Farmers’ preference for social media platforms for agricultural information

Introduction

Agriculture continues to play a vital role in India by supporting food security, rural livelihoods, and employment. Technological advancements, climate variability, and changing market conditions have increased farmers' need for timely, reliable, and location-specific information. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have strengthened agricultural extension by improving the speed, reach, and interactivity of information dissemination. However, the availability of multiple digital platforms does not mean that farmers use them equally, highlighting the need to understand their platform preferences. Among ICT tools, social media has emerged as an important channel for agricultural communication. Platforms such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and X facilitate the exchange of agricultural advisories, weather updates, pest and disease management information, market information, and farmers' experiences. Growing smartphone and internet penetration has further expanded their use in rural India. According to Kemp (2025) [3] , India had over 800 million internet users and nearly 500 million social media users, indicating considerable potential for digital agricultural extension. Previous studies have reported increasing acceptance of social media for agricultural information. Thakur and Chander (2018) [11] noted farmers' preference for WhatsApp due to its simplicity and convenience, while Singh et al. (2021) [10] and Meena et al. (2022) [7] identified WhatsApp and YouTube among the preferred platforms for agricultural communication. Chowdary et al. (2024) [1] and Madhushekar et al. (2024) [5] also highlighted the importance of WhatsApp and YouTube in agricultural information dissemination. However, platform preference may vary with accessibility, ease of use, familiarity, and perceived usefulness. Understanding these preferences can help Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), www.extensionjournal.com extension agencies, and policymakers develop more targeted digital communication strategies. However, evidence on farmers' preference for social media platforms for agricultural information in Akola district of Maharashtra remains limited. In view of this gap, the present study was undertaken to assess farmers' preference for social media platforms used for accessing agricultural information.

Materials and Methods

The present study was conducted in Akola district of Maharashtra State using an exploratory research design. Three blocks, namely Barshitakli, Patur, and Balapur, were purposively selected considering the growing use of social media by farmers for accessing agricultural information. From each selected block, five villages were selected through simple random sampling. Further, ten farmers from each selected village were chosen by adopting a simple random sampling technique. The total sample comprised 150 farmers. Data were collected through personal interviews using a structured and pre-tested interview schedule. Preference of social media platforms was measured on a three-point continuum comprising Most Preferred, Preferred, and Not Preferred with scores of 3, 2, and 1, respectively. Mean scores were computed to rank the social media platforms according to the respondents' preference. The collected data were analysed using appropriate statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, mean, and ranking.

Results and Discussion

Profile Characteristics of the Respondents

The profile characteristics of the respondents were studied using selected characteristics and are presented in Table 1. More than half (54.67%) belonged to the middle age group (36-50 years), while 41.33 per cent had secondary education and 28.00 per cent had higher secondary education. Semimedium landholding was predominant (36.00%), and 54.00 per cent belonged to the medium annual income category. Most respondents practiced Kharif-Rabi cropping (87.33%), had 11-20 years of farming experience (44.67%), and exhibited medium levels of extension contact (56.67%), social participation (65.33%), and frequency of social media use (50.67%); all respondents had internet access, indicating widespread digital connectivity in the study area. The predominance of middle-aged respondents and semi-medium landholdings was comparable with Mathkar et al. (2026) [6] , while the medium level of social media use was consistent with Mishra et al. (2022) [8] .

Frequency of use of social media platforms

The frequency of use of different social media platforms by the respondents is presented in Table 2. The results indicated that WhatsApp was the most frequently used platform for accessing agricultural information, with 74.67 per cent of the respondents reporting regular use, followed by YouTube (62.00%). In contrast, Facebook and Instagram were used regularly by only 4.00 per cent and 6.67 per cent of the respondents, respectively, while X (formerly Twitter) recorded the lowest level of regular use (1.33%). The greater use of WhatsApp and YouTube may be associated with their ease of operation, availability of agricultural groups and educational videos, and wider acceptance among farming communities. The widespread use of these platforms indicates that farmers increasingly rely on instant messaging and video-based content for obtaining practical and timely agricultural information. These findings are in conformity with the observations of Kumari (2020) [4] , Meena et al.

(2022) [7] , Singh et al. (2021) [10] , Harsini et al. (2023) [2] , and Madhushekar et al. (2024) [5] , who also reported WhatsApp as the most frequently used social media platform among the farmers.

Preference for social media platforms

The respondents' preference for different social media platforms is presented in Table 3. WhatsApp emerged as the most preferred platform for accessing agricultural information, securing the first rank with a mean score of 2.65, followed by YouTube (2.55), Instagram (1.55), Facebook (1.45), and X (Twitter) (1.06). In terms of the highest preference category, 74.67 per cent of the respondents rated WhatsApp as most preferred, followed by YouTube (62.00%). On the other hand, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) were less preferred for agricultural purposes. The higher preference for WhatsApp may be associated with its user-friendly interface, widespread adoption among rural smartphone users, instant messaging facility, multimedia sharing options, and the availability of agriculture-related groups managed by extension personnel and progressive farmers. Similarly, YouTube was preferred because it provides visual demonstrations of recommended agricultural practices, enabling farmers to understand complex farm operations more effectively. The comparatively lower preference for Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) may reflect their relatively limited use for agriculture-specific communication and lower availability of localized agricultural content among the respondents. This preference pattern indicates that farmers favour platforms that provide quick access to practical, easy-to-understand, and visually supported agricultural information. These findings are consistent with the observations of Thakur and Chander (2018) [11] , Sandeep GP et al. (2020) [9] , Singh et al. (2021) [10] , Meena et al. (2022) [7] , Chowdary et al.

(2024) [1] , and Madhushekar et al. (2024) [5] , who also reported WhatsApp and YouTube as the most preferred social media platforms for accessing agricultural information.

Conclusion

The study concludes that WhatsApp and YouTube were the two most frequently used and most preferred social media platforms among farmers for accessing agricultural information in the study area. Their widespread acceptance may be associated with their ease of use, multimedia capabilities, and the availability of agriculture-related content in an easily understandable format. In contrast, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) were less preferred for agricultural purposes. Most respondents fell in the medium category of frequency of social media use, indicating moderate engagement with digital platforms for agricultural information seeking, though their level of engagement varies. These findings suggest that extension agencies, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, State Agricultural Universities, and other agricultural organizations should make greater use of WhatsApp and YouTube for disseminating timely, needbased, and location-specific agricultural advisories. Greater integration of these platforms into agricultural extension programmes has the potential to improve the reach, relevance, and effectiveness of digital advisory services, thereby supporting informed decision-making among farmers.

References

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