Communication, Cyber Extension, Diffusion of Innovations & Training

The Channel (or medium) is the physical vehicle or pathway that carries the encoded message from the sender (communicator) to the receiver (audience). Channels can be interpersonal (spoken words, face-to-face demonstration) or mass media (radio waves, print media, television signals, internet).

In rural settings, 'Lack of access to technology' (such as inadequate internet connectivity, lack of smartphones, erratic electricity, and digital illiteracy) forms a critical physical and technological barrier to modern communication.
Clear language, active participation, and visual aids are facilitators that promote effective communication.

Barriers that impede communication in rural areas:

• Lack of access to technology: Physical and technological barrier.
• Use of complex scientific jargon: Semantic and psychological barrier that prevents rural farmers from understanding technical concepts.
  Conversely, (C) active farmer participation and (D) use of visual aids are positive communication enablers and facilitators that overcome barriers.