Identification and Relevance of E-readiness Assessment Tools for ICT Use in Agriculture

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology is an indispensable part of modern society. As with everything else, it has a profound impact on various activities in the agriculture sector like research, cyber-extension, marketing and transfer of technologies leading to its sustainable development. The concept of E-readiness provides a unified framework to evaluate ICT infrastructure and the ability of its consumers, businesses, and governments to use ICT to their benefit. E-readiness is a state of preparedness to comply and participate in a networked world, and its assessment is a novel concept that aims to understand the E-skill towards using ICT tools. Analysis of the past researches through journals, book chapters, Research Gate and relevant papers reveals various E-readiness assessment initiatives viz. E-commerce readiness assessment guide, Readiness for the networked world, E-readiness rankings, Ready Net Go, Network Readiness Index, Negotiating the digital divide. The paper aptly identifies and evaluates various tools available for assessing the E-readiness at macro and agricultural extension system. The kind of result tool will provide depends upon the researcher’s goal and comprehensive definition of E-readiness adopted by the user. Hence, the paper helps in understanding the importance of measurement tools of E-readiness so that it can leverage ICT integration in agriculture development and improves the exchange of information between the stakeholders of agriculture by using limited resources wisely.Information and Communication Technology is an indispensable part of modern society. As with everything else, it has a profound impact on various activities in the agriculture sector like research, cyber-extension, marketing and transfer of technologies leading to its sustainable development. The concept of E-readiness provides a unified framework to evaluate ICT infrastructure and the ability of its consumers, businesses, and governments to use ICT to their benefit. E-readiness is a state of preparedness to comply and participate in a networked world, and its assessment is a novel concept that aims to understand the E-skill towards using ICT tools. Analysis of the past researches through journals, book chapters, Research Gate and relevant papers reveals various E-readiness assessment initiatives viz. E-commerce readiness assessment guide, Readiness for the networked world, E-readiness rankings, Ready Net Go, Network Readiness Index, Negotiating the digital divide. The paper aptly identifies and evaluates various tools available for assessing the E-readiness at macro and agricultural extension system. The kind of result tool will provide depends upon the researcher’s goal and comprehensive definition of E-readiness adopted by the user. Hence, the paper helps in understanding the importance of measurement tools of E-readiness so that it can leverage ICT integration in agriculture development and improves the exchange of information between the stakeholders of agriculture by using limited resources wisely.