INTERNET-BASED EXTENSION PODCASTS FOR TILAPIA FARMERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Technology Adoption & Policy Development / Activity / 07TAP02NC

Remedios B. Bolivar and Reginor Lyzza B. Argueza
Freshwater Aquaculture Center/College of Fisheries
Central Luzon State University Science City of Muñoz
Nueva Ecija, Philippines

Christopher Brown
Aquaculture and Enhancement Division
US Department of Commerce
Milford, CT USA

Russell J. Borski
Department of Biology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC, USA

 

ABSTRACT

The goal of this investigation was to establish a specialized, internet-based delivery system for news and technical developments of interest to tilapia farmers. We developed the first Tilapia Podcast as an additional means to disseminate tilapia culture information to the scientific, business, government and farming communities of the world. The podcast has an 18-minute vocal track evaluating two popular tilapia culture reference texts, Lim and Webster (2006) and El Sayed (2006). Recorded vocal analysis of the utility of these reference materials is accompanied with a series of ~ 60 photographs of tilapia farming and cultivation centers in the Philippines, along with a musical soundtrack. The podcast was circulated internally and subjected to review with AquaFish CRSP and US Department of Commerce. Following extensive editorial revisions the podcast was approved. The podcast was subsequently launched at a workshop held at the Freshwater Aquaculture Center at the Central Luzon State University in the Philippines. The workshop was well attended by 84 participants, including farmers, feed manufacturers, the press, students and government officials. The workshop covered the concept of a podcast, a demonstration of podcasting, as well as lectures and discussion on practical cost-containment feed reduction strategies shown through on-farm trials to improve production efficiency of tilapia farming. The podcast was met with considerable enthusiasm and was loaded on the computing facilities at FAC-CLSU for access by the Luzon community. The podcast was uploaded on iTunes U (University) on the North Carolina State University server, which is configured to collect data to quantify the number of podcast uses or “hits”. Use of the podcast on the NCSU server has been excellent with 76 downloads and 262 hits over a 7-month period. Collectively, we demonstrated that podcasting is a viable, alternative extension tool for disseminating information to the aquaculture community. The podcast approach is far thriftier, more easily updated, and more efficient than the distribution of printed media. Podcasts are not only more economical and easily updated than printed media, they are more far-reaching and vastly less consumptive of natural resources than virtually any other available method of distribution of extension information. With the continued growth of smart phones, MP3 players, and other devices in the Philippines and the world we anticipate the Podcast will be a highly attractive to for dissemination of information on farming tilapia and other cultivars. Future activities will establish a series of shorter podcasts that provide information on technologies and procedures for farming tilapia more efficiently.

 

If you would like to read more, please see INTERNET-BASED EXTENSION PODCASTS FOR TILAPIA FARMERS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

 

Podcasts

Tilapia Book Reviews ( 19.61 mb )
Released: Nov. 21, 2008
Runtime: 17 minutes, 58 seconds

Tilapia Aquaculture: Delayed Feeding Strategy ( 10.58 mb )
Released: June 29, 2011
Runtime: 7 minutes, 42 seconds

Tilapia Aquaculture: Alternate-Day Feeding Strategy ( 9.21 mb )
Released: June 29, 2011
Runtime: 7 minutes, 13 seconds

Tilapia Aquaculture: Alternate-Day Feeding Strategy (Tagalog) ( 10.45 mb )
Released: June 29, 2011
Runtime: 8 minutes, 34 seconds

Tilapia Aquaculture: 67% Subsatiation Feeding Strategy ( 7.27 mb )
Released: June 29, 2011
Runtime: 6 minutes, 4 seconds

Tilapia Aquaculture: 50% Subsatiation Feeding Strategy ( 7.36 mb )
Released: June 29, 2011
Runtime: 5 minutes, 53 seconds

Tilapia Aquaculture: 50% Subsatiation Feeding Strategy (Tagalog) ( 8.85 mb )
Released: June 29, 2011
Runtime: 6 minutes, 52 seconds

 

Podcasts are also available in iTunes: Tilapia Podcasts.