Socio-economic Variables Influencing the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS) in Agricultural Extension Service Delivery Among Farmers in Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed socio-economic variables influencing the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in agricultural extension service delivery among farmers in Yobe state, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers in the study area; examine the use of ICTs among the farmers in the study area; and determine the relationship between selected socio-economic characteristics of the farmers and the use of ICTs in the study area. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed. Data were obtained primarily from 130 respondents through structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, mean, and multiple regressions. The results on socio-economic characteristics revealed that majority (67.7%) of the respondents were male, married and within the active age group of 26-40 years (54.6%). Majority (49.2%) had no formal education with a mean household size of 5.35 indicating over dependency on family labor. The respondents (34.6%) had 11-20 years of farming experience but lack ICT proficiency training and were not members of any cooperatives while (57.7%) cultivates between 2-4 hectares in which (47.7%) earns between ₦100, 001-₦300, 000 per annum. Mobile phone, internet and radio were the most frequently used ICT tools by farmers in the study area.  The results of multiple regression analysis revealed a high coefficient of multiple determinations (R2) of 0.711. This indicates that 71.1% of the total variables were caused by changes in the independent variables. Educational level, farming experience, computer literacy, and annual income are statistically significant at p≤0.01 level of significance. The study concludes that farmers utilize a limited number of ICTs, although these tools are moderately available and accessible. The study recommended that awareness on the use of ICTs such as the internet and computer for agricultural information transfer and retrieval should be encouraged, dissemination of agricultural information through radio and television programs as well as mobile phone would be recommended for greater agricultural production.