Constraints Faced by Maize Farmers of Tamil Nadu in Use of Smartphone for Accessing Agricultural Information

Abstract

The study was carried out to analyse the constraints faced by maize farmers of Tamil Nadu in use of smartphone for accessing agricultural information, and to elicit strategies for improving the smartphone usage among maize farmers. Ex- Post Facto Research Design. The selected districts for the study were Perambalur and Cuddalore based on maximum area under maize cultivation. Two blocks were selected from each district, and from the selected blocks, two villages were selected for the study based on maximum area under maize cultivation. The study was conducted during June 2023. Totally 120 respondents were selected for the study based on simple random sampling technique. The responses of the respondents were subjected to frequency and percentage analysis. The constraints were grouped into two categories viz., hardware constraints and software constraints. The suggestions were grouped into three categories viz., hardware strategies, software strategies, and training needs. Most of the respondents reported that the major hardware related constraints were high cost for repair and maintenance of smartphones (70.83%), high data tariff (66.67%), and less knowledge and skill in using smartphone (57.5%). The major software related constraints were less availability of location-specific information (85.00%), information not updated (81.67%), receiving unreliable forward messages (71.67%) and less awareness on agricultural mobile apps/web portals (69.17%). The major strategies suggested by the farmers for improving smartphone usage were provision of assistance by the government to purchase high end smartphone (91.67%), sale of farmer friendly data packs (79.17%), adding voice recognition facility in mobile apps (98.33%), developing maize specific mobile apps (97.50%), developing knowledge of farmers on downloading and operating different apps and portals related to agriculture (99.17%) through method demonstration and trainings. Most of the farmers faced high cost for repair and maintenance of smartphones, high data tariff, and less availability of location-specific information as major constraints. To overcome these constraints State Department of Agriculture may consider providing assistance to farmers to purchase high end smartphones. Farmer friendly data packs and Location specific contents will also enhance smartphone usage behaviour among farmers.