How do extension agents of DAE use social media for strengthening agricultural innovation in Bangladesh?

Agricultural innovation is essential for improving the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in developing countries such as Bangladesh. Within an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) strategy for agricultural development, social media is considered a means of networking, collaboration and co-learning, and thereby supporting innovation processes. However, it is not known how extension agents of the Department of Agricultural Extension the largest public sector organisation - have been utilising social media to strengthen agricultural innovation. Data were collected using a survey with 140 extension agents and key informant interviews with 20 extension agents who worked in the eastern region of Bangladesh. The findings indicated that extension agents mostly used social media to learn professional tasks and to some extent technical knowledge. Extension agents considered social media as a means of supporting innovation functions, such as entrepreneurial activities, market formation, resource mobilisation and legitimisation. However, the use of social media did not support second loop learning as well as system interaction.