Factors Affecting Utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Agricultural Sector: A Case Study in Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone of Assam, India

Abstract

In a country like India agriculture is the major economic players in economic aspects, which is the great source of revenue is more than 50% of the population of India. The country’s economic sector is based on the agricultural activities that play a significant role in the national development. Of late, ICT plays a significant role in the development of agriculture. It is widely acknowledged that improved information flow benefits both individual businesses and the agriculture industry. Nonetheless, gathering and sharing information is frequently expensive and challenging. By using information technology (IT), it is possible to lower the cost of information dissemination while simultaneously providing more information to all stakeholders involved in the agriculture industry. But the part of agriculture to the economy as well as the economic condition of the farmers is not what they should have been in this era of technology in a state like Assam. The aim of this study is to find the utilization in agricultural sector in the upper Brahmaputra valley Zone of Assam. This paper tries to discuss the factors affecting utilization of ICT tools in agriculture by using Binary Logistics Regression Model. Apart from higher level of education (.252) and size of land holding (.003), other factors like age (-.076), extension contact (-.282) and participation in media (-3.554) are found to be negatively influenced in the knowledge of ICT in agriculture among the farmers in the study area. Organzing awareness and training programme may help the farmers to utilize ICT in agricultural sector.