Communicative interventions for preventing the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak: insights from Iran’s rural and farming communities

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The article explores how best agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) can contribute to communicative interventions in preventing the COVID-19 outbreak in rural and farming communities.

Methodology

An action research was conducted in Iran, as one of the top countries experiencing the COVID-19 outbreak.

Findings

A strategic communicative intervention campaign for preventing the COVID-19 outbreak was designed at national level through diagnosing the situation, planning, organising expert teams, producing appropriate information, and disseminating through social networks, mass media and interpersonal communications. Extension staff, many relevant institutions, most key rural informants, local leaders, facilitators, farmers and nomads received and exchanged this information.

Practical Implications

These communicative interventions can not only help health care service systems control the outbreak, but help rural communities increase their knowledge about the virus and health measures to participate in preventing further spreading of the virus, while continue their agricultural activities.

Theoretical Implications

Preventing and managing health-related crises require effective measures, including communicative intervention campaigns. The article shows how agricultural extension systems can contribute to crisis and emergency risk communication and can support health care efforts and enhance the competencies of rural communities during human health-related crises.

Originality/Value

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which has transmitted to all parts of the world, including rural areas, can threaten food security and rural communities’ livelihoods. The study generates important insights about the process of extension interventions for enhancing these communities’ knowledge and skills to prevent and manage the virus transmission.

KEYWORDS:

• Novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
• public awareness
• rural community
• crisis communication
• extension systems
• Iran

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted through a collaboration between an academic practice and the interventions of AEEI for preventing the COVID-19 outbreak. The authors acknowledge the participation of the ‘National Working Group of Extension for Preventing the COVID-19 Outbreak in Iran’s Rural and Nomadic Communities’ and the staff of AEEI.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics approval

Ethics approval for the research was obtained from Agricultural Education and Extension Institute, and the project was approved by this institute.

Informed consent

The participants were informed about the research goals and they electronically approved their consent.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Esmail Karamidehkordi

Dr Esmail Karamidehkordi holds a PhD in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development from the University of Reading. He is an Associate Professor of Agricultural Extension, Communication and Rural Development at the University of Zanjan and Tarbiat Modares University, Iran. He is also the International Focal Point of the SDG 15 Hub of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and the National Focal Point of the Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) for the Convention on Biological Diversity. His research interests include participatory approaches for rural development and agricultural extension, sustainable natural resources management, communication for disaster management, agricultural knowledge and innovation systems, and socio-ecological systems.

Seyed Karim Mousavi

Dr Seyed Karim Mousavi holds a PhD in Agronomy from the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and is Assistant Professor in Weed Research at Plant Protection Research Department at the Lorestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran. He is also the Vice Head of Agricultural Education and Extension Institute. He is interested in integrated weed management research.

Fariba Zamani-Abnili

Ms Fariba Zamani-Abnili holds an MSc in Biochemistry from Islamic Azad University (Science and Research Branch) in Iran and is a clinical laboratory scientist with work experiences in hospitals and clinical laboratories in Iran and in the UK. She is currently a biomedical and life science English editor.

Seyed Reza Es'haghi

Dr Seyed Reza Es'haghi holds a PhD in Agricultural Extension from the University of Tehran and is an extension specialist of the Agricultural Education and Extension Institute at Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran. His research interests are in the Human- Environment Interaction, Social- Ecological Systems, Agent based Modelling, Social Network Analysis and Institutional Analysis in natural resource management.

Javad Ghasemi

Dr Javad Ghasemi holds a PhD in Agricultural Extension and Education from the University of Tehran and is an assistant professor and researcher of the Agricultural Education and Extension Institute at Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran. His current research interests include effectiveness of agricultural extension methods, rural youth empowerment programs, local communities' empowerment and rural and agricultural cooperatives and organizations. He is interested in farming systems, entrepreneurial higher education and sustainable agriculture.

Hesamedin Gholami

Dr Hesamedin Gholami holds a PhD in Agricultural Extension from the University of Tehran and is an assistant professor and researcher of the Agricultural Education and Extension Institute at Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran. His current research interests include agricultural extension methods, agricultural extension effectiveness assessment, and employability in agriculture and entrepreneurship education. He is interested in qualitative and mixed research methodologies for agricultural extension and education.

Ali Akbar Moayedi

Dr Ali Akbar Moayedi holds a PhD in Crop Physiology from the University of Malaya in Malaysia. He is the Head of Agricultural Education and Extension Institute and an associate professor of Crop Science Department at the Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center in Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Iran. His current research interests include research and development on wheat and durum wheat and agricultural extension.

Reihaneh Shagholi

Dr. Reihaneh Shagholi holds a PhD in Educational Management Planning and Policy from the University of Malaya (UM) and is an assistant professor and researcher of the Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center in Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Iran. Her current research interests include Educational management, Leadership and planning.