Abstract:
This study investigated the dissemination of agricultural information services to
farmers for attaining food security. The study applied a survey research
methodology. To have an in-depth understanding of the study area two methods
were used in order to gather primary data and information. These included
semi-structured questionnaires and personal interviews. Questionnaires were
administered face to face to eighty five (85) farmers in the study area. The
findings showed that farmers had information needs related to growing a
variety of crops and rearing of livestock, fertilizer application methods,
pesticides use, planting method and storage method among others. Findings
also showed that the main sources of information were radios, posters and
agricultural extension officers. The study revealed that farmers experienced
challenges in accessing agricultural information due to the fact that,
agricultural information on radio and television is always aired at odd hours
when farmers who desire such information have gone to their farms; illiteracy
level; lack of awareness of information sources and lack of extension workers.
The study recommends that adequate funding should be made to libraries so
that they can improve the quality of agricultural information resources;
qualified librarians should be recruited within agriculture sector; librarians
should identify relevant information sources suitable to farmers; libraries
should provide unique attention to targeted group of information beneficiaries
with a focus on their identified information needs; more extension officers
should be recruited, trained and deployed in the rural areas in order to
effectively cover the larger area; public and private media houses should
broadcast agricultural programmes at appropriate and convenient times for
farmers; the Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) in
collaboration with the National Library Service should establish Information
Centres or Telecentres in rural areas. These should be stocked with relevant
and current agricultural information resources in vernacular languages to meet
the needs of farmers; librarians in the country should make useful agricultural
