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Figure from:On search for strategies to increase the coverage of agricultural extension service: Web based Farmers' Advisory Information System

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Data were collected from Kilosa district. Respondents from Ilonga Msalabani, Chanzuru and Magomeni were directl involved in baseline survey. 3.5 Study areas

Figure 2 Data were collected from Kilosa district. Respondents from Ilonga Msalabani, Chanzuru and Magomeni were directl involved in baseline survey. 3.5 Study areas

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3.3 HOW PAR WAS USED IN THIS RESEARCH The research methodology was based on participatory action research (PAR) [McTaggart 1989] compounded with mixed research methods (i.e. triangulation approach) and software engineering methods. Participatory approach was chosen in order to have sustainable intervention. Also, the intention of using PAR approach was on contributing to a practical difference/outcome to the end users (Figure 1). Moreover, the use of triangulation methodology helped the researchers to have a deeper understanding of the phenomena under investigation.
3.3 HOW PAR WAS USED IN THIS RESEARCH The research methodology was based on participatory action research (PAR) [McTaggart 1989] compounded with mixed research methods (i.e. triangulation approach) and software engineering methods. Participatory approach was chosen in order to have sustainable intervention. Also, the intention of using PAR approach was on contributing to a practical difference/outcome to the end users (Figure 1). Moreover, the use of triangulation methodology helped the researchers to have a deeper understanding of the phenomena under investigation.
3.4 Research design ee ee lee Exploratory study was done in Kilosa and then stakeholder analysis was done. Thereafter an inception workshop was done. Finally, the baseline survey was done through questionnaire and interviews. Al these activities were done for the essence that the solutions are found in participatory manner (Figure 1). The essence of all these activities was to collect information pertaining to agricutlture farming and use of ICTs in dissemination and communication agricultural information. This information was used in designing and developing a prototype of web-based Farmers’ Agricultural Information System (FAIS). the participants. (v) easy contextualization of the research - to make research relevant to particular context, researchers should try out their theories with practitioners in real situations and real organizations.
3.4 Research design ee ee lee Exploratory study was done in Kilosa and then stakeholder analysis was done. Thereafter an inception workshop was done. Finally, the baseline survey was done through questionnaire and interviews. Al these activities were done for the essence that the solutions are found in participatory manner (Figure 1). The essence of all these activities was to collect information pertaining to agricutlture farming and use of ICTs in dissemination and communication agricultural information. This information was used in designing and developing a prototype of web-based Farmers’ Agricultural Information System (FAIS). the participants. (v) easy contextualization of the research - to make research relevant to particular context, researchers should try out their theories with practitioners in real situations and real organizations.
Table 1: Respondent Category (N=40) 4,2. Respondents’ main occupation and crop types grown
Table 1: Respondent Category (N=40) 4,2. Respondents’ main occupation and crop types grown
Table 2: Respondents’ main occupations (N=40) International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, Vol. 7, Issue 1, June 2013
Table 2: Respondents’ main occupations (N=40) International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, Vol. 7, Issue 1, June 2013
Table 3: Type of ICTs device possessed (N=40) International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, Vol. 7, Issue 1, June 2013
Table 3: Type of ICTs device possessed (N=40) International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, Vol. 7, Issue 1, June 2013
Figure 3: System Development Life Cycle The approach used for developing FAIS was the waterfall System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). A traditional SDLC consists of five fundamental phases; analysis, design, implementation, testing and evaluation. The SDLC is ¢ cycle because it is possible to retum to any phase from any other, though an ideal progression is to follow each phase in order [Dennis and Wixom 2003]. Another advantage of SDLC is that it ensures the system requirement is thoroughly reviewed and completed before design starts. This minimizes greatly the chances of system failure during testing [Rhodes 2010].
Figure 3: System Development Life Cycle The approach used for developing FAIS was the waterfall System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). A traditional SDLC consists of five fundamental phases; analysis, design, implementation, testing and evaluation. The SDLC is ¢ cycle because it is possible to retum to any phase from any other, though an ideal progression is to follow each phase in order [Dennis and Wixom 2003]. Another advantage of SDLC is that it ensures the system requirement is thoroughly reviewed and completed before design starts. This minimizes greatly the chances of system failure during testing [Rhodes 2010].
FAIS was developed as a three tier system with the client tier, business logic tier and database tier as shown in figure 4 below:-
FAIS was developed as a three tier system with the client tier, business logic tier and database tier as shown in figure 4 below:-
On building the system, MySQL DBMS was used to implement the database schema, the PHP scripting language was used for building user interfaces, processing data and linking the client to the database. The database relationship is as shown in Figure 5 below:-
On building the system, MySQL DBMS was used to implement the database schema, the PHP scripting language was used for building user interfaces, processing data and linking the client to the database. The database relationship is as shown in Figure 5 below:-
The following Figure 7 and Figure 8 show some of the examples of the screenshots for services provided by FAIS. International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, Vol. 7, Issue 1, June 2013
The following Figure 7 and Figure 8 show some of the examples of the screenshots for services provided by FAIS. International Journal of Computing and ICT Research, Vol. 7, Issue 1, June 2013