A Comparative Study of Information-Seeking Behavior and Digital Information Needs of Farmers in Turkey and Sweden

Journal article, 2016

Individuals use information as and manage information which make them evolve as part of the globalization process in today’s global and virtual world (Marchionini, 1995). Information is a practical tool facilitating the life flow of individuals. This tool is used by individuals in order to resolve the problems, uncertainties and chaotic situations in their life. A series of attitudes in target- oriented resolution process is called information seeking behavior (Singh & Satija, 2007). Information seeking behavior and information are interwoven tools creating a circulation serving the target of various information user groups. Farmers are one of the sub-groups using information to contribute to the constitution of a green world. The information they seek in their occupational life will facilitate the daily running of their occupation and certain digital information from different resources are also increasingly becoming available for their use. In our study, information seeking behavior and information needs of the farmers in Fethiye, a county in Turkey as a developing country, and Gothenburg in Sweden as a developed country, were analyzed. 60 farmers in Turkey and 60 farmers in Sweden were included within the scope of our study. What kind of information they seek and what kind of searching tools (internet, journals, books, asking people, applying to the reference desks in the public libraries) they use will be analyzed further in our study, where a descriptive method was used. A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Our target group was chosen randomly among the farmers in Fethiye and Gothenburg. It is a comparative study in which findings acquired in two different countries shall be handled taking the country development criteria into consideration. In accordance with the country development criteria, findings will be compared and recommendations are provided. Based upon the acquired findings, recommendations are given about the development of information literacy services and programs for the farmers.