, enhanced understanding of nutrient management reflects the importance of balanced fertilizer application and organic manure use for maintaining soil fertility and achieving higher crop yields. The relatively lower improvement in certain other practices may be attributed to limited exposure time, lower perceived relevance, or reduced interest among respondents. These findings are consistent with those reported by Shivani Dechamma (2015) [12] .

Knowledge Gain among Control Group Farmers

The findings presented in Table 5 indicate that there was no noticeable improvement in the knowledge level of farmers in the control group. Since these respondents were not exposed to any of the communication treatments, their pre-test and post-test knowledge scores remained almost unchanged. This confirms that the observed improvements in the experimental groups were primarily due to the communication interventions rather than external influences.

Overall Relative Effectiveness of Different Electronic Media

The comparative effectiveness of the three electronic communication media is presented in Table 6. Knowledge gain was assessed using paired t-tests, while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to examine differences among the treatments. The results showed that farmers exposed to television recorded an increase in mean knowledge score from 33.28 before exposure to 50.46 after exposure. The paired t-value of 20.91 was significant at the 1 per cent level, indicating a substantial improvement in knowledge following the intervention. For the mobile phone (WhatsApp) treatment, the mean knowledge score increased from 31.38 before exposure to 41.82 after exposure. The corresponding paired t-value (9.43) was also significant at the 1 per cent level, demonstrating the effectiveness of mobile-based communication in enhancing farmers' knowledge. Similarly, farmers exposed to the agricultural portal showed an increase in mean knowledge score from 14.31 to 19.92. The paired t-value of 5.98 was statistically significant at the 1 per cent level, confirming that the agricultural portal also contributed positively to knowledge enhancement. The ANOVA results further revealed significant differences in knowledge gain among the three communication media, indicating that their effectiveness was not uniform. Overall, television produced the highest level of knowledge improvement, followed by mobile phone (WhatsApp) and the agricultural portal. The superior performance of television may be attributed to its ability to combine visual demonstrations with audio explanations, making complex agricultural practices easier to understand and remember. Mobile phones, particularly WhatsApp, provided the advantage of instant access and repeated viewing of educational content, while agricultural portals offered comprehensive information but required greater digital literacy and internet access. The findings support the hypothesis that different electronic communication media vary significantly in their effectiveness in enhancing farmers' knowledge of recommended paddy cultivation practices. These results are in agreement with the findings reported by Shivani Dechamma (2015) [12] and Priyanka (2016) [9] , who also observed significant improvements in farmers' knowledge through electronic and digital communication interventions

Conclusion

The results of this experimental research have direct implications for extension outreach efforts in the developing countries. The study shows that need based and interactive WhatsApp mobile phone message which was developed in local language had significantly increased the knowledge among paddy farmers, followed by television and agriportal. From the result we can also note that there was no increase in the knowledge level of control group farmers as they were not exposed to any of the treatment.So, it is highly recommended to develop such need based and interactive audiovisual messages which can enhance the knowledge of farmers. It is also suggested to the policy makers to take proper initiative to make arrangement for using the software packages at the doorstep of the farmers by providing ICT inputs such as computer with internet connectivity. This initiative will enhance the information dissemination through these communication channels and thereby resulting into the economic growth of the farmers and nation as a whole in paddy production and other similar enterprises.

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