UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AMONG RURAL FARMERS IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The research was conducted to examine utilization of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among rural farmers in selected Local Government Areas of Taraba State, Nigeria. Specifically, to identify the most used ICTs device by respondents; ascertain agricultural information needs of respondents and identify problem faced by the respondent. The research method employed for this study was survey using structured questionnaire. The study used 61 respondents that were purposively selected and the data collected analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings showed that the major devices used by the respondents are phones (90.20%), radio (86.90%), television (67.20%) and internet (55.70%). The farmers were in deer need of information such as information on new markets (88.50%), market prices (86.90%) for their produce, new production practices (83.60%), new agricultural technologies (80.30%), trade laws (77.00%), Agricultural inputs (70.50%) among others. The farmers highlighted majorly their challenges of high cost of service, poor and expensive connectivity, low level of education, and high cost of ICTs device. The study concluded that the use of ICTs among farmers will go a long way in boosting agricultural activities as information would be readily available. The study recommended that communication network subscribers should subsidize cost of service and ensure network connectivity of internet facilities to enhance the dissemination of agricultural information to farmers without hitches.