A versatile platform for multilevel modeling of physiological systems: Template/instance framework for large-scale modeling and simulationYoshiyuki Asai, Takeshi Abe, Hideki Oka, Masao Okita, Tomohiro Okuyama, Kenichi Hagihara, Samik Ghosh, Yukiko Matsuoka, Yoshihisa Kurachi, Hiroaki Kitano. embc 2013: 5529-5532 [doi] the objective of this qualitative case study was to determine the information needs of rural farmers in bungoma county, western kenya. the study explored various literature on information needs of rural farmers and the information services available to them. the data were collected through face--to--face interviews with twenty lead farmers who are hosts of farmers’ field schools. the findings show that farmers in bungoma county are mostly interested in information that helps them to generate quick incomes from their agribusinesses. they access agricultural information mostly from verbal messages passed on by extension officers and local administration leaders. the farmers confessed that the information accessed from electronic sources like local fm radios is very useful in enhancing their agricultural enterprises and therefore agricultural development partners, policy makers and stakeholders in western kenya should use local fm radio often to disseminate information on agricultural development. the challenges encountered by the farmers in their quest for information relates to affordability. this study contributes to social change by recommending agricultural development partners, policy makers and stakeholders in western kenya implement programmes for reducing the distances that farmers travel to access agricultural information and the costs they incur in applying the knowledge gained from the various information channels.