Assessing impact of video and rural radio on capital assets building

with smallholders rice processors in Benin

Espérance ZossouPaul Van Mele, Simplice D. Vodouhe, Aliou Diagne, Philippe

Lebailly

21-24 October, Yahounde, Cameroon

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results & Discussions

4. Conclusion

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results & Discussions

4. Conclusion

1. Introduction• In Africa, agricultural extension services are under

constant pressure to face food insecurity & poverty

• This calls for changes in the traditional public extension systems => quality video & radio scripts to strengthen rural learning on rice processing

• Various methods (matching approach) have been used to test the video effectiveness ( lack of baseline data)

• This study deals to carry out experimental approach with data before & after learning using the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA)

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results & Discussions

4. Conclusion

2. Methodology• The study was conducted in

2010 & 2012 in the north and south of Benin

• 3 types of villages: 4 video, 4 radio & 4 control within similar socio-economic realities

• 120 rice processors: 40 /group

• We started SLA by focus groups to get an idea of the overall description of capitals

• Based on qualitative research, we formulated a questionnaire

• Before videos and radio, we individually interviewed rice processors to get capital stocks recorded in 2010 (baseline year)

• After individual interviews, we made groups surveys to achieve a consensus on capital stocks

• 2 years later, we used the same questionnaire and methodology to get capital stocks recorded in the impact year (2012).

• Respondents rated capital stocks on a 0–5 scale for 2010 & 2012

• A spider diagram was then drawn with value 0 (no stock) at the centre and the value 5 at the other extreme

• The causes of changes made visible in the diagram were listed and ranked individually and in groups

• We used the Wilcoxon test, Kruskall-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon (MWW) test

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results & Discussions

4. Conclusion

3.1 The components of the financial, social and

human capitals according to rice processors

Capitals EntitiesFinancial Incomes

Quantities of rice processed per yearAccess to formal and informal creditRate of savingFinancial resources for ceremoniesClothingChildren schooling

Social Working in groupsIntra-group cohesionInter-group cohesionEffective collaboration with those who share or do not share the same views as selfEffective collaboration with local authorities and development agentsInformations sharingSolidarity

Human KnowledgesHealthSkill and ability in the performance of the activityHappiness

Main components of the three capitals according to rice processors’ description

3.2 Livelihood changes over time for each

category of rice processors

Changes in capital stocks: Individual survey

Changes in capital stocks: group survey

Drivers of changes

• Video villages: main 3 causes of changes:– Video shows– access to credit – earlier face-to-face training on rice parboiling

• Radio villages: main 3 causes of changes:– radio broadcasts– Access to credit– Gift of the improved rice parboiling equipment

• Control villages: little changes mainly attributed to more rice production

• The ATE model confirmed the impact perceived on the CF: the revenue gains were twice as high for video watchers compared to radio listeners

• The Kruskall-Wallis test showed a significant difference between the 3 categories: video, radio & control

• These finding confirmed the power of video, as observed in our previous studies in Benin

• The video had a significant effect compared to radio

3.3 Individual versus group assessments

• Individual assessments led to similar results as the group’s consensus

• Group discussions were vivid and inclusive

• The similarity between individual and group surveys confirms a consensus

• The two assessments are important for a SLA study to make a triangulation

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Methodology

3. Results & Discussions

4. Conclusion

Conclusion

• The improvement in capital assets as perceived by rice processors in Benin, suggests that video & rural radio have been effective

• This was confirmed by the revenue gains that were more important for video watches compared radio listners

• The videos were used as ressources for radio: this may also have contributed to the effectiveness of rural radio

Conclusion

• The SLA is a participatory approach that helps farmers to assess the effect of learning on their livelihood using their own indicators

• The 2 methods (individual and group surveys) are important to assess a reliable impact

• The SLA has proven valuable, complementary & reliable to other methods for evaluating the effect of information technologies in rural areas

THANK FOR YOUR ATTENTION