Abstract:
The aim of this research was to investigate the agricultural information sources and strategies for
disseminating agricultural research findings to farmers in Iringa District, Tanzania. A total of 90
farmers were interviewed by using self-administered questionnaire. The statistical Package for
Service Solutions (SPSS) software and Spreadsheet were used as instruments to analyse the
findings. Results of this study indicate that radios, church leaders, village leaders and seminars
are the main channels of information used by extension officers to disseminate agricultural
information to farmers. With regard to strategies the study revealed that, the use of religious
leaders and government officials; use of primary school teachers and pupils; non-political
interference; repackaging and packaging of technical information reports; deployment of
extension officers in rural areas; use of community-based organisations and the establishment of
agricultural information boards were the main effective strategies for disseminating agricultural
research information to farmers. It is therefore, concluded that radio, church leaders, seminars,
Newspapers, brochures and fliers should be intensively used to disseminate agricultural
information among farmers so as to raise productivity in their farms. The study suggest that,
there is a need to use other disseminators such as influential people, religious leaders, political
leaders, primary school teachers and pupils to disseminate such information in addition to
repackaging of agricultural research findings to tailor it to the farmers’ needs.
