Can mobile phone-based animated videos induce learning and technology adoption among low-literate farmers? A field experiment in Burkina Faso

Abstract

This article explores an innovative approach to deliver information about new agricultural technology that combines a versatile and potentially lower cost method of developing animated videos with another low-cost method of sharing it on mobile devices (i.e. mobile phone). It describes a randomized controlled field experiment conducted in Burkina Faso to evaluate the effectiveness of animated videos shown on mobile phone compared with the traditional extension method (live demonstration) in inducing learning and adoption of two postharvest technologies among low-literate farmers. Results suggest that video-based training was as effective as the traditional method in inducing learning and understanding. For technologies that farmers were already aware of animated video shown on the mobile phone was also as effective as live demonstration in inducing adoption. However, in transferring new technologies, the traditional method was more effective in inducing adoption at p < .10, but not at p < .05. Potential role of mobile phone-based videos as part of the agricultural extension system is discussed.

Scientific Animations Without Borders (SAWBO): Animating IPM Information and Education Everywhere

“…While SAWBO has led IPM research on cowpea cropping systems in West Africa focused on central topics around (1) improved storage, including "triple bagging" (hermetic sealing) cowpea grains and the use of jerricans, to prevent postharvest bruchid damage, (2) the use of neem seed extract and other non-synthetic control agents to protect cowpea crops from bruchids, and (3) solarizing cowpea seeds prior to storage to kill bruchids that can occur in seeds (Bello-Bravo, Lutomia, & Pittendrigh, In Press;Bello-Bravo, Olana, Enyadne, & Pittendrigh, 2013;Bello-Bravo, Seufferheld, et al, 2013;Maredia et al, 2017), such research also necessarily included efforts to understand the potential for the use of animated educational videos supported by ICT (cell phones).…”

Facilitated discussions increase learning gains from dialectically localized animated educational videos in Niger

“…These videos are aesthetically appealing Bello-Bravo, Seufferheld, et al, 2013;Maredia et al, 2017;Miresmailli, Bello-Bravo, & Pittendrigh, 2015) and elicit reports of, or have demonstrated, participant buy-in around solutions depicted (Bello-Bravo, Nwakwasi, Bello-Bravo, Seufferheld, et al, 2013;Mazur et al, 2013;Mocumbe, Abbott, Mazur, Bello-Bravo, & Pittendrigh, 2016a). Moreover, they have shown greater knowledge transfer and learning gains over other knowledge transfer approaches (Bello-Bravo, 2017;Bello-Bravo, Tamò, Dannon, & Pittendrigh, 2018;Lutomia & Bello-Bravo, 2016;Maredia et al, 2017) and have proven cost-effective and deployable in resource-limited contexts (Bello-Bravo, 2017;, including settings with sociocultural limitations on print literacy and access by participants (Bello-Bravo et al, 2011;Bello-Bravo, Seufferheld, Agunbiade, & Pittendrigh, 2010;Miresmailli et al, 2015;. They also are potentially self-replicating as an approach .…”

Accelerating technical change through video-mediated agricultural extension: Evidence from Ethiopia

“…Fewer studies examine the role of ICTs in the provision of production-related information and advice. Exceptions include the use of short message services containing information on crop management advice and weather forecasts in India (Fafchamps and Minten, 2012), integrated pest management practices in Ecuador (Larochelle et al, 2017), agronomic advice in India (Cole and Fernando, 2014) and advice on timing of sugarcane farm operations in Kenya (Casaburi, et al, 2014); animated videos on post-harvest management in Burkina Faso (Maredia et al, 2017) and insecticidal neem use in Benin (Bello-Bravo et al, 2018); and interactive crop advisory services via mobile phones in India (Fu and Akter, 2012).…”