FARMERS’ BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS TO USE MOBILE EXTENSION IN ASSIUT GOVERNORATE

Sixteen flax genotypes {13 promising lines This study aimed at: (1) knowing about farmers’ views about advantages, disadvantages of mobile extension service and their suggestions to make this prospective initiative succeed; (2) discovering farmers’ behavioral intentions to use mobile extension service in Assiut governorate; (3) determining the kind of information that farmers will need by using mobile extension service; (4) examining the effect of the six antecedents proposed by Nysveen et al(2005a) on farmers’ behavioral intentions to use mobile extension service. Data were collected by questionnaire from 233 farmers randomly selected from two villages in Assiut governorate. The results showed the advantages, disadvantages of mobile extension service from the viewpoint of the respondents and their suggestions to make this prospective initiative succeed. It came out that the respondents have positive intentions to use mobile extension, and their prospective behavior proceeds to use mobile extension service if it comes into existence. It cleared up that the information needs of farmers by using mobile extension were related to market information (prices, and demand indicators) and know-how information (what to plant and which seed varieties to use). It became clear that the model of Nysveen et al (2005a) was overall significant and the six antecedents of behavioral intentions significantly explains 71% of variance in farmers’ behavioral intentions to use mobile extension service. Finally, based on the results of this study, major recommendations are derived for the potential producers when developing the prospective mobile extension service