Assessment of Information and Communication Technologies Used for Disseminating Innovations by Extension Agents in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This research work was carried out to investigate the crop farmers’ assessment of information and communication technologies (ICT) used for innovation dissemination by E xtension A gents in Ogun State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 105 crop farmers from two agricultural zones: Ikenne and Ilaro. The data collected in June and July 2013 were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as means, frequency and percentage distributions; while inferential statistical tool-chi-square was used to determine the relationship between the variables selected. The study showed that crop farmers were between the ages of 41 and 60 years, and their mean age was 47 years, 74.3% were males, 83.8% were married, 84.8% were literate, 59.0% were members of cooperative societies, 80.9% attended extension programmes, 56.2% cultivated between 2 - 6 acres of farmland, and majority (56.2%) were earning between N10, 000.00 – N30, 000.00 monthly and a mean of N16,939.39K. Radio, landline telephone, television, slides, DVD and overhead projectors were the most used information and communication technologies by E xtension A gents. Also, there was a significant relationship between age (X2=74.075), educational background (X2= 55.774), area of specialization (X2 = 86.517), number of agricultural shows attended (X2= 27.989) and ICT used (X2= 377.323). The problem faced by crop farmers were inability of farmers to use ICT (X2=93.971), inability of farmers to perceive its benefits (X2=108.524), lack of technological infrastructure (X2=292.095), high cost of technology (X2=191.114), Not enough time to spend on technology (X2=138.592), no understand of the value of ICT (X2=66.848), lack of training (X2=189.057), and lack of supporting facilities (X2=209.248) of farmers in usage of information and communication technologies; and adoption levels of farmers. Hence, it was recommended that efforts should be directed towards improving the level of utilization of ICTs by organizing training workshop for E xtension A gents.