Analysis of Accessibility and Level of Knowledge of Farmers on the Use of ICT among Small Holder Rice Farmers in Southeast, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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The study examines the access of farmers to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi state, Nigeria. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected in the study area. Data were collected using pre-tested questionnaires and analyzed using percentages, means, chi-squire and other parametric statistical tools. For the purpose of the research, ICTs were divided in to two categories: conventional (Radio/Television) and contemporary or modern (computer/internet and GSM). Results showed that radio was the most widely accessible ICT by the respondents (98.33%) it was followed by television (41.67%), GSM (40.00%) and the least computer/internet (5.00%). Chi-square analysis revealed that age, background and educational level of respondents were significant (P ≤ 0.05) with access to modern ICTs. Kruskal-Willis rank test on reception of ICT services was not significant because on the average, at least the service of one of the categories of ICTs was received by respondents in all the villages studied. Mann-Whitney rank test on the problems confronting the respondents was significant (P ≤ 0.05) with access to ICTs. Thus, it is recommended that widespread education on the use of modern ICTs especially computer/internet and intensification of the use of existing conventional ICTs particularly the radio will bring a turning point in ICTs access and reception in the study area.
The need to enhance local production and discourage importation of rice cannot be overemphasized. This is to meet local demands and also enhance its production. This can be made possible through improving the technical knowhow of rice farmers with the use of information communication technology (ICTS). In determining the use of these ICTS among rice farmers in Konshisha Local Government area of Benue State, one hundred and twelve rice farmers (respondents) were interviewed for the purpose of the study. These were selected using simple random sampling from Gaav and Shangev-tiev zones of the study area. N64,655.71. Results also show that 66.7% of the respondents are male and 87.5% are married. The study also reveals that respondents update their knowledge primarily from extension agents. The study concluded that respondents do not have the technical ability to use modern ICTS to enable them access timely and useful information to boost their productivity. It concludes that proper orientation and sensitization on ICT usage be given to farmers to enable them improve their rice production potentials.
The study assessed the socioeconomic determinants of access and utilization of ICTs among farmers in Southeast Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling techniques were employed in selection of 240 Farmers as source of primary data for the study, using structured and validated questionnaire schedule. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in the analysis of data generated from the field survey for study. The result of the analysis showed that the following socioeconomic variables: age, gender, family size, income level, membership of cooperative societies, farming experience, and distance from place of ICTs were statistically significant at 5% for farmers access to ICT facilities, while age, gender, educational attainment, income level, membership of cooperative societies, and presence of associated ICTs infrastructure showed statistically significant at 5% for farmers level of ICTs utilization in the area. This goes to shows that these variables are important determinants of farmers' access to and utilization of ICTs. The result of factor analysis showed that infrastructural, technical and socioeconomic related factors constrained access and utilization of ICTs by farmers. The study recommends the institutionalization of programme such as extension education, training etc. that will promote the development of these socioeconomic variables, the strengthening of the use of contemporary ICTs such as phones and internet, rather than conventional ICTs such as radio and television through provision of advisory services to farmers on how to pool their resources together for the purpose of establishing rural viewing centre, provision of adequate training on the use of ICTs for greater effectiveness of ICTs access and utilization in farming operations in Southeast, Nigeria.
Information communication technologies have the potential to increase farmers' access to information which is paramount in enhancing agricultural production in developing countries. The study examined access and use of information communication technologies by farmers in Enugu north senatorial zone, Enugu state, Nigeria. Structured interview schedule was used to collect data from 90 farmers randomly selected for the study. The data were analyzed using percentages, frequency counts, mean scores and standard deviation. Results indicated that radio (98.9%), television (95.5%) and mobile phones (96.7%) were the most available ICTs in the area. ICT facilities accessible to the farmers were mobile phone (M=1.83), video players (M=1.46), radio (M=1.82) and television (M=1.52) while radio (M=2.71), mobile phones (M=2.64), television (M=2.02) were mostly used. The major benefits of ICTs as perceived by the farmers included: enhanced information exchange and interaction between researcher...
The concept of information in general and of agricultural information in particular, as a resource for development is very important in the contemporary world and cannot be overemphasized. Communication devices enable people around the world to contact one another, to access information instantly, and to communicate from remote areas. There are lots of difficulties facing rural farmers which can be solved by providing them with adequate access to quality information which many researchers have generated. ICTs play important roles in addressing these challenges and enhancing the standard of living of rural farmers. The ability to easily access and share information and stimulate the creation of new ideas is viewed as essential to maintaining a nation's economy and enhancing the quality of life of rural farmers. This study examined availability, importance and level of use of information communication technologies by farmers in Enugu state, Nigeria. Structured interview schedule w...
