Improving Livelihood in Vavuniya District, Sri Lanka: A Case Study of Dairy Farmers' Actual Use Towards Accessing Digital Extension Services

In light of global changes and emerging trends, various digital platforms have been used for effective dairy extension services. However, the expected result is not satisfactory, particularly after the war in 2009 in the Northern region. This study is designed to identify the dairy farmers’ attitudes, subjective norms/beliefs, perceived risks, and socioeconomic characteristics that influence dairy farmers’ access, use, and benefits of digital extension services to improve the livelihood of dairy farmers in Vavuniya, Sri Lanka. This investigation utilized a post-positivist, an exploratory sequential mixed-method approach. Primary data collection was carried out using four research methods: four focus group discussions (FGDs), ten expert interviews, the two-phase modified Delphi method, and 240 semi-structured farmer surveys. All data were audio-recorded. Descriptive statistics by Excel were used for Modified Delphi rounds 1 and 2, Likert scale data. Thematic analysis by NVivo 14 was used for data from the other three methods. Key findings of this study are consistent with this literature. Dairy farmers’ negative attitudes, prevailing sociocultural norms within their communities and rural locations, and challenges and risks in usage have a negative impact on the actual use of digital extension services. There is a gap between the perceptions of dairy farmers and experts about digital extension services, which influenced dairy farmers' decision-making towards the actual use of it. This study lays out the suggestions for an effective dairy digital extension service, such as training and awareness programs for users, effective cross-sector collaboration between digital extension service providers and mobile network providers, modified government policies with divergent perceptions of providers and users, and the distinct management need that exist for livestock extension services.