Restoration of rice landscape biodiversity by farmers in Vietnam through education and motivation using media

Résumé 0

A TV series using entertainment-education principles and broadcast over Vinh Long Television station in Vietnam helped changed rice farmers’ beliefs and pest management practices. The evaluation survey conducted two months after the end of the broadcast showed that farmers sprayed significantly less insecticides (19% less), used less nitrogen fertilizer (6% less), and used lower seed rates (12% less). In addition, there were significantly more farmers believing in statements that favor ecological engineering among the viewers than the non-viewers. Viewers scored higher in the belief index compared to the non-viewers by about 14%, indicating that their attitudes towards ecological engineering practices had gained positively. Although there was about a 9% increase in favor of ecological engineering adoption, there are at least two barriers that remain unchanged. The TV series had succeeded in initiating changes in farmers’ beliefs and adoption of ecological engineering practices. This might be due to entertainment-education content and the engagement of key stakeholders and partners in the project process. Decision theories and sociological tools and a six phase engagement process were used to ensure quality partnerships.