JEE


Chief Editor

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

In 2016, it is estimated that there will be around 2.13 billion social network users
around the globe, up from 1.4 billion in 2012. Social network penetration worldwide is
ever-increasing. There is a healthy growth of Internet users in India too and by the end of
2015, ten percent of the Indian population will be having an account with any social network

Extension personnel in the country use social media tools extensively and the Indian
farmers too are not lagging behind in their usage, as several reports say. In this scenario,
I thought I should share the proceedings of a workshop organized by the University of
Nebraska in USA, recently. The workshop had offered the following tips for communicating
farm technologies through social media (Cannon, 2015).

· Don’t be afraid of social media: It should be seen as an to opportunity share your
perspective about the work your research institution/University is doing.

· Start small and simple. Extension personnel and farmers need not focus on getting
bogged down with details. They need to begin slowly by choosing one channel or
social media platform and work using it, rather than trying three or four at once.

· Use creativity: Be creative in your messages sustaining the interest of the farmers

· Evaluate available tools. Explore different types of social media and tools within each
medium.

· Keep your messages visually vibrant with photos, videos and infographics

· Maintain professionalism : Keep language and tone in a professional manner. This is
more important while using a social networking tool.

· Use engaging language: Use words and language that is not coercive, but invites
openness and conversation 

Many extension researchers and development personnel in India, like their counterparts
worldwide, are already using social media venues for both professional and personal
purposes. I hope the aforementioned tips would help them in using social media effectively
and in creating a respectable and positive brand for Extension in the virtual world.

This issue of JEE contains nine papers on diverse topics such as ICT, Climate Change
impact and tribal issues. I invite the readers to provide their feedback on these papers
while thanking the associate editors and the reviewers for continued support.