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This study assessed determinants of farmers access and use of new ICTS in the study area. Data obtained from 270 respondents through multi-stage sampling technique were subjected to descriptive and logit regression analysis. The results show that GSM is the only new ICT farmers have access to (mean= 2.66) and use regularly (mean =3.44) while they have little or no access to and use either computer, E-mail or internet. This poor farmers access to and use of new ICTs can limit the extent of agricultural information they can receive. The probability of respondents having high access to new ICTS was significantly related to education (b = 0.784) and farming income, (b = 0.754). The study recommends organizing farmers into associations for training in the use of and collective acquisition of new ICTs. @JASEM
The study examined SocioEconomic characteristics and access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) among rural farmers in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo state. It also assessed the factors influencing accessibility of ICTs for sourcing agricultural information in the study area. A total of one hundred and twenty farmers were randomly selected from six towns that were purposively chosen. Data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentage as well as assessing the factors influencing accessibility of ICTs. About 70% of the respondents are male; 30% of them are 60 years old and above. Eighty six point seven percent (86.7%) were educated up to secondary school level, inheritance was the major mode of farmland acquisition while most of them had family size of 5 and below. The study concluded that ICTs exist in the study area and the farmers were well aware of them but were faced with various challenges in their usage of these technologies. The following recommendations were made: rural farmers, especially old and illiterate ones, should be enlightened/educated on how to use ICTs to achieve maximum benefits; and ICT service centres should be established in rural areas.
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Currently agricultural sector is the main sector of the economy in Ethiopia. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been changing the way that actors like researchers, development agents, policy makers, and farmers share agricultural information and knowledge. Particularly, farmers have started to use ICT to get agricultural information and knowledge, despite a number of challenges. Therefore, this study attempted to assess and analyze factors influencing the use of Information and Communication Technologies by farmers in Tole District of South West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Data were collected (n=144) from 144 randomly selected respondents from Tole District, of which 69 were ICT user farmers and 75 of them were non users of ICT. The study deployed mixed methods research. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data. Qualitative data were analyzed through interpretation, narration, and finally complement the descriptive analysis. The key finding of this study revealed that the social, economic and institutional factors were identified in study as factors in using ICT by farmers in the study area. The survey results revealed that age, sex, education status and distance from nearby market have influence on use of ICT in agricultural extension by farmers. The findings also revealed that Radio, Television, mobile phone, fixed phone,
Library Philosophy and Practice, 2013
This study focused on the use of ICTs by yam farmers in Boluwaduro Local Government Area of Osun State. The study made use of cross-sectional research design and data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire from 150 respondents selected through random sampling technique from five towns in the local government area. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis in finding relationships between variables. The findings show that most of the yam farmers in Boluwaduro that use ICTs as a source of agricultural information had secondary education and they were between the average ages of 35 years. The result supports the assertion that ease of access and availability were the major factors that influences the preference for ICTs use by the yam farmers in the LGA, and also, television, radio and mobile phone were the most preferred ICTs tools for agricultural information by the yam farmers. It was discovered that infrastructural facilities is the major problem constraining the use of ICTs by the yam farmers in Boluwaduro, and that demographic factors does not have any significant relationship with the use of ICTs by Boluwaduro yam farmers. While strong relationship existed between problem encountered and ICTs use by the yam farmers in Boluwaduro. Better infrastructure provision was also advocated to encourage the use of ICTs by the yam farmers.
International Journal of Agriculture Innovations and Research, 2020
The study assessed Information Communication Technology (ICT) utilization among rural women rice farmers in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 51 respondents used for the study while data was collected using structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as mean, percentages, and frequency were used to analyze the objectives. The study shows that majority (66.7%) of the rural women rice farmers were between the ages of 31 and 40 years, 68.8% were married, 82.4% had one form of education or the other while 74.5% had household size of between 6 and 10 persons. More so, 74.6% had farming experience of between 1 and 10 years and majority (52.9%) financed their farming activities through their personal savings. On types of ICT tools available for the women rice farmers, majority (98.0, 96.0 and 94.1) of the respondents identified mobile phone, radio and television respectively. ICT tools such as mobile phones (= 2.9), radio (= 2.6), television (= 2.03), camera (= 2.1) and newspaper (= 2.0) were frequently utilized by the women rice farmers. On the other hand, the women identified high cost of ICT tools (= 3.01), inadequate capital (= 2.81), complexity in the use of ICT tool (= 2.70), inadequate knowledge on ICT tools (= 2.44), inadequate power supply (= 2.41), poor network reception (= 2.27), high cost of internet subscription (= 2.21), high cost of charges on calls (= 2.11) and poor educational background (= 2.08) as major constraints to ICT utilization in the area. It was recommended that efforts should be made by the service providers to improve network coverage in the study area through Information Communication Technologies and efforts should be made to educate the rural women rice farmers on the use of ICT tools.